Weekend Morning Comforts

The ideal leisurely weekend begins with the streaming morning sun through large east facing windows, the soft whistle of chirping birds as they gently wake the neighborhood, a hot cup of English Fortnum & Mason tea and piles of reading material to choose from.

~Weekend reading that I’m currently diving into: The Myths of Happiness, Paris: The Novel, Paris Street Style: A Guide to Effortless Chic~

Over the past week I’ve been thoroughly enjoying a wonderful decor book Designer’s at Home: Personal Reflections on Stylish Living by Ronda Rice Carman who is the founder of the decor and lifestyle blog  All the Best: A Passport to Stylish Living.

While many decor books are fun to flip through, her new book surpasses the standard. Solely compiled of interviews with more than forty top interior designers (Tobi Fairley, Kathryn M. Ireland, Martyn Lawrence Bullard, Mary McDonald, Brook and Steve Giannetti, Bunny Williams and David Oliver just to name a few), each designer shares images from their home and offers advice via five pointed questions Making an Entrance, Decorative Details, Flowers and Fragrances, A Beautiful Bed and Creature Comforts.

I particularly loved the Creature Comforts question in which each designer reveals a short list of simple luxuries that they feel complete a life of living well. And as I woke up without an alarm clock this morning (a wonderful simply luxury indeed), I wanted to share a few of my creature comforts in hopes that you as well would take a moment to ponder your own (and share here on the blog if you’d like). Here are a few comforts I absolutely adore:

(1) a plush down comforter to snuggle underneath each evening, (2) rooms filled with decor that tells a story of travels, memories and a life of love and lessons, (3) stacks of reading material, (4) hot water boiling in a classic white Le Creuset tea kettle ready to create a lovely cup of lavender/black tea, (5) dogs wandering throughout the house, (6) a kitchen stocked and able to create any meal that piques my craving, and (7) jazz tunes filling the home with background music

Have a lovely weekend everyone, and thank you for stopping by to enjoy a weekend extra post.

 

Images: (1) source (4) source, all other images The Simply Luxurious Life Instagram

Why Not . . . Accessorize Your Work Week?

Stylists and fashion gurus have long advised using accessories to complete an outfit. And there’s always a balance. You don’t want to be without any accessories at all (shoes, handbag, watch, etc), but you never want to wear too many pieces of jewelry or extra items as it detracts from the true beauty. After all, accessories are meant to accentuate what is already there.

With that said, choose to view the work week as your foundational wardrobe essentials. We all have a work week in one form or another, and we can either choose to let it take on a life of its own falling prey to its whims, or instead, we can choose to dictate how well-balanced and fulfilling it will be by accessorizing it each week with moments, activities, actions and thoughts that improve the quality no matter what the week at work has in store.

So as September continues to move along, and our lives begin to get back into a regular, busy routine, try to remember to always include a few accessories to look forward to and enjoy each and every week.

Below are a few examples of accessories you might want to consider sprucing up your week with:

1. Attend a fitness class led by your favorite pilates/yoga/cycling instructor

2. Buy ingredients for your favorite meal and schedule a particular day to sit down and enjoy it with your favorite drink of choice and company (alone or with someone)

3. Sip luxurious coffee and/or tea

4. Schedule a pampering treatment – blow-out/manicure/pedicure/massage/etc

5. Go out to dinner in the middle of the week or on Friday to celebrate the end of the work week

6. Pick up your favorite magazine

7. Order a decadent cup of chocolat chaud at your favorite chocolatier/coffee/patisserie. I just discovered another locale (my favorite is Arrowhead Chocolate’s in Joseph, Oregon) that serves homemade chocolate sauce and whip cream for the most ideal hot chocolate . . . Colville St.  Patisserie in Walla Walla, Washington (it honestly rivals Angelina's in Paris).


8. Wear more dresses during the day and enjoy it!

9. If you don’t subscribe to a daily newspaper, pick up the newspaper on the day that contains your favorite weekly feature – style/food/science/etc

10. Carve out daily reading time

11. Have brunch with someone whose company you thoroughly enjoy or want to get to know better.

12. Before heading out the door, don’t forget your lips, lashes and concealer

13. DVR your favorite television program and watch it on your own time without interruption.

14. Read your kids a bedtime story.

15. Plan ahead and read your local entertainment/social section and attend an event – book signing/concert/wine tasting/film/happy hour with your significant other, good friend or on your own

16. Make a date to wander through a bookstore or meander through the magazine section

17. Keep a journal, and at the end of the day if you only write what went well and nothing else (even if it’s as small as I washed my hair) write it down. Choose to focus on what is working. The positive thoughts will uplift you and give more chances for increased energy, while the opposing idea depletes you and increases your stress.

18. Step outside and take a walk, play your favorite podcast and give the day’s stresses a break from wandering around in your mind.

19. Meditate, even if only for five minutes.

20. Include a few hugs and kisses in your day for those you love

21. Read a blog/website/articles/magazines/newspaper at some point each day or at least once a week that makes you feel good, that inspires you and that gives you hope and motivation.

22. And always my go-to simple luxury recommendation, enjoy a decadent truffle at the end of the day as reward for eating well and not indulging in dessert.

23. Allow yourself to indulge in dessert once to three times a week, but stick to one serving so that you don’t feel guilty afterwards.

Now, after you’ve tailor made your week to involve productivity but also pampering and indulgences, each week you will hopefully see an improvement in your mood and the quality of living each day. Enjoy!

Images: (1) 

Tranquility du Jour: Simple Luxuries Interview

Kimberly Wilson founder and director of the yoga center Tranquil Space (named among the top 25 yoga studios in the world by Travel + Leisure) author of the blog Tranquility du Jour, author of two books (Hip Tranquil Chic & Tranquilista), yogini and entrepreneur, recently invited me to participate in her tranquility du jour interview series.

I was thrilled, yet very apprehensive as it was the first interview I have done regarding The Simply Luxurious Life blog. However, Kimberly was very easy to talk to, and I am grateful for the opportunity, as it worked out well.  Take a listen to the podcast/interview here as I share ways to bring simply luxurious living into daily living.

Image: Kimberly Wilson