Green, sustainable, recycled, locally made, toxic-free … all terms that people living mindful, environmentally friendly lifestyles are surrounded by. Sandra Perry, owner of Honest Home, lives, works, eats and breathes these terms. After seeing firsthand the damage caused to the environment in the textile and fashion industry, she turned her focus from fashion design to sustainable home living. She moved to Louisville, opened up her business and hopes to educate people about living green. Recently, we sought her advice about ways to detoxify our homes, which you can read here. Today, though, we’re getting to know the woman behind the mission. Welcome, Sandra, today’s FACES of Louisville profile!
Sandra Perry, owner of Honest Home
You are the owner of Honest Home. Please give us an overview of what you sell and what services you offer.
We provide everything for the inside of your house at Honest Home. We aim to keep every item made in the USA, and as close to home as possible. All of our products are sustainable or recycled and are toxic-free. Our product line includes zero VOC paint, formaldehyde-free cabinetry, sustainable flooring, day lighting systems, sustainable wallpapers and locally made furniture, sealed with toxic-free sealants.
Why is it so important for your home to be green?
Mindful and conscious shopping not only supports a healthier environment, but each purchase contributes to the well-being of communities. When you shop mindfully, you are led to healthier products that do not off gas or jeopardize the indoor air quality of your home or your health.
You have a background in fashion design and manufacturing. How did you get into this new line of work with Honest Home?
Fashion is another industry with zero ability to care for its footprint. Fashion Week gets earlier and the latest roll of untested fabric must arrive in NYC with space shuttle speed. The manufacturing side is uglier than home products, and I had the firsthand experience how an old world method was never going to change. Many consumers look at fashion as disposable, and cost and time become the only parameters besides labor inspections. After research, I found people would care more about what they were putting into their homes than apparel.
Honest Home has building and home design materials, as well as retail space.
You are from out of town and moved to Louisville specifically to start this business. Why Louisville?
I moved from Brooklyn, and both communities are very supportive of small business. However, here you can get anywhere in 15 to 25 minutes. There was an existing business for sale and no one had the market within a five-hour radius.
Are you totally green? Or where do you lapse/cheat?
Sustainability is more than a habit for me. It’s the way I think. From cleaning my home or purchasing a vehicle, I always go for local and sustainable, if available. There are times when I am unable to avoid a business or service that is not local or sustainable, but I do the research to try to make conscious choices.
If you did not do this job, what would you do?
Build a factory, start a school, drive the MakerMobile
Sandra welcomes us to Honest Home in NuLu.
Give us a peek at your agenda. What’s a typical day or week like for you?
Every day is different, but I always start with my favorite meal: a big breakfast. My days are filled with site visits, planning a client’s new kitchen, flooring or full remodel, product research, shop design and paperwork.
Who are your mentors, and what advice do you treasure?
Susan White, of White + Warren, who always leads by example, and Emily McCay, a local woman entrepreneur.
Fill in the blank. You’ll never see me without:
BANGS! Unless I am at the gym. I have had them forever.
Where can we find you hanging out around town?
I often end up at FirstBuild. There are always smart people around pondering the next innovation. I have learned to use a number of tools in the community space I can apply to projects.
An outdoor swing made from a bourbon barrel
What’s your bucket list travel destination?
Alaska has been on my list for some time, but always gets postponed. Also, going to Portland, OR, to check out their maker community.
Favorite thing to do in Louisville?
Ride my bike through Cherokee Park
Night owl or early bird? What do you do during that quiet time?
I wish I was an early bird, but it is a struggle to make those 8 a.m. meetings. It is easy for me to stay up late for work or play. Lately, I have been working on getting the furniture line REWORK COLLECTIVE up and running, from website to line sheets. But my go-to is cooking with vino.
Tell us some of your favorite local restaurants.
I don’t have to venture far for my favorites: Mayan Café, Harvest and Seviche, but I eat at Heart & Soy almost every day.
What’s on your personal reading list right now?
The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd, A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry and, of course, the next Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin.
Lightning Round! Give us your:
- Candy or junk food splurge: Louisville Cream!
- Favorite Clothing Brand: Amour Vert
- Fave accessories: Angela & Roi or Freedom of Animals
- Standby nail polish color: Gelish French manicure
- Favorite cocktail: Greyhound
- Cartoon alter-ego: I’m an ’80s kid, so I would say Jerrica Benton, entrepreneur empowering others around her.
Thank you to KentuckyOne Health, our underwriter for FACES of Louisville.
As always, much gratitude to our FACES photographer, Adele Reding, for her fantastic work. Visit her website at adeleredingphotography.com.
