For most of us, “home” means many things: where we’ve been, where we’re at, where we’re headed. It might encompass a favorite place we return to time and again, the people we choose to surround ourselves with, or even a state of mind where we feel most content.
That’s precisely the idea behind tastemaker Jenni Kayne’s impressive eponymous empire that invites design aficionados into her California-inspired realm. In our exclusive interview penned by Jennifer Blaise Kramer, Kayne points out that her fashion and furnishings brand isn’t about living in the Golden State — instead, it’s about transporting yourself to that state of being. And while she has certainly found kinship with minimalists the world over, she’s not just about a clean, spartan aesthetic. Rather, she encourages all of us to dig deep within ourselves and discover what best serves us in our lives, from the clothing in our closets to the decor in our abodes. All of this, Kayne emphasizes, should make us feel at home in our own skin. Because isn’t that what we’re all after?
Finding our place in the world seems like a straightforward ambition, but for so many disenfranchised peoples across America, it hasn’t been easy. That’s what makes the story of how Sag Harbor, New York, became a summertime refuge for Black families so incredible. Writer Robyne Robinson takes us back in time and details the genesis of this community, founded by fearless visionaries Maude Terry and Amaza Lee Meredith. But despite years of prosperity, this historic Black beachfront enclave now faces the threat of gentrification — an all-too-common story for so many marginalized neighborhoods in the United States. This engaging read outlines why preservation of this community and others like it is so crucial.
In recent years, we’ve become more nomadic, taking our lives on the road to discover new destinations, new experiences and new dimensions of ourselves. Going off the grid has gotten a glam makeover thanks to a surprising solution, as Bonnie Culbertson explains. But regardless of where life takes us, there remain those places that lure us back, like the Midwestern cabin. Men’s style guru David Coggins waxes poetic about his family’s Wisconsin lake cabin and how he still makes the 16-hour drive from New York each summer.
Because as I’ve come to realize, our home isn’t just a structure or a street address — it’s a place within us. Meaning no matter where we come from or where we are headed next, we can always go home.
Happy reading,
Kate Nelson, Editor-in-Chief
