The Fabulous Mrs. Henderson

Move over, Sarah Richardson – I think I may have a new HGTV fave.

Yup, Design Star-winner Emily Henderson’s new show, Secrets from a Stylist, is totally awesome.  Did you get a chance to watch it last night?

If not, you definitely missed out.  Gone were the nerves and awkwardness that sometimes plagued Emily during Design Star, and instead we were treated to rock solid design tips and thorough explanations of why Emily styled things the way that she did, all mixed in with a great dose of her classic charm.  All in all, a very informative, as well as beautiful, episode.

In a nutshell, Emily re-styled the Hollywood home of the co-creator of Glee, Ian Brennan, who just so happens to be a close friend of Emily’s.  (I LOVE GLEE!!!)  I think pairing up with Ian was a brilliant move, as we got to see Emily in an environment where she felt totally at ease so her personality and quirks really shone through.  Loved it!

Anyhoo, enough chitter chat – let’s get to those before and afters!

First up was Ian’s living room, which had great architecture but was exceedingly blah.

Emily’s approach was to first identify Ian’s sense of style, which she pinpointed as “FDR chic,” “60s mod,” and “backpacker / world traveler.”  She styled the room as completely FDR chic (explained as a sturdy, historic vibe from the 20s and 30s), which looked pretty interesting but waaaay historic, then layered in a heavy dose of 60s mod, and finally topped everything off with a worldly twist.  Unfortunately HGTV doesn’t have photos of the in-between phases, where each phase was strikingly different from the next.  {UPDATE: Check out Emily’s blog – here – for sources, more commentary from Emily and pics of the in-between phases.}

What do you think of the final result?

It’s interesting how even though I’ve only seen a few spaces that Emily has designed, her style is quickly becoming recognizable.  I think that’s a good thing, as I never find it boring, but what do you think?

In addition to the main living room, Emily also tackled 3 other spaces in Ian’s home that needed  little love.  While she made sure to incorporate his 3 design styles, we didn’t get as in-depth of a peek into her design process.

After the living room was fluffed and puffed, next up was this awkward little room that Ian was using as a TV room.

Emily completely reconfigured the niche and added loads of pattern for a funky yet inviting guest space.

Ian’s home office was third on the list, and it turned out that he didn’t even really use the space as an office.

I’m loving this space as a TV room, and the black grasscloth is amazing!

Finally, Emily tackled Ian’s lackluster master bedroom.

Repositioning the bed so that it faced the windows was a necessary change, and I definitely think the space now incorporates Ian’s 3 design styles.

I could ramble on and on about this show for another few hours, but I’ll spare you.  I want to hear what you thought of the first episode of Secrets from a Stylist!  Did any of you get a chance to watch it?  What did you like about it, and what just didn’t do it for you?

Oh, and be sure to check out Emily’s blog, The Brass Petal, and her professional website.

All images courtesy of HGTV.