LGBT-owned businesses for the home 2022

Ash + Chess

This is the spot for some funky and colorful art prints.

It’s owned by “queer and trans power couple” Ashley Molesso and Chess Needham. They created this brand to give people “cute things that make them happy,” and it does exactly that.

A quick scroll through their shop will immediately give you a boost of serotonin. It’s funky, unique, and has a slightly retro vibe.

Fun fact: the creators are also published authors. If you want to check it out, their book is called The Gay Agenda: A Modern Queer History & Handbook. The illustrations do not disappoint.

June Bug and Darlin

If Grandmillennial is your style and you love a good DIY, do I have the shop rec for you. June Bug + Darlin’s cross stitch kits are a fun activity that you can display in your home when you’re done.

The cross-stitched phrases range anywhere from sweet to sassy to empowered, so there’s a set for everyone.

Zoe Frost, the Portland-based founder, “combines nature, queerness and good ol’ fuck the system attitudes” to power her work. She also prides herself on using her business to bring crafting to everyone.

BLK MKT Vintage

This is your plug for vintage finds that exude black pride.

They have a select amount of original products like their “big ass tote bag,” but the majority of their shop is found items. There’s a little of everything; lots of posters, ads, and magazine covers.

These unique pieces are perfect to add some history to your home, whether it’s in your living room, office, or library.

The Brooklyn-based owners Kiyanna Stewart and Jannah Handy have 15 years of vintage sourcing experience between them. So you can be confident that you’re stepping into an expertly curated experience.

Otherwild

You usually find this brand at the top of any LGBT-owned businesses list. And for good reason.

This is your source for all the funky little accessories for your home. There’s almost any decor piece you can think of. My personal favorite is the outline basket. But some other highlights are fun mugs, a wavy pitcher, and amoeba-shaped placemats.

Rachel Berks started Otherwild in 2012 as a store, design studio and event space, “centering ethics at the core of [the] business.”

MINNA

Dreamy, handwoven textiles turned into a recent obsession for me. And MINNA is the best place to go for them.

All their designs have some interest that makes you happy to look at, and yet still very calming to the eye. And you can almost feel the quality texture by looking at the pictures. There are blankets, tablecloths, napkins, pillows, and more. They even have a selection of furniture like desks and chairs.

This queer-led team is based in Hudson, NY, founded by Sara Berks. They collaborate with artisans in Central and South America to create these unique and beautiful woven products.

SUAY sew shop

I found the perfect LGBT-owned business to shop if you want to support queer owned and sustainable. SUAY repurposes deadstock – essentially perfectly good fabric that can’t be sold – into some really dope apparel and home textiles.

They have some solid-colored pillow cases, cushions, etc. if you just want to source some eco-friendly linen home items. But they also put their creative love into creating some really cool patchwork designs that give them their signature look.

Founder, CEO and lead designer Lindsay Rose Medoff founded SUAY in 2017 with the goal of reducing fabric waste, supporting garment workers rights, and highlighting injustices in the fashion industry.

In 2019, SUAY prevented 250,000 pounds of fabric from getting into landfills. And that amount only grows every year.

Carpet Muncherz

Next up, I’m proud to feature a friend here on the list. Kandyce Ruback is the force behind custom rug brand Carpet Muncherz.

Watching this brand grow from the ground up these past few years has been really amazing. And I’m always blown away whenever I see a new, ridiculously detailed commission completed.

The great thing about these rugs is they’re totally customizable to what you want. If you can dream it up, Kandyce can bring it to life.

But her commissions are only open for a limited quantity of orders at a time, so make sure you message her when you see they’re open. BTW: they’re open right now!

Fredericks and Mae

They state on their website that they’re “committed to bringing objects into the world that prompt wide eyes, inexplicable delight, and full-body chills.” And I couldn’t think of a better way to put it.

There are loads of unique gifts up for grabs on their site. Candleholders, confetti cutting boards, and really unique incense coils are just a few of pieces you find.

In addition to their original products, they curate goods by other small artists. So this is really a one-stop-shop for gifts. (For yourself or for someone else).

Gabriel Fredericks Cohen and Jolie Mae Signorile started their namesake Fredericks and Mae, powered by their shared love of materials.

Boy Smells

Who doesn’t love a good luxury candle brand? You can basically smell the scents from the branding. This is another common mention at the top of lists of LGBT-owned businesses.

What began as an experiment in candle-making for partners Matthew Herman and David Kien quickly became a successful business.

Their goal with these products was to create something that wasn’t overtly feminine or masculine. Instead, it allows people to revel in the full spectrum of their identity. As they say on their site, they want to “make loving your identity a daily ritual.”

Common Dear

This shop and lifestyle brand is the perfect place to shop if you’re looking for some fun and colorful touches for your home.

Common Dear came to be after founders Jessi and Kelli were operating their candle shop, OKcollective Candle Co. for a few years. They wanted an opportunity to “explore [their] sillier, boundary-pushing, and colorful personality-side.”

Their shop works with several different retailers to provide funky gifts to all their customers. When picking the retailers they work with, they value finding women-owned, LGBTQIA2S+ owned, AAPI-owned, Black-owned, and Latinx-owned brands. Empowerment, equality, and a desire to make the world a better place is at the heart of their business.

Mud Witch

Mud Witch is proof that beauty can come from grief. After her ceramicist father passed, founder Viviana Matsuda inherited lots of pottery supplies. After taking classes to work through her grief, a business began to evolve.

And the result were the fun, irregular-shaped, and sometimes bulbous mugs and bowls. As a collector myself, I can vouch that these are some definite staple pieces for any mug collection.

These are all handcrafted by the founder still, so they sell out fast. So keep an eye on the site to make sure you can grab one of your own.

TRNK

If you’re in the space to splurge this pride month, I would highly recommend this minority and LGBT-owned business.

Every piece of their furniture – from their rugs to their tables – has an air of elegance and understated sophistication. Their goal with their designs is to “strike an ideal balance between artistry and function.” The muted colors, clean lines, and luxurious fabrics will not go unnoticed by any guests in your home.

They have their own TRNK originals as well as a curated selection of other artists.

The brand also has a passion for speaking on the issues that matter to their community in their campaigns, including questions of race, identity, and cultural bias in design. They also make an effort to support charitable organizations such as Ali Forney Center and The Black Youth Project 100.

A. Miyuki Studio

You’re going to want to pay attention if you’re in the market for some extremely high quallity, hand-crafted furniture.

Founder Amelia Miyuki (美雪) Christensen has been creating furniture and housewares by hand since 2010. And they are passionate about creating with sustainably sourced materials.

Every piece is sculpted lovingly by hand, ensuring that no two pieces are quite the same. The creation process is constantly evolving, ensuring that each piece – whether it’s a small home product like a spoon or a large dining table – is always the product of care an consideration.

You can be sure that every piece you get custom-made will last you a lifetime.