When Kellie Smith and Melanie Hönig couldn’t find the joyful mix they wanted for their own walls, couches and windows, they didn’t compromise. They started a company. Now SmithHönig is on a mission to help you create a home that’s more you.

The design duo is not interested in perfection for its own sake. It’s more about a creative approach to decorating–collecting what you love and above all, making it personal.

Super seventies boho? Yes. Layers of pattern and color? Yes. Intentionally mismatched, casual glamour? Yes! Traditional pieces in the brightest neon? You’re in the right place.

For both Melanie and Kellie, a joyful home is created from color, creative license and a bit of controlled chaos.

Interior designer Kellie’s home is a sprawling, Mid-Century glam pad, filled with iconic pieces like Eames chairs, faux fur, modern art and impeccable lighting. Unexpected touches include a graffitied sofa and an all-black kitchen.

That’s Kellie’s schnorkie, Elsie de Woof on the sofa — (named for the first recognized interior designer, Elsie de Wolf.)

At Kellie’s house, the master suite is a calming oasis of textural taupes and creams. Her motocross-racing son’s room features hand painted retro wall graphics, while a guest room is built around SmithHönig’s Andalusia fabric and vintage textiles.

Just down a tree-lined hill, semi-nomadic artist, literature lover and avid collector Melanie Hönig lives in a classic, two-story Georgian with columned porches, clipped hedges and a tuxedo cat named Mabel.

Known for a revolving tribe of houseguests as well as dinner parties both casual and formal, Melanie is a power user of the brand’s globally-inspired placemats, linens and tassels.

In some ways, the business partners couldn’t be more different. But together, they create uniquely exuberant patterns and products, and the brand is becoming a go-to source for maximalist home decor and design inspiration.

“We take a dip into every decade, design style, and color palette,” says Kellie. “And we 100% believe they can live together.”

“Your home is your autobiography,” Melanie adds. “It’s how you tell your story. An evolving collection of pieces you love and memories you’ve made.”

SmithHönig is a labor of love— and love, both co-founders will tell you, “ain’t always easy”!

“We work too much. We’re always trying to make things better”, Kellie says.

“We’ve made mistakes along the way and we’re constantly learning”, adds Melanie.

The pair personally creates SmithHönig’s patterns and collections, leading a small, hands-on team and working from Kellie’s 5,000 square foot design studio that was once a historic hotel.

In addition to the uniqueness of SmithHönig’s signature patterns, Kellie and Melanie infuse their collections with the principles that matter most to them.

Their luscious pillows, for instance, are stuffed with the silkiest down-like inserts. They’re weighty enough to stand up to a designer karate chop, but 100% vegan and cruelty free. You’ll never find leather, fur or down in SmithHönig’s product mix.

You will find artisan and handmade pieces, including vintage textiles discovered in far-flung souks. The traditionally-embroidered pillows by Bedouin artisans that SmithHönig features, are sold to help support a women’s empowerment center in the Negev Desert.

Giving back is as important as giving credit. In the patterns the pair sketches and the color palettes they create, you’ll see a celebration of global influences.

“We’ll always reference the source of our inspiration,” says Melanie. “Whether it’s Scottish tartan, Moroccan tilework, British florals, Congolese kuba or Japanese tie-dye. For us, the specific beauty is in the mix, creating something that celebrates what we’ve learned and loved. It’s a poem. It’s about the juxtaposition of colors, cultures and patterns.”

Both Kellie and Melanie think it’s important to surround yourself with like-minded people, both in person and virtually. Their Instagram circle is a mix of irreverent color-lovers, modern traditionalists and creative thinkers.

“We want to help you create a home full of style and personality,” Kellie says. “And we want to learn from each other along the way.”

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