Modern Maker Creator Series: HOUSE OF CINDY
HOUSE OF CINDY
Cindy Ciskowski
Sustainability in furnishings relies on embracing diversity.
“HOUSE OF CINDY”
Meet Cindy Ciskowski
Eco and sustainable decor, the House of Cindy is a place where beauty and elevated design meets environmental stewardship.
It’s part of CINDY’S DNA.
WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS IN THE DIGITAL WORLD: DESIGNER SPOTLIGHT CINDY CISKOWSKI OF HOUSE OF CINDY
WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS IN THE DIGITAL WORLD: SPOTLIGHT “THE TEXTILE EYE”
The Maker Creator Series is my monthly series where I celebrate the makers, artists, interior designers, and creators I admire. Many times we get to see a fresh perspective to a craft or the design business. From furniture design to color forecasting, I hope these pieces will spark some joy.
Meet the Maker: Cindy Ciskowski
Today, we’re chatting with Cindy, a spirited artist, a connector, a businesswoman who honors environmental stewardship, and owner of the House of Cindy.
Who is Cindy to me?
Like you, I’m always interested in buying everything non-toxic, locally sourced, and vegan materials.
We have all become acutely aware of the havoc on the environment (and our health!), that has been caused by misuse of chemicals, and land farmed with pesticides. We know that we need to minimize our exposure to these elements in addition to reducing our carbon footprint when buying products for our home. But where can we buy clean beauty and ethically-made furnishings for our home decor?
Well, this is my resource, the House of Cindy shop is equally stylish and sustainable while creating warmth and atmosphere in your home!
If you're interested in supporting ethical home decor and elevating your environment at the same time, well you need to meet Cindy. She travels the world, sourcing and meeting artisans to collaborate with - from the jungles of South America to the deserts of Morocco. I know, it’s a tough life, but someone has to do it! Everything is gathered and produced in LA.
Her showroom in Los Angeles, CA, is a candy store of luxurious handmade products.
Romantic Moroccan in flavor, and color.
It’s important for businesses to integrate environmentalism and social justice into their mission statements and strategies.
At House of Cindy, it is apparent that she not only has adopted sustainability as a concept, but she lives it every day. She is leading the way…. so let’s follow.
Here’s the interview;
I’m so excited to chat with you today. I have been such a fan since being introduced to you by The Trim Queen, Jana Platina Phipps. So let’s lean in and learn a little more about the lady behind the business.
dvd: Did you always want to be a Textile seeker and luxury home good destination? What sparked your interest in this business?
CC: I fell in love with textiles when I was a young girl. I would spend the summers at my grandmother's house and she taught me how to sew and how to create beauty, sparking my lifetime passion for textiles. I am especially passionate about the authenticity of handcrafted textiles and about the human capacity to create, I prefer the way natural fiber textiles feel and improve with age and come from mother nature. Linen is my favorite because of its long-lasting qualities and sustainable eco-friendly properties. The flax plant from which linen is derived grows in water and does not require fertilizer or pesticides to cultivate it. My Eco linen collection is entirely sourced, dyed, and digitally printed within 10 square miles of my Los Angeles design studio. I travel the world sourcing exquisite vintage heirloom textiles, I bring them home to my design studio and like textile alchemists, my tailors breathe new life into them creating our exquisite Luxe Vintage Pillow Collection. dvd: Yes, everything is very global, and unique.
dvd: What is your favorite color pallet to use lately?
CC: I am feeling drawn towards light fresh airy Gustavian colors that remind me of the Scandinavian sea and sky in a 19th Century Oil Painting. Our Topanga linen colors French Blue and Mist are of this palette and are currently my favorites because they make it feel easy like I am breathing the lightness of the color. dvd: Ok, I want everything in those colors. I am loving French Blue and Mist.
dvd: What is a design trend you are feeling at the moment? What do you want us to know about HOC. (local and healthy and wellness-based, the energy of color? )
CC: I definitely feel a strong focus on a Wellness lifestyle with Self Care being the Zeitgeist of the moment. The face mask is the biggest design trend of 2020. First and foremost wearing a mask when out and about is the social and thoughtful thing to do to protect yourself and others at this time. We have a wonderful linen version that we developed in March with a California nurse; it is washable, long-lasting, and comfortable. At home keeping everything as simple as possible in Interior Decor, this is the perfect time to declutter and release what is no longer working in your life. Food as medicine: eating a whole food diet and being conscious of highly processed foods and the negative effects of sugar and salt on wellness; it is so easy to turn to comfort food and alcohol in challenging times, but these types of choices only put stress on our immune system and don't support healthy living. Exercise is paramount. Simply going for a walk or bike ride to get your heart pumping and blood flowing. Meditation and yoga are two simple ways of calming one's self and both can be practiced easily at home. dvd: I’m on board with all of this.
dvd: Given our current events these days, do you work online with clients? Was this difficult to set up? What tools and apps make this work. Do you have a tip sheet for other suppliers when working this way?
CC: Since April all of our wholesale trade shows have been canceled nationwide. In response, we have set up all of our wholesalers with online House of Cindy wholesale accounts where they can purchase our latest Luxe Vintage Collections and all of the other items we offer at their wholesale prices. We had already built the website on the BigCommerce platform so this was easy to do. Since we offer such a wide variety of Luxe Vintage pillows we also set up FaceTime appointments and offer an in-depth showing of everything we offer.
dvd: Can you share a few articles that potential contributors can read to get a feel for your most popular content?
CC: One of my most popular blog posts is about the energy of color. Indigo blue is the perfect color prescription for these times because the color energy of Indigo leads us to depths of our inner being and aids us in opening our inner eye and intuition, allowing us to see and perceive our inner world, from which our outer world materializes. Once we have connected to the interior of ourselves we can manifest our external world and be on purpose for our lives.
dvd: How did your education or past work experience give you the confidence to go out on your own as a small business owner?
CC: I started my first business in 1987 from my dining room table. I was working at I.Magnin in the flagship store on Union Square in San Francisco, on the sales floor in the Designer Sportswear department selling Donna Karan, Montana, Armani and at night I would make jewelry on my dining room table and wear it to work. Customers wanted to buy it from me and I would sell it to them! The Fashion Jewelry buyer got wind of this and placed an order for the store. This is how my Design Career began in fashion jewelry. Ultimately my designs ended up on the cover of European fashion magazines with Aretha Franklin and Naomi Campbell wearing them.
dvd: Tell me a little more about the beginning/ foundational roots and source of your influences?
CC: I grew up in a family of artists. My father was a master carpenter and my mother was a painter and from an early age, my creativity was always supported by the adults around me. That gave me the foundation to believe in my power to create and I developed self-confidence as I got older to become the entrepreneur I am today.
dvd: Are there specific topics within the home, and life that is of particular interest right now?
CC: Right now I am really passionate about indoor air quality and how it affects our health. I recently wrote a blog post on Top Five Ways to Improve Your Indoor Air Quality.
Shopping Guide: L-R
Beach house coverlet gray 2. Indigo pillow 3. Luxe Vintage Pillow 1830 4. Sabra Pillow
5.Luxe Vintage: 6. : Isabel Pillow 7. Malibu Pouf 8. Out of stock
dvd: Thank you so much for letting us pick your brain today. Before we go, what’s next for you? What can we look forward to besides the obvious, your book, new products, more videos? Anything else you’d like to share?
CC: We started a show Feel Good Friday that goes Live on Facebook and Instagram at 3:00 pm PST every Friday and I cover a variety of topics on all things home. In the next few months, we plan on launching a YouTube Channel for our show.
“If you’ve got issues in your supply chain, if you can’t ensure your workers are treated well, then which lives matter?”- Cindy Ciskowski : House of Cindy
Life happens in everyday moments and Magic happens just like that! ✨💙
Where To Find The Perfect Face Mask
Now that face masks are a way of life, it makes sense to highlight the best options. Something organic and fashionable is the best choice.
Today I need to mention this one, because you’ll be excited to wear them. From beige to rage, shop all the ones I’m loving right now from THE HOUSE OF CINDY, of course.
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About Deborah von Donop
Deborah is a Greenwich, CT based interior designer, blogger, brand ambassador and lifestyle expert. Deborahs innovative and centered design sensibilities come from years of experience working on projects from Coast to Coast. This where she shares beautiful design inspirations and highlights of design events and tips for creating a beautifully layered home. She likes to share new products, her favorite things, and resources for decor enthusiasts who are interested in paring antiques with modern elements, and beautiful fabrics.
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Modern Maker Creator Series: House of Cindy
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