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Sisters and co-owners Elizabeth White and Jacquelyn Buckner launched jewelry range Twine & Twig in late 2013, inspired by a love for the rustic outdoors and the casual vibe of North Carolina’s coast. Each piece of the brand’s offerings is designed and handcrafted by the sisters, tied with their signature suede strap, and features naturally sourced materials from all over the world. The brand’s new spring collection, AIR, combines gorgeously gossamer tones and aquatic elements like shells and fossilized sea urchins. Here, we caught up with the duo for a tour of their new Atherton Lofts sunlit studio in Charlotte, North Carolina.

What inspired your studio space?

Twine & Twig was founded on a love for simple, raw, and earthy elements. Our products, which range from jewelry to accessories to home items to marketplace travel finds, all share the same rustic style so it was important for us to be in a space that came full circle. Our new creative studio inspires our designs and our designs inspire our studio.

How did this space differ from those you had in the past?

Our former studio was an older Victorian-style house that was charming and great for our start-up, but it also had a choppy layout and low ceilings. We outgrew that office and design studio and sought a space that had better natural light, a cooler presence and a completely open floor plan. Our space makes us feel more unified, as we can fit the whole team in one studio.  It was the perfect fit for our brand with the 20-foot ceilings and windows, the abundance of natural light, exposed brick, and beams.

What makes you feel most productive here?

Being comfortable! Our studio is an extension of both of our home styles so we LOVE to come to work! You can often find us walking around barefoot on the Moroccan rugs or lounging on our comfy chaise with our two pups nearby or prototyping new designs at the farm table. It’s hard to be creative without being comfortable! Twine & Twig’s culture is something we try to really focus on by creating an atmosphere for our employees to be productive, as well as inspired by their surroundings. A stocked fridge with rosé, IPAs, healthy snacks, and lots of good music helps create a cool, laid back atmosphere.

What was the biggest surprise in designing this space?

Twine & Twig is a handcrafted line that celebrates the natural imperfections of the materials we use in our designs. The historical building and uniqueness of our studio make us feel like we are creating our mark in this place and time. There are nicks and scratches as evidence of the former life of this building, which was used as an old cotton mill. Some might see flaws, but we draw inspiration thinking of everything that has happened in this space since the late 1800s. We find that when we are in need of something decor-wise, instead of purchasing it, we make it. Everything from the mudcloth pillows to laptop bags to carved bone salt and pepper shakers—we incorporate many Twine & Twig products into the design of our space.

The biggest challenge?

We fell completely in love with the building but knew when we purchased this space that we would be limited on storage, forcing us to get creative on how we displayed our inventory and supplies. All Twine & Twig products are hand made in-house at our Charlotte studio where we also run our website and wholesale business to our retail partners. We had custom

open shelving

built and used tons of glass jars to organize stockpiles of materials including beads, antlers, and shells. There is so much beauty in the simple showcasing of our materials and products. Everyone who visits cannot get over how much product we produce here and is impressed by our method of displaying what we make to ship.

What’s your favorite memory you’ve made in this studio?

The weekend we moved into our studio we held a fundraiser and raised $15k to donate to Make-A-Wish, a charity that is near and dear to our hearts. It was the first time we were able to give back on that scale, and it’s those moments where we feel proud to be role models for our five young children, so they learn early on the importance of philanthropy and understand our passion for sharing our success.

What’s one design element you’ve incorporated that readers should try for themselves?

One design element we love is to use glass jars to organize or store keepsakes. In our homes, the pantry is full of jars containing dried fruit, cereal, nuts, and dog bones. Not only is it practical to keep an eye on low inventory, it doubles as art. For years, we have been gathering a handful of shells and sand from special trips. Seeing the jars stacked with the date and location is a fun way to keep memories front and center! If it’s meaningful and beautiful, get it out of the drawer. It’s amazing how much joy and inspiration you can draw from being able to see the things you love.

Instagram: @twineandtwigstyle Studio Pups: Stella (Australian Shepherd) and Pancho (Basset Hound)