Board & Brush is on the fast track to a complete Minnesota takeover. This DIY, Midwest-born studio franchise, founded by Julie Selby in 2015, was born in Hartland, Wisconsin where she opened her first studio. Since then, locations have popped up around the country and Minnesota is no exception—we have five locations of our own.
Jenn Fleury, the co-owner of the St. Louis Park and Lakeville locations, gave us a taste of what’s carving up to be trendy, new, and popular in the DIY scene this fall (especially with Halloween and other holidays right around the corner).
What kinds of things are people currently wanting to make?
Fleury: “Our guests are most often interested in making decor for their home or gifts for friends and family. Holiday designs are big this time of year, with a lot of people now making Halloween and Christmas projects. We’re definitely going through a lot of glitter now.”
What new offerings are you featuring at your studio?
“In additional to our 200 design options, we just released a new batch of fun Halloween designs. People have been very excited about the variety of options. New offerings are our bread-and-butter with new ones coming out each month.”
What is your best piece of advice for a beginner DIYer?
“Don’t be nervous. You don’t have to be super crafty to make a beautiful piece. Most of our customers haven’t done this before, but they always leave happy. We make it easy by leading you through every step of the process.”
Of your own personal projects, which has been your favorite and why?
“My new favorite project is a Halloween sign. It’s a haunted house design with a vintage 1930s Halloween style. It’s spooky fun and I’ve already made several samples for the studios.”
Which seasonal DIY project or trend are you most looking forward to?
“Our holiday designs are so much fun! You can be really creative with our Halloween and Christmas designs using different techniques like ombre, chippy, wash, and drybrush including paint, glitter, and ribbon.”
Go-To Guide
Studio name: Board & Brush (with three different Twin Cities metro locations in St. Louis Park, Lakeville, and Woodbury and two additional locations in Duluth and Rochester)
What they offer: DIY wood decor projects including signs, trays, boxes, and even a clock.
Year opened: The St. Louis Park location (5810 W. 36th St.) led the way and opened in 2017, while Lakeville (20770 Holyoke Ave.), Duluth (732 E. Fourth St.), and Woodbury (2330 Eagle Creek Ln.) locations opened up shop in 2018. The most recent Minnesota addition opened in Rochester (810 S. Broadway, Suite D) earlier this month.
Studio owners:
St. Louis Park & Lakeville – Jenn & Andrew Fleury
Woodbury – Nicole Hanselman
Duluth – Kristen Sawyer
Rochester – Carrie & Josh Wacholz
Social media handles:
- Instagram: @boardandbrushslp || @boardandbrushlakevillemn || @boardandbrushwoodburymn || @boardandbrushduluthmn || @boardandbrushrochestermn
- Facebook: @boardandbrushstlouispark || @boardandbrushlakevillemn || @boardandbrushwoodburymn || @boardandbrushduluthmn || @boardandbrushrochestermn