Letter From the Editor: Issue 08
“Out to Pasture”: On pastoral refuge and cycles of life
Issue 08: “Out to Pasture” is presented by East Fork.
Hi there, housemates,
Happy week-before-Salone to all who celebrate. I’ve got my RSVP spreadsheet stuffed, my digital camera packed (!), and my sensible-but-still-acceptable-for-Italy boots ready to go. But, before I hit the tarmac: A new issue of Wrong House! Just for you!
Welcome to Issue 08: “Out to Pasture.” In these digital pages, we have a lineup of features that chew the cud of a few big ideas. Chief among them is the belief that retreat—whether into the countryside, a practice, or a tight-knit community—is less about escape and more about sustaining what actually matters. For our eighth issue, we have profiles, product roundups, interviews, and even a little ASMR content for when your nervous system needs a reset. (I’ll have this one on loop in Milan!)
Wrong House has never pretended to be a shopping newsletter, but occasionally we make a wacky exception (like our “Gift-Obligation Index,” Issue 03). In the spirit of this month’s theme, Alicia Kort plunges the depths of Reddit, eBay, Etsy, and online forums to mine cult-favorite home goods that have been put out to pasture—but still have devoted followings on online auctions and resale sites. As Alicia points out, some communities treat hunting down out-of-commission finds like an Olympic sport.
East Fork fans—self-described “potheads”—are among them. The Asheville, North Carolina–based brand, now in its 15th year, has amassed loyal collectors who seek out (and are quite vocal about!) different glazes and shapes that have cycled in and out of production. This community is what has kept East Fork ticking over the last decade and a half, and it’s one of many discussed in “East Fork’s Big Bet,” my profile of the company. My conversation with CEO and cofounder Alex Matisse took place as East Fork is on track to double its production capacity in the coming months, following a major investment at the end of 2025. But in many ways, East Fork is doing the same thing it’s always done, if not more of it: One cofounder, following a hiatus, is back in the mix and manually throwing clay. A hand-painted line is in the works. Can an American pottery brand balance big growth with big values? East Fork is sure as hell trying to find out.
This month, I also step inside the studio of natural-dye visionary Audrey Louise Reynolds, who forages plants, rainwater, and obscure fungi to produce otherworldly wood stains, paints, and pigments for brands big and small. Audrey, who relocated to a small upstate hamlet a few years ago after two decades in Red Hook, Brooklyn, discusses how following her curiosity—and giving herself time and space to explore and experiment—isn’t just frivolity or a hobby, but is at the center of her creative practice. Audrey created this month’s cover using turmeric, goldenrod, Queen Anne’s Lace, asiatic dayflower, lemon, and indigo. Here’s a diagram of all those pigments, for the curious:
Audrey isn’t the only one finding refuge outside of the city. Alex T. Williams returns to Wrong House in conversation with Kristin Coleman and Chad Phillips, the proprietors of Available Items in Tivoli, New York. As Kristin and Chad prepare to open their newest exhibition, “Sense of Place”—a survey of ceramics, fiber arts, furniture, lighting, and floral design from different pockets of the Hudson Valley—the trio discuss carving out a niche for up-and-comers in an industry that doesn’t offer many of those opportunities anymore.
And: Eric Trine is back for “Chair Time,” his advice column for creatives. This time, he ponders the tension between one’s personal and professional brand, and the role of POV in client-directed work. Have a question for Eric? He (and we!) are all ears.
Finally, one for the road. If you need to channel a little zen during the frenzy of pre-summer design season—that is, the Salone-High Point-NYCxDESIGN-3DD whirlwind—may I recommend a little ambient viewing? We asked Jesse Smiley, the hands and brains behind floral design studio Patches, to create a little content to help cultivate your inner calm. (I set this to a royalty-free song called “Calming Harp for Cats,” so you know it will be good.) Enjoy:
A huge thanks to East Fork for sponsoring this issue, and watering the lil’ mustard seed that is Wrong House.
If you’ll be in Milan for Salone del Mobile, let us know—we’d love to raise a negroni (or fauxgroni, whatever!) with you.
’Til next month,
Lila
Issue 08: “Out to Pasture” was made possible by
