Gorgeous Latinx-Owned Home Décor Brands That Should Be In Your Home Now
Getting caught up in buying home décor from businesses that don't work by the clock but create pieces quickly is easy. Fast homeware stems from a significant global concern of fast fashion, where retail stores produce clothes that are on trend for a low price but are of low quality, claims interior home blog Healthy House on the Block. While it's enjoyable to partake in trends, it can lead to spending money on things that aren't needed and won't last a long time, like staple pieces. Fast fashion and homeware go in hand; we see it in popular chain retailers like Target, H&M, Wayfair, etc.
While purchasing furniture or home décor from mass-produced retailers is more affordable, it's detrimental to the planet. According to the lifestyle blog Brightly, fast furniture makes up most of the landfill space and is hard to recycle due to the chemicals and mixed materials. Half the time, unwanted furniture gets left on the street with a free sign taped to it instead of being taken to a recycling facility. Finding alternatives for buying home décors, such as vintage stores, small businesses, or refurnishing things you own, is imperative. In addition, various small businesses owned by the Latinx community should be recognized and supported more. We gathered five different Latinx-owned home décor brands that offer one-of-a-kind pieces you need in your home.
Hedley & Bennett
Chefs have one of the most stressful yet creative jobs — coming up with new delicious recipes and ensuring it's executed perfectly in the kitchen for customers to enjoy. While they're often moving at the speed of lightning, doing multiple things at once, they can get splattered with ingredients at any time. Of course, they wear aprons to protect their outfits, but if the aprons can't handle the cooking adventures, then it's not meant to be in the kitchen. This is why Mexican-American Ellen Bennett made it her mission to create a company, Hendley & Bennett, where only the best quality aprons are made for chefs and cooks worldwide.
Hedley & Bennett claim that they only look for the finest threads, materials, and hardware that make the perfect apron. They pride themselves in their craftsmanship and processes; 13 pairs of hands have all worked on every single one of their aprons. Hedley & Bennett offers various colors and patterns to fit anyone's taste and personality. They've also received 4.6 out of 5 stars from over 7,000 chefs. Consumers raved over the quality of the fabric being perfect even after a few washes and turned skeptics into loyal customers.
Vivid Vidal
Finding the perfect wall art for your living room, bedroom, or bathroom can be challenging. You want something that'll stand out but complement the rest of the décor in the room. Buying art that resonates with your home and yourself is just as significant as matching the interior. Afro-Latina artist Stephanie Vidal paints and digitally illustrates gorgeous prints sold on her Etsy page, VividVidal. She paints women of color who boast confidence and power with beautiful vibrant colors. She also has prints of striking botanical plants perfect for a tropical-themed room.
One of her artworks, "Still Life," illustrates a lovely flower arrangement in a Moka Pot surrounded by fruits, such as guavas, avocados, limes, papaya, and mango, that you see in Central and South America. It is an homage to those who grew up drinking coffee, seeing their parents make coffee and eating fruits daily. Vidal has completed over 1,000 sales with an average rating of 4.8 stars. Customers who have purchased one piece or multiple works of Vidal's art claim that her items consistently exceed their expectations and are high quality. In addition, they were satisfied with how fast they received their pieces after they purchased them.
Mandana Blvd
The ideal way to find vintage home décor is by wandering through flea markets, thrift stores, or Facebook Marketplace. It can take hours to sort through various stores to find the best homeware, but online shops make it easy to navigate and see what you're looking for. Mandana Blvd is an online shop run by partners Cristina Ramos and Nu Goteh, who know the challenges of furnishing a new place. They've moved from Brooklyn to San Francisco to Los Angeles, so they rummage and list their best finds online. In addition, they list a few of their discoveries on their Instagram page, where folks can DM them to purchase anything they like.
Ramos and Goteh believe that a person's home is a "timeless aesthetic" that deserves only the fundamental pieces that are appealing and make the homeowners happy (via their website). So whether you're looking for boho or mid-century furniture and décor, they have your back with gorgeous vintage pieces that give a modern feel. They're based in Los Angeles, where they ship their items and where locals can pick up their pieces.
Portfolio Pet
If your dog is your best friend, then Portfolio Pet will be your new favorite online shop that will put your dog's face on anything. From stickers to phone cases to mugs to printed portraits, you'll be able to have your dog with you everywhere you go. The company is Latina-owned; CEO Steph grew up in a full house with six other siblings and many pets, including three dogs. According to the Portfolio Pet website, Steph claims her dogs impacted her life, and she always had a long-lasting bond with them. Portfolio Pet celebrates the pups that unconditionally love their owners and showcase such relationships through artwork.
Whether you have a furry friend or not, Portfolio Pet can print a photo of any dog, making it the perfect gift for a family member or friend. Pet owners always rave about their animals, so surprise them with a hat or t-shirt of their dog's furry face. Consumers loved their portraits giving Portfolio Pet a 5-star rating claiming they exceeded their expectations. So check out the site and treat your space with a newly framed photo of your pet.
OFBoutique
The Latinx culture centers around bright colors, beautiful fabrics, and textiles, shown in their Hacienda-style homes and décor. If you're redecorating your kitchen, find inspiration through the Mexican culture by painting the walls with tones of yellow, blue, and green, installing patterned textiles as backsplash or flooring, and buying Talavera pottery to enhance the style. A straightforward way to change up the look of the kitchen is with a simple, fun patterned tablecloth. Etsy shop OFBoutique curates the most charming tablecloths, placemats, table runners, etc., designed in various colors and patterns.
OF Boutique is based in San Diego, California, and has made over 4,000 sales. Aside from home décor, they produce clothing, shoes, purses, blankets, ponchos, and accessories. In addition, they work with producers in Mexico to make their leather sandals and handmade fabrics, clothing, earrings, and textiles, so that they're of the highest quality for their customers, per their website. So, if you need a poncho to layer and keep you warm in the cold months or a new blanket for the living room, then OFBoutique has got you covered.