Enter the delightful world of Flora Bae Home, a must-visit boutique in Petoskey that uplifts and showcases women-owned businesses.
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Stepping into 209 Howard St. in Petoskey is like finding yourself in what is part chef’s secret cupboard, part Sherlock Holmes-style study: a ready-for-inspection array of exotic culinary and cocktail accouterments alongside oodles of art, books and as-yet-unsolved curios of mysterious purpose.
Flora Bae Home—its middle moniker an acronym for the shop’s botanical, apothecary and entertaining wares—doesn’t seem so much a shop as it does a small-scale arboretum, library and to-die-for living room.
For the full profile on Natalie Louzon and Flora Bae Home, grab a copy of the March issue of Traverse Northern Michigan magazine.
From Flora Bae Home’s earliest beginnings, owner Natalie Louzon knew part of her mission would be to collaborate with other women. “To me, competition has a negative connotation,” she says. “It is very ego-centric. It is about winning; not growing. I believe that lifting other women up, supporting other women artists, and collaborating are more worthwhile and make a much larger impact on our community—and on my personal life and business.”
She often reminds herself of this quote by Amanda Rubin of She & Me Collective: “The best kind of women-owned business is one that uses her fire to light another woman’s match.”
Here, some favorite items and gifts that Louzon stocks at her Petoskey boutique:
1) Taper Holders in Smoke, The Floral Society, $38 each; 18” Smoke Taper Candles, $19 set/2
“These taper candles are the best on the market in my opinion. They burn clean and long, they are as dripless as they come and the color options are perfect, inspired by hues in nature.”
2) Muskoka Diffuser, Vancouver Candle Co., $55
“This is Flora Bae Home’s signature scent that you smell as you enter the shop—there is a dedicated following of this item.”
3) One-of-a-Kind Loom Block, Twenty Two West, $99
“Mary of Twenty Two West was introduced to me by a friend—the two of us immediately connected. I was her first wholesale account in Michigan and I absolutely adore her loom blocks—which are customized for Flora Bae Home, and can be styled in so many ways.”
4) Air Plant, Xerographica, $24
“Flora Bae Home is filled with ALL THE THINGS for the plant lover.”
5) “Design by Nature: Creating Layered, Lived-in Spaces Inspired by the Natural World,” By Erica Tanov, $35
“This book follows the way we strive to bring the outdoors in using natural, botanical elements as well as texture and green into the home.”
6) Palm Sculptural Candle, Candle Copenhagen, $32 + On the Rocks Geode Resin Coaster, $11
“I believe sculptural candles are going to be HOT in 2023 you can look forward to seeing lots of different sculptural candles in the shop this year. We like to display them on the beautiful Resin Geode Coasters made by On the Rocks, a women-owned small business out of Naples, FL.”
7) Belenois Small Butterfly Bell in Glass Cloche, Belen Collection, $75
“I love the whimsical and natural design of these glass cloches from a women-owned French company. It makes for a wonderful conversation piece and looks beautiful in any room of a home.”
8) Square Ceramic Strawberry + Pistachio Vase, Alejandra Design, $84
“Alejandra’s designs stopped me in my tracks when I saw them: I love the geometric angles of her pieces in addition to her unique and gorgeous colorways.”
9) Speckled Sand Dish with Mini Tectorum Air Plant, Eliana Bernhard, $52
“Everything is made in small batches by Eliana in her East Austin studio. The air plant is from a farm in San Diego, but the dish can be used for rings, in the bath or kitchen, or even on a charcuterie board with nuts.”
10) Original Miniature Mixed Media Art, Kaleidoscope Collection by Lindsey Claire Newman, displayed on The Pen + Piper wood Art Block, $67
“Lindsey is a local Petoskey artist and friend who I was introduced to through Instagram by another friend who knew that we both were moving to Petoskey at the same time. While trying to convince her to work for me, we became friends and I fell in love with her contemporary art. She agreed to show her original art in my shop and the rest is history.”
11) Flora + Fern Loofah Bar Soap, Cleanse Gourmet, $16
“As a fellow floral designer I felt a strong connection to Maggie and her love of all things botanical. Her products are beautiful, and they all smell AMAZING. This is a blend of ylang ylang + rosemary + peppermint + lavender + wild orange.”
12) Wick Rechargeable Table Lantern, Graypants, $149
“I personally love functional design, maybe it’s the Virgo in me? Creating a mood with lighting in a room is something that I am a BIG advocate of.”
13) Artist Choice Little Sippers, Gravesco, $16
“I love the little sippers because they are multi-functional. They can be used for serving espresso, juice, whiskey, sauces, taking vitamins or as planters for baby succulents.”
14) Mango Wood Cheese + Charcuterie Board, Nikita Fine Art, $80
“When I first got these into the shop you didn’t see this more modern version style anywhere Up North really … it has become trendier, but I love that Nicole also ran with a completely custom colorway for Flora Bae Home.”
15) Pressed Botanical Porcelain Wall Hangings, RESEED, $28–$42
“I found Brooke’s work on Instagram and fell in love! She became my first ceramic artist in the store and one of the first Michigan small businesses that I carry. She is a part-time ceramic artist, part-time high school ceramics teacher and full-time mom. I carry her spoon rests, salt cellars, vases and wall planters in addition to the wall hangings featured here.”
Get to Know More Incredible Women Across Northern Michigan
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- Meet Northern Michigan’s Liaison, Beatriz Moreno
- Meet Northern Michigan’s Joy Creator, Heather Spooner
- Meet Northern Michigan’s Alchemist, Geri Lefebre
- Meet Northern Michigan’s Conservationist, Liz Petrella McKellar
- Meet the Dream Believer of Northern Michigan, Laura Galbraith
- Meet Northern Michigan’s Anchor, Jennifer Shorter
