For many of us, online shopping is the automatic option. While we won’t deny being guilty of TikTok persuasion and endless retail therapy, we also know that there’s nothing like that rush of excitement in anticipation of walking into a store to physically browse and experience that next great find. While there are an abundance of stores to choose from, Black-owned businesses prove time and time again to reinvent the interior landscape. In a time when DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) initiatives are being rolled back by major retail corporations across the country, it’s even more crucial to support Black businesses.
Many of the industry’s Black-operated shops are underrated, but they could hold the key to upgrading your sanctuary, and they span from coast to coast. You can use your spending power to fuel today’s small, local vintage dealers and up-and-coming designers across all aesthetics—from pottery to statement couches and so much more. Perhaps there’s even a store not too far from your door that awaits you.
Ahead, allow us to reintroduce these 30 Black-owned stores spanning the home decor and interior design landscape that you should be supporting all year round. So the next time you plan a trip, be sure to add these spots to your list of places to go–we guarantee you won’t leave empty-handed. But just in case you won’t be leaving the comfort of your home anytime soon, we also threw in a bunch of online boutiques that will not only scratch your instant gratification shopping itch, but will transform your home into the ultimate design haven.
Located right on South Fourth Street, Yowie has become the prime design destination for individuals in Philly with eclectic taste. Established in 2016 by Shannon Maldonado, the brick-and-mortar store is the ultimate gateway to cluttercore central. Customers can expect to find a whimsical curation of kitschy ribbed ceramics, wavy rugs, and vibrant apparel from independent designers across diverse backgrounds. You can now escape the chaos and into Yowie’s kitschy world by visiting its newly opened hotel in Queen Village, which doubles as a showroom and a relaxing stay.
Stephanie Summerson Hall is determined to serve more joy throughout your wine and dining experience with her glassware brand Estelle Colored Glass. The entrepreneur was inspired by her grandmother’s love for antiques and decorating her table with colorful glasses during Sunday dinners. With the help of glassware artisans from Poland, the South Carolina–based brand is now the ultimate resort for rainbow stemware, glossy cake stands, and vibrant decanters that you’ll not only want to add to your tablescape, but gift to everyone around you too. You can shop directly from the site or at retailers including Anthropologie, West Elm, and Food52. Estelle Colored Glass is also slated to open a brick-and-mortar store at The Charleston Place this month.
New York–based interior designer Hana Getachew started Bolé Road Textiles to weave her heritage into her career. Inspired by an Ethiopian shopping district of the same name, the brand has since evolved into a colorful home decor destination. Getachew’s childhood memories of colorful fabrics and sartorial cues are personified through bath mats, tablecloths, curtains, and more. Plus, all of her pieces are handwoven and support local artisans in Ethiopia. Check out the brand’s online storefront or visit its new brick-and-mortar in Bed-Stuy via appointment.
Kenya Abdul-Hadi and Steven Brown are the brains behind The Modern Republic, a lifestyle store specializing in midcentury-modern furniture in Philadelphia. The design duo is often spotted while sourcing estate sales, flea markets, auctions, and the homes of friends and neighbors to stock their online shop with rare paintings, furniture, and tchotchkes galore. Nearly all of the site’s vintage selection are pieces from the middle of the [20th] century.
Laura Hodges is here to service all of your design needs. The interior designer’s store, Domain, offers a curated collection of vintage and modern decor and gifts. Not only can you pop by the Catonsville, Maryland. boutique to shop in person, but fans can also purchase a variety of home goods online. While there, you’ll find everything you could possibly need to spruce up your space, from vintage dinnerware to throw pillows and so much more. And if you’re in need of some guidance, Hodges’ design studio offers consultations to help bring your vision to life.
Harlem Candle Company is a luxury fragrance destination started by Teri Johnson in 2022. The brand offers one of a kind scents inspired by legendary creatives from the Harlem Renaissance. Both online and in retailers including Bloomingdales and Nordstrom, you can expect to find long-lasting candles made of soy vegetable wax blend, elegant fragrances, and even stationery goods to bring life, and the essence of Harlem, into your home.
Sustainability is at the core of Los Angeles–based pottery brand SampleHaus. Founded by Diana Adams in 2019, the artist crafts her eclectic inventory of home accessories from upcycled design waste. Every piece—from mugs and planters to pet bowls—enlists bold and vibrant African-inspired patterns. Though available primarily online, SampleHaus partnered with West Elm on a special collection, so you might be able to find some pieces at a store near you.
You can never have enough plates and pottery to liven up your space. Deep Black is an online storefront founded by Sherród Faulks in Portsmouth, Virginia. Since 2020, Deep Black keeps a regular rotation of handmade clay pieces in stock—think modern yet minimal (and very bright) kitchenware sets, planters, and pottery that’s sure to generate feelings of “joy, connection, and love.”
Shopping for vintage and rare antiques is a full-time job in itself, but Dressing Rooms Interiors makes the job so much easier. Established by Ariene Bethea, the store is stocked with a curated selection of Bethea’s one of a kind finds that are too good not to cop at first glance. Given that this is an online-only operation, you’ll want to decide (and shop) quickly as every SKU is limited in inventory.
Senegalese American creative director Sofi Seck founded Expedition Subsahara with a goal to bring colorful African decor to the American market and provide an income and education for African women. Shopping the brand’s assortment of handcrafted home decor fully supports this mission—multicolored baskets, coasters, placemats, and vases of all sizes are crafted using a coil-style weaving technique with locally harvested elephant grass and recycled plastic. Even better, everything is made by local Senegalese artisans.
Solange is no stranger to the home space. In 2023, the singer and multidisciplinary artist launched Saint Heron, an assortment of timeless glassware pieces that marries chic sculptural nods with functionality, as explored in signature works made by the brand’s design studio and gallery, Small Matter. While Saint Heron offers limited drops and collaborations (for now) that are spontaneous and prone to selling out (check local boutiques for inventory like Beverly’s in NYC), the multimedia artist Solange is always one to surprise when least expected.
