Newtown’s Ellin Jones has been around antiques, home décor and specifically tablescapes since an early age. Her mother, Teresa, for which her future business would be named, took Ellin with her on treasure hunts to antique shops, flea markets and anywhere unique items that bring beauty and feel-good memories to their household were sold.
As an adult, Ellin says she did the same for her own home, which she refers to as her sanctuary. She truly believes decorating one's home is not just to fill space, but to create a place of comfort and refuge in a self-created environment. She's passionate about creative home décor. So passionate that she turned a personal hobby into a fast-growing digital business. Welcome to Teresa’s Fine Home Décor.
"I curate an online assortment, based on things I love for the home," she says, which has been proven a successful strategy, as her customer base is in lockstep with her style and taste. Her website is warm and inviting, which drives her relationships with customers to be more than transactional. She often communicates directly via email, and assists customers on finding those perfect pieces they struggle to find. Ellin’s product line is mostly one-of-a-kinds found at estate sales, antique shops and vintage stores.
INFLUENCER ON ELLIN: Sister Parish (Dorothy May Kinnicutt), a mid-1900s interior decorator, socialite and personal friend of Jackie O. She was famously known for decorating the Kennedy White House. Her style was “country” and she was self-taught.
INFLUENCER: Bunny Williams and John Rosselli, a husband-wife tandem in which Bunny is a hall of fame designer, and John is a world-renown antiques dealer. They now wholesale a line of timeless and versatile furniture pieces.
INFLUENCER: Miles Redd, whose specialty is transforming doors from a utility to a customized piece of home art. He also published the book The Big Book of Chic, which gives a glimmer into his unique and beautiful designs.
INFLUENCER: Teresa Jones. Ellin’s mother, who passed in 2005, left her a file of articles on the history of pottery, porcelain, antique metals, China and glass, which Ellin often refers to when researching an exotic found piece.
"I credit my mom for the reason I started this business, and I'm using her style and design as a way to pay homage to her," Ellin explains.
The business, like many in these current times, was born out of the pandemic. Ellin had some spare time and decided to turn her lifelong love of antiques and home décor into a business, a digitally native company. Being creative and business-savvy, Ellin built the professional-looking website on her own from scratch. "I've been learning the nuances of running an online business, including advertising and studying analytics," she adds.
Ellin reveals she has aspirations to expand to brick and mortar when the time is right. She also has other ideas for new selling channels within her business, such as seeking out and refurbishing older furniture pieces to give them new life while maintaining the old vintage look. "Blogging about classic home décor and the journeys associated with acquiring inventory are also on the block," she says.
Keeping her finger on the pulse of what’s trending in home décor is important to Ellin. Her repeat customers, of which she says she has many, rely on her to know what’s en vogue for the home. She believes some of the classic styles she refers to as “Grandmillennial," which is grandmother vision with a millennial twist, are currently in play. Pieces such as skirted sofas, older dishware and accent pillows are re-emerging in popularity, she divulges.
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TeresasFineHomeDecor.com