Creating beautiful and healthy spaces comes naturally for Emily Ellstrom, who grew up watching her parents design and build homes, giving life to the dreams of their clients.
“My parents met on a job site in the 80s. My dad was a general contractor and my mom was a high-end designer,” shares Emily. “In the mid-2000s, as they were sitting around a table with clients and the various parties who can be involved in a project, they saw the overlap in roles and the miscommunication that comes with having so many people involved. They wanted to streamline the process.”
As a result, Bradley and Tami Cline opened their own firm to bring everything under one umbrella and offer clients a full-service experience. Now Emily carries on their legacy as the owner and creative director of Common Formme, a locally owned boutique design build firm.
“I started helping on the business side of my parents’ company and about six years ago made that full-time leap into the business,” she says. “I was really on more of the operations and marketing sales side of things, but found that it wasn't filling my creative cup. So, I started taking on more design projects in the last few years and it has been a natural evolution to move into the role of creative director for the company.”
Common Formme projects range from small to large and can include existing dwellings or from-scratch builds that begin with a tract of land. Clients can choose design-only services and work with their own contractors, or streamline the process and have the team work on all aspects of their project from conception to completion.
“It really does have that moment at the end where we've gone through all of your furnishings, styled your spaces, and you walk in and get to see how all the planning comes to life,” says Emily.
Incorporating healthy living into each project is important to Emily, and she does this by offering clients products and using building techniques that promote a healthy environment, from airtight construction to the use of natural fibers and materials.
“It's a foundational approach to build healthy from the ground up and then bring in all of those layers that affect your environment in different ways. To us, it means a water and airtight structure to avoid any mold and mildew that can intrude into your home and silently wreak havoc on your health and environment without you knowing it. It’s also lighting that is conducive to your circadian rhythm, low volatile organic compounds (VOC) paints, and insulation that doesn't have harmful chemicals in it.”
This approach includes educating clients on using naturally certified wood, upholstery that has natural wool and cotton fills or natural latex fills, and being aware of potential toxins being introduced into the home. “I love that I'm able to share my own holistic way of living with clients and show how they can make small changes in their home to ensure that they are creating this beautiful and also healthy environment. It's really woven into the ethos of everything we do, and I love that I can bridge those worlds.”
A relatively new addition to Common Formme’s repertoire includes creating wellness zones for homeowners that include saunas and plunges, another area that reflects Emily’s passion for healthy living. “A couple of years ago, I had the opportunity to help design a community bathhouse experience to include sauna and plunge-led classes. As fun as that sounds, I wanted to be able to impact more people's personal spaces. So, I took the concepts we developed for these bathhouses and have adapted that into how we design and build homes,” explains Emily. “In Washington, our codes are changing right now and there are much looser regulations around Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) and Detached Accessory Dwelling Units (DADUs.) It's really opening up an opportunity for people to create these smaller bespoke spaces on their property, whether it's a workout space, an office, or a wellness zone.”
Other signature design elements Emily employs are unique to the Pacific Northwest and include use of natural color palettes, stones, and textures to create a collected, lived-in look that reflects the character and lifestyle of her clients.
A great way to get a feel for all that Common Formme has to offer is to stop by the newly completed showroom. “We've created the showroom to invite people into this experience and as you walk through it, it's meant to feel like a home,” shares Emily. “As you go through a bedroom, living room, sitting room, and office, we want you to see different features that we integrate into our full-service experience. Or, if you live in an apartment or just finished building your home, we offer products at a smaller price point that you can make your space feel unique and special.” The showroom also offers U.S. made natural fiber furniture and collected home accessories, as well as vintage and one-of-a-kind objects and art, perfect to add a special touch to any home.
To learn more about the company and their offerings, visit commonformme.com, call 206-285-6560, or stop by the Common Formme showroom located at 108 5th Ave South in Edmonds. You can also follow Common Formme on Instagram and Pinterest.
"...we've gone through all of your furnishings, styled your spaces...and you walk in and get to see how all the planning comes to life."
WHO WE ARE
Common Formme exists to reimagine what home can be crafting environments that nurture connection, elevate well-being, and embody timeless beauty. We believe that your home should sustain you.
Through a combination of natural materials, thoughtful construction, and a wellness centered approach, our projects are created to feel as good as they look. Seamlessly functional and deeply human, they leave a quiet, lasting imprint on the lives of those who move through them.