The Layered Home of Macrame Artist Emily Katz

We are excited to share a peek into Emily Katz's artistic and plant-bedazzled home! We first came across Emily on Instagram; I think our friend Tasha Ball with House Sparrow Fine Nesting pointed her out to us. One glance at her feed, and our hearts were all tied up in knots. The rugs, the vintage, the plants, the handmade! Emily's book Modern Macrame just came out, and she's currently on a book tour spanning the country. And guess what?! She's coming through Tulsa in just two weeks (June 18!) and doing a book-signing AND workshop at our store. You guys. Scroll to the bottom of this post to read more about that class. And on your way, see Emily's gorgeous home and what she had to say about home design and style.

Emily, thank you for sharing your time and these photos of your home, as well as being such a kind, fun person to email with. ;-) We are enjoying watching your book tour on Instagram and can't wait to meet you in person!

// All Photos by Emily Katz //

We've seen a lot of your home on your Instagram feed, and it is clear you love vintage–why is vintage important in a home?
I love bringing in items that have a story. Whether they are souvenirs from travels, or gifts from friends or makers, I love to surround myself with things that also have stories.

On a similar note, how does handmade in your home add meaning?
SO many of the elements in our home are handmade or have a handmade feeling. We made the light fixtures ourselves, Adam (my fiancé) hand silkscreened the toe kicks on the stairs, we made shelves that jut out over the windows to allow for more surfaces for plants to happily grow. I like having things in my space that didn't come from a store, that show the process and time that went into them.

How would you describe your decorating style?
Modern, Bohemian, Collected, Desert meets Northwest.

Why do you think it's important, worthwhile, to have a beautiful home?
It makes me feel more comfortable to be in a space that is well designed. That is also why I love staying in beautiful places when I travel. I like thinking about the consideration that has gone into each detail. The thought and care involved in making a place special. It calms my nervous system in a way. I always make my bed in the morning, and I feel like taking even one tiny step in starting the day fresh, makes the way I experience the rest of my work day more clear. And of course when I come home to a clean and good feeling home, it always is refreshing.

Name 2-3 of your favorite pieces in your home and tell us why they are your favorites.
Oh my, I think all of the rugs. I have an obsession! My favorites are from Kaya Kilims. Soukie Modern, and Armadillo &Co. They bring so much cozy, style and history into the home. I also love our sofa. We had a really cool mid century style one that was so pretty, but not super comfy. Now we have a great one from Capsule Home, and it has completely changed how we use the living room. It is one of my favorite places now.

Other favorites are the art in the house. Some pieces that are my own, others by local artists. One piece I really love is by John Gnorski. And it is a really fun and playful wooden sculpture.

How did you get into macrame and textiles?
I have always loved textiles, since my days as a fashion designer in the early 2000's. Macramé is another story, I learned it from my mom in 2012 as a way to reconnect after having been mostly out of touch for over 25 years. It is a long story, and one that I share at all of my workshops. :)

You’ve got so many plants! Tell us about watering days and care in a home with an abundance of plants.
The plant watering is usually up to Adam. He gets a little stoned and just gets into the plant mentality. He is so good at taking care of them. I love that we have so many. More than 100 on last count... And there is always room for more. Some of our plants have been in my possession since highschool. One is from Adam's ex's Grandmother. They all have stories too.

Emily Katz with Modern Macrame is coming to our shop!

Emily Katz, author of the new book Modern Macrame and textile extraordinaire is coming to our store for a special book signing and class, Monday, June 18. Along with Tasha of House Sparrow Fine Nesting, we are so excited to host this very special guest. You can sign up to just come to the book signing (free, RSVP here) or sign up for the class (here), or do both + get a book (here).