We recently connected with Lizzy Ott + Liz Libre and have shared our conversation below.

Lizzy + Liz, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. So, let’s start with trends – what are some of the largest or more impactful trends you are seeing in the industry?

When we began in this industry almost 10 years ago, the nursery trend was to really lean into the “baby-ness” of it all. People looked at what the industry told them was cute or sweet, and they outfitted their nurseries accordingly. Whether that was Mickey Mouse or a syrupy sweet bedtime motif, we didn’t love any of it. We created Lewis to bridge what a parent likes and what they want their home to look like with what kids find intriguing and inspiring. Our prints are child-like, not childish, always walk that line, and our color palette is one we would choose in our home no matter what. As the pendulum always swings, eight years later we see a hard push in the opposite direction – nurseries are now often muted and monochromatic and could practically be for any age. This is great in some regards – they fit seamlessly into a home, and can grow with a child. But that said, there is a magical quality that can get lost when we swing too hard in this direction, which is why we’re still proud that our prints and products walk the line. A Radish or an Oyster crib sheet reminds us of childhood curiosity, yet we find them beautiful in our home–a perfect balance for your little, but also for you.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

How’d you meet your business partner?

Surprisingly enough we went to high school + college together, a few years apart ! Liz was very close with my (Lizzy) sister, and she quickly became like a sister to me too. When we both found ourselves in New York City after college, we loved supporting each other’s creative endeavors. Liz had started a stationery + illustration business, and Lizzy worked in fashion and then went back to school for interior architecture. While I (Lizzy) was in grad school, Liz was moving into a new apartment, pregnant with her second child. I worked with her from a distance to make a very contemporary building feel warmer and cozier. In the process, we lamented the lack of true beauty in the nursery textile world and found ourselves on European sites searching for crib sheets. We agreed that Liz’s illustrations would be beautiful on fabric, and we decided to try producing them on crib sheets, as this one big swath of fabric could transform a whole nursery with a simple swap. And that’s how we started !

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

We have found in business as in motherhood, that there is no better trusted source of information than other parents. Our parent networks are what we lean on for every type of advice, including product, and because of this, we have found word-of-mouth to be our best source of new customers. Sometimes it’s tough to truly convey everything you want to over the internet, but when your mom friend tells you (or better yet, gifts you!) something that she has used on repeat and loved, you take that to heart ! It is a far more trustworthy sell than an ad or email that gets fed to you. We’re so grateful for all the parents that gift Lewis and talk about us!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.lewisishome.com
• Instagram: @lewisishome
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=lewis

Image Credits
Lifestyle – Kendall Mills or Sidney Bensimon (see photo title for which)