Open House: A Shelter Island Retreat
July 24, 2012
My kids are happily enrolled in day camps this week and I must admit that it felt really great to actually have a couple of hours to gather my thoughts yesterday. It was cold and very rainy which also gave me a good excuse to tackle some much needed domestic duties like cleaning and baking….both of which are much more enjoyable in an empty house! I feel like I could use some help in the productivity department these days though. Often, my daily to-do lists and potential free time get hijacked (completely self induced, I know!) by our inbox or the lure of Pinterest. Funny how those online minutes simply slip away, isn’t it? I did come across this great worksheet though (scouted on Pinterest, of course!) that I immediately printed off and I’m hoping it will help with both long and short term goals…to be determined!
An added bonus of our never-empty inbox are submissions of homes like this one belonging to Valerie McMurray, CEO and founder of Soleil Organique skin and sun care. Valerie lives in Shelter Island, NY with her husband and three children and I was immediately drawn to their bright beachy home which was recently re-designed by Cynthia Walker. White walls, pale floors and just the right hint of sea glass are the perfect ingredients for a beach house, wouldn’t you agree? Come take a look…
Photo by Jay Ackerman via Keep It Chic
Valerie founded her Soleil Organique while pregnant with her third child…it’s amazing how kids make us more aware of the daily chemicals around us, isn’t it?
“There was no mineral-based, chemical-free sun care line out there that spoke to me the way my mother’s Bain de Soleil did when I was a child,” says McMurray, “and while I want total sun protection I also don’t necessarily want to feel like I am wrapped in a chalky shroud of zinc oxide when I’m outside, especially on vacation. I don’t want to sacrifice that feeling of luxury even in my sun care products.”
While I haven’t tried Soleil Organique myself (nor were we paid to feature it on our blog), they have been receiving some pretty fantastic press reviews and can be found at luxury resorts and spas world wide. From the looks of it, Valerie’s pure and simple approach for her products translated directly into her design sensibilities within her home as well…it’s always great to see art imitating life, so to speak!
I’ve been thinking a lot about the chemicals that we put on and into our bodies lately so Valerie’s line of skin products really caught my attention. Completely mineral and marine based with not a single chemical additive in sight, Soleil Organique is not only 100% natural sunscreen but it’s also loaded with vitamins and antioxidants. I love soaking up the sun whenever I possibly can but have been feeling a bit wary of the endless list of unpronounceable ingredients on each bottle of our current sunscreen, especially when reapplying several times a day to our three kids. If you’re interested in reading more about mineral versus chemical based sunscreens, you can find detailed info here. I hope you enjoyed taking a peek around the McMurray’s family home!
*Please note that we did not receive any reimbursement or product for this feature. We will always disclose if and when we do.
