My Favorite “Household Basics” (Including The Bed Pillow I Travel With Because I Love It That Much)

photo by tessa neustadt | from: our modern english country kitchen

When you find yourself bringing your pillow to a nice hotel like Brian and I did on our overnight date, that must mean it’s GOOD. I get asked very, very, very often by my team/friends “What is your favorite (insert something totally unsexy/stylish)?” or “What do YOU use for (insert the boring but necessary basic)?” So I figured it was time to write about some of them. These aren’t reviews, it’s not like I’ve tried every duvet insert, but I do know the one (aka the favorite) that Brian and I both go on the hunt for when our cleaning crew accidentally switches it out. Here goes.

My Rug Pad



photo by veronica crawford | from: a quick update: the changes i’ve made to my la living room

With what feels like 1/2″ of memory foam, this rug pad (combined with this comfy rug) is SO COMFY. We originally bought it because our first Persian rug was pretty thin and I wanted concussion-free wrestling periods. It isn’t just non-slip, it adds at least 1/2″ of underfoot serious memory foam comfort. The only downside is that if you get it EXACTLY the size of your rug then you can see the edge of it, but if you get it too much smaller then you can see the line underneath where it ends. So I ended up cutting an inch or two off so the rug just slightly goes over it. Not everyone is as into comfort as I am but I think these little things are subconscious signals that say, “come in, sit, relax, stay awhile,” which is how I want us to feel in our home.

Our Duvet Cover



photo by veronica crawford | from: our bedroom update (also how I feel about having a tv in the bedroom)

I love our bed SO very, very much because of multiple factors – the duvet insert, duvet cover, sheets, and pillows. I’ve liked a lot of duvet covers in my day (some affordable, some expensive) but this is our current favorite and has been for a couple of months. It’s a very crisp, yet soft percale (which I think just a fancy word for tightly woven cotton – why google when you can guess!?). And while thread count is low, I can’t tell because it’s recently been discovered that thread count is total hogwash. I’ve been vocal about Brian’s “anti-linen duvet” platform, and admittedly percale is far less photogenic. However, there is a reason why linen is missing from most high-end hotel rooms – it can ruin your marriage (and a good night’s sleep) if you aren’t into that more, uh, linen-y feeling. Anyway, this duvet (and the percale sheets for that matter) stay so cool and soft. I have even – are you sitting down? – changed the duvet cover myself if my cleaning crew puts on one of our crappier backup duvet covers. I know, unnecessary “housework”?! It’s clearly a serious love affair.

photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: the (new) bed in a bag with brooklinen



My Linen Comforter



photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: mountain house reveal: our soft yet secretly sultry downstairs guest bed + bath

Now that you’ve heard Brian is running on a “no linen duvet” platform in life, I still love this linen comforter as an extra layer mostly because it’s shockingly good for how affordable it is and styles in such a pretty way. So I like this lightweight one for us to layer during “winter” but also have used it in shoot after shoot because it’s so pretty (and affordable).

My Duvet Insert

I’m sure there are a lot of good duvet inserts out there and some likely even more affordable. But Brian and I much prefer this one and bought it for as well. I crave it when I’m not in our bed because it’s so fluffy and yet we don’t overheat. I can squish it down between legs, under my armpit, in all my appropriate crevices and yet it is still big and fluffy. I think the key is good ingredients but since I’m not a bed scientist I don’t know what those ingredients are (real feathers are annoying, but synthetic can be hot and hold more heat). So whatever this is, it’s the perfect “fluffy but squishy” combo because we truly love it.

My Pillow Inserts



photo by veronica crawford | from: our bedroom update (also how I feel about having a tv in the bedroom)

My head also agrees with my body’s strong “fluffy but squishy” stance, and insists on one that can go big, but flatten down with cool comfort. I thought that I was sleeping on a Brooklinen pillow. But before this post, I opened it up and realized it was Fieldcrest from Target. I remember thinking “yay, that’s affordable.” But then I looked up my exact make and model and realized it was $70…not so affordable. However, when you will fumble around in the middle of the night and even search your kid’s room, threatening to wake them up, just in case it was moved in there, well, then it might be worth it. I apparently love real down (with no sharp feathers) and whatever this feather count is, it’s perfect.

The King Bed Blanket



photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: 14 rules to follow to design and style the perfect bedroom

I have a few different king bed blankets that I shuffle between. The one above (from Schoolhouse) is splurgier, but it does make a room and totally shifts the vibe of that bed (hey now). This one from Target is what I go to for a more affordable version that we’ve used in many a bed project. But yes, I like a thin blanket to break up the fluffier duvet – which you can read all about in our “bed-making formula” post which I’ve referenced many times since we published it.

My Flatware



photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: Inside all our (super organized) drawers & cabinets in the mountain house kitchen

I now have this flatware in both houses, but not just because it’s matte black and pretty, but because of how it feels. It’s weighty and heavy enough to feel like you can really cut that butter, but not hefty or clunky. I don’t know why that is an important distinction but it’s just true. You want weight in the handle, not in the tips and usually, that is in more expensive flatware. Luckily, this is more affordable.

My Drinking Glass



photo by tessa neustadt | from: our modern english country kitchen

Brian and I have had many heated debates about glassware where I always lose. I like the thin Marta (see below) but that man likes a thick glass that holds real big double-digit ounces. To be totally fair I do, too. I go to bed every night with a massive glass of ice water and yes, I’ve broken a few large Marta glasses in the middle of the night. And honestly, NO ONE is a fan of them at 3 am in the morning. These are thick, less breakable, and are affordable enough that if they do break, you aren’t bummed. PLUS they aren’t crazy thick glasses, they are just right and are clear enough to be nice looking in your cabinets (I suppose most big thick glass water glasses say “bad cheap diner” in a way that makes us feel less refined).

My Cocktail Glass



photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: Inside all our (super organized) drawers & cabinets in the mountain house kitchen

The famous Marta glass. The most easy-to-break glass in America is somehow still my favorite cocktail glass. Use it for that, but not everyday water. Brian and I have very different opinions of this glass, I see it as an opportunity to put a delicious cocktail in my mouth via a thin chic vessel. He sees it as a shard of glass in his foot that he will inevitably walk on.

My Rags



photo by tessa neustadt | from: how our new laundry room came together

So boring, but our cleaning crew and I only love these particular rags. I’ll shove my hand down into the rag jar like one of those carnival pincher games to try to find one of these because they clean, absorb, scrub and last the best.

My Laundry Basket



photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: how we designed a family-friendly laundry room in the portland project

My laundry basket brings me an inordinate amount of joy. It’s super pretty (a bigger version of the ones above) and the reason I give a heck about it is that I have a tiny closet so it has to sit next to our dresser (as seen, kinda, below). I have to stare at it most days, so having it look nice is more important to me. If you have a big closet, go for a big hamper or plastic basket. But if you are like me and have to stare at it every time you walk into your room, consider this pretty basket that actually makes me happy when in view.

photo by veronica crawford | from: our bedroom update (also how I feel about having a tv in the bedroom)



The Towel??

Ok. I don’t have “a towel” and actually have a theory that very few towels last months and months. I’m also not crazy picky about towels and don’t expect them to last for a lifetime – they are super “hard-working”. I also can’t spend $60 a towel, unless you told me it would stay fluffy for 2 years. So what say you??? Please give any other basics (including towel) recommendations in the comments. I need your help