Tell us about you
My name is Diana Lovett and I live in Mamaroneck, NY. I am an entrepreneur and a mother of two. Prior to moving to our home, I had never had my own home. While my professional background is in international medical humanitarian organizations and start up social ventures, I got really into design when we started renovating our house. At first I felt embarrassed since it seemed so frivolous, but now I have embraced it. My husband and I are in the process of renovating a historic home in Phoenicia.
How would you describe your home and your approach to making it feel like home?
My number one goal for our home was to make the space welcoming and useful. There are five permanent residents (six if you count James Bond the cat) so I wanted all of our spaces to be visually beautiful but also reflective of the personality of the occupant. When we created my daughter Tali’s room, she asked for everything to be “pink and soft” – so we used that as guiding principals. For the room and bathroom in the basement, which is occupied by au pair, I chose a style that felt bright and fun, since the person would be changing up every few years. Apart from that, we have a guest room which I love to fill with family and friends and anyone who needs a place to stay for a few days or a few months. Our kitchen is open and is an eat in kitchen, welcoming folks to sit at the table or counter while others are cooking. We love being the house that people congregate at – for playdates, holidays, impromptu hang outs and Shabbat dinners.
What are three words to describe your aesthetic?
Warm, Bright and Fun
At MINNA we believe in creating beautiful, ethically made products and using business to do good - how do these concepts relate to or inspire you?
Your beautiful products drew me into your store on a weekend visit to Hudson. Your mission of collaborating with local artisans and using your platform to share resources on racial justice is what has made me a super fan (hope that isn’t too weird to say!). For those of us who hold privilege (sometimes multiple forms of it), this year has been a big awakening and the start of a life-long unlearning process. That process for me has been trying to translate those values into all parts of my life – including making purchases from companies that are owned by and/ or offer meaningful support to historically marginalized communities.
What is a favorite memory of yours in your home?This past winter (in the before times!!) we hosted a holiday party with another couple. The theme was sharing food and culture from our different countries of origin: a Kenyan/ Channukah/ Lucia party . The house was full of our dear ones, good feeling and the smells and tastes lussekatter, glogg, latkes, sukuma wiki and mandaza.
What's the best piece of advice you've ever received?
Making predictions is hard, especially about the future. Feels especially fitting in the time of COVID when there is so much uncertainty. I am practicing keeping my expectations low and then being delighted if something good comes to fruition.
