Everyday Splurges, Saves & Home is a reflection of my particular design style and lifestyle and therefore colored with bias. These home essentials may not be sensible for your own way of living, spending, and saving. How much should you spend on a ____? It’s subjective. I love travel and entertainment…as long as they don’t limit my budget for quality linens, quartz counters, or a timeless chandelier! Hahaha. I have been frugal since my husband and I racked up mortgage-sized student loan debt. In the 2020s, I find myself drawn to calm, cozy, soft essentials for home to cushion life’s uncertainty, my health conditions, and stress. We’ll peek at my home and resources to score a serene, modern, spare European country look. A few finds are inexpensive while others are ooh la la NOT. All bring calm into the mix of my everyday life.
Everyday Splurges & Saves for Home to Elevate the Everyday
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Everyday Splurges No. 1: Innovative Nollapelli Sheets
I don’t blog often enough about sheets. They are truly unsung heroes of the everyday!
And I like mine to be bright white and ultra-luxurious.
My thought is, if we’re gonna curl up in them for a third of the day, every single day, why not choose wisely and invest?
I mean why should pretty coverlets and quilts get all the glory when they aren’t even comforting the skin or enhancing slumber as much as sheets?
When you’re ready for a set that is anything but everyday variety, say hello lovely to nollapelli sheets.
Designed by a chemical engineer for the unique needs of our bodies, I was even impressed with the packaging:
If you’re someone who wonders how you can sleep cool (cool like the “other side of the pillow” cool), these may be the luxurious answer.
But how well do Nollapelli sheets wear over time? The same sheets are on my bed this minute, as silky and luxe as years past.
Everyday Splurges No. 2: Pajamas
Never met a pair of men’s classic style pajamas I didn’t love.
I already have these linen pjs in white, but I’m very tempted to pull the trigger on the French Blue – they are so elegant!
I also love the Positano linen robe in white:
I probably have every pair of pajamas J. Crew offers, and I may or may not wear the tops as clothing when I’m feelin’ saucy. Here’s the pair I wear most often, and I probably need to get a new pair since they are looking not so crisp and fresh after all these years.
Ever see the Daniel Day Lewis film Phantom Thread?
There’s a scene where he glides down the stairs for dinner in an ensemble with a pajama top that simply thrills me. It’s the little things! And the surprising combinations. In the history of film and pajamas, no one has ever worn luxurious sleepwear better.
Everyday Splurges No. 3: Pillow of Pillow Perfection
You already know their pillow is going to be something special when you visit the Honeydew site and learn about the attention they pay to the details. The fact they’re thoughtfully made in the USA with a unique design to support neck and shoulders? Goodness overload.
But then. You actually experience the level of artisan quality! It seals the whole scrumptious deal.
you: YER TELLIN ME THIS PILLOW WON’T GO FLAT?
me: Indeed.
you: BUT WHAT IF IT’S TOO MUCH FILL?
me: Honeydew made the toxin-free fill and pillow customizable. Add more fluff. Subtract fluff. Be totally Mid like me and love the optimal fluffy factor right out of the box, with no need to tweak.
If you saw this chronic illness and calm post, you saw my Honeydew travel pillow (see it below, center). Any plans to travel in the coming weeks? This smart pillow with its clever pouch is ready to travel with you. Just seeing it in my closet gets me psyched to road trip. I don’t even care where we head down the road, as long as pillow and bestie are there.
Everyday Inexpensive Essential No. 4: Adult Sippy Mug
I need each and every nudge from the universe to remind me to hydrate. This double walled insulation cup is sort of the ultimate adult sippy cup. No, madame, all lidded mugs are not created equal. They just aren’t. Mine holds iced coffee or green tea more than plain water…but baby steps.
Inexpensive Declicious No. 5: Mid-Day Yum
Heard of these? My fav may be the blood orange & honey. Pop one from its wrapper when 2 p.m. rolls ’round and all you’re thinking about is second lunch.
In Between Save & Splurge No. 6: Daily Skin Routine
In case you haven’t received the memo…I’m a fan of skin glowing naturally with and without makeup across the seasons. Here’s a routine that does luxurious work on my sensitive, often inflamed skin. Plant-powered and without gimmicks, it’s set apart.
Oak Essentials is in demand so if THE ROUTINE is in stock, snag it since it could disappear for months when they have to make more.
You can also buy the products individually, but there’s significant savings with the bundle.
More secrets to glow? You need to know about these test tubes full of wonder from Glossier.
I love these one and done eye colors. No need to worry you’ll resemble a Studio 54 regular from 1975. (Although, is that truly the worst?) You won’t be mistaken for a disco ball, but you just may feel surprisingly uplifted as you glow.
I like the color SLIP, and I found that if I want to warm the color a bit, I can layer it over Monika Blunder Cover as a base. And I apply it with the included doe foot, so no mess. Color dries super quick and stays there.
Everyday Frugal Find No. 7: Spa Cloths
Can’t say enough nice things about these lovely, hard working, multi-use cloths used morning and night to cleanse my face. Technically burp cloths, they can also be used for household cleaning, and I have come to rely on them. Don’t freak out when they arrive and don’t seem fluffy. Once they are washed and emerge from the dryer…dreamy.
Everyday Simplicity & Serenity at Home
If you blinked and missed it, I shared our family room and how we made it feel more like home with simple changes.
Sofas in the family room are a shining example of saving and splurging! Ikea Ektorp sofas wear luxurious Belgian linen custom slipcovers from BEMZ. A brand new fireplace surround with limestone or marble would have cost a small fortune.
Instead, we transformed it with paint and subtraction, removing the glass bifold doors. The reclaimed wood and iron coffee table is a bit of a splurge from RH, but one that doesn’t sting any longer since we bought it 15 years ago. Our small living room is just steps past a pocket door from the family room:
See a short video I snapped this week:
This glimpse of the kitchen is indicative of splurges and saves in a single mix.
The Thomas O’Brien chandelier is the big ticket item while a collection of old English crocks from the flea market and new trays from Crate & Barrel charm without breaking the bank.
The Couristan area rug was a bargain ($120) found at Homegoods.
And invisible window treatments? Free free free!
Sometimes in photos, my quartz countertops (Viatera Muse) look solid white…
But they have lots of movement with grey veining in an airy, non-busy pattern.
Sometimes the Line Blurs Between Savings & Splurging
Not sure how you would characterize the choice of calacatta gold marble tile for the backsplash. While a backsplash is often a great place to splurge, it can get pricey when you are tiling more than the standard 18″ beneath cabinetry.
For our kitchen, we took the tile up to the level of the range hood. We also repeated the tile in the backsplashes of the laundry and pantry areas. Lots of marble! This house just can’t get enough white marble, and I refuse to argue with its wishes.
Did you notice I brought my rattan chairs indoors and use them in the family room?
They work everywhere should you need some texture, and grey rattan is not always the easiest color to find!
It’s always fun to use my old things in new ways after a move. These stools have lived life as tables, dining stools, and now, my piano stool.
A big splurge at our former home which we renovated completely were the white oak floors finished on site by an artisan. No regrets on such a splurge! The value seems only to increase over time.
Should you splurge on throw pillows? I would recommend being more concerned that they are made from natural materials like cotton and linen. If you find quality at Homegoods, go for it.
The lantern pendant in our former dining room only looks like a splurge. It’s actually an exterior light from Home Depot that cost around $100.
Lighting is one of those essentials with a broad range of price points, yes? Sometimes you can understand straight away why a lamp is expensive, but often, the inexpensive knockoffs make a strong case for not overspending.
Homebody Types are Often Introverts
Wholehearted Wishes
I wish you:
the blessing of beautiful living in the shelter you call home,
sweetness, this very moment, to counter any bitterness within your being,
heartfulness to soften the beautiful edges of your soul,
loving kindness, lavishly overflowing from hidden wholeness within and…
Peace to you right where you are.
-michele
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