Adore March 2022

A s a member of the Black Artists + Designers Guild, a global organization that strives to advance equity and inclusion in the field of design, New Orleans interior designer Penny Francis received word that Pottery Barn was accepting proposals for a new tabletop and home furnishings collaboration based on the concept of Black Joy. "I could not get the opportunity out of my head," Penny explains. "It was the height of the pandemic and my shop, Eclectic Home, was closed. I spent many hours walking in Audubon Park thinking about the possibilities. I called my daughter and fellow designer, Casi St. Julian, and said we just have to do this." And so they did. For inspiration, they reflected on their ancestral history (Penny's mother is Lydia Haydel, the great-granddaughter of Victor Haydel who was born on Whitney Plantation) and their own celebrations as part of a large Southern family with deep local roots. "We wanted the end consumer to have a seat at 'our' table," Casi points out. "When we get together it is always a good time —picture 30 exuberant family members singing happy birthday while aunts and uncles play Uno around the dining table or sing karaoke in the living room. Our joy is as beautiful as anyone else's, but it hasn't been represented enough." Their initial proposal included motifs derived from textiles and arts found in the region of Western Africa where their ancestors originate and a color palette

THROUGH THE LENS OF BLACK JOY A COLLABORATION WITH POTTERY BARN

By K at y Danos | Photogr a phe d by K e l ly Marsha l l

18

ADORE • MARCH 2022