Why We Don’t Call It Minimalism
We like a quiet home.
We like clean lines, thoughtful objects, and spaces that aren’t filled for the sake of being filled. Our shop is intentionally curated, and the selection we carry is quite restrained.
But we don’t call ourselves minimalists.
Because for us, having a calm space doesn’t mean having fewer things.
And appreciating your objects doesn’t necessarily mean that you should own less.
↑ ( The amount of cups we own)
We often form relationships with the objects around us. We remember where we found them, who gave them to us, how long we’ve had them, or simply how they feel when we use them.
Sometimes we just like something.
And we don’t want to put a limit on that.
Sometimes you need a few too many mugs. Sometimes the strange tchotchke serves no other purpose than making you happy. Sometimes you reach for the cup in the back because you thought about it last night.
We think there is room for all of that.
Our philosophy is less about having less and more about treasuring what we have.
Treasuring What We Have
There is a Chinese concept I've always loved: 惜物 (xī wù)— treasuring what we have.
To me, it isn’t necessarily about preserving everything perfectly or refusing to let anything go. It’s about recognizing the value in the things that are already part of our lives.
I think about this whenever I use a blanket my grandmother knitted for me when I was a child. To be completely honest, I don’t even know what it’s made of.
It has traveled from one house to another without much care. It’s slightly
too short. It has holes. It has lived better days.
And yet, on movie nights, it’s always the first blanket I reach for.
Maybe I keep it because my grandmother made it for me.
Maybe I keep it because it genuinely IS a good blanket. Maybe it’s the weight or the texture.
It’s a little too short, but that’s something I’ve learned to live with. But after all these years, I know exactly what that blanket feels like. There is something comforting about that familiarity.
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