Habitation Co. Featured in HGTV Magazine!

It was 9am on a Wednesday and I was in the checkout line at Target frantically flipping through the latest issue of HGTV Magazine when I let out a squeak as I saw the word "habitationco" staring back at me from the center of a glossy page. There, in tiny text, just below a close-up of this basket, was the name of my dream business that I had imagined one afternoon, about two years ago. There was the website url I ended up going with when my first choice (same, just minus the "co") was taken by someone in France. There was the description for a basket I picked out, that was made by women in Rwanda who are supporting their families by sharing their gifts with the world. In an instant my mind was flooded with how many details, decisions, and hands it took, for me to be able to stand in an empty Target checkout line on a Wednesday morning and look down at that page- one photo, those few words (66 characters!)- and experience one of the coolest moments of this journey so far.

Obvs, nothing like this has happened in my business before, and since I've been getting a few questions about how this all came to be, I figured I would share exactly how Habitation Co.'s baskets ended up in HGTV Magazine. A few months ago I got an email (specifically, a contact-form via the website, which no one had ever used before...) asking if I could send a variety of baskets to Texas for an upcoming photoshoot/house tour for the magazine. Assuming this was either an elaborate ploy to steal a few baskets or, more likely, a mistake, I called the number on the email and left a voicemail for an editor at Hearst Corporation in New York City. She called me the next day and assured me this was "legit", and said another editor had found Habitation Co. on Pinterest! So after we hung up, I stuck their pre-paid shipping label on a box of baskets and immediately sent them off to Texas! The following week, the baskets arrived back on my porch. About a month later, I got another email asking if I could send one of the baskets to the HGTV headquarters in New York to be photographed for their "Get the Look" feature, which meant they were planning on including the baskets in the home tour! So, again, off the basket went, this time to NYC, and again, showed back up at my house about two weeks later. I had been told that "if" my baskets made it into the magazine (there's always a chance things could change at the last minute), they would be part of the November issue with a release date sometime in October, so I just had to wait. And then! I got a text last weekend from a sweet friend (and loyal HGTV Mag. subscriber) who spotted Habitation Co. in the magazine, so as soon as they hit newsstands, I went to Target!

Everyone at HGTV Magazine has been incredible to work with- super responsive and thoughtful throughout the entire process. (They even sent me a PDF with the full feature so I could share it here!) I have no idea what it's like on the other side of the camera, or how it felt for the family to have their home filled with random people and products, or how many details actually go into planning each house-tour (my guess is a whole lot), but all I can say, from this side, is that having a tiny part in this process was a milestone for my business, at the exact moment I needed it. And you better believe that the next time I come across the name of another small business, shop, or artist in a magazine, I'm going to give them one heck of a virtual high-five! Know that when you shop small or support a small business, it's a really BIG deal. With every purchase, you're literally making someone's freaking day (it seriously never, ever gets old), and you're causing a happy-dance ripple effect in kitchens, studios, basements, garages, and living rooms around the world. You matter. Your choices matter, your voice matters- you aren't just another sale or a number, you're an essential part of the story. And you're awesome. OK, NOW LOOK HOW PRETTY:

See that little fox? It was made by a husband and wife team in Chicago!

Hi Fox Family! You guys are adorable and your house is the happiest space ever. I love the idea of displaying a cluster of baskets together on the table for a pop of color, and they can serve double duty holding seasonal produce!

I spy a colorful kantha quilt hanging over their armchair!

How amazing is that bed? And the inlay side table?!

Guess which would have been my dream room growing up? Hint: it's the one with the alpaca. I really want that alpaca.

Those sliding barn doors and the indigo walls are amazing!

Still can't believe Habitation Co. gets to share the page with some of the biggest names in the biz, and my go-to sources for home decor inspiration: Anthropologie, Dot & Bo, Overstock, Spoonflower, and more! So friggin' cool!

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Thanks for being a part of our process!

Hailey

P.S. You can actually get the look right here

PPS. If you snap a photo of your baskets, be sure to tag us @habitation_co or #theprocessofliving so we can share it with our friends!

shop the style: bohemian textiles and patterned pillows

From fringe to vintage embroidery, when it comes to beautiful Bohemian-inspired decor, the secret lies in blending eclectic textiles and layers of colorful pillows. When mixing patterns and colors, there are a few tricks to keep in mind so that the space doesn't become cluttered and chaotic, or look like a Moroccan flea market exploded in your home... unless, of course, that's what you're going for. Below are a few great examples of modern Bohemian spaces that are full of personality without everything in the room competing for attention. 

images: 1 // 2 // 3 // 4 //

get the look:

Here are a few tricks to keep in mind when recreating a modern bohemian look at home:

1. Keep large pieces neutral - walls, large pieces of furniture, etc. should serve as your blank canvas for layering on color, texture, and pattern

2. add a touch of metallic sparkle with a mirror, side table, sculpture, or decorative piece

3. use sustainable and reclaimed natural materials like wood, leather, and woven baskets as much as possible

4. add a houseplant, or two, or 10... if you keep them happy and healthy, your plants will return the favor.

5. implement mulit-level seating so friends can recline as comfortably on a shag rug or floor pouffe, as they can on the couch. Can you smell the Moroccan mint tea??

shop the style:

1. bone mosaic frame // 2. embroidered pillows // 3. bell chime // 4. leather pouffe // 5. throw

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About The Process: how repurposed saris bring hope and renewal to women in Bangladesh

image via Basha.

Author's Note: I am so thrilled to finally add these beautiful quilts to the shop and tell their incredible stories, but finding a company whose vision, mission, and standards matched my own was harder than I anticipated. Like with- well, nearly everything you can buy- there are vast differences in terms of quality and style when it comes to Kantha Quilts. I began my search for the perfect kantha while in India, digging through shops and market stalls, but I was pretty disappointed with the low quality of materials and manufacturing methods.

Since it makes zero sense- seriously, zero- to sell, let alone own, something that isn't useful or beautiful (William Morris was on point), not to mention employ others to make it, I knew that I wouldn't settle for a less-than-stellar product. When I discovered Basha, I was such an instant fan of their designs and direction that I decided to take a leap of faith and I am so glad that I did. The patterns and fabrics are vibrant and clean and incredibly soft, like your-favorite-t-shirt-soft. Not only has each Basha quilt passed a super strict quality-control test, they have been made to age beautifully with {gentle} washing and wear. I hope you will treasure these unique works of art and the stories embedded in every colorful stitch and inch of fabric.

Enjoy the process!

Hailey

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About the Process: { BASHA. } "a house of hope"

image via Basha

At Basha, women who were once oppressed by cultural, educational, and financial systems, earn their freedom and independence by using their hands to create beautiful and unique textiles that tell a story. Each quilt begins its life as colorful cotton sari fabric worn by women throughout Bangladesh that is transformed, one stitch at a time, into stunning symbols of hope and renewal. 

During my trip to India last year (did you know I went to India? Have I mentioned that before?! ha.) I was struck by the beautiful sarees (sari/saree, try to keep up. sorry...whoops) that I saw women wearing everywhere we went. And I mean, everywhere. Women wear elaborate and delicate sarees while working in fields, riding on a scooter, walking around the markets, carrying children, and cooking. Personally, this seems like having to climb scaffolding in a floor-length bridesmaid dress, but I've only wore a sari for a total of 3 hours that two women wrapped, pinned, and tucked it around me while I tried to not fall over. But for most women, particularly those who are married, throughout Southern Asia, sarees are the most common and culturally embraced form of dress.

image via Basha

The average sari requires five to nine yards of fabric which not only makes them relatively heavy, but also expensive, so many women may only own one or two at a time. The most affordable options are often made from colorful block-printed cotton fabric that can withstand the elements and be mended as needed (notice the little patches on the blankets). Once the material is eventually discarded, it is often re-sold in markets. This is where Basha comes in...

image via Basha

After acquiring the fabric, the pieces are cut into salvageable panels to be layered and assembled with even rows of stitches, known as the "kantha" technique, to produce functional and beautiful home goods and accessories. Kantha quilts can take up to 40 hours to create, depending on the size and complexity, but the role of Basha has less to do with teaching technique as it does with providing women a safe place to work, a means to provide for their families, and perhaps most importantly, a way for them to cultivate community with other women. 

As in many countries around the world, human trafficking and addiction is rampant and many women find themselves trapped in systems and marriages that are oppressive and abusive. Without access to work or support, most of these women do not have a safe way of freeing themselves or their children from the cycle. Basha not only provides their artisans with a safe work environment, stable income, and access to health care and education for their children- it also serves as a platform that empowers them to rebuild the lives they were previously deprived of.

How will a one-of-a-kind quilt be part of your story?

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