Design Librarian

My daughter has been vascillating between 90 Day Fiancé and Smothered on TLC.

We have on Smothered at the moment and she’s saying stuff like “would you be the third wheel on my date??” and “would you massage my b@@@???” and “would you take a bath with me, because I don’t want to sit in my own dirt, let alone yours…”

And I’m considered an excellent mother…
Anyway, here are drawings of a project that didn’t move forward.

If I had to hazard a guess, it’s because I post with captions like this.

XOXO

Emily Stein • Design Librarian • Right Brain, Left Field Interior Design
www.thedesignlibrarian.com •
(215) 253-6428 •
[email protected]

•
•
•
•
•
•

The expression goes: “one door closes and another one opens,” but in my case, it’s two.

Here’s a pic from our recent bedroom project by in Elkins Park.

Fun fact: absolutely every item in this armoire was bough 2nd hand.

This goes to show that objects need not be expensive so long as my taste is.

Emily Stein • Design Librarian • Right Brain, Left Field Interior Design
www.thedesignlibrarian.com •
(215) 253-6428 •
[email protected]

•
•
•
•
•
•

I was doing a bit of snooping on my peer’s IG accounts and many of them caption an image with a single word.

A bedroom: Goodnight
A bathroom: Splash
A dining room: Gulp

And I’m over here writing short stories with cliff hanger endings. 😜

Here’s a camera phone pic from today’s shoot and if I had to follow my contemporaries, here’s how I’d caption:

Yassss

•
•
•
•
•
•

I am super sick, in case you were wondering.

Here are updated drawings and some cheeky lil excepts from a project we’ve been working on in Princeton.

Emily Stein • Design Librarian • Right Brain, Left Field Interior Design
www.thedesignlibrarian.com •
(215) 253-6428 •
[email protected]

No one buys the cow, they say, so I am playing coy.

Emily Stein • Design Librarian • Right Brain, Left Field Interior Design
www.thedesignlibrarian.com •
(215) 253-6428 •
[email protected]

One bathroom.

Forty seven versions in my brain.

2.5 versions posted just now.

I’m including the sketches sent by the contractor only to show what I can do for anyone who “can’t visualize” - a little $ upfront for me is better than a lot spent to dislike it, no?

Emily Stein • Design Librarian • Right Brain, Left Field Interior Design
www.thedesignlibrarian.com •
(215) 253-6428 •
[email protected]

Calling all friends, fans, fam, and frenemies - who will rise to the occasion and nominate us - Design Librarian - the mainline’s best kept design secret and (almost) 20 year overnight success?

Nominations are open now!

Link in bio or click here:

https://bestof.mainlinetoday.com/home-and-garden/interior-designer

Thanks in advance! ☺️

Emily Stein • Design Librarian • Right Brain, Left Field Interior Design
www.thedesignlibrarian.com •
(215) 253-6428 •
[email protected]

Presented this a few weeks back and unfortunately we won’t be moving forward.

I hesitated to post because now all my good ideas are out in the ether, but I need some atta girls.

I believe the saying goes, for every door that closes, another door gets dead bolted, bricked over, and then they dig a moat.

Emily Stein • Design Librarian • Right Brain, Left Field Interior Design
www.thedesignlibrarian.com •
(215) 253-6428 •
[email protected]

I haven’t posted one of these in a while, but I seem to be struggling to prove the value I add when I’m hired versus hiring another or going to DIY route.

I found a full set of these marked at $80 each and debated their necessity.

I couldn’t stop thinking about that sweet buttery yellow leather and as fate would have, I went back and they were 20% off.

So instead of the stated original price of $2,269 each, I got mine for $64 and I even white glove delivered to myself for free.

If you are intrigued by the idea of “good stuff” 99.7% off retail, let’s talk.

Indirectly related, some other weird s I bought, just for funsies. Pendants @ $7 ea and $0.50 for that original painting. 😂😂

Emily Stein • Design Librarian • Right Brain, Left Field Interior Design
www.thedesignlibrarian.com •
(215) 253-6428 •
[email protected]

Making madness…

Emily Stein • Design Librarian • Right Brain, Left Field Interior Design
www.thedesignlibrarian.com •
(215) 253-6428 •
[email protected]

Me: “I put fancy on like a costume.”

Daughter: “Yeah, I know. I live with you. I’m looking at you. Judging you, actually.”

Incidentally, I had a very glamorous drawing of me hung yesterday and the framer didn’t realize it was me.

Friends. I need some. 😂

Emily Stein • Design Librarian • Right Brain, Left Field Interior Design
www.thedesignlibrarian.com •
(215) 253-6428 •
[email protected]

Followers of this account may recall my making of struggle art in the guest room bed about a month ago.

Please note window sil.

And obviously, please note nonstruggle main bedroom as a whole.

Emily Stein • Design Librarian • Right Brain, Left Field Interior Design
www.thedesignlibrarian.com •
(215) 253-6428 •
[email protected]

How did I not post this yet?

Oh, because I needed stamps to mail the photographer her check. Post office then post. That’s what I always say.

Here’s a recently completed design/build project we did at The Rittenhouse in Center City.

Let this go to show that although my mind is like the megabox of crayons, I can and will show restraint.

Emily Stein • Design Librarian • Right Brain, Left Field Interior Design
www.thedesignlibrarian.com •
(215) 253-6428 •
[email protected]

Before/during/after

Emily Stein • Design Librarian • Right Brain, Left Field Interior Design
www.thedesignlibrarian.com •
(215) 253-6428 •
[email protected]

Let there be light! Incidentally, his name is Edison and this is him putting our lightbulb in this morning.

I’ll be blowing up your timeline with all the photos I took today, so you may want to hop of social media for a while. I don’t blame you.

Emily Stein • Design Librarian • Right Brain, Left Field Interior Design
www.thedesignlibrarian.com •
(215) 253-6428 •
[email protected]

Forgive me if I posted these already.

Computer is at 8%, phone at 12, body at maybe 14…

Looking forward to photographing this and sharing some “finished-finished” photos.

Emily Stein • Design Librarian • Right Brain, Left Field Interior Design
www.thedesignlibrarian.com •
(215) 253-6428 •
[email protected]

I am about to sound like a sick freak, but I LOVE computer days.

I spend so much time driving that it feels downright indulgent to do the thinking part of my work even though it’s mostly just poking buttons and clicking my mouse.

Anyway, here are nearly final drawings from a primary bedroom in Graduate Hospital.

Emily Stein • Design Librarian • Right Brain, Left Field Interior Design
www.thedesignlibrarian.com •
(215) 253-6428 •
[email protected]

Elsewhere this week, the suburbs this time (LansDOWN *not* LansDALE…oops), I was working in one of the coolest houses I’ve known and for some of the coolest people.

We have not been asked to do much here, because frankly, the owners are visionaries themselves and have technical capabilities.

Anyway, we’re going to be applying paper to the area above the range and putting it behind glass - an idea I’ve wanted to do, but haven’t found anyone brave enough to go there with me.

Emily Stein • Design Librarian • Right Brain, Left Field Interior Design
www.thedesignlibrarian.com •
(215) 253-6428 •
[email protected]

This meticulous flat lay was captured by accident (quite obviously) from our project in the Graduate Hospital area of Philly.

I have to say, I am really excited that I get to use laminate for the first time since 2006, when I used laminate samples in metallic shades to decorate a tree for a romantic date Al fresco in my parent’s backyard.

I wasted my youth.

Emily Stein • Design Librarian • Right Brain, Left Field Interior Design
www.thedesignlibrarian.com •
(215) 253-6428 •
[email protected]

Framing is fun!

Just kidding, framing is for squares!

KIDDING AGAIN! Frames are frequently rectangular.

Anyway, took many pieces to be matted and framed this week, if you know me at all, you know I almost exclusively buy preowned and that includes art.

Sometimes I’m happy as is, but more frequently an image that is beautiful or “the right kind of weird” needs to be reimagined to belong in a freshly redesigned space.

And and and, if you buy things like oddly proportioned books, like the first image, you’re going to need an annoyingly sized and therefore made to order frame, anyway.

Emily Stein • Design Librarian • Right Brain, Left Field Interior Design
www.thedesignlibrarian.com •
(215) 253-6428 •
[email protected]

My client is really looking forward to winter, when she can bunker down in this bed and look out at her incredible view of Rittenhouse Square.

And I’m like yeah, yeah that’s cause you don’t have to shovel, or clean your car, or protect your snowflake of a dog from actual snowflakes.

Looking forward to Tuesday when we’ll be taking this tasteful and restrained project and making it Emily eccentric.

Emily Stein • Design Librarian • Right Brain, Left Field Interior Design
www.thedesignlibrarian.com •
(215) 253-6428 •
[email protected]

I decided to post these pics shared by a client and for whatever reason started thinking about Drake lyrics.

Here’s an outdoor kitchen I did a while back.

The lyric, in case you were wondering, was something to the effect of “some are recent, some are decent” pertaining to photos.

These aren’t that recent but are the other thing.

Emily Stein • Design Librarian • Right Brain, Left Field Interior Design
www.thedesignlibrarian.com •
(215) 253-6428 •
[email protected]

From hole-y floor to holy moly look at that imperceptibly repaired floor!

Laz is a recent addition to the Men of Mt Airy calendar, but he’s (heat)gunning for his choice of months with this miraculous recovery.

Emily Stein • Design Librarian • Right Brain, Left Field Interior Design
www.thedesignlibrarian.com •
(215) 253-6428 •
[email protected]

These are hippo chairs and though I’d say I will not order from the same (highly prestigious!) vendor again due to abhorrent service, we are happy with these in the end.

That was largely due to our upholsterer somehow figuring out how to stabilize these frames (apparently these girls are so chunky, they broke between France and here) and and for the kickass fabric.

Emily Stein • Design Librarian • Right Brain, Left Field Interior Design
www.thedesignlibrarian.com •
(215) 253-6428 •
[email protected]

Heyyy Besties,

It took me absolutely forever, but Google finally verified us.

If you’ve worked with me or if you’re a fan of my work, please please show me some love!

Emily Stein • Design Librarian • Right Brain, Left Field Interior Design
www.thedesignlibrarian.com •
(215) 253-6428 •
[email protected]

The people have spoken!

I hope to someday stand and admire my pretty kitchen, but for now, I stand and admire the pretty mountainous pile of dirty dishes. 😳

Emily Stein • Design Librarian • Right Brain, Left Field Interior Design
www.thedesignlibrarian.com •
(215) 253-6428 •
[email protected]

I’ve been deleting old pics all weekend and came across these from this time last year.

We’re about to start another round of rooms, so I figured I’d kill two birds - show you and reorder the colors we’ve already used as a reference.

Emily Stein • Design Librarian • Right Brain, Left Field Interior Design
www.thedesignlibrarian.com •
(215) 253-6428 •
[email protected]

Another *nearly* finished project.

Nearly finished is becoming a signature.

Emily Stein • Design Librarian • Right Brain, Left Field Interior Design
www.thedesignlibrarian.com •
(215) 253-6428 •
[email protected]

Rainy Sundays are for chores.

And since I don’t do those, here’s a new work in progress.

I tried to explain this idea over zoom, but Esme kept distracting us with her hotcat antics and I’m not sure I made any sense.

Here’s a scenic panoramic paper in a room not likely to get stampeded by cats.

Emily Stein • Design Librarian • Right Brain, Left Field Interior Design
www.thedesignlibrarian.com •
(215) 253-6428 •
[email protected]

2023 marks the year that I have given up on following whatever design conventions I had remaining.

Semi related to the below, I was at a consignment store recently and got stopped for my incredible taste. I’d like to indicate that I was wearing target yoga pants, two different socks (white and gray of very different lengths) and very stinky Keds.

This makes me think that taste and style is 99% a defiant attitude and has absolutely nothing to do with the specifics at all.

Now, here are some weird moves you can make, if you too, want to show the world that you’ve done lost your damn mind:

Paint your ceiling mango and make it high gloss.

Tile all the walls.

Paint the floor.

Put art on every every square inch of vertical space.

Put 24 chairs in a room.

Wallpaper 2/7 walls.

Oh and thanks and for the green velvet. My framer said it’s “fire”.

Emily Stein • Design Librarian • Right Brain, Left Field Interior Design
www.thedesignlibrarian.com •
(215) 253-6428 •
[email protected]