As Etsy’s “curator,” Martha Stewart looked at hundreds of products from small businesses to create her first spring “collection,” unveiled this week. Around a hundred items made in the United States, United Kingdom, France and Germany in particular have obtained its “Good Things” seal. The Press had the pleasure of announcing to two Quebec entrepreneurs that one (and even two) of their creations were among the favorites of the queen of good taste. Here they are.
Atelier Bussière: the beauty of natural stone
Two items from BussièreBoutique caught Martha Stewart’s attention: the FOGO jar, a small cherry wood container topped with a marble lid, and four marble coasters. They are made in the Lac-Mégantic region by Atelier Bussière, a small company established in Lac-Drolet, which works with natural stone in different ways.
PHOTO JESSICA GARNEAU, LA TRIBUNE
Jean-François Bussière, owner of Atelier Bussière, gives new life to scrap natural stone, whether marble or granite.
“I feel like I won the million! exclaimed the owner, Jean-François Bussière, a manager with many ideas, when he heard the news.
There is a pride in seeing that Martha Stewart has looked at two of my products. That’s a nice endorsement, coming from someone of that stature.
Jean-François Bussière, owner of Atelier Bussière
PHOTO MELANIE BUSSIÈRE, PROVIDED BY ETSY CANADA
This set of four coasters made by Atelier Bussière is made of Pearl Gray marble, from Georgia, in the United States. Price: $65
And if now the orders multiplied greatly thanks to the touch of Martha Stewart? He says he is ready to take up the challenge, along with the other two members of his small team, who work in the workshop. “We are in the MRC du Granit, where the stone industry is very present,” he explains. Lots of countertop manufacturers are set up here and generate offcuts. I often dip into it to make small objects and components that will be used to make lights and furniture. »
The objects he offers are made in collaboration with designers and creators. “These are products that you can keep all your life,” he explains, “because of the nature of the material with which you work. »
Habits and Customs: a noted standard-bearer
The walnut entryway benches with built-in storage from Montreal-based Us et Coutumes, which have been available on Etsy for nine years, also caught Martha Stewart’s interest.
PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
The co-owners of Us et Coutumes, Vincent Cloutier and Alicia Baron (centre), are looking to diversify their offer and are ready to meet demand, with the invaluable collaboration of their employee, Laurence Desmarais.
“I am pleasantly surprised,” said company co-owner Vincent Cloutier, when The Press notified him. “We specialized in high-quality wooden occasional furniture, shipped flat like IKEA furniture, and Etsy opened the door to the American market for us. The bench has been our standard bearer and has served us well. »
PHOTO JS DENOMME, PROVIDED BY ETSY CANADA
Walnut entryway benches with built-in storage from Montreal-based Us and Customs caught Martha Stewart’s interest. Price: $662.93 (26 in — 0.66 m — long)
Since the pandemic, the company has been seeking to diversify its products and to be more present on the Quebec market, by producing more custom-made products, reveals the industrial designer, who entered into a new partnership in 2021 with Alicia Baron, also a designer. industrial. “Design is at the heart of everything we do,” says Vincent Coutier.
PHOTO JS DENOMME, PROVIDED BY ETSY CANADA
Walnut hall bench
For someone like Martha Stewart, who has a very sharp eye and is looking for more exclusive products, to put a stamp of approval on one of our pieces of furniture, it’s super flattering.
Vincent Cloutier, co-owner of Us et Coutume
By going to the Etsy site, consumers will find that the choice of configurations is quite wide, he notes. “It’s a gateway to our Etsy shop, where we offer about fifteen products mainly in wood, including benches, shelves with coat racks, consoles, cutting boards, wall hooks … It’s very varied. »