Boston retailer highlight: Lekker Home

Growing up, Natalie van Dijk always dreamed of a creative career. After studying textile design at university in the Netherlands she landed a job for Ralph Lauren’s home line, which included a move to the United States. After a couple of years, she felt the itch to create the brand of her dreams: one that is sustainable, luxurious, and a mix of classic designs with newer pieces that break the mold. And so, in 2003, Natalie and her husband founded ‘Lekker Home’.

‘Lekker Home’ may sound curious to some, as ‘lekker’ is actually a nod to Natalie’s heritage. The Dutch word means the same as ‘alluring’ or ‘enticing’. Based in Boston, Lekker Home specializes in furniture and decor that is aesthetically and ethically pleasing.

“Paying attention to the world and how it operates is a duty of all people, but especially those working in design”, says Natalie, now the creative director of the brand. “They can choose to make an impact on someone’s life beyond aesthetic. They should ask themselves: ‘are we working sustainably, is the wood FSC-certified, is this design made to last?’ and so on.” That is why Lekker Home only curates brands that they believe in and that represent their most important core values: authenticity and sustainability.

Natalie added Ethnicraft to their carefully curated selection over sixteen years ago, after seeing the brand at Maison&Objet. “What first attracted me to Ethnicraft, was their ability to make modern pieces without taking away from the beauty of the wood”, she explains.

“Ethnicraft complements the more modern and mid-century pieces by bringing in warmth”, she continues. A beautiful example of this is the Lekker Home showroom in Boston’s South End. There, classic Ethnicraft pieces like the Nordic and Spindle bed, the Window coffee table and of course the Bok dining table are displayed.

“For me, it is one of the brands that work for everything”, Natalie concludes. “Whether you’re looking for a more traditional setting or a modern setting, there’s going to be a piece that fits. Ethnicraft fits with everybody."