Neutral rug round up + inspiration

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(source *also the rug we have in our living room! )

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After being rug-less and on the hunt for months, I took to Instagram to help me decide between a few neutral moroccan inspired rugs for our living room. Carman was over the search and thought they all looked the same and if I’m being honest the poll only made it harder because like me, everyone loved all of them. As much as I love our hardwood floors (and believe me I LOVE them), theres nothing like a good rug to warm up a space and make it feel like home. 

Carman and my parents surprised me with our dream rug for Christmas and we love it so much. It’s definitely an investment piece and one we plan to have for a long time. We also happen to know the owners of the company and I am all about shopping small and supporting smaller / local / family owned businesses when we can! 

Post rug search, I got a lot of DM’s asking where our living room rug is from and where to look for rugs so I thought a little round up of some neutral rugs I love would be helpful! 

01 / 02 / 03 * / 04 / 05 / 06 / 07 / 08 ** / 09 /


* really similar look to our living room rug
** this one is washable!

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gift guide for mama

As a new mama myself, I had to share some of my favorite and most used items this year! Any new mama will love these and use them daily!


01. nursing pillow - this has been so much more than a nursing pillow for me. while I don't think a nursing pillow is a total necessity, we use this pillow every day with Miles. he sits up on this, it barricades him from rolling off the bed, etc. it's also the most stylish nursing pillow and its 100% organic so nothing nasty is coming into contact with you and your precious baby.
02. mate the label - I am not exaggerating when I say I LITERALLY wear something from Mate the Label every single day (I am wearing the remi thermal as I type this). organic cotton pieces made sustainably in LA - the dreamiest fits and colorways. you'll feel put together even when you're covered in milk/spit up/ who knows what (and you will be).
03. bra - I asked for another one of these Shop Arq bras for Christmas this year. also organic cotton and a great nursing bra without being a "nursing bra".
04. face oil - this plum face oil from Vitruvi is one of my favorites. I used it every day post-Miles to keep my tired skin looking alive and didn't have to worry if any got on him / near him. 100% clean. (you can use my code 'SAVANNAH' for 20% off your order!)
05. cleaning products - as a new mom, you're pretty paranoid about everything that comes into contact with your baby. they're fragile systems are sensitive and Branch Basics is the cleanest thing I've come across. this one product makes every cleaning product you need in your house and its nontoxic and 100% baby / everyone safe. it's all we use in my house and I'm working on converting my mom.  (watch Stink! on Netflix and follow Branch Basics on Instagram for more info on why you should toss the toxins that are in all of the products in your house!). gift the new mama in your life some Branch Basics and then offer to clean her house!
06. carry-all backpack - this unisex backpack from Storq is our everyday diaper bag! plenty of room for all the essentials while still being small enough to not bump everything in your vicinity. I love that it looks great on Carman and I and that it can eventually just be used as a regular backpack!
07. slippers - really self explanatory here. mama = at home = needs slippers = snuggly.
08. scrunchies - these silk scrunchies by Silk are the best! a little pricey but they're the only scrunchies that don't leave a crease in my hair - and when you have limited opportunities to shower / wash your hair / get ready for the day, you want to preserve it for as long as possible when you do.
09. Public Goods - you're not getting out to the store much in the early days - enter Public Goods. all the sustainable basics you need in one place! you can use my code "SAVJAYDE' for 25% off your first order!

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The Nursery: Sneak Peek

We’re in the final count down! Our family is growing in just a few weeks and we can’t wait any longer! We are so ready to meet our boy. All of the laundry is done, his clothes are folded, we've 'nested' and we're ready to bring him home.

Here is a little sneak peak of the nursery — I’ll post a full reveal soon with all the final touches and links to sources, but we just love this sweet space so much and so many people have asked for photos -  I couldn’t wait to share! I find myself just wandering into this room, looking around and imagining what life is going to be like with him here. Only two weeks left!

xx,

SK

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The nursery plan: inspiration

Naturally, I was excited to design the nursery and you guys have been curious and asking about it as well, so I thought I’d share! 

We’ve slowly gotten rid of miscellaneous furniture that has always been in our guest room (a daybed, a few dressers, etc) and have been making room for new things like a crib and changing table. Since we are also preparing to move, our current guest room is a war zone filled with boxes and a large assortment of pillows that used to reside on top of the day bed (this room is now my nightmare). 

While we don’t have our exact new home/apartment picked out yet, we do know that we are looking for something with a room that gets good natural light and that will ideally have enough room for a crib, changing table, and rocking chair. 

photos via pinterest 

In this in between phase of packing / preparing for a move / NESTING and dying to start on the nursery, I’ve got loads of inspiration pictures and ideas swirling around about what the nursery will be. 

We want the nursery to be an extension of our home — words like: neutral, natural, airy and non-toxic are top of mind when I think about what I want for the nursery. We’re focusing on the colors and textures that make us happy and relax us, hoping they’ll do the same for the little one. We want to create an environment that is inspired by nature — filled with light and plants. A space that is uncluttered, full of organic fabrics and natural colors that will incorporate all of the above feelings, resulting in calm and thoughtful surroundings. 

I also know that color and contrast are good (read: important) for the baby’s development, so we’re bringing that in through toys, books, and interesting things for the baby to look at like art and a mobile. We want a lot of natural, timeless textures like wood for the crib and woven baskets to corral all the toys and books with a neutral base like white on the walls. 

I’m finding it important that I/we enjoy the space we create because I know that there will be a lot of time spent in that area in the early days. 

Above are a few of my inspiration pictures! I tried to steer myself toward photos that included things we already own or already planned to get for the nursery so that they felt tangible. Here are the pieces we’ve got planned for the nursery so far! 

01. Rocking chair - I'm having a hard time justifying the prices of so many of the rockers that are on the market. It seems like a lot to spend on something I don't know for sure will get a lot of use. BUT most of the advice I've gotten from other moms is to invest in a comfortable rocker because you do spend a lot of time in it and end up dozing off. We also like this one, and this one (but I hear you want armrests for things like feeding and overall comfort, so this one might not be the best option practically - but I like the way it looks!)

02. Pouf - We already own this leather pouf from Urban Outfitters and I think it'll find its new permanent home inside baby's nursery. 

03. Mobile - We love this to put over the crib! 

04. Crib - After searching every single crib option, we fell in love with this set by Simply Nursery. It's on the slightly pricier side, but these pieces are meant to grow with our baby and we like the idea of investing now and not having to replace pieces down the road. We also like this cheaper, classic option. 

05. Rug - We bought a vintage Persian rug similar to this one shortly after getting married and it's always been in our guest room. I plan to put it in the nursery to add some color and texture. 

06. Basket - We already own quite a few baskets like this and I know they'll come in handy to store toys, books, etc. The more baskets the merrier to me! 

07. Dresser - This is the matching dresser to the above crib. I love that nothing about it looks like a nursery / changing table, so we'll be able to use it for long after its days as a changing table. 

08. Light - I've always thought this light would look cute in a nursery and I'm so excited to finally put it in ours. 

Once the move + settling in happens, I’ll post some sneak peaks and a reveal of the finished nursery! 

xx

SK

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MAKE YOURSELF AT HOME: ON FINDING YOUR HOME PERSONALITY (AND BEING TRUE TO YOU)

There is so much inspiration out there. So many photos and magazines and Pinterest and Instagram. This day and age it’s hard to hone in on one thing and bring into focus something that’s truly yours. It’s important to sift through the inspiration and content and find your voice in your home. The same is true for your closet — if you’re constantly jumping at trends and ‘what she has in her house’, your house will hardly reflect you.

So let’s talk about our house, how we’ve come to our interior style, how and why it’s important to stay true to you. 

OUR HOUSE:

I would describe our home as warm, natural, neutral and modern. It walks the line between minimal and eclectic — we have a few things we like to ‘collect’ (ceramics, books, rocks, plants) which is when it errs on the side of eclectic — but we are always editing.  We’re minimal with as much as we can be and have a minimal color scheme of neutrals with pale, muted hues sprinkled in. 

We like a simple and clean aesthetic. And I like nature. So we like to incorporate that where we can with natural elements like woods, branches and plants (which was also our wedding style — a thread of consistency!).

HOW WE GOT THERE:

I believe in making our home beautiful and functional. As the years go by, we’ve been very thoughtful about the things we bring into our house. We try to think about how they’ll grow with us and one day how they’ll live in a house with kids. We look for transitional pieces that are both durable and beautiful — things we know we’ll still love in 5 years. 

I want to create a home that is “past the need for perfection” (a quote from The Kinfolk Home), one that is made for living and growing and inviting people in. I don’t want a stiff, cold space that holds people at an arms length away. I want life to happen here. I want a space that begs to draw you in, to kick your feet up or lay on the floor. We’re big home bodies, so having a space that cultivates comfort and peace is huge for us. 

Some of my favorite things in our home are bought used from flea markets or vintage shops, from one of our families or something handmade (either by us or a handy friend). We try to stray away from big box store items and seek out things that are more one of a kind - things with warmth and life in them. 

Decorating our home is a slow and ongoing process — and thats just how I like it. I don’t want to decorate for the sake of it, our home is a curated collection of things we’ve collected over time. I don’t think a home is ever done — our space is always evolving and shifting and reflecting where we’re currently at in our lives and that’s what keeps it authentic. Especially while we live in an apartment, I find myself moving things around and rearranging even more so in the quest to feel settled in and make this rented space our home. While I think our space will always evolve, I’m excited to plant roots down and settle into a place when we buy a home one day.  

FINDING YOUR VOICE AND BEING TRUE TO YOU:

My biggest piece of advice is to avoid mirroring the personalities and spaces that inspire you. Inspiration is a beautiful thing but a carbon copy isn’t authentic. Try to gain a solid understanding of what you love and why you love it. This knowledge will help you sift through inspiration to get to your core style and what truly expresses who you are through your home. Once you have that understanding, blend those threads into your own original vision, while working with your specific space.

Follow your instincts. Follow what you’re drawn to. Collect and curate based on your life, not someone else’s. Recognize things you’re drawn to time and time again rather than what’s currently trending, or getting what you saw in your friend’s house last week just because (if you like it, great! but make it authentic). Take that inspiration and find your voice and your own version in it and watch how your home will start to feel more like home as it reflects you.

I hope you enjoyed a mini-updated tour of our apartment currently! We are in the process of rearranging some things and potentially moving (!!) so the next update will reveal all the changes and what both of the bedrooms look like. 

xx,

SK

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FRIDAY FAVORITES : HOME

So excited to introduce this short and sweet series - FRIDAY FAVORITES - where I can document some of our favorite things home/beauty/style related. Most of the items listed within this series will be things we love and use on a daily basis, with the occasional wishlist item that we are either looking for or hoping to add to our life. 

Enjoy x 



+ baskets : In every corner in every room. I love baskets for storing all the small items that collect around our house like: blankets, workout equipment, carmans music gear, etc. I can never have too many. They're sprinkled all throughout the house - they add texture and an easy pick up method before guests come over. One day they'll be hiding toys!
Favorite sources: Jenni Kayne, Amazon (straight from Africa!), The Citizenry, our local farmer's market, and when you're lucky Marshalls and Homegoods have some good ones!


+ vintage rugs / textiles : Keeping in theme with buying things that only get better with age, see, vintage textiles. Kilim pillow, persian rugs, mud cloth, etc. These are the pieces that keep on giving. Like your favorite worn in Levis - these only get softer and better looking the more they wear in.
Favorite sources: Henslin and Home, Etsy, Ebay, Pasadena Rosebowl Flea Market


+ lux sheets and bedding : No new news here - I love fresh luxurious sheets and a temperate comforter for these balmy summer nights. Our summer linens of choice are Coyuchi linen sheets and the ever fluffy Buffy comforter made with eucalyptus fibers. (We love that Buffy is an eco friendly, down alternative!)
Favorite sources: We love Coyuchi and Parachute for sheets and just got a Buffy comforter to keep us cool 


+ EO diffuser(s) : I love things that are pretty and functional and this essential oil diffuser by Vitruvi ticks all those boxes and more. I can’t stop moving it around the house for the smell and because it literally looks beautiful wherever you put it. (get 20% off when you use ‘vitruviXsavannah’)
Our secondary diffuser lives in out master bedroom and is the Zoe by Pilgrim Collective. It kills two birds with one stone - it also acts as our nightlight. Beauty and function x2.
Favorite sources: Vitruvi and Pilgrim Collective


+ Sonos : Music is a big deal in our house, so having easy access to control music throughout our space is huge for us! A splurge, but a long term investment that we can build on as our space grows. These attractive speakers sound as good as they look.
Favorite sources: We own Sonos and love them! Another honorable mention for attractive speakers: Vifa



+ art : As a ‘proper grown up’ I am now sourcing art for our home. There are a few pieces in our home I’ve made that we plan to keep, but as artists in our own right respectively, we want to support artists locally and abroad. We’re looking for pieces that will grow with us and be a part of our home forever.
Favorite sources: Tappan Collective, Minted, Etsy, Instagram, artist friends and the classics Ellsworth Kelly, Matisse, Picasso, Cy Twombly

Happy Friday!

xx

SK

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ESSENTIAL OILS IN OUR HOME

I’ve never liked artificial smells. I’ve always gravitated toward something more real compared to something like “cotton candy confetti” - even in my pre-teen days I gravitated toward a more mature (albeit still sweet) scent like vanilla bean. Something that is naturally occurring. Something more tangible and less abstract. 

I also grew up with extremely sensitive skin. This meant cutting out a lot of products with fragrances and artificial scents and lead me to things with essential oils. 

This reigns even more true now. 

Since moving out and then even more so after getting married, using naturally derived products has been important to me. Knowing what I’m putting on, in and around my body makes a difference. 

Carman and I are very intentional about the things we use and bring into our home. We understand that our skin is our biggest organ and make decisions in light of that — we place importance on natural ingredients and materials in our home and essential oils are a big part of that. 

Part of our daily routine is adding a few drops of a couple different oils to our diffuser to help set the tone of our day at any given time. Something bright and refreshing for a summer morning, our classic lavender/peppermint/eucalyptus blend for any occasion, a sleep blend to help us wind down at the end of the day and so on. Our diffuser never gets put away because we’re using it so often, so a diffuser that could act as a piece of functional art was important. Enter: Vitruvi. The white stone diffuser blends and stands out all at the same time - the sleek shape and high quality materials keep in line with our “less is more” “quality over quantity” ethos and is the perfect addition to our home. We like to be thoughtful when we are adding things to our home, not bringing in a lot of excess and not adding something that doesn’t blend well with our style and this diffuser is anything but. I have to keep myself from moving it to every room in the house because it looks so beautiful everywhere it is (as you can see from the photos, it bounces around our living room often!)

Vitruvi has infused design and a love of botanicals so well - essential oils are no longer the mysterious potions that only your crunchiest hippie friend used - Vitruvi has made premium essential oil products that look as beautiful as they smell and make you feel. I love that their price point is affordable so that you’re never too cautious or precious about treating and taking care of yourself with quality ingredients. 

TIPS + TRICKS of the EO TRADE: 

lavender : a favorite for so many reasons. it’s relaxing, its antibacterial, etc etc etc 

a few favorite uses include ~ diffusing alone for relaxing (or with peppermint and eucalyptus all day every day), adding a few drops into my mascara tube to make it last longer and help lengthen + strengthen my lashes, and using a few drops on a cotton round to clean of my phone screen (to keep that oil and grime off my face!)

peppermint : another favorite of mine to mix with lavender as mentioned above and to use to help ward off headaches! I also love to add a few drops to a scrunchie that I wear around my wrists when I fly to help freshen up the air and fight off any inflight nausea. 

eucalyptus : bring the spa home with you and use eucalyptus every day. This oil finds its way in every one of my diffuser blends because it’s so fresh. I love to add a few drops in my shower, or mixed with peppermint and coconut oil when we’re feeling under the weather as a natural vapor rub to help us breath a little easier. 

lemon : the easy, do everything oil. I love it as a refreshing scent in my diffuser mixed with lavender and eucalyptus and also use it all over the house to clean! It cuts grease like no other, or mixed with a little non-scented Castile soap in a glass spray bottle acts as an all purpose cleaner.

frankincense : the wonder oil. use it for beauty and relaxation alike. it helps relax, boost your immune system, strengthen and helps skin, it also can help with hormonal issues. its anti-inflammatory. it can pretty much heal or help any ailment you find yourself with. 

ylang ylang, grapefruit, (+frankincense and lavender) : beauty oils! ylang ylang is a very floral eo that I love in a bath or mixed with the other beauty oils for a DIY glow face oil. Grapefruit brightens, lavender is antibacterial plus ylang ylang and frankincense for glow and anti-aging - all with a base carrier oil like jojoba or avocado! 

tea tree : my favorite spot treatment for an unwanted zit friend!

rosemary : the hair oil! I add a few drops to my shampoo and conditioner and make a special rollerball mix for my eyebrows! rosemary helps stimulate the hair follicle so I make a blend of caster and almond oil as the carrier oil and add a lot of rosemary, shake it up, and apply to eyebrows every night. 

+ we’ve also fallen in love with Vitruvi’s special Dusk blend and use it as our wind down blend every night! 

Vitruvi was kind enough to offer my followers 20% off on all of their products when you use the code 'vitruviXsavannah' ! Let me know if you purchase any and if you use any of my tips mentioned above! I'd love to hear how you use them in your daily routines! 

You can shop vitruvi here.

xx

SK

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My Favorite Sustainable + Eco-Friendly Brands: for earth day

It’s Earth Day! While every day is, in fact, a day to care for our earth, today is celebrated world wide to help demonstrate and support environmental protection.





So pop on Plant Earth, let the soothing voice of David Attenborough rumble on in the background while you read on for my favorite sustainable brands and some of my favorite ways to practice environmently friendly habits.





I’ve discussed and documented in great detail (and will continue to) my effort to pare down my closet / beauty cabinet / kitchen cabinets / and life in general to the quality essentials. Through this journey, I have shifted my focus toward designers and brands that practice sustainable habits and leaned toward organic/natural fabrics and ingredients. I’m doing my research and have adjusted my shopping mentality to include a checklist of requirements from where we are investing our money. Things like factory practices, packaging, fabric content, etc all go into helping me decide where I want to shop and who I want to give my money to.

Besides the newer sustainable and ethically based brands that are popping up, second-hand and vintage shopping is one of my favorite ways to shop sustainably and help further the recycling process! I look for timeless pieces made of quality and durable (and ideally, natural!) fabrics when I’m on the hunt - while also keeping my eye out for those one of a kind pieces that make your style, your style. (Read more on vintage + second hand shopping here!)

Without further adieu, see below for my favorite sustainable brands!

CLOTHING:

EVERLANE : I’ll sing Everlane’s praises until the cows come home. They make quality basics that every closet should contain. They don’t buy into trends, they take their time and make the pieces that matter, well. They also don’t mark up their prices like other companies do - so not only are you getting ethically made items, they’re affordable too.


REFORMATION :  While on the pricier side,  Ref pieces add some style to your basics. When I’m looking for spring dresses, I go to Ref. I love to sprinkle in a few pieces here and there that give the vintage, European flair that I’m looking for.  It also must be noted that I believe they carry the white t-shirt of my dreams —  jury is still out for the #1 tee, but their’s is my current favorite.


WHIMSY AND ROW : They go the extra mile when it comes to being eco-friendly. They use deadstock fabric, no fabric goes to waste, no plastic is used for packing or shipping, no water, recyclable packing materials and they make small batch items. If there was an award, they’d be gunning for it. Plus they make some of my favorite easy dresses and a pair of pants that could rival the beloved Jesse Kamm pants you see everywhere (for half the cost!).


NISOLO : Any pair of shoes you need can be found here at Nisolo. They make all the classic styles you need to round out your closet and they do it ethically! Their producers receive beyond fair trade wages, healthcare, and a healthy work environment.


OUTDOORVOICES + GIRLFRIEND COLLECTIVE : When it comes to my workout / athletic wear, I don’t want a bunch of logos, neon colors, and non-ethically made pieces. I want sturdy, quality and sustainably made items that are cute. Cue, Outdoor Voices and Girlfriend Collective. Not skimping on style, while producing items you can feel good about wearing. Girlfriend Collective makes their gear out of used water bottles, recycling them into your new favorite leggings!


LEVIS : As if this one needs explaining. Your classic denim needs from a forward thinking brand. Levis will stand the test of time - they have a worker well-being initiative and use a production technique that uses far less water than the traditional methods from their rivals. Go one step further and get yourself a pair of vintage Levis that have been getting broken in for 15+ years and will continue to wear well for years to come.

other honorable mentions include: Matter Prints, Lacausa, Cuyana, Hack With Design,  ADay, Eileen Fisher, Raven + Lily, Christy Dawn and for your online second hand shopping needs - Depop and Poshmark!

BEAUTY:

RMS : Made from all raw, food grade and organic materials to create a truly natural product! These are made to enhance your skin instead of masking it and that is something I am looking for when I'm looking for makeup. All their products are completely non-toxic and actually nourish your skin which is top of mind when you're putting things on your face!


HERBIVORE BOTANICALS :  This Seattle based husband and wife duo (Carman, can we do this? You’ve already got the Seattle part covered) created a skincare line that uses only the highest quality, cold pressed oils. They use all natural ingredients like clays and stones to help restore and bring out your best skin yet. I’m a huge fan and will purchase anything they make because their pure, highly concentrated products yield results at an affordable price (and I’m all about supporting a husband and wife duo!).


TRUE BOTANICALS : All organic, this luxurious company creates some of my favorite non-toxic, (also) highly concentrated oils. The Renew oil is an ‘expensive’ product that is worth it.


SUNDAYS : Don’t forget about your nails! When switching over to an (almost) all natural routine, you can’t forget about all the nasty chemicals hiding in your nail polishes. I love Sundays’ color selection and the fact that they dedicated the time to perfecting their formula (and it shows!). They make premium non-toxic nail polishes right here in the USA.


other honorable mentions : Biossance, Lashfood, Ilia Beauty, Lilah B, Indie Lee, Ursa Major,  Caudalie, Red Earth Beauty.

HOME:


COYUCHI : In case you missed it, I did an entire post on how much I love Coyuchi and their organic linens. Read the full post here!


PARACHUTE : Like Coyuchi, Parachute delivers premium quality textiles that are held to the highest standards. They produce textiles that are free from harmful substances and chemicals - and not to mention the most beautiful linens and color schemes.


THE CITIZENRY :  Straight out of my home-town, Dallas, The Citizenry is a company that boosts a collection of individuals, artisans and designers that handcraft their items. They make small batch items inspired by all different cultures.


METHOD + SEVENTH GENERATION : To keep a clean house while keeping toxins at bay, we look to Method and Seventh Generation for our cleaning supplies. They’re both made with  safe, non-toxic ingredients and essential oils. They’re effective, safe, and biodegradable!


other honorable mentions : Buffy, The Now Candles, PLANTS, West Elm,  Cozy Earth Bedding, Vitruvi.

Other ways we like to celebrate Earth Day every day :

01. Being conscious of our energy use! Our apartment has a lot of windows with great natural light - this helps us use minimal electricity during the day (we don’t even turn on any lights until after sunset)! Other ways you can be conscious of energy use is to make sure you turn all the lights off when you leave a room, using energy efficient light bulbs, walking instead of driving, and being aware of your thermostat! 

02. Reducing your trash!  Recycling paper, glass, and plastic responsibly! Reuse things in your household like reusable shopping bags, glass water bottles, and getting creative with things that could serve a new purpose. Look for things like reusable cloths for cleaning instead of paper towels, a microfiber duster instead of one time use ones and if you’re into it, you can also compost your food scraps! 

03.  Buying in bulk and storing in glass! I love how organized things look when they’re stored in glass containers, but I’m also cutting back on packaged things when I buy in bulk and store them this way! Things like rice, coffee, noodles, cereals, beans, floor, sugar etc can all be purchased in bulk at places like Sprouts and Whole Foods! 

04. GETTING OUTSIDE! The best way to help you appreciate this beautiful earth that we have been given is to get outside and enjoy it. We are blessed to live in Los Angeles which allows us to enjoy the weather 98% of the time. We've got mountains, beaches, deserts and snow all at our fingertips. But wherever you are, you can enjoy nature in whatever way the weather allows! We love going on long walks through our neighborhood, choosing an outdoor picnic instead of eating inside, reading at the park instead of the living room, hiking, etc. 

Now get outside and immerse yourself in nature!

Happy Earth Day from our home to yours

XX,

SK

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In bed with me: CREATING AN ORGANIC SANTUARY FOR YOURSELF with Coyuchi

Carman and I have been in the slow process of finishing our master bedroom. We have slowly gone through our home, replacing certain items with more quality versions and ones that are organic (like fabrics and things we surround ourselves with) in order to make our home (apartment) a sanctuary.

I’ve mentioned it before, but we are big homebodies. We spend a great deal of our time at home and an even greater deal of time in our beds over the course of our lives - so it’s important for us to create a space that feels like a retreat. 

My mom has always preached the importance of good linens. She always made it a point to pass on the habit of taking care of your linens and made sure we had restful and relaxing bedrooms to promote good sleep. A woman after my own heart. While the mattress is an important key ingredient to the makeup of your bed, linens are just as important. 

For our mattress we chose the Tuft and Needle - we love that it is a perfect blend of firm and soft and is made with heat wicking graphite and cooling gel to keep our temperatures regulated and cool throughout the night.  Temperature plays a huge part in how well you sleep. We also love the fact that they are transparent with their pricing and choose not to mark up based on what other companies are doing!

ON THE BED:
Coyuchi white organic linen chambray sheet set
Organic rippled stripe duvet and shams in ivory/black

When it comes to our sheets and bedding, we prefer linens that stay cool to the touch like organic linen and cotton fabrics. For linens, we love Coyuchi! They have been producing organic linens for the last 25 years. They’ve been doing it since ‘before it was cool’, so you can feel confident that they know what they’re doing.  I love knowing where and how my linens are being made. It’s important to us to carry out sustainable living into the bedroom and not just our closets. 

For our master bedroom we wanted to create a calm and neutral sanctuary to retreat to, which also flows with the rest of our home. We love using natural and neutral colors in our space to help create a nature inspired, organic feel overall.

 Coyuchi is also committed to zero water waste and seeking to be as responsible as possible in their process. They are incredibly transparent about their process, their production, and their partners. 

Beyond loving how our new bed looks, purchasing organic linens is about our health. No harsh chemicals are used on these linens, which means none are coming into contact with our skin (our largest organ!).

If there is one thing not to compromise on in life, it’s a good bed and even better bedding. 

 

Hope you enjoyed our very first vlog of sorts - we have a few more in the works!

xx

SK

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BUYING FOR LIFE: an ode to the 'long term wishlist'

A great lesson I learned from my parents (and I’m sure many others learned from theirs as well) is the “Quality Over Quantity” mentality. Of course, it took many years of this statement being repeated and the switch to living on my own (and therefore paying for my own things) for this mentality to stick. 

I’ll never forget buying my first couch. Something my entire family laughs about often.

I had months to search for the perfect couch before I was actually moving into my first apartment. I had scoured the entire internet and most of the stores in our area. Being the picky person that I am, I had an image in my mind that I wasn’t willing to stray from no matter what advice I received. I was determined. Leather, faux or the latter, modern in shape and with the capability to be used as a bed. Easy, right? 

I finally found the couch I could settle on. I showed my parents with much excitement, only for them to disagree with my choice. How could they?! I spent days, weeks, looking for this! I love it, I explained! Not only am I picky, but I am very passionate when trying to explain my ‘vision’ to others. My dad (probably trying to hide his laughter) tried to reason with me. He explained why they didn’t love it the way I did: it probably wouldn’t last long and it wasn’t the best piece to invest my money in. It wasn’t a quality piece, but that it was my decision to make. I nodded, immediately hit BUY and ran off with excitement. 

(The ultimate life lesson: listen to your parents.)

CUT TO - not even two years later, this couch was indeed falling apart. I don’t usually have a hard time admitting when I’m wrong, but boy was it hard to call my dad and tell him I was going to have to replace the couch (way) sooner than I thought. He probably said I told you so, in the most loving way possible. 

In that moment it hit me. When it’s financially appropriate, it pays to save for quality every. single. time. In the moment you may be spending more money, but in the long run you save. You will never regret spending money on one piece (furniture, clothing, shoes, jewelry etc) that has lasted you years, knowing that you won’t have to replace it any time soon (thus saving you money!).  

Think about it this way: buying a pair of $20 jeans every 3 months verses spending $100 on a quality pair that will last for years to come? It just makes sense.  

Carman and I have invested in a few things since being married — I love knowing that we will carry these items into the rest of our lives together. This year we checked off a few of our long term wishlist items and one of them was a new record player + sound system (shown above!). Music is a big part of our lives and now we have a record player that will grow with us for years to come!

Here are a few of the items that have been on my long term home wishlist:

Art - We love Matisse, Picasso, Cy Twombly, etc.

Eames style lounge chair 

Breuer cane chairs or danish cord chairs for our dining room (we got these! pictured above in our dining room!)

Quality linens for our master bedroom (checked off the list! Post coming soon featuring Coyuchi!)

Coffee table (checked off the list! We love our new west elm mid century table!)

Quality record player + sound system (checked off the list! We made the big purchase of a customized U-turn record player and Sonos sound system this year.)

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