PUTTING A CORK IN 2020

Real Talk.

2020 has been a big, fat, major downer. You can try to sell me on all the silver linings you want, but on a scale of one to ten with ten being the suckiest, we are hovering right around the 20 mark.

If you’re anything like me, you’re suffering from a serious case of decision fatigue. This seems ironic given that all we have to decide each day is whether to change out of our sweatpants or not.

Alas, the holidays are here and decisions we must make so I have assembled a few of my favorite local home-related finds. Each gift was selected for two reasons: I love the owners and these gifts will continue to provide joy long-term. Regardless, I hope these ideas inspire you (or just momentarily get your attention away from the constant stream of negative news).

Cheers!

Kristen

Toss your ratty old throw and check out the new knits from Seek & Swoon. Seek & Swoon is the brainchild of Portlander Jala Smith-Huys. The idea came to her in 2015 while on a European sabbatical. She returned home wanting to start a business that allowed her to preserve her travel memories (ah, travel….) through products that everyone could enjoy and take pride in owning. Not only are these darling (see picture of the “Portland” above, but sturdy and soft as heck.

Nothing makes a home homier than plants so consider buying your favorite friend a greening consultation from Solabee Flowers and Botanicals. The owner Sarah Helmstetter is a plant genius and a gem of a human. Her consult (done virtually at the moment) will walk through their home to determine the optimal plants for their environment and best placement strategies. This option also includes maintenance advice, and ideas for styling his/her plants that may already be present in their space.

If you’re looking to give someone a gift that has personal written all over it, check out the textiles sold by my friend and fellow small business owner, Nedim Orlando of Nomadic Vintage PDX. Nedim sells the most glorious Anatolian rugs and pillow covers at a fraction of the price of other stores in town. He grew up in a family of weavers and every year he returns to Turkey to hand select items for his little shop.

About a decade ago, Jody Pettit had a small package containing a precious family heirloom stolen off her front porch. Frustrated and sad, she thought: there has to be a way to better protect these kinds of deliveries. So she made one! Porch pirates have met their match in the locally made Landport. It's a super-secure lockbox for your Fedex, UPS and other deliveries. And unlike a lot of other products out there, this one is attractive and comes in a handful of great colors.

Several years ago, I was introduced to the amazing Carrie Wynkoop. Carrie and her equally cool husband Kari were in the process of converting an older home in SW Portland to a wine club and called me in to help bring their vision of an Oregon focused tasting room to life. I may not be drinking these days, but I can suggest you check out their small business, Cellar 503 either for yourself or for holiday gifts. They feature unique, high quality, affordable wines from all across Oregon. This year’s holiday gift boxes have themes with fun titles such as, “I Love Cooking” and “I Love Bubbles.”  Both are filled with fun finds from smaller producers in the state. You can also give your favorite enophile an annual membership. But don’t just take it from me, Food and Wine Magazine calls Cellar 503 one of the op nine wine clubs for monthly delivery!

Did you really think you’d get out of this without a shameless plug for my services? Ha! Seriously though, I do have gift certificates for my two-hour interior design coaching consultations. This package is designed for those who are simply looking for ideas or inspiration for their home or business. My consultation is a fun and collaborative two-hour meeting, during which I offer my expert advice, and leave behind a DIY game plan that will enable him/her to take my ideas and run with it.

Let’s Solve Your Design Dilemmas, Together.