Step Inside the Personalized Homes of 6 Jewelry Makers
See the artisans’ handiwork and inspired touches in these live-work spaces
Making jewelry is a delicate and intricate art requiring precision and creativity. For these six jewelry makers, that handcrafted touch also appears in their live-work homes. Get inspired by their eclectic and creative worktops and their organization and jewelry display ideas.
Twikler and her father worked on the siding, windows and doors and her friend helped with the framework. “Dad and I are pretty similar: We’re resourceful and good at fixing things, because we’re also good at breaking things,” she says.
The jewelry designer grew up with five siblings in Flinders, on Victoria state’s Mornington Peninsula, and learned from the many renovations her family’s home went through. The windows and doors in the studio are secondhand. One of the frames was found on the side of the road. “It just needed some glass and putty,” Twikler says.
Potential clients can come to the home studio to view Twikler’s line of rings, necklaces, earrings, bracelets and anklets.
She also offers other bohemian-style accessories from countries including India, Sri Lanka, Turkey and Nepal.
Potential clients can come to the home studio to view Twikler’s line of rings, necklaces, earrings, bracelets and anklets.
She also offers other bohemian-style accessories from countries including India, Sri Lanka, Turkey and Nepal.
The textured glass of the secondhand windows provides privacy without blocking the generous morning sunlight.
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Having a separate workspace allows Twikler to balance her home and work lives.
“There’s a door I can close, which is integral to keeping me sane and allows me to switch off. Otherwise, I would work all the time,” she says.
Many of Twikler’s friends stop in for a chat and a cup of tea during the day, so her creative work often happens at night.
“There’s a door I can close, which is integral to keeping me sane and allows me to switch off. Otherwise, I would work all the time,” she says.
Many of Twikler’s friends stop in for a chat and a cup of tea during the day, so her creative work often happens at night.
A vintage bedroom dresser holds a display of Twikler’s own jewelry.
“I fell in love with the brass-detailed handles,” she says. “It was secondhand and stained in dark brown, but everyone knows me and my desire to sand all of my furniture back and just paint it white.”
The dresser is on her list of things to fix, as some of the bottom drawers don’t open as easily as they once did. “I just can’t bring myself to part with it,” she says.
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“I fell in love with the brass-detailed handles,” she says. “It was secondhand and stained in dark brown, but everyone knows me and my desire to sand all of my furniture back and just paint it white.”
The dresser is on her list of things to fix, as some of the bottom drawers don’t open as easily as they once did. “I just can’t bring myself to part with it,” she says.
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2. Artful Flea Market and Collected Finds in New Jersey
Who lives here: Joanna Madden, her husband and two sons
Location: Point Pleasant, New Jersey
Size: 2,500 square feet (232 square meters); three bedrooms, two bathrooms
Joanna Madden has a degree in fashion merchandising and a love of visuals. She fulfilled both these passions while running a vintage home-goods business with her mother, and she now uses her skills as owner of her jewelry line, Findings.
Madden started her jewelry business in 2007 after taking a class in New York. She opened a retail storefront in the quaint beach town of Manasquan, New Jersey, in 2017. Her family’s home in Point Pleasant includes artfully displayed flea market finds.
Who lives here: Joanna Madden, her husband and two sons
Location: Point Pleasant, New Jersey
Size: 2,500 square feet (232 square meters); three bedrooms, two bathrooms
Joanna Madden has a degree in fashion merchandising and a love of visuals. She fulfilled both these passions while running a vintage home-goods business with her mother, and she now uses her skills as owner of her jewelry line, Findings.
Madden started her jewelry business in 2007 after taking a class in New York. She opened a retail storefront in the quaint beach town of Manasquan, New Jersey, in 2017. Her family’s home in Point Pleasant includes artfully displayed flea market finds.
Madden’s home studio is next to the dining room. Her workspace includes a stainless steel table with a vintage form that displays one-of-a-kind flea market finds.
Upper shelves hold her collection of green and blue McCoy pottery. Madden painted the refrigerator with chalkboard paint to create a place to jot helpful and encouraging notes throughout the workday.
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Upper shelves hold her collection of green and blue McCoy pottery. Madden painted the refrigerator with chalkboard paint to create a place to jot helpful and encouraging notes throughout the workday.
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Packaged necklaces ready to sell await Madden’s next trip to a trade show or jewelry fair.
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3. Eclectic Charm in a Baton Rouge Renovated Live-Work Cottage
Who lives here: Madeline and Dawson Ellis, owners of Mimosa Handcrafted; their children, Charles and Lillie; and their dogs, Willie and Lucy
Location: Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Size: 1,350 square feet (125 square meters); three bedrooms, one bathroom and a detached backyard studio
Who lives here: Madeline and Dawson Ellis, owners of Mimosa Handcrafted; their children, Charles and Lillie; and their dogs, Willie and Lucy
Location: Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Size: 1,350 square feet (125 square meters); three bedrooms, one bathroom and a detached backyard studio
Madeline and Dawson Ellis are the husband-and-wife team behind Mimosa Handcrafted jewelry. Their family’s renovated cottage includes a wraparound porch, on which they’re seen here.
Madeline was a landscape architect before she turned her passion for jewelry making into a full-time business. The couple enjoy using their porch to relax and host parties and for impromptu gatherings with friends.
Madeline was a landscape architect before she turned her passion for jewelry making into a full-time business. The couple enjoy using their porch to relax and host parties and for impromptu gatherings with friends.
This walkway leads from the house to a dedicated backyard studio. Dawson originally built the detached space for doing metalwork and woodworking, but as their jewelry company grew, the couple moved their studio into it. “We both work from home and are able to just walk out the back door and be at work in no time,” Madeline says.
The couple intentionally designed their yard with minimal plantings so their two children could have space to run and play on the grass. They planted cypress trees, live oaks and rows of clumping ‘Alphonse Karr’ bamboo for privacy.
The couple intentionally designed their yard with minimal plantings so their two children could have space to run and play on the grass. They planted cypress trees, live oaks and rows of clumping ‘Alphonse Karr’ bamboo for privacy.
Mimosa Handcrafted currently has three artisans working in the shop full time, as well as a communications director. Customers come by daily to pick up orders.
The jewelry line is named after the mimosa trees found in Madeline’s neighborhood when she was growing up. It includes handcrafted 14 karat, sterling silver and bronze jewelry, with all materials sourced in the U.S.
The jewelry line is named after the mimosa trees found in Madeline’s neighborhood when she was growing up. It includes handcrafted 14 karat, sterling silver and bronze jewelry, with all materials sourced in the U.S.
Dawson is seen here working on an intricate jewelry mold to be cast.
He owned a landscaping business when he and Madeline bought the home, but he eventually sold it to start working full time on Mimosa.
The couple sell their jewelry online through their website and at festivals and shows.
He owned a landscaping business when he and Madeline bought the home, but he eventually sold it to start working full time on Mimosa.
The couple sell their jewelry online through their website and at festivals and shows.
Mimosa’s popular Pelican Cuff bracelets embody the brand’s aesthetic — with a dash of Louisiana flair.
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4. Jewelry Hobbyist Taps Into Inspiration at Her Cape Cod Home
Who lives here: Claire Hannafin
Location: Orleans, Massachusetts
Size: 3,600 square feet (334 square meters); four bedrooms, three bathrooms
Year built: 1994
Claire Hannafin lives in a traditional New England Shingle-style home in Orleans, Massachusetts, built in 1994. She works in the financial services industry but spends much of her free time creating jewelry.
Hannafin, seen here, converted one of her upstairs bedrooms into her hobby space. Her worktable overlooks a pond, and the view of nature provides an inspiring backdrop.
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Who lives here: Claire Hannafin
Location: Orleans, Massachusetts
Size: 3,600 square feet (334 square meters); four bedrooms, three bathrooms
Year built: 1994
Claire Hannafin lives in a traditional New England Shingle-style home in Orleans, Massachusetts, built in 1994. She works in the financial services industry but spends much of her free time creating jewelry.
Hannafin, seen here, converted one of her upstairs bedrooms into her hobby space. Her worktable overlooks a pond, and the view of nature provides an inspiring backdrop.
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Hannafin’s signature style includes a mix of geometric shapes and unusual color combinations. She uses two framed cork boards to display some of her finished necklaces.
The studio is decorated in mostly black and white. Hannafin uses an Ikea bookshelf to organize her jewelry-making supplies.
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5. Sleek and Chic in the Texas Countryside
Who lives here: Ben Wilson and Sarah Briggs Wilson; their two children; and their dog, Munchie
Size: 2,700 square feet (251 square meters); four bedrooms, three bathrooms
Location: Waxahachie, Texas
Sarah Briggs Wilson operates her Sarah Briggs jewelry line out of a bright home workshop and studio. It’s a beautifully organized space. “When it comes to creating jewelry, it’s so important to keep materials well labeled,” she says. Her line includes necklaces, earrings, rings and bracelets.
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Who lives here: Ben Wilson and Sarah Briggs Wilson; their two children; and their dog, Munchie
Size: 2,700 square feet (251 square meters); four bedrooms, three bathrooms
Location: Waxahachie, Texas
Sarah Briggs Wilson operates her Sarah Briggs jewelry line out of a bright home workshop and studio. It’s a beautifully organized space. “When it comes to creating jewelry, it’s so important to keep materials well labeled,” she says. Her line includes necklaces, earrings, rings and bracelets.
Browse modular shelving units
Sarah considers herself a city person after living much of her adult life in small apartments in Brooklyn, Philadelphia and Dallas. She and husband Ben found an 8-acre parcel of land in Waxahachie, Texas, and worked with contractor Joe Zadwick of Vintage and Custom Homes to build their dream house.
“I can’t believe the view from my desk,” Sarah says. “I look out my window and see cows.”
Sarah worked with Always Greener in Oklahoma City to have a custom artificial turf rug made in the shape of her logo.
Pendant: Random Light by Bertjan Pot for Moooi, Design Within Reach
Sarah worked with Always Greener in Oklahoma City to have a custom artificial turf rug made in the shape of her logo.
Pendant: Random Light by Bertjan Pot for Moooi, Design Within Reach
Sarah’s decorating style reflects her love of clean lines and contemporary furniture. The living room includes laminate flooring and a serene palette of pale neutrals. The front door, guest suite, front office and kitchen open into this central living space.
Sarah’s walk-in closet features open shelves that keep all her clothes and accessories easily visible and accessible.
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6. Eclectic Style in a 1906 New Orleans Home
Who lives here: Ashley Porter and Martin Holly and their French bulldog, Gaston
Location: New Orleans
Ashley Porter and Martin Holly of New Orleans live in a 1906 shotgun-style home with 20-foot-tall cathedral ceilings. Porter wanted to expose and accentuate the home’s existing features and worked with architect Mark McDavitt to update the interior and yard.
McDavitt also made the wooden coffee table in the living room. It’s shown here topped with an indigo dye textile and a small glass jar filled with a collection of chicken feathers.
Linen slipcovered sofas: Restoration Hardware Outlet in San Marcos, Texas; hanging rattan chair: Serena & Lily
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Who lives here: Ashley Porter and Martin Holly and their French bulldog, Gaston
Location: New Orleans
Ashley Porter and Martin Holly of New Orleans live in a 1906 shotgun-style home with 20-foot-tall cathedral ceilings. Porter wanted to expose and accentuate the home’s existing features and worked with architect Mark McDavitt to update the interior and yard.
McDavitt also made the wooden coffee table in the living room. It’s shown here topped with an indigo dye textile and a small glass jar filled with a collection of chicken feathers.
Linen slipcovered sofas: Restoration Hardware Outlet in San Marcos, Texas; hanging rattan chair: Serena & Lily
Browse hanging chairs
Porter, originally from California, launched Porter Lyons in 2012 as a belt line. It has since evolved into an accessories and jewelry brand.
She works on her jewelry designs and sketches from this industrial-style desk, which has a view overlooking the expansive yard. Porter has a larger studio space, also in New Orleans, where she makes her jewelry.
She’s seen here working on a necklace, with French bulldog Gaston by her side.
She works on her jewelry designs and sketches from this industrial-style desk, which has a view overlooking the expansive yard. Porter has a larger studio space, also in New Orleans, where she makes her jewelry.
She’s seen here working on a necklace, with French bulldog Gaston by her side.
Porter bought the painting on the wall from a street artist in Colombia. The yellow rug is from Peru.
Porter and Holly had the original longleaf pine floors restored to their original state when they moved in.
Porter and Holly had the original longleaf pine floors restored to their original state when they moved in.
Inspiration for Porter’s designs comes from a variety of sources, including the alligator bones and dried roses displayed on her worktable. “My aesthetic ethos for my home is modern, minimal, with a hint of Native American,” she says. “My mom has trained my eye from a young age to notice details. I’ve always believed the beauty is in these small nuances.”
In the yard, a plaster wall painted red features a teak gate. Porter goes to Arizona often to source gems for her jewelry and is inspired by the native plants there. Two large planters with tall cactuses flank the gate.
McDavitt designed and built the tall privacy fence with wood from Sequoia Outdoor Supply. He also created the brick paths and patios.
The green chair is a Round Top Antiques Show find. The glider bench came from McDavitt’s childhood home in Texas.
The yard is home to a flock of chickens and three brother cats.
Wall paint: Golden Gate, Benjamin Moore
Read more about this home
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McDavitt designed and built the tall privacy fence with wood from Sequoia Outdoor Supply. He also created the brick paths and patios.
The green chair is a Round Top Antiques Show find. The glider bench came from McDavitt’s childhood home in Texas.
The yard is home to a flock of chickens and three brother cats.
Wall paint: Golden Gate, Benjamin Moore
Read more about this home
More
28 Creative Ways to Store (and Display) Your Jewelry
5 Innovative Ideas From a Live-Work Space in a Converted Toy Factory
Find an interior designer near you
1. An Australian Bohemian Live-Work Beach Home
Who lives here: Celeste Twikler and Chris Cain
Location: Byron Bay, New South Wales, Australia
Size: Two bedrooms, two bathrooms and an attached studio
Artist and jewelry designer Celeste Twikler lives with her partner, Chris Cain, in the beachside town of Byron Bay, Australia. Twikler closed in her studio, which was originally an open veranda, with the help of her father and a friend.