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Six washable, wool/cotton runners for a much-needed hallway makeover (no polypropylene here)

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A LEGENDARY IKEA hack

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Summer reads for toi et moi (aka one for the babies, one for us)

One part of our house has always felt unfinished to me: the hallway. It's a space I walk through countless times every single day that has never received any design love. Why? I guess because it's so much simpler for me to organize a concept or a theme for a room. A corridor is so transitory! So abstract! So easy to ignore! 

Until now, when my baby has decided to use the hallway as his straightaway. 🏁 Watching him explore this blank stretch of house made me want to make it colorful and interesting. Which, BTW, is something I’ve noticed a lot since becoming a parent.

Projects I put off for years—a place to eat dinner in the yard, a properly lit living room—I’ve found the motivation to do for him. Time feels tighter than ever with a baby, but the motivation to make our home warm and welcoming is stronger than ever, too.

So, I finally gave our hallway its moment. I hung a family portrait that had been collecting dust since the holidays (WHY did it take me six months to hang this?!). I found a runner rug I loved and rolled it out. That’s literally it. Two tiny acts, maybe a few hours’ worth of effort, and the space feels so much more alive. Walking that hallway feels like an entirely different experience.

Gentle nudge this week: if you’re a hallway neglector like me, don’t be! Find a piece of art you love. Throw down a runner rug. Boom.

Here are my favorite picks from two Sway-fave brands that prioritize healthy materials (and they’re washable)...in case your hallway is next. You can find Sway’s rug-vetting standards here. 

Lorena Canals, Wool Runner Rug Mosaic ($290-$332)
Lorena Canals, Wool Runner Rug Chroma ($345)
Lorena Canals, Wool Runner Rug Reveal ($345)
Revival, Dungaree ($149 with code BIGWASH25)
Revival, Bellbottom ($149 with code BIGWASH25)
Revival, Stovepipe ($119 with code BIGWASH25)
Budget pick: IKEA Vägskylt ($40)

❗ TRIPP TRAPP HACK: If you have the Stokke Tripp Trapp chair for your baby/kid, OH MY GOOOODNESS. Run to IKEA and get the Trofast basket (it’s $8!), which fits almost perfectly into the grooves of the chair. (You’ll need adapters or a little DIY to get it to fit securely). This means you can hang a whole storage basket (or BASKETS…multiple!) underneath your high chair, keeping burp cloths, cookbooks, wipes, plates and bibs off your counters and in a tidy and accessible spot during mealtime. This hack has changed my LIFE. Plus it's very aesthetic. 

🧛 SUMMER READ: Dinner for Vampires. I read this in two days. I wasn’t a One Tree Hill fan (it was Buffy and The OC for me) but HIGHLY REC this book if you’re interested in hearing about how an actual teen idol was splitting her time between set and a cult HQ in Idaho. My heart wants justice for Bethany Joy Lenz so badly. Please reply & tell me what books you've devoured this summer, because now I'm in book bankruptcy which is an awful place to be. 

🐶 AND: HOT DOG. The perfect book for city kids, babes (and also adults, this book has made my heart grow several sizes) in this sweltering summer heat. <3 A last minute newsletter addition I picked up yesterday at the library! I mean, look at this title page…

~

TTYS (next week),
Jennifer @ Sway