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photo by Kelly Petryszyn
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photo by Kelly Petryszyn
Mandy Hilfer worked side by side with Hudson-based Broken Glass Candle Co. artist Anna Coppersmith to formulate a Feather and Elm floral-scented soy wax candle. Hand-poured, it’s made for Hilfer’s bespoke home boutique of the same name. Hilfer can tell you what’s in it and how it was created — that personal, artisan approach is the focus of the Hudson store.
“People want things in their home that mean something or were made by a human,” says Hilfer, an interior designer. “We try to focus on that human connection. That’s why we have handmade products.”
The shop — which she describes as organic, colorful and whimsical — started with a line of throw pillows crafted by local sewist Sandy Latina at a workspace inside the store. Other items are also from nearby — wood cutting boards from Highland Heights, ceramic water meter clocks made by Hilfer’s Cleveland-based father-in-law and natural, ultra-hydrating skin care products from Essential Blooms, handcrafted in Stow.
In May, Feather and Elm is set to upgrade its 1,000-square-foot space by moving into a new 3,000-square-foot store — a former garden center. Find large furniture items and more home goods at the new spot, located by Red Twig on Darrow Road. Feather and Elm is introducing a line of bench-built upholstered furniture from North Carolina, designing its own line of hardwood furniture to be built by Ohio craftspeople and partnering with a local ceramicist for handmade dinnerware. The new location features room for Hilfer to run her interior design business and Latina to make pillows — as well as space for workshops, like one on sewing led by Latina. Feather and Elm’s focus on artisan goods remains.
“We’re trying to support our local economy,” Hilfer says, “helping them thrive.”
Here are some useful, sustainable handcrafted products for your home.
Pillows, $50-$225
Latina rescues remnants of high-quality fabrics and upcycles them into stylish throw pillows like this one ($89) featuring houndstooth and tan vinyl leather. Latina can also custom make pillows from fabric in the store or pieces brought in by customers. She uses a 100 percent hypoallergenic synthetic down insert. Style It: This lumbar pillow makes a statement. “You could put it on an accent chair for back support, throw it on a bed, you could put it on a bench — it could be used anywhere,” Hilfer says. “It’s an easy way to throw some texture and color around.”
Prints, $35
While some of Hudson's famous buildings are now part of its past, Hudson watercolor artist Katie Bigley paints them as she remembers them — the Land of Make Believe, Turner’s Mill and other enduring landmarks. “She wanted to create these minis of things that were sentimental to her,” Hilfer says. One of her works depicts All Brides Beautiful, a former bridal shop in the city. “She grew up driving past the window dreaming of her wedding day,” Hilfer says. Style It: “I would get all of them and create a gallery wall. They’d be perfect in a hallway,” Hilfer says. “You could stack them in two rows of three.”
Soap Dispensers, $38
At the Glass Patio studio in Solon, artisan Mike Hunter is hard at work forming these handblown glass soap dispensers, as well as decanter sets and vases. To craft the speckled and swirled multicolored soap dispensers, he dips clear glass in colored shards called frit, using movement to create a pattern. “Depending on how much he turns it,” says Hilfer, who has observed him working, “that has a little movement.” Use It: Go green and fill the dispensers right in the shop with Fillaree hand soap, shampoo, conditioner or body soap. Also stock up on Fillaree’s multipurpose spray and dish soap, as well as a Humble Suds multipurpose spray and MamaSuds laundry soap and dishwashing powder.
Vase, $78 & Flowers $30-$42
Cincinnati-based Form metal artisan Cindy Schnell shapes steel she salvages from garbage piles into artistic metalworks. For this vase and these flowers, she welds steel scraps into blooms, stems and a decorative band — then uses a blowtorch to add unique patinas. “She’s using this super industrial and cold material and making a flower out of it,” says Hilfer.
“I love the juxtaposition.” Style It: The vase comes with hangers, screws and anchors to wall mount it. “You can put fresh flowers in it. You could keep these steel flowers in there,” Hilfer says. “They’re so cool.”
