The Art of Being Female means creating and building a beautiful home life. We love a well curated home and Jessica Frandson’s of CAMPO Modern Aromatherapy is just that. Tucked away in Cameo Highlands in Corona del Mar, CA, her home is where she entertains, cooks for her family, and creates an environment of love, peace and gratitude.
You live in Corona del Mar, CA, tell us what you love most about living there?
It is so beautiful and a very easy lifestyle in CDM. It’s small so I know everyone from neighbors to the Fedex driver. I love that I can walk to town and get just about anything I need. You can see and feel the energy of the ocean from just about anywhere in CDM. It’s a bedroom community so most tourists zip right on by on their way to Laguna or Newport. I love that we can dine out when we like without a reservation.
What is your daily routine like in your home?
We are an early to bed early to rise family. We are up around 6:00 making breakfast and packing lunches. We have so much time before school we play with the dog on occasion, play a round of cards and we always call Grandma to say good morning. We tidy up, make beds, check a few emails and then off to workout after carpool.
What scent do you have going in your home consistently?
Campo Energy Essential Oil Blend. It has a top note of Neroli (the finest part of the orange blossom), bergamot and sandalwood.
Do you cook dinner 5 nights a week?
Yes, we have a rotation of simple, healthy and yummy dishes the entire family enjoys like Tuesday Turkey Burger Taco Salad night, Turkey Pesto Gluten Free Pasta Night…did I mention we love turkey?
Everyone loves our baked potato bar night complete with bacon, cheese, sour cream, chives & butter and a simple salad. The real crowd pleaser is my take on the Bandera Queso Dip which I gleaned after years of testing and gathering intel.
Here is the simple recipe:
Mix together in a large bowl:
1 can diced mild green chiles
1 can chipotle peppers. Take the peppers out of the sauce and mince in cuisinart.
½ can of diced jalapeno peppers or 1 fresh jalapeno pepper (remove the seeds) for a bigger kick.
2 finely chopped green onions-optional.
16 oz cream cheese room temperature.
4-6 cups of shredded sharp cheddar cheese.
Serve with tortilla chips and garnish with cilantro.
What do you do on the nights you don’t feel like cooking?
We order take out from Bamboo Bistro, Panini, Javier’s and Chronic Taco.
Do you have meal planning secrets you can share?
I stock up on a few items that are healthy and will keep through the week like mixed greens with kale and broccoli slaw, nuts and this amazing salad dressing by Cindy’s Kitchen called Barcelona (olive oil, vinegar, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper in the refrigerator section at Whole Foods).
Favorite cookbook, best aprons, napkins, dinnerware, cookware?
I have my eye on this cutting board created by second-generation wood-worker, Ryan Silverman, and culinary expert, Eileen O’Dea, The Wooden Palate was born out of a common desire to fabricate practical and everlasting heirloom pieces….
Growing up I heard “napkin in your lap” at every meal so there’s no scratching your head why I am obsessed with “real” napkins for their beauty, function and eco benefits like these…
Do you garden?
I love to garden and be connected to nature. I love a white palette for landscape but I am a sucker for an arrangement of effortless, colorful garden roses so I planted a secret cutting garden along the side of my house so we always have fresh flowers. We have citrus trees (and espaliers) peppered around the property and a raised veggie and herb garden off the kitchen. My family has a cherry farm in Central California and we make the annual trip up to pick when the fruit is ripe in May.
Do you have a favorite personal cocktail, wine or drink that you wind down with at night?
I love a good chardonnay like Pahlmeyer but if I am going to do a cocktail I enjoy a French Greyhound…plus the St. Germain bottle is so beautiful it just makes me happy!
Fresh squeezed grapefruit juice
Tito’s Vodka
St. Germain
Sprig of mint garnish
Ice
Who were your builders, interior designers, landscape designers, contractors etc…
I love design. My favorite part of design are the architectural details and transitions that often get overlooked. I take on a couple of projects a year (time permitting). We lived in our home for several years before we took it down to the studs and added on so that gave me time to allow the home to reveal its maximum potential.
Interior Designer: Jessica Frandson
Architect: JR Walz
Contractor: Mike & David McDonald (honest, reliable and good).
Landscape Designer: I am obsessed with the blog Patina Farms and pulled a lot of inspiration from her farm in Ojai along with the help from a pro Christine from Perennial Design.
Several of my best friends (Angela Tesselaar and Erin Curci) are talented interior designers and were great resources and sounding boards when I was having analysis paralysis.
What was your inspiration when you were building out your home?
I have always been inspired by the classic architecture of the east coast and the architect Bob White. He makes every project feel unique, like it was meant to be in that very spot. You can’t tell if it is brand new or been there for decades. Timeless and authentic…never overdone or fussy.
What are the tricks to keeping the home tidy and in order?
Pretend like you live on a boat. Everything has its place and needs to be stowed away after use. I also do a deep clean and edit the garage, kitchen, closets and toys at least two times a year. When things are orderly everything seems to flow better for me. It also brings me joy to know that something that was not serving a purpose in our home might be a great treasure to someone else.
What are some of your favorite home goods?
Well CAMPO essential oil diffusers and our collection of pure essential oil blends of course! We just launched a new LOVE scent that is magical, blended with rose, neroli, pink peppercorn and black pepper. Watch out it has a reputation to increase passion and desire!
Do you have a secret steal of deal for the home?
I found this linen company that has hotel soft sheets that don’t wrinkle and are very cost effective perfect for children’s and guest rooms by Jennifer Adams. They even have chic little dog blankets to throw on the sofa so you can snuggle up without the shedding or muddy paws.
What are some investment pieces in your home and were they worth it?
I have a few key pieces of furniture from Ralph Lauren I bought straight out of college like my formal zebra print wingback chair that is unexpected in my very neutral home that are irreplaceable. I also invest in beautiful linens, crystal and silver entertaining pieces like my Hermes blanket and Cristofle silver bowls that are used daily and just get better with age. I mean kettle potato chips and onion dip just taste better in crystal!
Tell us about your art…
We have a Wolfgang Bloch painting which is a mix medium of oil on canvas with reclaimed wood that he painted for us. It was a beautiful experience to see how much he cares about his work. Together we selected the perfect wall with the best light.
I have a collection of Hermes silk scarves that I have collected on holiday and framed. Each one tells a story and reminds me of a special place.
My husband took me on a babymoon trip and we bought this hummingbird painting by Carol.
Our yard is like a bird sanctuary being so close to Pelican Golf Course and we have all these sweet little hummingbirds that dance around our yard. We hung our hummingbird painting so your eye goes from art to nature…life imitating art!
My Grandparents were artists at the Festival of Arts in Laguna Beach for over 30 years. My prized piece is a ship model my Papa built of the Mutiny on the Bounty that my Mother has put in my charge.
What do you think is worth investing in to make the house a home?
A fireplace, a good mattress and a pet to snuggle in it! Our dog Roxy really makes our house a home. Her little spirit is pure joy. She makes each morning brighter and every bedtime more cozy.
They say that the woman dictates the emotional tone of the household, how do you keep the tone in your home one of positivity and gratitude?
I work out, meditate and pray daily which help ground me. When one of these elements gets out of balance I am not at my best. I try to instill in my family that the world does not owe you anything, to have gratitude for what you have and that you are the only one that can truly create your happiness.
Do you have rules about screen time to help foster emotional closeness with your family like no screen time before dinner or after dinner? Do you make Lauren charge her phone in the kitchen at night vs her room?
We turn our wi-fi off every night and Lauren keeps her cell phone on airplane mode and in the kitchen. We shut down screen time after dinner. We also have products in our home to help shield us from the negative effects of EMF (electromagnetic field) which are the newest and invisible modern toxin and one of the biggest stressors on our body. It can lead to fatigue, lack of focus, headaches and sleepless nights. The good news is you can repel the vibration with a simple product called a grounding bag. We have grounding bags under all our beds and we sleep better than ever!
How do you create a safe and loving environment for your daughter, Lauren?
We play really hard and work really hard and we instill that work ethic and play time with our daughter. We have ping pong, trampoline, volleyball, bikes, skateboards and tons of board games. We get our work done and then we play, play, play!
What did you want her room to feel like when you were putting it together?
I wanted a room that was bright and cheery during the day and warm and inviting at bedtime. I mixed kid friendly materials along with classic and chic elements that made it feel elevated. I love the juxtaposition of steel windows against her white linen tufted bed and the french crystal chandelier.
What are your tricks to entertaining with less stress?
I prep ahead of time so when my guests arrive I can enjoy them.
How do you make guests feel welcome?
We open our home and it’s all about inclusion. At this stage of life most of our friends have children, I always include them and I tell the parents you create the night you want or need at the moment. Sometimes it is with the kiddos and sometimes they need a little date night. I always have fresh florals at the entry, the music piping, nibbles out, open bar and ping pong at the ready.
Do you have a signature cocktail that you offer when guests arrive?
You can’t go wrong with a simple margarita with fresh lime juice, good tequila and some agave nectar.
Do you worry about the mess it will make when you have guests over? Especially with children…?
Our home feels cozy when it is just us but is perfect for children, pets and parties! I designed our home with beautiful materials that patina and get better age.
Thank you so much for sharing how you have created a beautiful home life and how you exude the Art of Being Female at home… xx