Browse Tag

home decor

4 mins read

Black Owned Mother’s Day Gift Ideas – GOODEE Edition

This year, explore Black owned Mother’s Day gift ideas from GOODEE.

GOODEE is a leading curated, marketplace of the world’s most coveted and collectable products that promote good design, ethical sourcing, and positive social impact.

GOODEE founders, Byron and Dexter Peart

In this article, we’ll explore some of GOODEE’s gems, from beautiful handwoven baskets to unique homeware pieces that spark joy.

Whether you’re shopping for a gardening enthusiast, a self-care queen, or a design aficionado, there’s something perfect waiting to be discovered.

Mother’s Day Gift Ideas

The Fazeley Flow

Meet the perfect small watering can for keeping your interior jungle in tip-top condition. Its elegantly curved non-drip spout delivers pinpoint watering accuracy, helping avoid splashes around your potted plants. Available in hand-polished copper, or galvanised steel in a green, it comes beautifully boxed and makes the perfect present.

Tiny Pakurigo Basket

Black Owned Mother's Day

A tinier version of the classic Pakurigo basket, this smaller silhouette boasts the same intricate patterns, shapes and expert weaving techniques of Baba Tree’s Ghanaian artisans, along with a signature wave-like silhouette that few weavers are able to master.

Classic Jug

Black Owned Mother's Day

Looking for a seasoned all-rounder? HAWS’ metal jug will happily water your pots or proudly sit on your shelf as a flower display for those freshly cut blooms. Built for the ages, its heavy gauge galvanised steel offers total rust protection for indoor or outdoor use.

Twin Flame Candles

This 100% natural candle made from two hand-dipped tapers carefully wound together is perfect for special occasions and every moment in between. Each unique piece promises approximately 2 hours of (clean) burn time, slowly dripping into captivating golden sculptures that only add to the aesthetic, while releasing a subtle honey scent.

Ard Cushion Cover

Black Owned Mother's Day

This unique piece carries the soul of old Damascus, reflecting the vibrant life of the traditional checkered-tile courtyards (or Ard Addiyar). Its design, rich with the nostalgia of family gatherings, children’s laughter, and nature’s palette, brings a narrative of resilience and beauty into your living area.

HA KO Leaf-shaped Incense

Delicately crafted from Japanese washi paper and infused with natural essential oils, each one of these dreamy incense leaves offers a distinct scent to evoke different moods: No.1 Spicy Jasmine, No.3 Elegance Citrus, No.5 Smoky Cinnamon, No.6 White Floral, No.7 Green Grass, and No.8 True Aqua. If you can’t bear to burn these beauties, they’ll double as potpourri.

Kalam Wrap Towel

Black Owned Mother's Day

Adorned with a cotton braided fringe, the exquisite fabric, which is ethically crafted in Ethiopia using naturally dyed, locally sourced cotton, makes for one high-quality towel that can also double as a picnic blanket, a throw, or a beach cover-up.

Cairn Centrepiece

Black Owned Mother's Day

Whether you’re seeking a sculptural wooden fruit bowl for your kitchen or an elegant catchall for your entryway, the Cairn Centrepiece stands out as a superb choice. Crafted from solid, FSC™-certified ash wood and adorned with soft curves and sculpted details reminiscent of cairn stones, this piece serves both as practical storage and a decorative showpiece, offering a warm, organic aesthetic

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3 mins read

Black Owned Ceramics Businesses For Your Space

The world of ceramics is brimming with talented artists, and Black creators are leaving their unique mark on the craft.

From functional mugs to stunning sculptures, Black owned ceramics businesses offer a range of beautiful pieces that elevate your space.

Whether you’re searching for a distinctive gift or want to add a touch of artistry to your home, look no further! Dive into our guide to discover some incredible Black-owned ceramics businesses you should know.

Black Owned Ceramics Businesses

Kera Clay

Black owned ceramics

Virginia Felix is a ceramicist born and bred in Brooklyn, New York exploring the dichotomy between function and form. She designs decorative and sculptural vessels using the unpredictability of clay. Her work ranges from tableware and lighting to creative projects.

The Coy Collection

The Coy Collection is a brand of ceramic tableware designed by artist Sequoyah Johnson. Her collection focuses on bringing joy to everyday rituals through unique, handcrafted pieces.

Ekua Ceramics

black owned ceramics businesses

Sara Ekua Todd is a ceramic artist raised in Belgium and now based in Los Angeles. Her functional clayware exhibits a reverence for shape and surface — and is often bursting with juicy color.

Claude Home

Claude Home is a design gallery that curates and sells unique furniture and home decor. The company was founded in 2018 by Maggie Holladay, a former fashion stylist with an eye for design.

Malene Djenaba Barnett

black owned ceramics businesses

Malene Djenaba cement tiles, which blend contemporary art with traditional craftsmanship, epitomize this vision, adding a sophisticated touch to any space.

Sio Ceramics

Sio Ceramics is a ceramics studio based in Washington, D.C. They create handcrafted small-batch ceramic art that ranges in function and use, from wearable pieces to functional pottery.

Utility Objects Ceramics

Utility Objects Ceramics is a brand of handmade ceramic home goods designed by Aleisha Ellis out of her Atlanta, Georgia studio. Her work is known for its minimalist aesthetic inspired by modern Japanese ceramics.

Porcelain Sneakerhead

black owned ceramics

Porcelain Sneakerhead is the artistic creation of ceramicist London James. She handcrafts incredibly detailed ceramic sneakers, bringing the world of kicks into a unique and long-lasting art form.

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2 mins read

Black Owned Home Decor Businesses to Support in 2022

Home is where the heart is, and there’s no place like a stylish and unique home that speaks to your personality.

We’ve listed some more Black owned home decor businesses that can help you add character and style to your living or working space.

These businesses have everything you need from light fixtures to wall art.  S,o if you’re looking for a way to customize your space, check these companies out!

Black owned home decor businesses

Yowie

black owned home decor companies

Located in Philadelphia (and online), Yowie features a carefully curated selection of home goods, decor, and items for the lifestyle. You can find everything from tumblers and artwork to textiles and decor, all thoughtfully crafted and displayed.

Karen Jai Home

Karen Jai Home offers a wide assortment of items including decorative bust statues in splashes of uplifting hues, elegant and earthy storage baskets hand-woven by Bangladeshi artisans, modern vases, timeless furniture, and much more. Use Code SHOPPEBLACK for a discount.

Marie Burgos Collection

The Marie Burgos Collection offers design professionals and homeowners bold new contemporary lighting, furniture, and decorative accessories with a fresh perspective. In her design projects for residential and commercial interiors, designer Marie Burgos emphasizes harmony, comfort, and abundant style.

Clare

black owned home decor businesses

Clare is on a mission to make paint shopping easy and fun. Clare’s founder, Nicole Gibbons, is an interior designer, lifestyle expert, and TV personality with years of experience and a penchant for picking the perfect hue.  Clare’s products are delivered right to your door, making the process of painting your home simple and mess-free.

black owned home decor businesses

For 20 years The Maasai Shop has been filling homes with authentic, handmade items. This Kenya-based company specializes creating in the finest beadwork, wood, and leather products.

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5 mins read

This Black Owned Kitchen Lifestyle Brand Helps You Prepare and Serve Meals with Style

Kitchen Strong is a Black owned kitchen lifestyle brand that offers high-quality kitchen essentials that provide the best experience in both preparing and serving your food in style.

The company was founded in 2020 by native Detroiters and husband and wife duo Donnie Morgan and Dr. Dayna Morgan. We caught up with them to find out more about their business.

Black Owned Kitchen
Kitchen strong founders, Dr. Dayna Morgan and Donnie Morgan

What inspired you to start your business?

The pandemic afforded us the opportunity to take daily walks, in which we were able to talk about our next move in life. We lost some family members during the pandemic, and that forced us to reflect on the importance of following our dreams and building a legacy for our family. 

During one of our walks, we brainstormed different ideas, and we decided we wanted to create something that truly reflected our lifestyle and was useful, practical, and elegant. We thought, “We love to cook, we have ‘strong’ cooking skills, and we love to entertain at home.” Then BOOM, Kitchen Strong was born – a lifestyle kitchen essentials brand. 

Black Owned Kitchen

The Kitchen Strong brand is reflective of both our lifestyles. Donnie is a healthy lifestyle content creator, who shows his YouTube followers how to prepare healthy flavorful meals using high quality multifunctional cutting boards.

Dr. Dayna, who loves to entertain at home and was always looking for modern stylish serving boards or trays. Therefore, we decided to create a line that included the kitchen essentials we needed and always wanted. 

As a couple how do your individual skills or personalities compliment your business?

Our individual skills are what contribute to the success of our business. We have been together for over 10 years, and through this time we have learned each other’s strengths and challenges. We were able to leverage that information to define our roles within the business, which helps to create healthy boundaries.

For example, Donnie is more technical and directs the integration of technology into the business, whereas Dayna is highly structured and enjoys engaging with people and therefore manages customer and manufacturer relationships. Both of us provide input on the products.  

Black Owned Kitchen

What are some of the most important business related lessons you’ve learned as business owners?

There are so many, LOL. 

  • It is important to document all processes and procedures. 
  • We often underbudgeted for necessary items so we learned to include cushion in all the line items. 
  • Be very specific in contracts and agreements – including manufacturers and brand partners – especially when funds are exchanged. 
  • Patience. It takes time to build a business. You must accept the good with the bad. 
  • Note that things are not ever as bad as they seem at that moment. 

What are your long term goals for your business?

We aim for Kitchen Strong to be a household name and the go to company for kitchen and dining essentials. 

What advice do you have for other entrepreneurs?

Follow your dreams and let your passion motivate you. It is easy to be overwhelmed but remember companies that last are not built overnight. Talk with other like-minded business owners to create a support system.

Don’t let your toughest days end your journey – it will be tough but remember your why to get through the challenges. Lastly, make sure to have the right team – vet people out to make sure they are qualified to do the job that you hire them for. 

Tony O. Lawson


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1 min read

Black Owned Furniture Businesses You Should Know

Furniture is an essential part of our daily lives, as it not only provides functionality but also contributes to the aesthetic appeal of our homes and workplaces. In this article, we will highlight some Black owned furniture businesses that you can support and help promote diversity in the furniture industry.

From sofas to dining room sets, these businesses are a great way to support and celebrate Black entrepreneurship in the furniture industry.

Black Owned Furniture Businesses

Archer Home Designs (Designer)

Marie Burgos Design (Designer)

Black Owned Furniture

Jomo Furniture (Designer)

Aphrocic (Designer)

Black Owned Furniture

Lichen NYC  (Retailer)

Goodee (Online marketplace)

54kibo (Online marketplace)

Ali Sandifer Studio (Designer)

Black Rooster Decor (Online marketplace)

Edloe Finch (Online marketplace)

Nicole Crowder Upholstery (Designer & Upholsterer)

black owned furniture

Taeillo (Designer and Manufacturer)

Albany Park (Online retailer)

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1 min read

Black Owned Vintage Stores You Should Know

Step away from the mundane and transient world of beige basics and fast fashion. Immerse yourself in a vibrant tapestry of vintage splendor found within these Black owned vintage stores.

Every hanger holds a carefully curated act of defiance, a tribute to the creativity and enduring spirit of the Black community intricately woven into each fabric. This article is a compilation of stores that present an array of distinctive and chic vintage clothing.

Whether it’s bold patterns or timeless cuts you seek, these establishments cater to diverse tastes, inviting everyone to infuse their wardrobe with the charm of bygone eras.

Black Owned Vintage Stores

Circ Antiques

Black Owned Vintage Stores

Tracy Chambers Vintage

Black Owned Vintage Stores

Nostalgia Boutique

Black Owned Vintage Stores

Golden Bird Boutique

 

Nello Vintage

Washington Ave

Neutral Ground

BLK MKT Vintage

Black Owned Vintage Stores

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1 min read

Black Owned Plant and Home Garden Related Businesses

Looking to spruce up your home with some leafy greens or get your hands dirty cultivating a thriving garden? Look no further than this list of Black-owned plant and home garden businesses!

These passionate entrepreneurs offer a vibrant selection of options, from unique houseplants and handcrafted planters to gardening supplies and expert advice.

Whether you’re a seasoned plant parent or a curious newcomer, there’s something for everyone to discover and support.

Black Owned Plant and Home Garden Related Businesses

Torpedopot™ 

2019 Torpedopot™ Vs Hydroponics

Natty Garden

Pepper Palm

Mega Bundle Set of 3 image 1

Ultralight Dreams

Planting With P

Barn Owl

The ZEN Succulent

deVINE Plantery

Tal & Bert

Grounded

Crazy Plant Bae

Rudo Plants opens plant shop in the Heights - Jersey City Upfront

Tennessee Tropicals

Inside Look: Tennessee Tropicals – Urbaanite

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9 mins read

54Kibo, the Digital Marketplace Showcasing The Beauty of African Aesthetic and Luxury Décor

54kibo is the premier luxury digital home décor retailer for interior design professionals and consumers.

The brand was launched in 2018 by Nana Quagraine. Nana was inspired after her travels back and forth between over a dozen African countries and her home in Brooklyn, New York.

54kibo
Nana Quagraine

These travels helped her identify the strengths across the continent that could be exported to the world. 

54kibo

As a black woman, Nana was tired of the existing vocabulary used to describe Africa, blackness and womanhood. After she became a mother, she worried that there are not enough visual symbols, especially in the U.S. to signal to her children that their blackness is valued by society. She wanted them to be proud of their roots and have the same appreciation for Africa and for being a black person that her family instilled in her. 

54kibo

Driven by these multiple experiences, Nana decided to build something that was tangible, something that introduces a new vocabulary for Africa. After exploring a number of ideas over the years, design seemed like a no brainer.

54kibo

“People globally appreciate beauty. When you see beautiful design in art, fashion or home decor, it is undeniable – it draws you in”, she explained.” The uniqueness and beauty of contemporary African design is undeniable, it invites you to learn, explore its origins, learn something new about Africa, about the diaspora, about the world and hopefully about yourself.”

Adinkra inspired swaddles and kids blankets

How would you describe African aesthetic and design?

The 54 in 54kibo represents the 54 countries that are in Africa because every country in the continent has so much creativity and beauty to offer! The African aesthetic is vibrant, unique, and most importantly, visually new and appealing in the home decor category.

Contrary to common knowledge, African design is not limited to tribal designs. It covers a broad spectrum that includes minimalist designs, and colorful, bold, maximalist designs.

Design is driven by people, their daily experiences, aspirations and dreams. With over a billion people in Africa and the diaspora; and thanks to a growing and more demanding middle class with easier access to technology and information, African art and design is flourishing.

African design is adding a flair of innovation to the design world by being truly distinctive in a relatively homogeneous market place. Thebe Magugu becoming the first LVMH prize recipient from Africa, at this point in time is not a coincidence. There is already a pipeline of creative talent in Africa and the diaspora that is ready to be discovered and experienced.

At 54kibo, we’re curating this talent and making it frictionless to shop luxury and uniquely beautiful home decor. For example, we now have a trade program for interior designers, architects and other design professionals which makes it easier to shop from multiple designers from the diaspora on one platform.

This reduces the effort required to research and navigate multiple websites, negotiate terms and navigate logistics, payment systems, customs, quality issues and multiple other hurdles. We received a shipment of the Ile-Ila Alaafia rocker chair  today and we’re all still in awe of its bold design and beauty! Now our customers can enjoy this beauty without having to think about and deal with the hurdles. 

To what would you attribute the growing popularity of African aesthetics?

There continues to be an explosion in demand for Contemporary African art and fashion in the U.S. and globally. For example when I first saw art by Eddie Ilunga, from Democratic Republic of Congo, three years ago in New York it was selling for $10k, this month his work sold for over $75k at Sothebys.

That is an amazing return on investment.  For the home furnishings sector, which is often influenced by art and fashion trends, two years ago IKEA partnered with Design Indaba in South Africa to create a global collection, featuring a collection of prolific African designers that launched this year. We are thrilled to see this, as it is extraordinarily validating for our business proposition.  

In general, we now live in a world that is increasingly digitally connected and global; and there is a growing population of consumers with cosmopolitan tastes who are eager to explore the undiscovered corners of this world. They’re looking for the unique, the unexplored.

There is a whole creative world in Africa and the diaspora – some of the world’s most beautiful and least well-known designs – all waiting to be experienced. For black consumers, in addition to the above, our value-add is also representation.

Our first shipment of this exquisite pillow collection from Yael et Valerie based in Haiti, sold out before we could even list it! We’re providing access to a previously overlooked source of beauty, from designers who look like them. Offering a new and fresh perspective of design to all our customers and introducing designers in Africa and the diaspora to the world.

54kibo

How do you decide what items to carry?

When choosing our items, we look at the quality of each piece, the distinctiveness of the design, the designer’s story and most importantly, consider the needs of our customers and where the piece might reside in their life.

There is so much talent in the industry, it’s hard to narrow down our selection but we have a team with experienced merchandisers who have worked in the home category at major retailers.

We also work closely with leading interior designers in the New York area who help guide our selections. For example, we’ve met a lot of amazing product designers and interior designers through the Black Artist + Designers Guild, founded by Malene Barnett.

This Summer, 54kibo participated in the BADG Transcend space at NY NOW Trade Show. The space was designed and transformed with bold and creative pieces by interior designers Beth Diana Smith and Kiyonda Powell. Their space clearly showcased black design in a modern and beautiful way, which also won them the IFDA award for most Innovative Design.

Where do you see the business in 5 years?

It is ambitious but we want to build a global retail brand. To become the world’s go-to source for home décor with contemporary African design. We currently have over 30 incredible designers on the platform and will be adding more. We have 450 skus listed but this is less than 2% of the products available to us.

So, if customers prove us right and if we can achieve our sales targets in the short term, we plan to expand our products by 5x over the next twelve months. We look forward to continue collaborating with more product designers, interior designers, other retailers, and the media to showcase Contemporary African Design throughout the US, and ultimately, the world.


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5 mins read

Restoration of Nina Simone’s Childhood Home To Begin This Spring

The proposed rehabilitation of Nina Simone’s childhood home in Tryon, N.C., is moving forward, according to the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The group has completed an official assessment of the house’s structural conditions and chosen a path of initial action alongside the four New York-based artist-owners, Adam Pendleton, Rashid Johnson, Ellen Gallagher and Julie Mehretu.

“We are committed to realizing the artist-owners’ dream of seeing this home preserved and reborn as an act of social justice and a tribute to Ms. Simone’s unapologetic pursuit of musical, personal and political freedom,” Tiffany Tolbert, senior field officer for the National Trust for Historic Preservation, said in the group’s official statement.

In an interview with the Herald-Journal, Tolbert said the conditions assessment found that the home’s foundation was sound, as was the house overall, but many of the materials on the home’s exterior are in need of repair.

Tolbert said the owners were presented with two paths for restoration: They could go the route of temporary stabilization, to prevent any further deterioration, or they could have the house undergo more permanent repairs. The owners ultimately decided to begin repairing the house, focusing on repairs that will prevent further weather damage, particularly from moisture.

This work, which will begin in the spring after an architect is chosen, will include repairing and painting the siding; repairing or replacing the roof, depending on further inspection; and repairing the windows to seal out moisture. The work will focus on the exterior, leaving the interior work for after a plan of how the home will be used has been developed. Tolbert said the work could begin as early as April.

The home was designated a “national treasure” in June, coincidentally coinciding with the Juneteenth holiday. The four artists had purchased the house when it was up for sale and in danger of being demolished in 2017, and later partnered with the National Trust’s African-American Heritage Action Fund to find a way to restore and reuse the home.

Tolbert will be heading to Tryon on Valentine’s Day for a planning session with The Nina Simone Project, which has acted as the local point-of-contact for the project.

Interiors – Birthplace of Nina Simone (born Eunice Waymon). The furnishings are not original but were added by recent owners.

“Frankly, I can’t think of a better Valentine’s gift to Tryon, to North Carolina, and to the United States,” said Crys Armbrust, founder and leader of The Nina Simone Project.

The National Trust, along with the owners and local artists, preservationists and project partners like The Nina Simone Project, the World Monument Fund, the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, Preservation North Carolina, the N.C. State Historic Preservation Office and UNC-Asheville, among others, will hold a “visioning workshop” in May in Tryon to discuss ideas for the future use of the house. Members of the public not directly associated with the project will be able to participate as well, though not in person.

“There will be opportunities for the public to weigh in, but it won’t be a public meeting,” Tolbert said. Tolbert said that ideas from the public would be included during the vision workshop’s discussions. The format for public discussion and submission of ideas is still being developed.

Armbrust declined to discuss any specific ideas that his organization will be bringing to the May meeting, but he said that he would support uses that “emphasize broad community dialogue and stress positive, personal-growth opportunities, especially for young people.”

“My greatest hope for the project is exactly what is happening: the mindful preservation of an integral historic structure closely associated with the early growth and development of Dr. Nina Simone, a music icon and civil rights activist of global merit,” Armbrust said.

 

Source: GoUpstate.com

1 min read

Black Owned Home Decor Companies You Should Know

The home decor market is growing at a steady pace. This is partly due to the fact that nowadays, everyone from millennials and Generation X-ers, wants to personalize their home and office spaces.

Black owned Home Decor Companies that can offer quality and convenience to savvy consumers like these are in a position to succeed.

Black Owned Home Decor Companies

GOODEE

54kibo

Mismatch

Peace & Riot

Elan by Uri

Established 25

Global Attic

Nicole Crowder Upholstery

Hana Getachew 

Black Owned Home Decor

Malene Barnett

Black Owned Home Decor

Expedition Subsahara Black Owned Home Decor

Black Pepper Paperie Co

Black Owned Home Decor

Sheila Bridges Design, Inc 

Black Owned Home Decor

Rayo & Honey 

Reflektion Design 

House of Versatile Styles (HVS)

Justina Blakeney

Rochelle Porter 

Eva Sonaike

Don’t Sleep Interiors 

Black Owned Home Decor

BLK MKT Vintage 

Black Owned Home Decor

xNasozi 

Livvy& Neva 

Estelle Colored Glass

-Tony O. Lawson


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