Turning an apartment into a haven and creating a distinct point of view that truly reflects your style isn’t easy. I’m a self-proclaimed aesthete and a fashion journalist first and foremost, but even I struggle when it comes to translating my sartorial sensibility into my home. I don’t know whether it’s the multiple rooms thing and balancing trying to give each one an identity while maintaining a common thread that throws me, but admittedly I struggle. For Jill Lindsey, creating a world that reflects her loves and interests is something that just comes naturally.
The 1930s Brooklyn brownstone is a treasure trove of knickknacks she’s picked up over the years. It’s chic, globally minded (handcrafts and textiles made by female artisans, tapestry from California, furniture from Mexico) and above all, comfortable. If a piece is one of 10,000 from an assembly line, she’s not interested. Instead, every corner is decorated with pieces that had a life before she found them. Old records and magazines sit alongside coffee table books on interiors, design and architecture, walls are lined with antique mirrors and flea market tapestry and each and every furniture from her mid-century dressers to her butterfly leather sofas tell a story. Three blocks away on Myrtle Avenue is her shop, which follows the same vein.
She likes to joke that the eponymously-named store is a “mini department store” but thanks to its home furnishings, arts and crafts, natural beauty products and self-designed clothing, it certainly isn’t far off. And that’s before you consider the wellness studio hidden away downstairs, the charming wine and coffee bar nestled at the back on the ground floor (with tables and stools she designed) and the beautiful outdoor space outback decorated with fairy lights woven into the trees. In a time where we can order just about anything at the click of a button and have it delivered within the hour, her store offers something special. Head in on a random date and you’re likely to find yourself in the middle of a supper club with inspiring female founders or a live music night where everyone’s sipping on wine in the patio or fully engrossed in a floral arrangement class.
Everything from the store’s interiors to each and every brand stocked handpicked and each and every detail is resolutely her. Don’t expect to find the same brands you’ll find elsewhere though. Everyone in the store is an independent designer, many of which are local and just starting out. Take Portland Apothecary and soap company Local Lathers – both live across the street from the store, as does the founder of soap and candle brand Apotheke. It’s not by accident either. She’s got big plans to translate her aesthetic into standalone coffee shops, wellness centres and hotels.
In the wrong hands, housing so much under one roof might seem overwhelming but just like with her home, the store is all about curation. It’s how she’s managed to balance paying homage to a neighbourhood that was once one to steer clear of while also creating a local hangout that attracts a whole slew of new people who would never have visited the area otherwise.
When we caught up, we started off in her home, as she took us through the inspiration and though process behind each room, before heading over to the store. Read ahead to hear her get candid about deciding to cash in her pension to fund opening the store and why independence as a creator was always her driving force.
ON STARTING OFF IN DESIGN: I got my first degree in Psychology and minored in African & Latin American Studies. I have always loved fashion, but coming from Kansas, it seemed like a far off dream to become a fashion designer. So after getting my Psychology degree from the University of Kansas I moved to Seattle, WA for grad school. I quickly dropped the program after realizing that it might not be the career path that I want. I met a woman who was attending a fashion design program at Seattle Central and applied and after 4 years of intense design school I knew it was the right path for me. Once I graduated, I attended a knitting school to learn about sweater design so I am versed in woven, knit, and sweater design and have loved every minute of it my career so far!
LEARNING ABOUT RUNNING A BUSINESS BY WORKING FOR ONE: After design school I worked for many brands designing apparel, Nordstrom, Talbots, Current/Elliott, Buck Mason, Boast, to name a few. I involve myself completely with a product from initial design and concept to production, merchandising and selling. I love facilitating and managing things to help develop and grow a business. I feel fortunate that I have had an opportunity to work with amazing people, create lasting relationships, and learn from them: Everything from the buyers about how things sell and how to buy to my fabric and yarn vendors to how brands work with factories. This has helped guide the path to having a successful product line.
ON LAUNCHING THE JILL LINDSEY STORE: Being a designer for other brands was great, but I wanted to have my own collection. That was my dream. I had seen how hard some of my friends were working to have their own line and the pressure the fashion calendar puts on designers that I personally found unrealistic and halting of creativity. It’s what inspired me to create a space of my own, where I could make anything I wanted and to sell my friends’ products too! I now have my collection that I make with artisans that includes, apparel, footwear, accessories, candles and jewelry. It is becoming exactly what I want it to be, which is a true lifestyle brand.
THE QUEST FOR INDEPENDENCE: I guess I’ve always wanted to work for myself but I didn’t fully understand what that meant until I actually started my business. I think I have skills that are helpful in being my own boss, like multi tasking, delegating, coaching and teaching, and breaking down the importance of things, which kind of come naturally to me. I am a risk taker and am optimistic but nature so venturing out on my own was exciting for me. I am a risk taker – I cashed in my 401k to launch the business – and very optimistic… so this venture was exciting for me. But I do get asked all the time how scary it is to start a business, and what I’d do if it doesn’t work. I always say is “what is the worst thing that is going to happen if you try”. I worked plenty of jobs that were ‘safe’ and never felt fulfilled, so there was never any question about whether I’d pursue this.
LOCATION IS EVERYTHING: I live in Fort Greene and love it here. But I also realized that there were not many shops, wine bars, coffee shops in the neighborhood but the community here is so amazing and diverse. So I decided I would open on Myrtle Ave, which used to be called Murder Ave. There were a handful of restaurants and cleaners but not much else. So I decided to pioneer the regeneration of the area and create a wonderful community center for everyone. Now after two years we are starting to get more small businesses like cafe’s and bars. My advice to anyone starting a business is to be open, and know that it is going to take time, and that it will most likely change from what you originally thought it would be. And most importantly to trust yourself.
START-UP LIFE: In the beginning it was super slow! We were lucky if one or two people a day came in so staying positive took a lot of energy. When you start a business, you also just never know what kind of challenges are going to pop up. I’ve dealt with it all: a basement flooding, a bird in the store, the health department coming for inspection, a theft. I always have to be on my toes. Things that I never expected to happen have, and I’ve just had to remain positive and gotten through the hard times. I would also say finding time to manage everything has been tricky. I’m essentially running five businesses at once – store, café, wellness, events and the product line) and managing a handful of people so prioritizing when and how things get done is difficult. So I now set aside time to do each thing, and am more flexible with my time. I design at night and I work with my staff to empower them to take on responsibility and everything comes together in the end.
THE POWER OF COLLABORATION: We run regular events in the store but I never anticipated event’s being such an integral part of the space, but they have become one of the most important elements. It’s how I live my life and I want to share all of these things with our community. I also believe in helping other people make their dreams come true, whether it is helping our esthetician creating a facial beauty business or our Pilates instructor holding her own classes at the store. I want to create amazing experiences. I don’t have an exact process when it comes to choosing who to work with but I love working with small business and helping them grow. With brands, I want our customer’s to find things in the store that they can’t find in many other places. Most of our brands are local in Brooklyn, or someone that I have worked with in the past.
HOME
ON THE NEIGHBOURHOOD: Fort Greene has really changed in the past seven years. I live across from Fort Greene Park, and when I first moved in no one walked through the park at night, and there wasn’t much activity during the day. Now it is full of families, dogs, festivals, people working out – such a dramatic difference. There are also more chains moving in the area – Starbucks and Chipotle are now down the street from my store. It feels busier – they are always building more residential buildings and it’s bringing more people into the area. I had my eyes set on Brooklyn when I moved to New York because a lot of my friends live in Williamsburg and Greenpoint. I lived in Greenpoint for a short stint while I was interning so I just felt comfortable in Brooklyn. There is nice sense of community in Brooklyn that’s more relaxed than Manhattan.
ON HER BUILDING & THE DECORATING PROCESS: I fell in love with it. It is a brownstone built in the 1930’s. The stoop, the staircase, the molding… it’s beautiful! One of my favorite things is entertaining and there has been a lot of it in my apartment. It has high ceilings and windows so the light is pretty magical! It all kind of came together one piece at a time. I just kept collecting pieces working them into the space. I like to incorporate both new and vintage pieces into the space. I also have a thing for old mirrors with gold molding.
THE LIVING ROOM: It’s the largest space in my house. I love it because it is very communal and open to the dining area and kitchen so perfect for entertaining. I have a modern couch on one wall with an amazing tapestry that I found at the Santa Barbara Swap Meet. I also have two leather butterfly chairs, which I love because the leather has worn in so nicely. The rug under the coffee table I found in Mexico and on the adjacent wall I have a shelving unit with my TV and record player, and the shelves are filled with books, records, photo albums and magazines. On the other wall I have a vintage corner couch that I found down the street from my house.
THE BEDROOM: It’s without doubt my favourite place in the house. I have an iron bed frame that I love! The walls are filled with photos of friends and family in vintage frames. I have two bedside tables, which our Reiki Master at the store said I needed after our Feng Shui workshop. I have a small vanity that honestly, I have only sat a couple of time at, but it’s so cute! My dresser’s are both mid century modern wood and from NY vintage dealers. I have a lot of sentimental items showcased in my room. I like to create little stories with the items, whether they are things I have found or gifts. They are all very special and have a memory that I find dear.
ON CREATING A INTERIORS STYLE: I think it’s just about being creative, and doing things in your home that feel good to you, not just because they look good on a blog or in a magazine. I am from Kansas originally, and the vintage shopping there is very good! I also love traveling the world, so there are element from Italy, Nicaragua, Thailand scattered around my home. There is an amazing market outside of Paris with amazing old doorknobs, and incredible finds! In NY I love to travel upstate, but there are also wonderful vintage stores in the city like Stella Dallas, Brooklyn Flea and Housing Works. I fully believe that your home represents you and it is also where you should be most comfortable.
WHERE HER LOVE OF DECORATING BEGAN: Even when I was very young I would re-arrange my room, and get excited about picking my bedding and what was adorning my walls. I loved going shopping with my parents for home ideas or remodeling spaces. Now I am asked to consult with home interior projects and I’m working with a few architects and decorators on concepts, and I love it!