If you know me you know I tend to like things “just so.” My friends tease me about this and even have nicknamed my apartment “The Stripe Hotel” as I fully admit to liking it to feel like a hotel. (A cool boutique hotel, but still – a hotel!) I’ve spent a lot of time and energy making my apartment into a place I don’t want to leave (to a fault!!!) I like my space to be luxurious, relaxing… a soothing oasis that I can escape to after a busy day in the city (or work from home all day and find it to be actually enjoyable!!!).
Luxury means different things to different people. It can mean designer labels or expensive vacations but to me, luxury is something else. It’s feeling truly relaxed. It’s feeling calm. It is taking a break from a busy week. Mostly, it’s living a life that makes you feel good on the inside as opposed to frantically running from one thing to the next. I’ve said before that taking a mid-day yoga class is my greatest luxury and I completely stand behind that.
Today (in partnership with Aera, an amazing home fragrance company), I am sharing five ways to add a little bit of simple luxury to your life this summer. I hope you do every single one of these things!!!
one // lighten up a little! // Spring cleaning can mean many things but for me the biggest thing is decluttering. I love my little space but it can get cluttered. I am spending this weekend going through every surface of my apartment (my desk, my shelves, the tops of my credenzas, nightstands, dressers, etc) and making some tough choices. There is a fine line to walk between what is artistic and interesting and what is just clutter. I have too many little things here + there and need to do a good clean-out.
two // Invest in Aera. // I have always loved fragrance (especially home fragrance) and really love my AERA. My friend + upstairs neighbor has impeccable taste and actually gave me mine as a housewarming present when I moved last April and I instantly became obsessed with it. Aera is an electronic fragrance diffuser with simple, beautiful scents. The clean, beautiful design doesn’t hurt either. The new Simplicity Collection is my personal favorite.
Right now I am using the cherry blossom fragrance (perfect for Spring) but I’m actually cannot wait to try the others… especially white tea, lavender, and sandalwood. White tea is going to be perfect for summer. Ahhh. The best part is that it’s totally adjustable with settings (1-10) which allow you to control how much fragrance is dispersed. They even have an app (AeraforHome) which will allow you to control the fragrance from your phone. (Aera is also totally child and pet friendly). The fragrance capsules retail for $39 and go a long way – on average they last 60 days, or 1440 hours! So much longer than a candle. If you use the promo code THESTRIPE20 you can take 20% off all Aera products through July 31, 2018 – the biggest discount they’ve offered yet!
three // stock the fridge. // This might be silly (okay yes it’s silly but I don’t care) but to me one of the most luxurious things about being home (especially when it’s hot!) is having a wide array of beverages (besides regular old water) to choose from. I personally like to have at least two flavors of LaCroix water (apricot + lime are my go-to flavors), Kombucha, and cold brew iced coffee. Or if I’m feeling particularly domestic I will slice up a lemon, a cucumber, and some mint leaves and make a pitcher of infused water. Or I’ll make a pitcher of iced hibiscus tea. Such a treat.
four // sleep with a silk eye mask. Why is sleeping with a silk eye mask the most luxurious thing ever? I really have no idea but it’s the truth. I LOVE mine and feel like Audrey Hepburn every time I go to bed (and every time I wake up). It’s the most luxurious, helps you sleep better, and can help prevent wrinkles (less friction between that delicate eye area and your pillow!) If you don’t sleep with an eye mask you’re just doing life all wrong. It’s a simple update to your routine that will go a long way.
five // set summer hours. To me, the ultimate luxury is unplugging and taking a little time off. I realize not everyone can do this, BUT here in New York most jobs offer “Summer Fridays.” At one job I had, they let us out at noon every Friday. At another, we could pick seven Fridays throughout the summer to have totally off. In all honesty I’ve only just gotten to a point where I take most of the weekend off (it can be really hard to step away when you’re self-employed!!!) but my goal is to stop working every Friday between MDW and LDW at 1pm. We shall see how this goes! I did it successfully last week and it was amazing. Even if you aren’t going anywhere, just getting to a mid-day workout class, museum outing, or going somewhere to read outside is the most luxurious.
All of the Aera scents are wonderful but I really love the Simplicity Collection. Cherry Blossom, Lavender, Sandalwood, White Tea, Citrus, and Vanilla… they’re each so lovely without being too much or too over the top. Don’t forget to use THESTRIPE20 for 20% off!*
*(Note that you can only use one promotion at a time… so at check out, check the little checkbox asking you if you want to use a coupon instead. Sadly this code can’t be combined with the free gift.)
I like the idea of setting summer hours! I wish we had “Summer Fridays” in Hong Kong – people are workaholics here and it’d be a surprise to even leave work on time! 🙁
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com
It’s the best part of working in New York!!!
Your thoughts on luxury fit in so well with that article on the Yale class, how to be happy. Being happy is about about relaxing and spending times doing things you love and being with the people you love, and in today’s non stop world that can feel like the biggest luxury of all! Good luck on the summer Friday thing, I think that’s an amazing idea!
Your home is gorgeous, xAllie
http://www.theallthatglittersblog.com
I need to read that! Thank you Allie! xx
Enjoyed the post! Just want to add that I wouldn’t say most jobs in NYC offer summer Fridays so non-New Yorkers don’t get too jealous – as a lawyer at firms and in-house I’ve definitely only wished for summer Fridays!
Haha you are right. I had it at P&G and Coty but when I went to a startup we def didn’t have it (and my brother-in-law lawyer doesn’t have them either!!)
I absolutely LOVE this and completely agree with all of these “luxuries”! I have a silk eye mask as well and there’s something about putting it on at night that feels luxurious. Definitely going to try out Aera, I’m such a sucker for good smells! #aestheticobsessed
you always have the best content, keep it up! 🙂
It’s SUCH a small thing but makes such a big difference.
Hmm do you have any idea how to remove the free gift in the cart? When I try to use your promo code, it’s charges me an extra $49 for the “free” gift since I can only assume they allow only one promotion. But unfortunate there’s no way to remove the free gift! So frustrating!
I’m so sorry that you’re having this issue! Another reader emailed me with the same problem. I am checking with the brand and will get back to you.
Okay I heard back from the brand (and updated the post!!!)
Here’s what they said – hope it helps?
There is a little checkbox in the cart area that asks the customer if they want to use a coupon instead – this is where they would check in order to use the promo code vs. the free gift.
I love how the Aera just blends in. It doesn’t distract from your décor.
I’ve been sleeping with a silk eye mask lately…we have blackout curtains but my apartment has floor to ceiling windows in the bedrooms and they face the walkway of the neighboring apartment building, which means there are always walkway lights shining through the cracks in my curtains. I love the eye mask but I’ve noticed that it is straightening my eyelashes. And I don’t wear it tightly at all! Have you had issues with that at all? My eyelashes are usually naturally curled so I don’t even own a curler. As far as I can tell, that’s the only downside of the eye mask!
Thank you Lindsay! Aesthetics are important to me 😉
NO I have not had that happen to my eyelashes -that is so weird!!! What brand do you use? I have one from Slip and really love it.
Great post! It’s so important to slow down, breath and do things that bring you joy. When’s the last time we’ve had our perfect day? Everyone has such full schedules…luxury is so important for our health + well-being.
One question: when you declutter, what are your best means of disposing of items, especially in light of the waste-free and slow economy movements?
Thanks xo
Hi Toni,
I’m not a zero waste blogger or an expert in sustainability but here’s what I do.
1 – If I think I will want it later I pack it away and store it. This is especially with more expensive clothing/accessories, or decor items – I have a lot of treasures from my family that I would never get rid of but sometimes it feels like the stuff is taking over so I will store them and then rotate them back in.
2 – I make bags of things for my friends.
3 – I sell things to Crossroads – what they can’t sell, they donate on my behalf to Goodwill.
4 – For excess beauty products I currently alternate between donating them to a women’s shelter or Dress for Success; though I think I am going to try and bring a ton of product to Cuba next time I go (depending on what I can get away with, I don’t want to be flagged). The people there are incredible and have so little. One of my friends lives there so she’d be able to get things into the right hands.
If you’re looking for a sustainability blog with better tips check out my friend Alden’s blog – ecocult.com – she is amazing and a true expert at this stuff!!!
I am only human and try to make good decisions/choices but I definitely don’t feel qualified to talk about the waste-free or economy movements…
Need to purchase this ASAP!! Thanks for sharing! (Also LOVE your other tips for adding some more luxury into summer!)
The Champagne Edit
thanks so much Dana! You’d love it – makes my apartment smell so good!
Just have to say you look exceptionally pretty and glowing in these photos!
briana | youngsophisticate.com
That is so nice of you to say – thank you!!!
So glad you shared this! I bought a diffuser + essential oils on Amazon only to realise it wasn’t safe around my kitties. Will definitely be checking out Aera.
oh no – that’s awful!!! it seems like this one is okay for pets – https://support.aeraforhome.com/hc/en-us/articles/115013019827-Is-Aera-safe-to-use-around-children-and-pets-
thanks for popping by – hope you are well!