Fifteen years ago (when I was 30) this whole thing began – both DesignStar and the blog launched in early 2010. Y’all, we barely had smartphones, the OG Facebook had just reached the non-college population, and Pinterest was just an idea without an office (thus me having boxes of magazines and an actual pin board). It was before blogs destroyed magazines, Pinterest destroyed blogs, Instagram took over almost all blogs/Pinterest/Twitter/FB, and now TikTok and YouTube are continuing to threaten literally all of media. I find it all endlessly fascinating and truly grateful to still be here (and with enough different revenue sources to hopefully continue to run this until I’m 80). I love writing about digital media and content creation culture, because the evolution of it all is just so wild to not just witness but be so deeply affected by it every. single. day. (…And will be writing even more soon, stay tuned). Being on the inside makes my specific scoop pretty deep and nuanced – talk about seeing every side. For instance, I just finished the first episode of the Meghan Markle show and I’m having so many conflicting thoughts and feelings!! More to come. ANYWAY, we recently found these photos of my apartment tour from that first year, 2010, via Apartment Therapy, shot by Teri Lyn Fisher and thought it would be fun to repost (and react). Part of me wants to shout “cringe”, but that would only be my shadow self trying to convince myself and you all that I somehow deserve to be here, now, despite this being the apartment of a literal DesignStar then. But the more generous part of me knows that this girl had zero money or training and scraped together a lot of vintage stuff and DIYs to create an apartment that had some semblance of unique style. I’m actually really proud of this girl for putting this out there despite it not being great, not just because of it. I suppose that’s where the fanbase started – lots of vintage stuff on a budget with more confidence and bravery than expected. My budget has changed, but she is still there 
We’ll start with the most promising image, where I actually still love everything in there (“love” might be strong?). That sofa was my first big vintage purchase ($800 shout out to The Good Mod) and something I would now pay $3k to get back for sentimental reasons (I sold to a reader years ago, much to my future regret – if you are out there let me know!). I sewed both blue patterned pillows, and I wish so badly I had kept that coffee table (drop leaf and so simple/pretty). I framed that flag with cheap furring strips, brackets, and black nailheads and it’s such a great hack for massive unique art on an extreme budget (I did that move many times). All in all, I’m not embarrassed by this – it’s also just full of so much nostalgia that it makes me happy.
Here’s what I wrote about it then (via the article):
Indulgences: I’m frugal by nature, but my biggest purchase ever was my navy blue 60s sofa, and it was $800 (pretty sure I told Brian, my husband, it was $600 at the time because it was and is so much money for us) but besides that I can’t get enough weird old artwork. I know I have too much and I’m bordering on hoarding, but it makes me so happy and the house still doesn’t feel cluttered because it’s on the walls. At least that’s what I’m telling myself. In general, my problem is losing judgment at flea markets or thrift stores – you know that ‘if-i-don’t-buy-it-now-i-will-regret-it-for-the-rest-of-my-life’ syndrome? Yep, I got it. Bad. Terminally.
Now nothing is wrong here, but I just don’t totally connect with it – it feels a bit empty and cold. What I do remember is that I found that table on Craigslist – a really dark shiny wood and stripped it myself in the parking lot of our Los Feliz apartment. Everything else was thrifted, including the $50 Persian style bright blue rug that had 3 huge holes in it prompting my DP of Secrets to ask me – “are you poor?” which I’ll never forget (he wasn’t into the extreme “patina” of the rug). I wish badly I had it still to turn into an ottoman or cover a bench in – so much nostalgia in that rug as I had it for years and years.
Now this is where I’m like “huh”, not because there is anything “wrong” per se but because that vignette is just kinda boring. The blue wire chairs are tiny outdoor chairs, that the IKEA lamp feels oddly modern and oversized, and all of a sudden I drank different bourbons and scotch? I do still have that blue dog painting, of course, and will forever (It’s in our kids’ bathroom right now). I like the rug, the planter on the chair, the folding woven chair and that painting on the floor (??) – but collectively it’s just a bit boring and off (which is OK!).
This one really cracks me up – again not against everything in this shot, just collectively it feels a bit try hard, but I think I literally was trying so hard… I remember thinking “how did I win this show?!! How can I prove to the world I’m unique??” This was the dresser in my bedroom and I guess this was my collection on top? I actually would love that projector screen drawing on the left (It’s very Hugo Guiness-y) and I LOVE that Scandinavian black owl. I still have that indigo runner (which I bought in Vietnam when Brian and I went backpacking right before DesignStar) and the glass vases were from my wedding (where all the vases were vintage mason or faceted jars). The silhouettes are random and that swag cord was a move that I liked doing (that I still kinda love – I did it in Elliot’s room). Not sure what is up with the portrait of the ghost-looking boy (??!!) and probably wouldn’t buy that again, but certainly not off brand as I sure do love a stranger portrait.
Y’all, that was the Blimp before its glow up (framing). Gah, seeing it with a fig tree with wood table in here, is so similar to it in the sunroom with another fig tree and wood table. See?
Here is what I said at the time:
2010 Emily: What’s My Style: Weird, eclectic and modern, but loose and casual. All vintage all the time. And as far as color, I mix a lot of blues, grays and whites with natural materials like wood and leather. The blues keep it modern and masculine, while the leather and wood bring in warmth. My furniture tends to be straight and masculine while my accessories are more curvy and feminine. I don’t plan it that way, it’s just my instinct
Y’all – this is still me!! I mix more new and care about having more contemporary artists and hiring local makers (because I can afford them now), but the general spirit is similar.
Ok, now that shelfie I’m still all in on and is full of SO MANY nostalgic things. I know where I got almost everything there (and now I’m sad that that blue plate broke after 10 years of loving it – bought in Italy). I’m on a plane now, but I want to race to my prop room and see if I still have some of these things (like the simple footed white bowl). The gold and white vessel broke, but I repaired it and if you look closely, right under it, you’ll see my framed collection of dollhouse fly swatters and mousetraps – yes, you read that correctly.
That white vessel is SOLID and I love that little table (notice the drawer detail). Now the creepy boy painting (WTF, I had two of them???) can go and I’m not sure why I had a rock collection, but I also think they are pretty rocks (note that now I collect leather or twine wrapped rocks to put on top of books so I suppose I’m still into using rocks as styling elements).
I think this was an attempt to create a sweet vintage vignette – all things I’m still into, but collectively maybe not super strong? I glued that wine holder back together SO MANY times before I called it. I still have that wooden bowl and I hoarded those brass and glass mugs for years. I don’t think I have that exact round breadboard, but I have a very similar one that Suz gave me that lives on our island. As you can see my love of forestscapes (or any landscape or seascape) was a thing even back then. Pretty sure there is some Two Buck Chuck in that wine holder – or if not maybe I splurged on prop wine to not look quite so broke.
I think the only photo in this mix that actually makes me cringe is this one – mostly because I’m embarrassed about how I wanted to be perceived then. You see this was my attempt at doing something elevated, that didn’t look like the thrift store girl – as I was feeling super subconscious about not being more “legit”. So I bought this “sophisticated” fabric and with nailheads made this headboard. I refinished the campaign nightstand (was yellow) and bought a crystal lamp! I did NOT like that pintuck bedding at all (still don’t, I hate textured bedding). But I also still really do like a calm and serene bedroom (think mountain house bedroom!) so maybe this is a version of me, just a more budget/ boring version. I guess I’m still proud of myself for doing the DIYs and TBH those garden roses are so sweet.
*Unless Otherwise Noted, Photos by Teri Lyn Fisher via Apartment Therapy
The post Emily Reviews Her First Professionally Shot Apartment From 2010 (Lots Of Feelings!) appeared first on Emily Henderson.
