Eco-designer Jillian Pritchard Cooke offers beautiful, sustainable and healthy products from around the world in Bee, her “feel good” Buckhead boutique.
Owner & background: Born in Ireland, Cooke attended college at the Fashion Institute of Technology and Design in New York City. She moved to Atlanta in 1983.
The shop: Bee opened in 2010 with a focus on healthy and sustainable furnishings. Bee is the sister company to DES-SYN, an internationally recognized interior design company celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.
The shop's mission: BEE kind to the planet. BEE kind to yourself. BEE kind to others. BEE promotes products that are good for the planet and the consumer.
The main goods: Cisco Brothers upholsterers and LEE industries upholstery; made-to-order bedding from Belle Notte Linens; Libeco Linens imported from Belgian; handmade lighting using shells and crystals from Low Country Originals in SC; and Best Before lighting and hand-woven baskets made from recycled paper in Paris.
Other store favorites:
- Bunakara furniture and textiles designed in Portugal by a mother-daughter team and manufactured in India.
- Seletti glass water bottles that look like plastic.
- The store’s locally curated, private label honey that helps tell the story about the plight of the honeybee.
Services: Interior design and healthy home assessments ($195).
Popular gift items: Rewined Candles made in Charleston, South Carolina, from recycled wine bottles ($28); Gypsy Junkies Jewelry made of remnant leather and vintage gem stones ($150 to $250), Shupaca's natural alpaca throws made in Peru ($95); Scents and Feel Turkish towels ($62) that also double as a table topper.
People would be surprised to know: Toxins are not allowed in the store. BEE's products are finished with no VOC paints, stains and adhesives.
Claim to fame: First Wellness Within Your Walls (WWYW) retail store in the United States. All products in the store meet WWYW standards. The Atlanta-based resource group helps promote the WWYW standards and provides education and guidance on topics related to reducing harmful chemicals commonly found in living and working spaces.
Always on the hunt for: One-of-a-kind furniture, clothing and jewelry from around the world. Currently, the store offers dresses and blouses from Place Nationale, clothing made by a couple in the United Kingdom. The clothing is designed with antique linen and lace collected throughout Europe.
Favorites
- Blogs & websites: Environmental Working Group (EWG); Sustainability Essentials Webinars by Sustainable Furnishings Council, Mother Nature Network; Captain Planet Foundation; Domino; Lauren Liess; and The Painted House.
- Instagram: House Beautiful; High Point Market; Sarah Richardson; Kelly Wearstler; India Hicks; and Laura Turner Seydel.
- Magazines: Organic Home; Conde Nast; HG Britain, Maison Cote Est; Veranda; Wallpaper; Garden & Gun; and Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles.
- Atlanta area home/design stores (other than her own): B.D. Jefferies; South of Market; Boxwoods; Design Within Reach; Huff Harrington; Redefined Home Boutique; Savvy Snoot; Simply Home; Travis and Company; and Scott Antique Market.
Design pet peeve: The mentality of buying for the sake of buying. "If we all shopped with longevity and legacy in mind, we would consume less and our home designs would stand the test of time."
Design guidelines: Less is more and negative space is important to a well-designed room.
New (or re-emerging designs) you like: Any well-made furniture with classic lines from about 1890 to present. Primitive mixed with modern, especially mixed with natural upholstery and sustainable linens made of cotton, jute, wool, silk and mohair.
… and designs or colors you are glad to see go: Anything with toxic chemicals and the color mauve.
Most unusual request: Redesign a 150-room hotel in 120 days.
Biggest design mistake you have made: Sold a pair of beautiful Louis Philipe flax linen chairs bought at the Paris Flea market that she planned to use in her own home.
… and mistake homeowners make: Throwing out perfectly good furniture.
Dream project: Design vacation homes in the French West Indies or a vintage boat Interior.
Find BEE at:
• Website: www.bee-atlanta.com
• Facebook: BEE Atlanta
• Instagram: @beeatlanta
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