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Small rituals make home a place for rest and rejuvenation. In The Wind Down, we explore the wellness routines of people we admire.
Vicki Fulop, the cofounder of cult-favorite bedding brand Brooklinen, knows a thing or two about making a new home feel instantly comfortable. When she and her husband (and fellow cofounder) Rich moved from Manhattan’s Financial District to Brooklyn Heights in May, she immediately set to work organizing and decorating (all while running her company and caring for the couple’s 15-month-old son, Lucas).
“It’s lucky we have our own home decor company,” says Fulop. “I was able to make it cozy fast.”
Now that she lives in a quieter, more residential neighborhood, Fulop has embraced her daily walks around the block—those rare moments of peace in otherwise hectic days. She and her husband work from home (they just launched Brooklinen’s first-ever kids collection), while their nanny helps with Lucas. But when it hits 6 p.m., the whole family starts winding down for the day, which involves Selling Sunset, the perfect hand cream, and a well-made bed.
Walk it out: Before the pandemic, it was a little bit more of an obligation to walk our dog in the morning, but now it feels like a treat because we’re not as out and about as we used to be. I’m very lucky that one of my best friends lives in my neighborhood. Since neither of us has to commute to work anymore, we’ll do a socially distanced walk together around 9—she’ll bring a thermos of coffee and I might get something at Starbucks.
Rinse off: I typically shower at night, but since the start of COVID, sometimes, knowing that getting Lucas to bed is hectic at night, I’ll shower during my lunch break so I have more time to watch TV or relax later.
Baby first: Lucas has dinner at 6 p.m. Then we’ll go for another walk around the neighborhood, and I might let him play in the playground. We come back and go straight to the bath: I use Babo Botanicals for his hair and body wash, and he has lots of bath toys to keep him entertained. Afterward I’ll play with him a little more or read to him and put him to sleep. He likes for us to hang out with him, but he falls asleep pretty fast around 7:30 or 8.
Listen up: Sometimes I put on a podcast while I’m giving Lucas his bath. I won’t do a true crime one, though I like to listen to those on my own while doing the dishes—I really liked Once Upon a Time in the Valley. I listen to Nice White Parents, How I Built This, and Bachelor Party, which is a Ringer podcast about reality TV, specifically The Bachelor.
Family meal: While Rich and I eat dinner, we’ll watch John Oliver or just catch up on our day, and by 8:30 or 9 we’re getting ready for bed. I ideally want to be asleep by 10 because Lucas wakes up really early.
Soak up: If I’m feeling like I want to have a nice, chill night, I’ll take a bath. I pour in some Epsom salts, put on a sheet mask, and set up my laptop on a stool next to the tub to watch TV. I just finished Selling Sunset, and now I’m watching its sister show, Million Dollar Beach House; both are fun guilty pleasures. I also love rom-com shows: High Fidelity on Hulu is really good, and I enjoyed the Four Weddings and a Funeral series, too.
Relaxation zone: I spend a lot of time creating really pretty, colorful things, and because I put so much of that energy into work, I actually like to have a neutral bedroom with all-white linens. We sleep on our Luxe sheets and have a lot of pillows: Rich uses four, somehow, and I sleep on two. And we use our lightweight down comforter—it’s a very fluffy, soft situation.
Comforting clothes: I like to wear Sleepy Jones cotton sleep shorts and our Brooklinen T-shirts. Sometimes I’ll also wear our loungewear around the apartment with old concert T-shirts—but if I go outside, I’ll put jeans on.
Nightstand necessities: I always have a lamp, a couple of my necklaces, Weleda Skin Food hand cream, a hair tie, a glass of water, and our silk eye mask in pink. I always wear an eye mask—I need it to be pitch-black to sleep.
Skin saviors: I’ve simplified my skin care a lot since I had Lucas. I used to love to try different stuff, but then my skin started breaking out more often. I use Cetaphil when I feel dry, and if I feel oily, I use Tracie Martyn Amla Purifying Cleanser. I moisturize with La Solution 10 de Chanel. In the morning, I’ll add in Skinceuticals CE Ferulic.
Required reading: I always read before bed, as it helps me fall asleep. I just finished Samantha Irby’s latest book, Wow, No Thank You. I really like funny books of essays—I’ve read a lot of David Sedaris, too.
Introducing Domino’s new podcast, Design Time, where we explore spaces with meaning. Each week, join editor-in-chief Jessica Romm Perez along with talented creatives and designers from our community to explore how to create a home that tells your story. Listen now and subscribe for new episodes every Thursday.