“Timing is everything,” says Bria Hammel, founder of Bria Hammel Interiors in Mendota Heights. For several years, she’s been traveling to antique shows and markets around the globe in search of the perfect items to include in her first collection of garden goods for her retail line, Brooke & Lou. Not only was gardening season important, but last year Hammel and her team were “craving great gifts for Mother’s Day that run the gamut on price points,” she explains.
Now, her first Garden Collection is available just in time for both occasions. Here are several items we love from her “scavenger hunt.”
- Canvas Wall Organizer: “There’s nothing more frustrating than having all your tools thrown in a bucket. These days, we want to grab and go,” she says. The leather flyswatter, she adds, is made in the U.S. from leftover leather scraps.
- White Fluted Planters: “To find indoor/outdoor planters with unique detailing,” such as these ceramic ones, she says, “can be difficult. I put these on a bar cart on my front porch.”
- Wicker Buggies: “I found these in Charleston three years ago and made my husband carry one on the plane back for me,” Hammel recalls. “It’s really a special item, and comes in child and adult sizes.”
- Woven Backpack: Handwoven from sustainable sea grass, this basket is perfect for collecting veggies from the garden or from the local farmers market.
- Fresh-Squeezed Pillows: “These really speak to the season,” Hammel says. Made of comfortable indoor/outdoor fabric, these pillows add a touch of color in spring and summer.
Photos courtesy Brooke & Lou
