← Talk Shop with Ariel Okin: A Fenimore Lane Production
Talk Shop with Ariel Okin: A Fenimore Lane Production
The Art of the Nursery: Sara Adam Slywka on Nestig and Design
00:39:10
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- [00:00]
A
Before I welcome today's guest, I wanted to take a moment to thank this season's presenting sponsor, shopmy. Shop My is a platform that connects designers, tastemakers and creators with shoppers who trust their style and recommendations. With Shopmy, you can discover and shop the pieces experts actually use and love in their own homes, all in one beautifully curated place. This season we're bringing ShopMay directly into the conversation. Each guest will share why they love the platform and the thought behind the products they've chosen for their own shopmy storefronts. I personally love using my Shop My account and you can check out my own storefront in the show notes. So let's dive right in.
- [00:39]
B
You know, we know that our homes and our environments have such a big impact on just how we feel throughout the day, and I've always felt that kind of throughout my childhood. And starting Nest Egg and getting to work with extremely talented artists and designers to bring some of the ideas I have in my head to life has been so magical.
- [01:00]
A
Welcome to Talkshop. I'm Arielle Oken, a New York based interior designer, writer and editor looking to bring a little bit of magic into our homes every day. After years as a writer and editor in the interiors world, I founded my own editorial site, Fenimore Lane in 2020 and the TalkShop interview series was born. Each week I delve into the personal experiences of the top interior designers and tastemakers around the globe. If you've ever fallen down a rabbit hole looking for the perfect crib or nursery chair, something stylish, safe and built to last, chances are you've come across Nestig. This week on Talkshop, I'm joined by Sarah Adams Sloca, co founder of Nestig, the beloved children's furniture brand that's redefining modern nursery design. Born from Sarah's passion for creating thoughtful design forward spaces for families, Nestig has quickly become known for its beautifully crafted cribs, furniture and decor that balance form, function and emotion. Before launching Nestig, Sarah studied at Duke University and earned her MBA from Columbia Business School, where she met her co founder. At Nestig, her background in merchandising and marketing helped shape her approach to building a brand that feels both elevated and deeply personal. Under her leadership, Nestig has built a devoted following of parents who care just as much about craftsmanship and sustainability as they do about style. So please join me as I welcome Sarah to the podcast. Sarah, welcome to the show. I'm so happy to have you on.
- [02:29]
B
Thank you so much for having me. Big fans, very, very excited to Be connecting with you today.
- [02:36]
A
Well, likewise. I love Nest Egg and we love using it in projects. And I actually just helped my best friend with her nursery and we did it all through Nest egg and it came out so cute.
- [02:48]
B
Love hearing that.
- [02:49]
A
Yeah. To kick off the conversation, we ask everyone who comes on. Can you describe your style in three words or less?
- [02:57]
B
So I thought about this one a lot and I think the three words that came to mind for me, which I think are also reflected in the nesting brand as well, was fresh, eclectic and playful.
- [03:11]
A
Oh, I love that. And it's so true. I think one of the things that Nestic does so well is you really mix like a fresh, modern take on kids furniture with something that's a little unexpected or something that's like whimsical or fun or something that makes a room feel really special. So I love that. So for those listening who may not know Nestig or your story, can you tell us a little bit about yourself and where you are at this point in your career?
- [03:38]
B
So I grew up in Arizona, but have been living in New York since college. I have a mom of a two and a half year old boy with another one on the way in February.
- [03:47]
A
Oh, congrats. That's so exciting.
- [03:50]
B
Thank you. I'm very excited, but a little nervous for the chaos that I'm sure will ensue shortly.
- [03:57]
A
Going from 0 to 1, I thought was harder than going from 1 to 2. If it makes you feel better, I've.
- [04:05]
B
Heard that whichever one was easier for you, the second one is going to be harder. I feel like 0 to 1 wasn't that hard for us. And our first has been a pretty easy kid. So I'm confident we will be getting humbled by number two. But time will tell.
- [04:20]
A
It's really funny.
- [04:22]
B
So it's very fun to be expecting a new baby because I'm one of the founders at Nest Egg. We're a brand that sells delightful children's furniture and decor. We launched in 2020, so we just our five year anniversary, which is pretty wild.
- [04:40]
A
Wow.
- [04:40]
B
Yeah.
- [04:41]
A
That's huge.
- [04:42]
B
And I think we're best known for our cribs, but since we started with cribs, we've been branching out into lots of other product categories. Really kind of with the lens of everything you would need to put together a children's space.
- [04:56]
A
Yeah, I mean, you guys really have it all from like the mini chairs to the bedding and furniture. And I've been loving. I saw. I. My daughter climbed. My younger daughter climbed out of her crib. For the first time last week.
- [05:08]
B
Uh. Oh, yeah.
- [05:09]
A
So I was actually on the Nest egg website looking at toddler beds the other day.
- [05:14]
B
Yeah, it's a milestone that no one is prepared for.
- [05:18]
A
No. My older daughter is 6 and she never climbed out of her crib, like, ever. So I was not expecting my younger daughter, who's three and a half, to just appear in our office at 8:30 at night in her sleep sack.
- [05:35]
B
Yeah, my son has climbed out a couple of times and we've been pretty successful with, you know, telling him that he's not allowed. But yeah, our, our newest beds, I talk to so many parents who kind of go through that moment. They don't feel like they're quite ready for a proper bed and their child ends up sleeping on a crib mattress just on the floor. Yeah. So that was one of the sort of inspiration pieces for some of our new kids beds that are designed to start as floor beds and then as your kid matures and gets ready for that big kid bed, you can easily convert them into sort of the standard twin bed that we all think of.
- [06:12]
A
It's so smart. And I want to get into sort of, you know, the ethos behind how you guys do your furniture design. But before we dive into nest egg, I want to learn a little bit about your early career path. You started in merchandising and marketing and then you got your mba. How did you basically cross into the world of design Coming from such a, you know, numbers, heavy background?
- [06:37]
B
It was a little bit of kind of luck and right place, right time. My very first job was at a startup that did luxury gifting. And I reported into somebody who had been the head of merchandising at 1 Kings Lane, and so got kind of my initial start learning everything about merchandising and in a really fun product category and really learned it's part product and part the world that you create around that product.
- [07:05]
A
Totally.
- [07:06]
B
So that was kind of great, like training wheels. As I started my career and then I moved to Amazon and I worked for a few different companies inside the Amazon portfolio that were in E commerce and working in retail in the 2010s was quite an unstable time. So I kept jumping from kind of companies that Amazon decided were no longer a strategic priority and was shutting them down. So I think I was laid off maybe three or four times before I started my mba.
- [07:37]
A
Wow, that's crazy.
- [07:39]
B
And, you know, it was very frustrating and stressful at the time, but I think it really taught me that things that look really stable aren't always as they appear. And that betting on yourself is also not as risky as it appears. And so I think that really gave me the confidence to go out on my own and start something as I left Columbia.
- [07:58]
A
I really, really love that. That's such good advice for people going out on their own. And I agree with that. Did you have a love for design? And in the beginning, I always did.
- [08:09]
B
I'm a cancer, so I've always felt very strong. Me too.
- [08:13]
A
When's your birthday?
- [08:14]
B
July 13th.
- [08:15]
A
Oh, I'm June 23rd. That's so funny.
- [08:17]
B
Yeah. I think, you know, we know that our homes and our environments have such a big impact on just how we feel throughout the day. And I've always felt that kind of throughout my childhood. And starting Nest Egg and getting to work with extremely talented artists and designers to bring some of the ideas I have in my head to life has been so magical. So I don't necessarily have the specific expertise, but always have had the love. And then over the last five years, really getting to kind of hone in and to continue really developing that muscle.
- [08:48]
A
Yeah. And bringing product to life is, I think, one of the coolest experiences ever. I mean, whenever we've done collections, you know, lighting and whatnot, just having an idea in your head and then watching the process of turning it into a physical product, to me is like one of the most incredible, amazing, manifesting things.
- [09:10]
B
Yeah, it's really special. I think it's probably my favorite part of working on nesting.
- [09:16]
A
Oh, for sure. I bet. And you met your co founder during business school. What was that initial spark or shared vision that ultimately became Nestig?
- [09:27]
B
So prior to business school, I had been working in the baby industry, and my co founder had been working in venture capital in Brazil. And he told me he had an idea for a baby company in the US kind of based on some of the things he had seen in the market in Brazil. And my most recent role at Amazon had been on the baby registry team. And kind of from that experience, I could see there was such a big gap for a brand that was really inspiring, that was connecting with new parents. So I felt like there was a huge opportunity, and I told him I wanted to be part of it, and we started working together, and kind of the rest is history.
- [10:04]
A
And I love that you became a mom during that process.
- [10:07]
B
Yeah, both of us started out not as parents, but became parents pretty early on into our nested journey. And I think that's just made everything so much more meaningful. I think it's given us better insights when it comes to, to what products we want to work on, what's really inside parents heads when they're making decisions. So it's been a really, really fun journey to be on.
- [10:31]
A
So for listeners who might not be familiar, what inspired you to reimagine the nursery experience? Right, because I feel like that's one of the core things that Nestig did is kind of give you a one stop place to, you know, you can shop for your entire nursery in one place and everything works together and it doesn't look like it came from like a set.
- [10:53]
B
So when I was working in the baby registry world, my brother and his wife were actually expecting their first, which ended up being twins.
- [11:01]
A
Oh my God.
- [11:02]
B
But they were telling me they were asking for my advice. They were having so much trouble finding things that they really connected with their design oriented people and the things they were seeing were not inspiring to them. I think overall in the market, you know, the nursery category had been pretty slow to innovate on the product itself as well as kind of the marketing in the world built around the product. You know, at this point, Pottery Barn kids was around 20 years old and I think needing a bit of a refresh to really connect with this new generation of parents.
- [11:36]
A
Right.
- [11:37]
B
So when Guy and I started talking about the idea for nesting, we knew we wanted to create really design forward products that prioritize both the aesthetics and the function and build a brand around them that celebrated the joys of bringing a child into the world and creating a place for them in your home. I think there's a lot of kind of fear and a little bit of panic as you're preparing for the new baby of do I have all the right stuff?
- [12:03]
A
Totally. Especially the first time around.
- [12:05]
B
Yeah.
- [12:05]
A
The second time you're like, I have a crib mattress, I'm good.
- [12:10]
B
Yeah. We wanted to be able to connect with those parents and kind of let them know, like, don't worry, we've got it covered. You can just kind of enjoy this process and have fun and, you know, not worry too much about having everything exactly perfect.
- [12:24]
A
I want to hear a little bit about some of the earliest challenges you faced as a founder because you started nesting pretty young and out of business school and particularly in the parenting and design space. What were some of those early road bumps and how did you overcome them?
- [12:42]
B
I think we faced so many challenges in the beginning. We launched in the middle of COVID so that was kind of crazy. A few things that were kind of really challenging for us. You know, we had just graduated with our MBAs, and we had seen all of these other direct to consumer brands go out and raise these really large seed rounds. We thought we were going to do the same thing. We were like, okay, we're going to go out, we're going to raise a couple million dollars from venture capitalists, we're going to hire, you know, someone like Red Antler to do our branding. We're going to have this really amazing marketing budget. And none of that ended up happening. So we had to really rethink our plans. And I think that ended up really being for the best because, you know, we had teeny tiny budget to do our branding. And so I think we really had to look internally and think about, like, what do we believe in? What do we care about? What do we think is the most important here? And I think the brand that we ended up with is more true to us, more original, felt more special in the market. And I think kind of that experience of imagining ourselves with all these resources, then finding out, you know, we were going to be working with a fraction of that, we really had to learn how to be scrappy and make things happen. And I think that's really part of our DNA. We know we can figure anything out. We don't need the biggest budget or the most resources. We just need to be kind of the most authentic and inventive versions of ourselves. So lots and lots of challenges. Yeah, kind of every day still. But I think we really had to figure out kind of how do we make this happen? And that's something that we're really, really proud of.
- [14:21]
A
That's such a profound learning too, because I think oftentimes when people go out and raise and they, you know, are then on this crazy hamster treadmill, you can lose sight of what the brand ethos is or what the originating thought was, or what your actual style is. And the authenticity piece that you mentioned, I think is so crucial and key, and I think that's what people really respond to and lock in and identify with is like, if you feel a brand as being its most authentic self and you can really identify with it, that value is so much higher than anything else that like, you know, an expensive ad agency or, you know, a lot of funding from a VC firm can bring.
- [15:04]
B
Yeah. And I think also sometimes you can get trapped by your resources where you're not quite forced to really see, like, does this product connect with my customers?
- [15:14]
A
Yeah, totally.
- [15:15]
B
From the very beginning, we kind of realized that we were onto something that, you know, our crib, which is sort of known for starting out as a bassinet or mini crib. And then you can convert it to a full sized crib and then a toddler bed. And each stage is really thoughtfully designed. We saw how quickly that really connected with people, and so our growth was able to be organic. And so we didn't need necessarily this huge marketing budget because we had a product that people were excited to buy, excited to share, excited to tell their friends about, which, of course, you know, being a mom, there's no more powerful marketing than a recommendation from another mom.
- [15:55]
A
Yeah.
- [15:55]
B
So I think that was really kind of the secret sauce that, that got us going.
- [16:00]
A
And as a mom yourself, I mean, how do you think becoming a parent changed or, or deepened the way that you think about creating the products that you do at Nest Egg?
- [16:10]
B
I think it's just made everything feel more connected and more meaningful. Kind of every stage of my son's growth has been some really special connection with Nest Egg. So when he was a newborn, like, I loved watching him fixate on the mobile above his crib. I remember when he was a few months old, I have this really fun wallpaper. That' blue botanical with a white background that has some like, primary colored paper planes in it.
- [16:37]
A
Oh, cute.
- [16:38]
B
And I could see being so mesmerized by the pattern and the color. And now that he's a little bit older, we're spending a lot more time with our bookshelves and toys. And each stage keeps getting kind of more fun. So it's been really special to know, kind of, you know, the story behind these products that, like, I know how much love goes into them from the earliest design phase to the production itself. So. So it's just really special to kind of get to experience that on a personal level.
- [17:08]
A
And I love that these pieces grow with kids and evolve throughout family life. Is that something that you guys think about when you're designing your pieces? The ability for these items to evolve over time and also, you know, what would you say is the design DNA of the brand?
- [17:26]
B
So I think, like, the questions we're always asking ourselves as we kind of look around the nursery or child's room is what in here can we make more functional, more long lasting, and more beautiful? So any of those questions are the inspiration that we look to for our design process and our product roadmap? So we just launched a new Montessori bookshelf.
- [17:51]
A
I saw that. It's so cute.
- [17:53]
B
Yeah. And the Montessori bookshelf, where the books are facing the kid, are kind of the Only way to make sure that your books aren't in total chaos. So it's such a useful product already.
- [18:03]
A
Yeah.
- [18:03]
B
But if you look in the market, they're almost all. They're all quite similar from an aesthetics and design perspective. So we thought, like, let's make this product more beautiful and more fun and bring kind of a new design perspective. So we launched it in a bunch of fun colors like a cherry red. And we're seeing people just like, really connect with it, really love it. So that's one that we thought about, like, oh, how can we make this thing that's really useful more beautiful? And then some of our other products kind of start with the other perspective of like, okay, this thing's already, like, aesthetically pleasing and generally nice options on the market, but how can we give it more longevity or more function? So, like, our, you know, twin beds that we just launched where we're like, okay, we know that people are kind of struggling with this transition from the crib to the full size bed. Can we make something that really bridges that gap while still being a design anchor in the room and looking beautiful?
- [19:03]
A
It's a good point that either you're filling a gap that doesn't exist, or you're iterating on a gap that does exist, but it's not from the lens of a design perspective. It's not really that exciting. And to your point about the Montessori bookshelf, like, they do all look the same. They're all like white or like exposed pine or something. Like, they're like, not beautiful. And your Montessori bookshelf, which has like these cute little bobbin details on it and comes in like pale blue and pale pink, and it's basically taking the smart function, but making it with a design lens and that doesn't really exist. It's hard. The kids market, I feel like, is tricky and it's hard to find things that are both functional and beautiful. And I feel like you guys do such a good job on that.
- [19:53]
B
Yeah, I think that's what makes it so excited about working in the kids space. It's really a sea of opportunity. I think there is so much room, like you said, to bring something that maybe useful but really boring and not delightful and make it special and then take other things and really increase the utility and make it more of a workhorse for the families that bring it into their home.
- [20:16]
A
Well, looking back, what do you think something that you're most proud of in Essex Journey so far would be?
- [20:23]
B
I think there's so many things, you know, I'm really proud of. Kind of how we've responded to not always having the resources that we were hoping for, like I said. But, yeah, really thinking about the team that that now is in place and working together to create everything that we do. When we started, it was just my co founder guy and myself for the first six months, and then we hired our first person to help us with customer service. So we were very used to doing kind of every single piece of the business.
- [20:54]
A
Yeah.
- [20:54]
B
And, you know, we do so much more now than we did in the beginning. In the beginning, we only sold cribs. You know, we didn't have this large library of kind of prints and patterns. And all the things we do today really are only possible because we have this great team around us. So I think that's the thing I'm really most proud of.
- [21:14]
A
Yeah, it's so crucial, especially as you grow. Having a team that, like, is all aligned on one singular goal and vision makes the experience of getting there even so much better. What is next for the brand? I mean, are there any exciting categories or projects on the horizon for Nestic?
- [21:32]
B
So this one will be live by the time this episode comes out, but one that I'm super excited about. We have partnered with Hill House on our mini chairs.
- [21:42]
A
Oh, my God, that's so fun.
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B
Yeah, Our mini chairs are kind of the little, you know, upholstered kids chairs that they can move around the house.
- [21:51]
A
And, yeah, my girls have them. They love them.
- [21:53]
B
Yeah, they're so fun. It's really sweet to watch them, like, plop in there with their little book or, you know, drag it up to the tv. But we're doing our kind of two silhouettes of mini chairs in two of their kind of most iconic prints just in time for the holidays. So I think a perfect thing to give your child or kind of niece and nephew and is a really kind of special collaboration of the two brands.
- [22:19]
A
That's so fun. And such a good baby gift, too.
- [22:23]
B
Yeah. So I'm excited. I'm hoping to see some fun pictures of little kiddos in their kind of matching jammies or nap dresses in their mini chairs.
- [22:33]
A
Yeah. Oh, that's so cute. I love Hill House. And now they're just a rocket ship. That's so exciting. I can't wait to see it. Yeah.
- [22:43]
B
And Nell was actually one of the first moms to have our cribs in her nursery.
- [22:48]
A
Oh, wow.
- [22:49]
B
Yeah. So when we launched, she was expecting her twins, and, I mean, you couldn't ask for a More beautiful background. I think she had this, like, beautiful.
- [22:58]
A
Oh, it's so gorgeous.
- [22:59]
B
Wallpaper behind the crib. So it's really special to kind come full circle and get to work together.
- [23:05]
A
On something that's amazing. That's such a beautiful story. I love that. Let's talk a little bit about working in design. What do you think is your favorite thing about working in the design world? Not, you know, as a designer, but as someone who's making products that designers work with. I feel like that's, like, a very cool seat to be in. Yeah.
- [23:25]
B
I think, just like we were saying before, of really getting to watch the full life cycle. And I think I've always really kind of connected with the role of the merchant, where I love seeing the product resonate with people. So, like, something that we imagined, and we're like, oh, this is such a cool, fun idea. And, you know, you can have amazing, cool ideas, and sometimes you put them out into the world and they don't connect with people. And, like, you're still really proud of the work, but it's a bummer.
- [23:54]
A
Yeah.
- [23:55]
B
And so I love getting to see that full life cycle, especially when we, like, really hit it right, and we have a design that we've created that people just, like, love and connect to. It's really special. And just getting to see the pictures that people share with us of our products in their homes. You know, the things that you get for your kids are so kind of connected and part of your everyday world. And it's, like, really special that we get to be a part of that for so many families.
- [24:22]
A
Totally. I mean, we feel that way when we get pictures from clients of, you know, them living in the house and kids playing in the playroom or in their. In their nursery. A picture of them hosting Thanksgiving. I mean, to me, that's the most gratifying piece of. Of what we get to do.
- [24:38]
B
Absolutely.
- [24:40]
A
What do you think your home says about you?
- [24:44]
B
So I love hosting, so I really hope that my home says that everyone is welcome.
- [24:50]
A
Oh, I love that.
- [24:52]
B
So even in our apartment in New York City, we really don't have proper space for a dining table, but I still have a giant dining table, and I always host a big Thanksgiving din with all of my orphan friends who don't have family that live in the area. And so this dining table is kind of my. It's a place that, you know, houses some of my favorite memories and kind of traditions that I've built with my own family. So when I think about home, I always think about just wanting to have a place that everyone feels welcome and comfortable and kind of immediately at home themselves.
- [25:27]
A
That's really special. I love that. What are some of your favorite places to shop for a home? Obviously, besides Nesting, of course.
- [25:36]
B
So we recently got a place in the Hudson Valley. I've been loving getting to explore all the different antique shops in the area. I think it's kind of probably some of the best antique shopping you can find. And some of my favorite pieces in our home.
- [25:52]
A
Oh, yeah. Have you been to Montage?
- [25:54]
B
I haven't.
- [25:55]
A
Oh, my God. You have to go. It's like, the best.
- [25:58]
B
I know. I have a very long to do list of different places that I need to know.
- [26:03]
A
We make a day out of it at the firm sometimes, and we go upstate and we do some sourcing, and we just hit all of the antique and vintage shops. I'll. I'll give you a list, but Montage is really a special place. Okay.
- [26:15]
B
I can't wait. Yeah. I love, love all of the treasures that you can find and I think some other favorite places. I've always loved ABC carpet and home. I remember when I first moved to the city, and just walking through that store felt. Felt so magical. So that always has a special place in my heart. And then something we haven't talked about that much. But Nesting is kind of very rooted in Brazil. We have a big team based in Sao Paulo, so I spend a lot of time there.
- [26:44]
A
Oh, wow.
- [26:45]
B
And there's a really beautiful store. I think it's one of the most beautiful retail stores I've ever been to for the brand. Tanya Bullous. That does tabletop. And even looking at their website, you'll be amazed. But this store is, like, just a piece of art in itself.
- [27:01]
A
That's so cool. I have to check it out.
- [27:02]
B
Yeah. And I think they ship to the US from their E Commerce, so it's possible to. To shop from here as well.
- [27:10]
A
Well, speaking of shopping, one of the new things that we're doing this season is every guest creates their shop. My storefront, which we're so excited about. What is currently on your wish list or in your seasonal rotation that you put in your shop? My storefront.
- [27:25]
B
So some of my kind of heavy hitters this season. I feel like Zara really knocked it out of the park on their jacket game this, like, past spring and fall. So I have a few kind of Zara jackets that have been working overtime in my wardrobe. And then I'm currently hunting for the perfect pair of loafers to replace pair of mine. That's getting tired. So those are kind of two, two things that I have on my list for this fall.
- [27:52]
A
I love that. I will say the Jamie Holler loafers are like the most comfortable pair of shoes I own. They're so good. You gotta try them out.
- [28:00]
B
Like I said, a recommendation from a mom is the exactly the best marketing there is.
- [28:07]
A
Is there anything in your storefront that you are like most excited about?
- [28:12]
B
So I think of course, all of our new products from Nesting. So the Montessori shelf that I was talking about is a personal favorite.
- [28:20]
A
Yeah.
- [28:21]
B
Our Hill House mini chairs are obviously going to be in there as soon as those are live. And then I feel like our kids bedding is a bit underrated. I wasn't expecting to be sleeping in it, but we have a day bed in my son's room and I found myself spending a few more nights there lately than I was anticipating. But our kids bedding, super fun with the prints, beautiful. 100% cotton per cow. That's another thing that we've launched kind of recently that I really, really love.
- [28:53]
A
I love it. And are there any kinds of products that aren't home related that you included in your storefront that you're loving or home products that aren't kid related?
- [29:04]
B
So I think like my kind of tried and true, sort of like beauty items that are, you know, the things that as soon as you realize you're running low, you need to purchase another one. So some of my favorite, it's the Crown Affair air dry mousse has been a total game changer for me.
- [29:22]
A
Everyone keeps telling me about that. I have to try it. I love their smell. Like the scent that Crown Affair uses. And I love Diana. I follow her on substack.
- [29:31]
B
Oh my God. Yeah. She has the most incredible hair.
- [29:33]
A
Yeah. And her substack is amazing. It's like really, it's a lot about being a female founder and entrepreneurship and it's really good.
- [29:43]
B
Yeah, I. I'm a big fan of hers. And yeah, the air dry mousse is like my holy grail hair product.
- [29:52]
A
Convince me I'm gonna get it. Yeah.
- [29:54]
B
And then the beauty of Joe sun sunscreen. I feel like that one went viral on TikTok and for very good reason. That has become the mainstay of my I'm not doing a very complete makeup routine. But of course SPF is a must. And that one has been my favorite SPF that I've ever tried. So those are a few of my like wholeheartedly recommend daily heavy hitters.
- [30:20]
A
I love It. I can't wait to look in your storefront. It's so fun. Well, at the end of every episode, we do our take 10, which are our rapid fire questions. They have nothing to do with design, but we think they're fun, so we like to ask them. So what is your favorite food?
- [30:35]
B
I probably spent way too much time thinking about what my answer would be for this question. I settled on vodka pasta. I think drink always that comfort meal.
- [30:45]
A
It's a classic. You can't go wrong with that.
- [30:47]
B
Yeah, that's a personal fave.
- [30:49]
A
Favorite drink.
- [30:50]
B
So I'm typically a red wine girl. That's my go to drink of choice. Sadly not able to drink red wine right now. I did rediscover this summer. Pink lemonade was kind of my go to, like, pool mocktail.
- [31:07]
A
Oh, my God. That's like my husband, his favorite thing. Like, he loves lemonade and a turkey sandwich.
- [31:12]
B
Yeah. I feel like I hadn't had it since I was a kid. Very.
- [31:16]
A
No, there's something very nostalgic about it.
- [31:18]
B
Yeah. So I love drinking a glass of pink lemonade by the pool.
- [31:21]
A
That's amazing. Favorite film?
- [31:24]
B
Going into fall, I have my list of kind of seasonal holiday movies. I only let myself watch them once a year, so I'm like, counting down the days until I get to watch the holiday.
- [31:34]
A
Oh, that's my favorite. I. I mean, it's an annual tradition in my house for sure.
- [31:39]
B
Yeah. Same.
- [31:41]
A
Favorite hotel.
- [31:42]
B
So I've never actually stayed in this hotel, but our place upstate is really close to the Innis Hotel. And so we go there. Yeah. For dinner. And they just have the most beautiful property. They have these beautiful fire pits where you can look at all the fall foliage. So that's a favorite spot that we go to all the time.
- [32:01]
A
Guinness is great. And the spa is great there too. Favorite city?
- [32:05]
B
I will say Sao Paulo, which is where kind of the other half of nesting lives. We're half in New York, half in Sao Paulo, so I love going there to get to spend more time with our team. And of course, Brazil has incredible food, amazing culture, so that's my favorite spot to go.
- [32:22]
A
Yeah, that's amazing. Favorite bedding? I think I know where the answer is going to be.
- [32:28]
B
Yes. For kids, definitely nesting. I recently upgraded my personal bedding to Matuk, which again, recommendation, crisp and delicious.
- [32:39]
A
I love Matu.
- [32:40]
B
Yes.
- [32:41]
A
Tea or coffee? And how do you take it?
- [32:43]
B
Definitely coffee. And my go to is an extra hot cappuccino with cinnamon on top.
- [32:51]
A
Oh, that sounds so nice. On a fall day.
- [32:54]
B
I always order it extra hot, and sometimes it takes me, like, 20 minutes to even get to drinking it, so it's probably, you know, not the. The most useful.
- [33:02]
A
But that's so funny. Anna Wintour also always, like, reportedly orders everything extra hot, and if it's not hot enough, she, like, orders it again, which I love.
- [33:12]
B
I. I never send it back, but I do love when my coffee is, like, piping hot.
- [33:17]
A
So good. Favorite playlist or music to listen to.
- [33:20]
B
I've been on a big Fleetwood Mat kick lately.
- [33:23]
A
Love it.
- [33:24]
B
Yeah, they're a classic.
- [33:26]
A
Good vibe. Favorite weekend activity, really anything.
- [33:30]
B
Being outside upstate, so, you know, visiting the little farms nearby, hiking in the summer, hanging out by the pool. We're big outdoors people, so just getting to spend time in nature and being outside.
- [33:44]
A
Yeah, it's the best. I mean, it's just so beautiful up there, too. Like, you. You don't want to be inside because it's just so stunning there.
- [33:52]
B
Yeah.
- [33:52]
A
Favorite design book, which I always think is the hardest question we ask.
- [33:57]
B
I know. I thought about this one, too, and I remember reading. It was maybe 10 years ago that I first read this book, but the book, the Design of Everyday Things.
- [34:07]
A
Ooh.
- [34:08]
B
It's, like, a pretty meaty book, and very much about kind of industrial design and.
- [34:12]
A
But so applicable to what you do.
- [34:15]
B
Yeah. Just feeling so inspired about kind of all of the thoughtfulness that goes into certain products and kind of why they're shaped the way they are and kind of how you can sort of steer someone with a great design or, like, frustrate them with a bad design. So I think that book really kind of was like, an unlock moment of how I look at the world and the objects around me. And a really amazing read.
- [34:41]
A
That's such a great answer. Well, a final few words. This was so much fun. Can you tell us what you're working on right now? Are there any new projects that you can talk about either, you know, at Nastic or personally?
- [34:52]
B
Like I said, I'm, you know, dying over our Hill House launch, but that goes live in late October, so we'll be fully live. And then something else I'm really excited about. We're working on our own kind of nursery chair collection. I think this is a category where there's a lot of products on the market that are really functional. But, you know, we have that question of, like. Like, can we make this more beautiful? And I think there's lots and lots of room, so we're bringing some really special, fun prints and really unique upholstery. To the category. So I'm really, really excited for that. It's coming out just in time for my new baby. So I'm also very excited to finally get to upgrade my chair to a proper nesting chair.
- [35:40]
A
That's amazing. I have noticed myself that when I'm sitting in my nursery chair with them and like, I had like, you know, they were for feeding, they were great for feeding. You know, late at night, they're comfortable. But now that my kids are bigger, they're not big enough to fit both of us.
- [35:56]
B
I'm also having this problem. My son is like, mom, give me space. I'm like, yes, we don't both fit in here.
- [36:02]
A
Annoying. And I'm sitting next to them and they're like nudging me off the chair. And so, like, I think there's a gap in the market for a wide enough nursery chair that rocks that you can sit in together and read in. And that's my, that's my parent of an older, slightly older child.
- [36:21]
B
Definitely.
- [36:22]
A
And finally, this is a question we always ask everyone. What is your advice for someone looking to define their own interior style? And I wonder if you have one in particular that applies to maybe kids rooms.
- [36:35]
B
So I always say start with the things that you love for a kid space. If you're expecting a baby, obviously you don't really know much about them yet. So it's this really special space where you get to share the things that you love that you hope that you get to experience together. So we say start with the things you love or if your kid is older, the things that they love. I think sometimes people are a little afraid of kind of leaning into anything too specific because they feel this pressure that they need to create a space that, you know, isn't going to change until their child is 18. And you know, we try to create products that are long lasting, but we also think it's really special to kind of lean into that moment that you're in now and, you know, finding ways to incorporate these sort of wacky things that your kids are excited about. And you know, they may not be as excited about them in five years, but they'll always remember that feeling of really, you know, loving and connecting with a certain character, a certain animal. And yeah, the pieces in the room are always going to be special to them.
- [37:40]
A
That's so beautiful. And I love the idea of tying the physical items with memory because that's really what you guys are in the business of doing, is creating the backdrop for memory making, which is really special. Well, Sarah, thank you so much for coming on the show. This was so fun to get to connect. It's been a while since we chatted and I'm so glad that we were able to do it.
- [38:01]
B
Likewise, it's been so fun to kind of watch. I feel like both the evolutions of our brand as you take on more and more projects and are building this media empire. It's been so fun to follow along your journey as well.
- [38:17]
A
Thank you so much. That's so nice. And where can listeners find more about you and nest egg?
- [38:23]
B
Nestig.com is the best place to really get to know us through our products. And we're also on Instagram @nestignest IG. Lots of inspiration imagery for beautiful kids spaces.
- [38:37]
A
Well Sarah, thank you so much. This was so fun and I hope I get to see you soon.
- [38:41]
B
Yes, likewise.
- [38:44]
A
Thanks again to my guests today for joining me and to shop my for sponsoring this season of Talk Shop. Head to the Show Notes to create your free shopper account and explore the curated storefronts from this season's designers. We'll be back next week with more thoughtful discussions and amazing guests. Follow us on Apple podcasts, Spotify and YouTube so you never miss an episode. And of course, follow me at arielleokun. See you next week.