Behind the Collab: Our Q+A with Kelsey Brown, Founder + COO of Pepper Home

 To celebrate the launch of our latest collaboration with Pepper Home, we sat down with founder Kelsey Brown to chat all of the BTS details of the exclusive collection. It is our pleasure to introduce you to Kelsey!

We'd love to hear in your words why collaborating with Petite Keep felt like such a natural fit?
It’s amazing to be able to collaborate with another female-founded company with a similar mission! The joining of our brands was such a natural fit. Pepper was born from a desire to create customizable, designer-quality products with a streamlined shopping experience. Some of our favorite projects are designing nurseries and play spaces that are both youthful and sophisticated. We are huge fans of Petite Keep’s keepsake trunks as they are heirloom quality, feature beautiful colors, and are personable. A major upgrade from a plastic bin, these trunks are an aesthically pleasing addition to a space while being a practical storage solution. Even better…now there is a fun surprise of a Pepper pattern inside.

Tell us a little bit about the inspiration behind the prints featured in this collaboration: Emma Lavender, Serena Sea Salt, and Loomi Pink. Do you have a favorite, and if so, why?
It’s hard to pick a favorite (I love them all!) but the Serena Sea Salt has such a soothing color palette inspired by coastal hues. I love it pairs with a sky blue trunk or a yellow for an unexpected, yet perfect pairing!

A little bit about the patterns….
Emma was a hand-painted take on the botanical stripes that you find in classic textiles and wallpaper. The lavender color was our fresh take on a calming print.

Serena was born from the Susie Bettenhausen’s paintings of florals and seashells for a coastal-inspired look. This sea salt and powder blue color palette is my all time favorite.

Loomi was inspired by the evil motifs in one of our original prints. Loomi evolved into an intricate, small-scale geometric pattern. The soothing pink palette and pops of moss green create the perfect balance of femininity and sophistication.

How do you plan to use your Pepper Home x Petite Keep Trunks in your home?
While my design-style is definitely maximalism, I am a stickler about tidiness and organization—especially when it comes to children’s spaces. I love the olive green trunk with coordinating Loomi Pink fabric. It compliments my daughter’s playspace with chartreuse shelves and the Frida Pink wallpaper. This is the perfect storage for all of Clementine’s keepsakes while being aesthetically pleasing on her open shelves.

Pepper Home feels so personal. How do you weave your own design philosophy into the brand?
Personal is right! Pepper Home is Erin (my co-founder) and my baby. We are behind the direction of each collection—from inspiration, color palette, to finding the talented female artists that paint our vision. We are both drawn to patterns but also appreciate the solid colors that compliment them. We also gravitate towards the small design details that make a piece uniquely yours. You’ll see those customization elements in all of our product—from contrasting velvet band on your curtain to modern fringe on your pillow.

How do you envision the Pepper Home client styling a collaboration Trunk in their home? The best part about our Pepper prints is that they are designed to mix and match. You can go matchy-matchy and select a trunk pattern that matches your Pepper pillows or curtains or choose a complementary print!

Now, for some fun rapid fire questions:
1. What's one thing you still have from childhood? My mother kept all of my Christmas dresses.
2. Name your home decor style in 5 words or less! jewel-toned, eclectic, whimsical, maximalism
3. Favorite family tradition? Our weekend pancake breakfast
4. Current fave Instagram follow? I love a good BTS look into interiors—@homeworthy @thepottedboxwood
5. Favorite gift you've received? Bruce Springsteen on Broadway tickets
6. Preferred travel destination? Italy or France - the food, fashion, and art trifectas
7. Where are you most inspired? NYC! I love living in a city with so many museums and design aficionados.
8. Favorite design era? Hollywood Regency

Kelsey, thank you so much for stopping by! Follow Pepper Home on Instagram and shop the full Pepper Home x Petite Keep collection.