Lakewood resident Linde Browning has made it her goal to dismiss any negative connotation of the word “homebody.” At the young age of 24, she already has established a custom furniture business, and through it she hopes to remind people of the comforts of home and refresh the story that each home tells.
Sitting in her Deep Ellum studio surrounded by works in progress, Browning is fulfilling a dream that started years ago at her family’s home in Tyler. Early on, she knew she wanted to merge her passion for working with children with her love for interiors, creativity and living spaces. So she earned her degree in painting and sculpture and set out to make that happen.
“Parents involve their children in activities outside the home such as soccer and art lessons and dance, which are all pieces of the puzzle,” Browning says, “but the truth of it is that you spend more time inside your home than anywhere else.”
She relishes the idea of giving children something to look at other than a blank wall or ceiling. Her goal is to partner with parents in helping create these surroundings for their children.
“To encourage your children to be forward thinkers and creative decision makers, you have to create a conducive environment,” Browning says. “You can’t live in a house with white walls and expect a colorful life.”
Along the way, she found that the reason many families do not bring new furniture into their homes was because of the cost. So she made it her mission to spread the popularity of refinishing furniture that people already have.
“A lot of the furniture that I work with has been in the family for a long time, and I try to highlight the character of them,” Browning says. “I try to help people remember all the meals that have crossed a table, and all the people that have sat in the chairs, to help them remember why these pieces are important.”
To do that, she takes pieces that are outdated in look and feel and recreates them to fit into the rooms they occupy. An advantage in older furniture, she says, is that much of it is handmade and sturdier than many of the assembly line pieces currently in stores.
Browning considers herself fortunate in that realizing her own dream helps parents and families realize their dreams for their houses and living spaces.
“Frank Lloyd Wright said, ‘You can only be as stimulated as your environment,’” Browning quotes, “and to me, that results in a renaissance of the home.”
For more information, visit Linde Browning Design.
