The Sense of Home

I think we can all agree that 2020 has been quite the year. Alongside the craziness, there have been so many important silver linings. I look back to the beginning of quarantine, and I remember thinking over and over again how I didn't want to miss the positive parts and what we were supposed to learn, shift, and observe. I wanted to keep my eyes and heart wide open.As y'all might know after following along with us here on the blog, we purchased our new home in November of 2018. We closed three days after the Woolsey fire, which caused significant smoke damage to our home, burned down the home next door along with two other houses on our street. It was a wild undertaking. We moved out of our previous home in LA in February of 2019 and started renovating our new home. As we were told, renovation takes way longer than expected + adding fire remediation and doing all with a nontoxic approach devised an entirely new level of time, research, and logistics. I think my half glass full mentality from my excitement to start this project didn't want to believe that, but man was it true. It actually took four times longer than we were told. Because of this, we doubled our stay at a hotel, then moved into an apartment with one of our best couple friends – we both needed a 6-month place to stay, so it was a perfect way to save some money in the process. We moved into our home in October 2019 with a lot of moving parts still + we didn't know if any of our previous furniture would work, and it turned out most sizing was not suitable (insert tear emoji here). We began the furnishing process about a month later in December with COVID-related delays on shipping, and I can now say we are almost complete (mid-November is the last delivery-hooray)! What a process, but truly we feel so grateful we had this opportunity, learned so much, and are extra appreciative to be settled.I am extreme homebody, so this year I really had to develop a new sense of home – and while my circumstances were different, I realized that so many are also experiencing this at the current time. I learned that any place can be a cozy home. This past year, we lived in a hotel room, an apartment, a room above a garage, and our home (which was quite an organization nightmare and an endless list of to-dos), and every place felt just as doable and cozy and perfect for the time. I was forced to go against my comfort, and I am so thankful because it always transforms my perspective and increases my appreciation.In my opinion, one of the most amazing parts about the pandemic restrictions has been the time at home. What a learning journey for traveling, working men/women to be at home with the fam more, for marriages to exist side by side 24/7, for kids to be out of school and sports, for jobs to be lost or relocated to the house. Not to mention, it left space to think and process and reflect on what is important, which can be super uncomfortable but ultra-redeeming.It has been so interesting to watch how everyone copes so differently. Jase was FaceTiming his buddies non-stop, using the stay-at-home orders to develop funny social media content while grieving the loss of not getting to use his gift and passion of hosting. I, on the other hand, am an innate introvert, so with the tragedy set aside, being homebound was my version of heaven. I was trying new healthy recipes, discovered a biodynamic organic farm that is 15 minutes from our house, saved emotional energy from having to decide on a social plan, and had more quality time to connect with my family and friends virtually. Oh! And puzzles! And my work has always been at home, so my adjustment was a little less severe.Also, I was grateful for the unifying feeling that every single person was in this together. We were both more alert to reach out to others, to take flowers to the neighbors, to thank the mailman. This whole journey has taught me two things that no other circumstance could have taught me: be grateful for ALL services, provisions, people, and love – and, ANY place can be home. Perspective is everything.To see more of our home renovation follow along with our Making A Home series, right here on the blog.

Linens and Towels: Magic Linen

Last week, we got so extra close to finishing our home - we are 80% complete and waiting for a few final things. It was the most rewarding feeling and extra fun to see the vision come to life. As y'all know, creating cozy guest bedrooms is a passion of mine, and Magic Linen has been such a game changer in this process.We decided to give even extra love to the upstairs bedroom because our parents will stay there when they come into town, so the comfort must be at an all-time high. Enter Magic Linen bedding - the coziest in all the land + I love how it sits on the bed and it naturally is not wrinkly, which can always be one of the downsides of linen.Their towels are also a dream and make the bath experience extra lovely! And I am also majorly heart-eyeing this apron and their tea towels, which are stonewashed for extra softness! This brand is a win on every level, and I couldn't recommend it more!To see more of our home and some of our favorite brands we've included along the way throughout our renovation check right here on the blog in our Making A Home series.

Nontoxic Color: Ecos Paints

Paint seems to be something that is overlooked when considering toxicity in the home. I was completely dedicated to eliminate all chemical compounds in anything that I could control during our renovation this last year. Traditional paints, primers, stains, paint thinner, and varnishes are full of harmful chemicals, additives, and toxins.Here are some names to keep your eye on: formaldehyde, toluene, phthalates, APEOs, bisphenol, glycols, and solvents. And there are many more!The chemicals in paint fumes can cause both short- and long-term health effects. During the painting process, many experience symptoms such as watery eyes, headaches, nausea, dizziness and breathing problems. Vision problems, lung irritation, and throat irritation are in the line up too. Isn't that wild? If you are exposed to VOCs every day (which is present in paint) can also cause cancer as well as damage to the nervous system, liver, and kidneys.All of that to say, I did not want that easily avoidable risk in our home. My sweet friends from Branch Basics told me about Ecos Paints and I couldn't believe my eyes! For 35 years, they have helped people create healthier living environments with their premium quality, eco-friendly paints, stains and varnishes. They are completely non-toxic, contain no odor, zero VOCs, free of harsh chemicals + they are fully transparent about ingredients and have exceptional coverage. Not to mention, they are so helpful and lovely to work with!Their water-based products were uniquely formulated without the harsh chemicals found in conventional paints. Using a unique technology combining sustainable ingredients and a proprietary mixing process, their products deliver best-in-class appearance and enhanced durability - with no harsh fumes or odors. Yay!

Colors in Our Home

Child of Heaven is on our walls and the color of our kitchen cabinets is Desert Mirage. We could not be happier with the outcome and will be loyal customers for life!Excited to share with you another feature in our series Making A Home, where I've been able to share with you an update each week of the process of us renovating our home and all that we've included in it. For more on our home, check right here on the blog or follow along on my Instagram. xo

Everyday Clean Products for the Home

These past few weeks I've been sharing about Jase and I's processes of renovating our home on the blog in a collection of talks we're calling Making A Home – While we're still very much in the process, things are slowly but surely coming together and I'm excited to share more with you here in the upcoming weeks! Throughout this time, we've really discovered that creating a home isn't just about the paint you put on the walls and the furniture you fill it with, but even the everyday items you use that make it feel like home. I know we all have our go-to cleaning products, whether they're ones we've grown up using in our childhood homes or those we've come to love on our own – Here are a few of the everyday items that are always stocked in my home!1. Force of NatureI know I talk about this brand a lot – And it's because I am absolutely in love! It's always been a priority to me to keep things extra clean, and with the rise of recent attention towards disinfecting and cleansing, it was important for me to find an all-purpose cleaner that really does its job without being full of chemicals and harmful to the body. Force of Nature is a nontoxic disinfecting solution that cuts through just about anything while also working on virtually any surface – Which I do, trust me! It is an equivalent to the power of bleach and kills viruses, but the only ingredients are salt, water, and vinegar.Plus an extra bonus, it keeps chemicals out of our water system, cuts down plastic waste, and is shipped using materials that are 100% recyclable – So what's not to love? This has easily become one of my household staples that I will always have on hand.2. Branch BasicsAnother nontoxic cleaning brand that I have stocked in my home is Branch Basics. From all-purpose cleaner to laundry detergent and bathroom cleaner – I love it all! Their multipurpose cleaning solution is plant and mineral-based, free of harmful preservatives and their reusable bottles make it extra sustainable. It also can be used on just about any surface, but their options make it super easy to target cleaning specific areas of your home without having to compromise on using toxic cleaning products instead. And like Force of Nature, it's very affordable! Proving that you don't have to compromise on safe cleaning to stay within budget, which is always a win.3. Revive Essential OilsThere's a lot of essential oil brands out there today, but Revive Essential Oils has actually become the only one I use! Made without any fillers, synthetic fragrances or odor enhancers (which can actually be found in a lot of essential oils today), Revive is also locally sourced and directly sold without the middle man – So it's oftentimes cheaper and more affordable than other brands, and the quality is an A+.It's also 100% pure therapeutic grade, free from any additives, adulterants, synthetics, or dilutions. I love being able to use them without having to worry if I'm compromising myself in doing so – Which is why they're my all-time favorite!4. EquilibriaI mentioned this brand last week in my post on The Clean Sweep for Clean Sleep – but I wanted to jot it down again here because it has quickly become a staple item in my home! Implementing hemp oil into my regular routine has been such a game-changer, not just for my sleep but for my mental and physical well-being. Like I mentioned above, there's a lot of brands out there today that make promises about what they can offer, then you end up finding out you're actually harming yourself rather than helping! The journey of clean-living can be so discouraging in this way, so when you find a brand that actually works, and is as clean and sustainable as it promises to be, it's so exciting! Equilibria has been one of those products for me, and I cannot recommend it more!5. SupernaturalAnother cleaning brand that I love! This one is scented with essential oils, so for anyone who prefers a healthy scent, this is perfect. With a variety of different solutions like counters and granite, glass, bath and tiles, wood and floors, and stainless steel – I love that supernatural makes it easy to know that the product I'm using in specific areas of my home is catered just for that area. Like the other brands, it's 100% all-natural, plant-based and made from minerals, and sustainable.All of these brands are actually the only products I use in my home! I hope these help you in the journey to clean-living, especially in times where we've all spent a bit more time at home than usual. I talk more about my own journey to clean-living and give specific advice, practices, and products from my years of research in my 90-day program, The Clean Sweep, but I'm constantly updating my knowledge and looking for ways to make clean-living easy to understand and accessible to everyone.As always, following along with my journey right here on the blog or on my Instagram, @LaurenScruggs or @TheCleanStuff for a peek into the everyday clean beauty, health, and wellness products I currently have my hands on!

gray malin.

As many of you know, decorating a house from start to finish takes much time and heart, but it is one of the most beautiful projects. Yes, it is a test of patience as it truly is a process, but it is the most rewarding finish! Jason and I were so thrilled to see everything in our home slowly come together, and when the main parts were all in place, it was time for the most enjoyable piece of the puzzle: the art. My first thought, Gray Malin.Welcome to the Kennedy Compound! Before decorating, we had a few words that we focused our interior inspiration around: neutral, cozy, personal, and beach-inspired + natural light was a must as we were on the house hunt.We added texture through fun wallpaper and rugs; our personality is exuded through the furniture pieces we picked out together as well as through our wedding snaps; we incorporated pops of color through art and fabrics and fresh flowers (a constant must in the Kennedy household!). I must add that we would have been lost in the process without our lovely and brilliant interior designer, Stephanie Jean, who is now a dear friend. She had the idea of creating a beautiful gallery wall centered around our Gray Malin with coordinating watercolor prints (by Urban Walls) surrounding it. We are obsessed!If you are like Jason and I, you know that it is so hard to choose a favorite in the overload of beauty on Gray Malin's site.Jason and I have such a love for chill beach environments, and we both felt so drawn to this piece as it reflected just that. The colors in the print were perfect for our design vision as well, which just happened to be a bonus! We have this piece hanging in our entry dining room, and it has truly formed the entire layout of the color scheme throughout the house. We love relaxed and pretty environments, which paralleled with wanting to create that in our home. We also love to travel, so this print and his brand truly represent our easygoing, yet jet-setting personalities!This is where I get all my work done, and somehow breaking from my emails to gaze  at the sunrise of Prada Marfa's Dawn brings relaxation to a long to-do.P.S. I thought I would share the best news for last. It is Gray's birthday today, and to celebrate, they are are offering his Prada collection at $99 for small prints.Scroll down to see other details of our home!

interiors: romantic and white

Hey friends! I could not be more excited to be fully focused on decorating our home in a little over a week. I am counting down the days to make our house an extra cozy haven with pops of color in flowers and romantic details throughout. Decorating definitely takes time, and from what I have heard, it sounds like you are never fully done {so fun!}. I don't know about you guys, but when I have a project like this on hand, Pinterest is my go to for inspiration and direction. Scroll down to see the feel we are going for! Let me know your thoughts!