Since we’re all spending more time in our homes lately, we thought it only right to bring you the Mother Essentials of someone who thinks about houses all. day. long. Yep, Angela Tafoya, the Editorial Director at interiors website Lonny, has not only been reporting on home trends for the past 4 years, she’s also been doing so while constantly reworking her own San Francisco residence, which she shares with her husband and 5-year-old daughter, Talula. (You can check out the grand reveal of their renovated family home here). Below, the mother and editor shares her must-haves of the moment—from her beauty routine and spiritual practice to her favorite kid art supplies and a good-looking pan that does it all. Enjoy!

Kiko & GG Star Dominos. “We’ve found a new love for these colorful dominos. They help Tallie practice her fine motor skills—the little stars are so small and a nice challenge to set up (even for me). She loves dividing them into colors and arranging and, of course, the grand finale of watching them fall!” Kiko + GG Tanabata Stars, $43, Kiko +GG.

Wanderer’s Tarot Deck. “I’ve been taking a class by the wonderful Casey Zabala of Wanderer’s Tarot. It’s a six-month course at Scarlet Sage (obviously, we’ve been meeting via Zoom these days) that covers tarot for beginners. It’s been a really informative experience and learning more about the tarot has brought a lot of introspection and guidance, especially during these time. I’ve even given a few readings digitally!” Wanderer’s Tarot Deck, $45, Wanderer’s Tarot.

My Daily Beauty Routine. “Everything about our routines have been shuffled around and I’m doing my best to retain some normalcy. One of things I look forward to each day is my morning and nightly beauty routine. After years of working to understand my skin and battling congestion, I found a mixture of products that really leave my skin glowy and clear. I turn to Vintner’s Daughter in the evening (the essence and the oil) and in the morning I do a mix of True Botanicals oil and antioxidant booster and Marie Veronique’s Vitamin C serum.” Vintner’s Daughter Active Botanical Serum, $185, Goop; Marie Veronique Vitamin C, E + Ferulic Acid Serum, $90, Credo; True Botanicals Antioxidant Booster, $90, True Botanicals.

You Were Born For This. “Chani Nicholas is an esteemed astrologer who recently released You Were Born For This—a book around understanding your placements and how they help shape who you are. I’ve been working to understand a little more about astrology and this book is a great guide for a beginner. Before we all went on quarantine, I was also having sessions with Ellen Fondiler, who is teaching me more about it, and we used this book as a guide.” You Were Born for This: Astrology for Radical Self-Acceptance, $17.85, Amazon.

Our Place Always Pan. “First off, I am a big fan of the brand Our Place—founded by the founder and CEO of the Malala Fund, this brand draws inspiration from cultural, family traditions shared around the table. It also works hard to give back to the community and provide more people access to good food through partnering with the L.A. Food Policy Council. But beyond the good it does, the Always Pan is so gorgeous and meant to serve the function of a set. Now that I have more time at home, I have been working on cooking more.” The Always Pan, $145, Our Place.

Oeuf Loft Bed. “I’ve been rethinking the set up in Tallie’s room since she’s outgrowing her current bed, so now really seems like a good time to revamp because we are at home so much. We hope transitioning her into this snazzy bed will also keep her in it more!” Oeuf Perch Full-Size Loft Bed, $1,650, Amazon.

Hoopla. “We’ve been listening to a good amount of audio books these days. Tallie’s school actually introduced me to Hoopla. which has a ton of kids’ books varying in length. She loves sitting in the living room listening to them—and we get a bit of time to work.” HooplaDigital.com.

Bondeye Donut Rings. “New York-based jewelry company Bondeye has some of the prettiest stone rings—it’s donut collection is really fun and playful. Even though I am not leaving home much these days, it still makes me feel put together throwing on my stack around the house.” Donut Ring, $360, Bondeye Jewelry. 

Ooly Paint Sticks. “I can’t rave enough about these chunky paint sticks. Tallie reaches for them almost every day. She grabs them and a notebook and starts working away. It’s nice because it definitely buys us some time and she’s getting her art fix in!” OOLY Chunkies Paint Sticks Variety Pack, $32.97 for a set of 24, Amazon.

East Fork Mug. “Every morning, one of the first things I do is reach for a cup of coffee, in my favorite mug. It’s the little things that spark joy these days. I love the weighty feel of the East Fork mugs along with the soft, speckled colors. Tallie even has a kids’ one she uses. Plus, East Fork is an inspiring small businesses that really works actively to promote the important causes they believe in as a company.” (Ed Note: Read our inspiring profile on East Fork’s Connie Matisse here!) The Mug, $36, East Fork Pottery; Toddler Cup, $14, East Fork Pottery.

Clare V. x Anthropologie Blanket. “Spending time hanging on the couch is a daily occurrence these days. This soft blanket from the Clare V. x Anthropologie collab has proved to be everything from a cuddle companion to the foundation of many living room forts.” Clare V. for Anthropologie Sieste Throw Blanket, $98, Anthropologie.  

Chorus Meditation. “Chorus Meditation was anticipating a physical opening in San Francisco a few weeks ago. Since there has been an indefinite pause on gathering, the company has shifted to online meditation and breathwork courses. I have been wanting to take one of the virtual classes! Plus, Chorus donates some of its class proceeds to various organizations like Tipping Point and the San Francisco Unified School District.” ChorusMeditation.com.

For more Mother Essentials, peep our past columns with designers Anna Wallack, Cynthia Rowley, Rebecca Atwood, Dana Haim, Rachel Zoe, and Taylor Jay, Olympian Alysia Montano, Wiley Body founder Vanessa Wade, cookbook author Hetal Vasavada, Partake founder Denise Woodard, model and muse Slick Woods, children’s author Serena Minott, clean living expert Kristian Henderson, Oakland retail queen Sherri McMullen, wellness influencer Joanne Encarnacion, author LaTonya Yvette, and many more!