#MINNAatHome with Lauren Denitizio

Tell us about you.

I'm an artist and musician currently living in Los Angeles, CA. My work mostly looks at queer history, activism, and pop culture to highlight small moments of daily life. My band, Worriers, put out our third album last year and we used to tour a lot but 2020 had other plans! I also produce a newsletter and subscription series called Get It Together that combines a lot of these things, so I'm still busy. I adopted a weird little terrier named Lucy last year and spend most of my time hanging out with her and my partner, Cassia in our apartment that's full of plants.

How would you describe your home and your approach to making it feel like home?

There's a lot of working-at-home and making-of-things going on, so we try to keep our living spaces pretty tidy and welcoming separate from our workspaces. Plants are key and I love pretty much anything you could describe as mid-century modern. I try to keep everything as open and comfortable and sunny as possible since I spend most of my time at home these days. 

What are three words to describe your aesthetic?

mid-century punk collage

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?

I really relate to making sure that your work aligns with your values and ideas of how the world should operate. Putting those things at the front of your mission goes a long way, and I always feel good knowing that what I buy from Minna is ethically produced. As a person who makes merch for different purposes, I'm really conscious of not just making more "junk". I always appreciate seeing businesses actively trying to make a positive impact (whether that's in how things are made, donations, etc.) and think it's important to set that example. 

What is a favorite memory of yours in your home?

When I brought my dog, Lucy, home for the first time.

What's the best piece of advice you've ever received?

Life is a journey, not a destination. It's cheesy, but learning how to structure my day-to-day for the now instead of for someday far away has been the best advice. It keeps me honest about how I want to be spending my time, which I think is really important in the long run and helpful for my mental health!