NORWICH – A local woman with a flair for eclectic and vintage design has recently brought what started out as a home-based hobby to the general public for all to enjoy.
Erica Kenyon, the mad genius behind the collection of boutique offerings, took the plunge into retailing her wares at a familiar brick and mortar establishment only after testing the waters elsewhere – realizing that she had the potential to move product lucratively.
Handsome antique furniture pieces needing a little bit of love are transformed into one-of-a-kind creations at the hands of Kenyon.
“I have been hand-painting furniture for a while now, and I love it all; from bright colored pieces that knock your socks off to the beauty and serenity of the many shades of white, grey, and black,” Kenyon said. “I do all of the upholstery and finishes myself, that's the part that I enjoy the most. I was selling some of my work in a shop up in Hamilton, but I quickly realized that I that it would be more convenient and more profitable if I could somehow sell closer to home.”
Taking advice from another entrepreneurial spirit, Kenyon was invited to utilize some retail space near the rear entrance of the Solstice Whole Foods store by owner Barb Collins. All pieces displayed are as appealing to the eye as they are functional.
“We had just been talking about what I should do next in terms of expanding,” Kenyon said. “The furniture I choose is usually the large, heavy pieces. I literally started running out of space. I had furniture stacked everywhere in my home.”
Kenyon began her journey to what would eventually become known as “Sovereign Design” at her home as a blow-off from the stresses of long days in the courtroom. “I am a court reporter (stenographer) by day, and an avid crafting machine at night, she said, “although I love stenography, it just keeps me glued to a computer way too much.”
An ode to her dedication to dictation, Kenyon's creations often lend themselves to a certain theme. “I usually find myself taking it a step further and painting some sort of typography or vintage image, because, well, I just can't help myself,” she said.
Kenyon's interest's are all over the map. “I found that I love it all,” she said. “I went on some soul searching to find hobbies and activities that would allow me to get rid of some of the stress of the day. I love furniture, making unique jewelry, and creating a myriad of natural skincare products like mineral makeup.”
Kenyon's design influences can be best described as a mixture of shabby-chic, distressed vintage, and new age.
In addition to furniture, Kenyon also dabbles in custom vintage jewelry, which is her “small-scale” outlet. “I decided to take my little hobby of making earrings once in a while for my own wardrobe, and venture into so much more; rings, necklaces, anything that may be a little odd, unique or sparkly,” she said.
Mixed and matched, Kenyon loves taking things that are not conventionally paired, and create exclusive pieces with flair.
In continuing with the theme of manufacturing something for herself to use, Kenyon again made the decision to bring her creative musings to benefit everyone. Kenyon goes so far as to concoct women's makeup.
“I wanted to develop a natural makeup without irritants, fillers, and without the huge big box retailer price for myself,” She said. “When I found out how much fun it is to put together, I ventured further into shaving balms, face scrubs, and more.”
Kenyon’s bounty of home furnishings, jewelry, and beauty products can all be found under one roof in her own section of Solstice Whole Foods located at 30 S. Broad St. in downtown Norwich.
You can also browse Kenyon's products by visiting her ETSY store at sovdesign.etsy.com and keep up-to-date on new items by liking Sovereign Design on Facebook.