I’ve always been one of those HGTV-watching, Pinterestscouring, self-proclaimed interior designers — at least when it comes to my own home. So when I was chosen to design a piece from Homestead Furniture (where greats like NBA athletes and luxury hotel chains have been known to patronize), it was like winning the lottery. I enlisted my fiancé Grant to tag along, scheduled our VIP visit online and waited (rather impatiently) for the day to roll around.
In the meantime, Grant and I discuss logistics — what kind of piece do we want? Where will it go? What size should it be? And, of course, what will it look like? I consider my home to be a mashup of midcentury modern and bohemian, with a touch of Scandinavian. We want something that fits into the current aesthetic and has the versatility to work in the future as our design styles change. I take to scrolling through Pinterest for inspiration. We settle on something highly useful, a new coffee table, knowing that it will always be at the heart of our living space. I take note of a few living room measurements and we’re ready to go.
The day of the visit to Homestead finally arrives. Pulling up to the store’s campus, you’d never know you were just minutes away from some of the best Amish cooking and artistry in the state. On one side of the street is the modern storefront, but on the other side is a lush arboretum centered around a pond and bubbling waterfall that sends ripples across its surface. Next door is a sprawling event center overlooking the arboretum, and behind is the massive workshop where furniture is handmade onsite by Amish craftsmen. I make a mental note to come back another day for a lazy stroll through the arboretum, a workshop tour and a home-cooked meal from Mrs. Yoder’s Kitchen just around the corner