Whether we’re flying, taking a road trip, or spending a week at the beach, these are the travel essentials I always come back to. They’re the products we’ve used trip after trip because they’ve made traveling easier, kept us more organized, and helped take a little of the stress out of travel days.

Travel Must-Haves

Every trip looks a little different, but there are a few things I pack every single time because they’ve consistently made traveling easier. A durable hard shell suitcase has been well worth the investment, especially after years of family vacations, and packing cubes have completely changed the way we pack. Keeping everyone’s clothes organized from the start makes unpacking at our destination much simpler, and it’s so much easier to find exactly what you’re looking for without digging through an entire suitcase.

There are also a handful of smaller essentials I never skip. An insulated water bottle comes everywhere with us, sunscreen is always packed before a beach or pool day, and a suction cup toothbrush has become one of those simple products that keeps hotel and rental bathrooms a little more organized. Goggles are always tucked into a suitcase if there’s even a chance we’ll be swimming, and compartment snack containers have become one of my favorite travel staples. I fill them before we leave so everyone has easy, grab-and-go snacks throughout the day without constantly stopping to buy something along the way.

Shop My Travel Must-Haves → Everything I rely on for packing, staying organized, and making family travel a little easier is linked here.

Screen-Free Travel Favorites

I’m all for using screens when they make sense, especially on longer travel days, but I also like having a few activities packed that don’t rely on batteries or Wi-Fi. They’re perfect for waiting at the airport, sitting down for a meal, or winding down at the hotel after a busy day.

One of our favorite travel finds has been the Kanoodle Brain Games. They’re compact enough to fit in a backpack or carry-on, but they’re surprisingly engaging and keep the kids entertained while encouraging a little problem-solving along the way. We also never travel without a deck of UNO cards or a waterproof deck of playing cards. They’re easy to pack, work for a wide range of ages, and can be played almost anywhere, whether we’re waiting for a flight, relaxing by the pool, or spending an afternoon at the beach. Having a few screen-free options has become part of our travel routine, and they’re always some of the first things the kids reach for.

Shop Screen-Free Favorites → These are the games and activities we always pack to keep the kids entertained without relying on screens.

Worth Packing Every Time

Every family finds their own travel routine over time, but these are the products that have consistently worked for ours. They’re practical, easy to pack, and have earned a place in our suitcase because we genuinely use them on every trip.

I’ve linked everything in one place if you’re getting ready for your next vacation. Whether you’re planning a quick weekend getaway or a bigger family adventure, I hope a few of these favorites make your next trip just a little easier.

Shop My Family Travel Favorites → I've rounded up everything mentioned in this post, along with a few other travel staples we never leave home without.

One of the questions I receive most often is, “Where do I even begin?” With so many options available today, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Between peel-and-stick, prepasted papers, traditional installations, and textured wallcoverings like grasscloth, choosing the right wallpaper can feel just as important as choosing the pattern itself.

If you’re new to wallpaper, here’s a simple guide to help you understand the different types and where each one works best.

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The air feels softer, the evenings stretch longer, and suddenly the porch or patio becomes the heart of the home. Morning coffee tastes richer out in the fresh air. Dinner feels more intentional when it’s shared under the sky with a sparkling drink in hand. Even the simplest nights with nothing planned, nowhere to be, become the ones you remember most when they’re spent outside.

And every year, I come back to the same thought. A beautiful outdoor space doesn’t come from having more pieces. It comes from choosing the right ones.

So if you’re refreshing your outdoor space this season, these are the pieces I always come back to first.

Living Sets

Every great patio begins with a place to sit down and stay awhile.

A lounge set is really just the outdoor version of your living room, but it carries even more weight than that. It’s where guests naturally gather when they arrive. It’s where conversations stretch longer than planned. It’s where you’ll find yourself at the end of the day, shoes off, completely settled into the moment with something cold in hand.

When choosing outdoor seating, I always lean toward materials that feel timeless and can weather beautifully over time. All-weather material and powder-coated aluminum continue to be staples for a reason they hold their shape, their style, and their charm year after year.

And when it comes to cushions, I always recommend starting neutral. Soft whites, warm creams, muted linens. Not because color doesn’t have a place outdoors, but because a neutral base gives you freedom. Freedom to change pillows with the season. Freedom to evolve your space without starting over.

A well-chosen living set doesn’t just furnish a patio, it anchors it. It makes the space feel intentional, like it was always meant to be lived in.

Tables

If the living set is where people gather, the table is where memories are made.

There is something deeply special about a table outdoors. It invites you to linger. To serve one more plate. To sit long after the meal is finished and talk until the light fades, often with a glass of wine still resting on the table.

An outdoor dining table instantly gives a backyard purpose. It turns open space into something functional, something meaningful.

When selecting a table, I always encourage people to think about how they actually live and entertain. Larger gatherings call for long rectangular tables that feel generous and grounded. Smaller, more intimate moments are beautifully suited for round tables that naturally draw people in closer.

Material matters just as much as shape. The key is choosing something that feels like it belongs outside something that will age gracefully, not fight the elements. Because a dining table isn’t just a piece of furniture. It becomes the backdrop for the moments you’ll remember most.

Accessories

Accessories are where everything finally comes together.

They are the difference between a patio that feels finished and one that feels forgotten.

This is where texture, softness, and personality enter the space. Outdoor pillows that introduce pattern and warmth. Rugs that ground seating areas and create the feeling of an outdoor room. Umbrellas that offer both shade and a sense of charm, especially when chosen with care. Planters and benches that add a personal style to the space.

There is something about a striped umbrella or a scalloped edge detail that instantly makes a space feel more intentional. Less like an afterthought, more like a place designed to be enjoyed with a glass of wine as the sun goes down.

And the beauty of accessories is that they allow your space to evolve. You don’t need to replace furniture to refresh a patio. You just shift the layers. A new pillow here. A different rug there. A seasonal change that feels subtle but impactful.

This is where outdoor spaces become personal.

A Note Before You Go

A beautiful patio is never built in a weekend, and it was never meant to be.

It’s created slowly, with intention, one thoughtful piece at a time.

Start with the foundation of a comfortable living set. Add a table that invites people to gather. Layer in chairs that make the space usable from every angle. Then finish with accessories that bring warmth and life into every corner.

Because the truth is, the best outdoor spaces aren’t the ones that feel perfectly styled. They’re the ones that feel like home.

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This kitchen has always been the second kind.

It’s been a work in progress for a while now, with construction, design choices, and finishing touches coming together piece by piece. And recently, the marble finally had its moment.

What was once a dated, worn kitchen has completely transformed. The structure itself was expanded and reworked, but the bigger shift is in how the space now feels. It’s intentional in a way that’s hard to fully understand until you’re standing in it

And at the center of that shift are two marble details that now define the entire space: the marble arches and the marble island legs.

The Marble Arches

The marble arches were never meant to be just decorative.

They were designed to soften the kitchen, add movement, and break up the clean architecture in a way that still felt elevated and intentional. There is something about marble used like this that feels unexpected, but also timeless, as if it was always meant to be there.

What makes them so striking is the contrast. The softness of the curve against the structure of the kitchen. The way the stone shifts with the light throughout the day. The way they make you pause when you walk into the room without really knowing why.

They don’t compete for attention, but they naturally become one of the defining elements of the space.

This is also where the marble finally got its moment. The white marble against white walls didn’t fully do it justice at first, but once everything came together, it completely changed the feel of the kitchen.

It still feels surreal at times. It has been a once-in-a-lifetime project, and I’m incredibly grateful for the people who helped bring it to life. The fabrication was done by Redemption Stone Craft, with special thanks to Jon Balbes for his patience and problem-solving throughout the build.

Like most of the best design decisions, the arches required trust. They weren’t the easiest choice, but they were the right one.

The Marble Island Legs

If the arches brought softness, the island legs brought structure. This was the true passion project.

The idea was simple in concept but complex in execution: to take something traditionally heavy and structural and reimagine it as something carved and intentional, with the kind of detailing usually seen in classic millwork rather than stone.

At first, only a polished edge seemed possible for the interior squares. That would have been the safe, expected choice. But the vision was always something more specific, an original profile that would echo traditional wood panel moulding, translated into marble to give the island depth, softness, and a sense of craftsmanship not often seen in stonework.

From there, it became a process of testing, adjusting, and problem solving. Nothing was immediate or straightforward. It was a series of refinements until it slowly started to take shape.

What makes it even more meaningful is that this wasn’t a standard request. It wasn’t something the fabricator had done before, and it required figuring out details together as we went.

At one point, it wasn’t even clear if the original profile could be achieved the way it had been envisioned. But instead of stopping there, the team kept working through it until it was right.

And that is what makes this part of the kitchen so special. Not just the final result, but everything it took to get there.

The Kitchen That Finally Feels Like Itself

There is a moment in every project where things stop feeling like a construction site and start feeling like a space you actually live in. This kitchen reached that moment with the marble.

Not because it became more perfect, but because it became more personal. The arches, the island legs, the stone, and the craftsmanship behind it all came together in a way that finally reflects the original vision, even if the path to get there wasn’t straightforward.

Walking into it now still feels a little surreal at times. There are moments when I pause and think, this is actually my kitchen.

And that feeling isn’t something you can fully design for on paper. It comes from trusting the process, pushing details a little further than originally planned, and working with people who are willing to figure things out with you instead of shutting ideas down.

Because at the end of the day, the most meaningful spaces aren’t just the ones that look beautiful. They are the ones built with intention, patience, and the willingness to do something that hasn’t quite been done before.

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When I’m shopping this time of year, I’m not looking for whatever’s new. I’m looking for the pieces that work quietly and well. A cover-up that goes from the beach to lunch without missing a beat, sunglasses that pull an outfit together without trying, a bag that earns its place by going everywhere. Timeless over trendy, always.

These are the pieces I keep reaching for this summer.

The Cover-Ups Worth Packing

A great cover-up might be the hardest-working item in a summer wardrobe. The best ones don’t ask you to choose between looking put together and feeling completely at ease. They do both, without any effort on your part.

This year I’m drawn to breezy linen, oversized button-downs, and lightweight dresses in crisp white, soft neutrals, and classic stripes. Nothing that feels of-the-moment. Everything that photographs beautifully at noon by the water and still feels right three summers from now. These are the pieces I pack first and never regret.

Shop the Cover-Ups → A few of my current favorites are linked here. Linen styles, classic button-downs, and lightweight dresses that pack beautifully and work harder than anything else in my summer wardrobe.

Sunglasses That Complete Every Summer Look

There’s one accessory that can completely shift an outfit, and it isn’t the bag or the shoes. It’s a great pair of sunglasses.

I always gravitate toward classic silhouettes and frames that feel just as right years from now as they do today. This season I’m wearing oversized frames, tortoise finishes, and clean black styles. The common thread: they add a quiet polish to whatever I’m wearing without competing with it. Throw them on over a swimsuit and a cover-up or pair them with a simple white dress, and suddenly the whole look feels considered. That’s the only criteria I need.

Shop the Sunglasses → The frames I'm wearing this summer. Classic silhouettes in tortoise, black, and oversized styles that go with everything.

The Summer Handbags I’m Carrying This Season

A great summer bag isn’t just functional. It becomes part of the outfit.

Right now, I’m reaching for natural textures, raffia, woven leather, and structured straw. These bags bring warmth and dimension to even the simplest look. A linen dress, white denim, a classic button-down, any of it is instantly elevated with the right woven bag on your arm. They move easily from lunch to a weekend away to dinner on the patio, and they do it without looking like they’re trying.

That effortlessness is the whole point.

Shop the Bags → The woven and raffia styles I keep reaching for and all the texture, none of the effort.

A Note Before You Go

The best summer pieces aren’t the trendiest ones. They’re the ones you reach for on repeat, the ones that make getting dressed feel easy rather than like a decision, and the ones that make your days, even the ordinary ones, feel a little more like summer.

I’d love to know what your summer staple is this year. Drop it in the comments, I’m always looking for new favorites.

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For this project, I collaborated with the incredibly talented Danika Herrick to customize both the wallpaper and fabrics throughout the space. We were after patterns that felt timeless and a little collected, like they’d always belonged there, while still being specific to our home. Having the ability to tailor these designs to the project made all the difference in creating a look that feels cohesive rather than pieced together.

When it comes to sourcing wallpaper and fabric, Spoonflower is always my first stop. They have thousands of designs from independent artists, which makes it genuinely easy to find something that fits your aesthetic, whether you lean traditional, modern, cottage, or somewhere in between. But what I love most isn’t just the selection, it’s the flexibility. You’re not locked into a pattern alone. You can customize both the design and the substrate, choosing the specific wallpaper type or fabric that actually makes sense for your application.

"In a world where so many homes are starting to blur together, the custom details are what tell your story."

That level of control was invaluable during our renovation. We could select the exact materials that worked best for each use, wallpaper in one spot, drapery fabric in another, upholstery somewhere else, while keeping a consistent design thread running through the whole space. That consistency is hard to achieve when you’re sourcing from a dozen different places. Here, it all came from one vision.

It’s why I keep coming back to Spoonflower for both wallpaper and fabric. The selection is unmatched, the customization options are endless, and it’s one of the few resources that can actually bring a very specific design vision to life.

I’ve linked all of the wallpapers and fabrics we used in this kitchen below. Scroll through the photos to see how these pieces came together, and if something catches your eye, every detail is shoppable.

Shop all my kitchen resources: Wallpaper, fabric, and every custom detail from the project.

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