Many travel journalists spend most of their time on the road or in the air. I’ve even heard of a few who don’t even have a full-time home base; their suitcase is their closet, and their bed is the one in their next hotel room.
I am not one of these travel writers. I’m constantly trying to find a balance between exploring new places and spending time at home. And after buying my first house this spring, the pull to the latter has never been stronger. Which is why this newsletter is a little different.
It’s definitely a work in progress, but I’m weaving my travel-heavy lifestyle into my bedroom and living spaces as much as possible. I knew I wanted a mattress as comfortable as the organic one I slept on at Quercus, linens as soft as the ones at Four Seasons Resort and Residences Jackson Hole, and Western-inspired decor reminiscent of the art collection at Hotel Drover in Fort Worth.
And when I threw a housewarming party, it was heavily inspired by sundowners on my recent African safari. Gin and tonics and Amarula included.
Hendrick’s Gin (kindly gifted), personalized party napkins, vintage glassware, jungle cocktail stirrers, a lion picture frame for the G&T recipe, flameless candles
Since I took a brief hiatus from traveling to get my house together, I figured it made more sense for this post to include some of my favorite recent additions.
Framed travel memories
Along with my extensive collection of books, art has always been the defining feature of any home I’ve made. Since I’ve become a travel journalist, my collection has grown even more. Goose Creek Studio, in my hometown of Bedford, Virginia, frames all my travel photos and memorabilia; the image on the left is from a recent adventure in St. Moritz; the one on the right is a photo taken by a fellow traveler while on safari in Zimbabwe.
And yes, I also added an antler chandelier to my dining room. Inspired by Jackson Hole, of course.
Organic mattress
One of the first orders of business when I moved in was outfitting my Thuma bed with a new mattress. I was first introduced to the concept of an organic mattress at Quercus, a luxury ranch experience in Georgia, last year, and ever since, I’ve wanted to upgrade to a similar model. (An article about toxic/non-toxic mattresses coming to T+L soon). After doing some research, I went with the Avocado Green Mattress (gifted)—and I can honestly say I have never slept better.
Pillows
I’ve been sleeping on these Utopia pillows from Amazon for a couple of years, and I have zero complaints. Supportive but still soft. They fluff up quickly right out of the box, and they don’t have any weird fumes (although I do let them air out for about 24 hours before putting them on my bed). Right now, they’re on sale for about $20 for a set of two.
Hotel-quality sheets
If you know me, you know I’m a Four Seasons snob. In my experience, it’s the most consistent luxury hospitality brand, and I have long been trying to bring a bit of its elevated comfort back to my house. Enter the Four Seasons Signature Hotel Linen Set. I had been debating buying the famous Four Seasons mattress for a while, but the linen set—aka the same sheets, pillowcases, and duvet cover you’ll find at the hotels—did the trick.
The brand did gift them to me, but I’ll admit they’re worth every penny. Soft, silky, and breathable. Now, I’m planning to buy two more sets for my guest bedrooms.
Misc. decor
As I was putting together my guest rooms and living room, I invested in a few more things to make them feel a bit more reminiscent of some of my favorite hotels. Cordless lamps. Quilts from a trip to India (guide to Udaipur coming to T+L soon), similar to these from Serena & Lily. Coffee table books; this Safari Style was a housewarming gift from a friend.
Now that summer travel is fully underway, I’ll be back to my regular scheduled packing list programming soon.
Next up: a fly fishing trip packing list.
Nothing better than hotel amenities at home