We were lucky to catch up with Lindsey Abernathy recently and have shared our conversation below.

Lindsey, appreciate you joining us today. To kick things off, we’d love to hear about things you or your brand do that diverge from the industry standard

When I started my small business, I had one primary goal for my customers – that they would experience shopping for antiques unlike any other place they went. From scrolling through my instagram photos and decorating ideas, to shopping online through my hand picked antiques and uniquely curated decorating items, to purchasing their one of a kind item, to opening a box that feels like a gift not an order, to reading personal hand written notes, I wanted them to feel like they had their own personal decorator, picker and friend. I truly appreciate their interest in my style and investment in my small business, and I hope I bring to their home unique decorating items that make it feel like the place they always dreamed of curling up in. There’s so much more to decorating that putting a piece of furniture in a corner or hanging art on a wall. Instead I sell antiques with a story and history, created and handed down for generations and placed in their new home.

Lindsey, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I got started in the antique business as a hobby when my third child was a baby. I needed an outlet so a friend and i decided to share a tiny booth at a local antique shop. I loved to hunt for treasures and create a beautiful space for customers to walk into. We both ended up finding our niche and i expanded into several antique malls. Then a few years later a friend suggested i start an instagram decorating page. After lots of nudging, i took that leap in 2018. And rosecoveredcottage was born. As time went on i had people asking where they could buy certain pieces i had in my home. So i decided to open my online shop in 2022. Through being in the antique business for many years, i have great trusted contacts locally and abroad that help me fill my shop with unique, beautiful pieces with history. I think every room should start with cozy lighting so i specialize in antique crystal chandeliers and light fixtures. My style has evolved over time but i stay true to my aesthetic of mixing French antiques with a few rustic, chippy pieces for balance to create a space that is truly cozy, unique, and livable.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Having never started a business, i really didn’t know what to expect. I initially built it on the experiences i had with others, how they organized their business, how they interacted with customers, how they portrayed styles. It was familiar to me, and what i thought i had to do. But i quickly realized i was not giving my customers the visions and ideas i had. They were not getting me but instead all the same ideas and antiques they can get anywhere. I pushed through those early times of setting up my business to a place where uniqueness, style and personalizing became the hallmark of what it meant to decorate. I strive to truly help my customers curate their homes. It’s definitely not an overnight process and takes time, but is so worth it.

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

My best source of clients has been through my instagram account and word of mouth. I started posting pictures and videos of my favorite items and decorating ideas. I love to showcase items that speak to me and how I see them placed and arranged in a home. My instagram account started slow with 500 followers, then 1,000 and then took off very quickly from there. Recently reaching 40,000, what started as just a place for me to express myself became a place of inspiration for not only me but others. During Covid lockdown, it seemed people realized they wanted home to be a safe haven, a calm retreat to relax and escape the stress of everyday life. The meaning of home shifted a bit. So the amount of messages i receive really took off. Not only those looking for inspiration, but customers wanting to purchase antiques and personally curated items, to magazines reaching out wanting to feature ideas and pictures. The momentum has just built from there.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Rosecoveredcottage