Welcome to the launch of a new journal series entitled, 'Thoughtfully Considered.' This series will share a little peek into the lives of inspiring women who embody what it looks like to live lives of thoughtfulness, as it pertains to their careers, homes, families, and passions.
I am incredibly excited to have Danielle Cyr as our first "guest" to the journal. Danielle is the co-founder of June Home Supply, a gorgeous home-wears shop in Winnipeg which she runs with her husband Joël. We have been long time instagram friends (although still yet to meet in person!), and I have had the pleasure of doing many photoshoots for their shop. It's quite likely if you have ever asked me where something in my home comes from that I will say 'June Home Supply.'
Danielle has impeccable taste when it comes to curating pieces for the shop and her home. Although she doesn't have a personal instagram, you can sometimes see glimpses of their home and two sweet kids through the JUNE journal.
What do you love most about or in your home?
I love the simple, quiet life we’ve created thanks to this home. As a family, we’re very conscious about living at an unhurried pace and living here has allowed us to achieve that. Our daughter’s school is literally across the street and our son’s, just a 5 minute jaunt.
On most days we’re only rolling out of bed after 8am and the kids are still never late for school even after having a proper sit down breakfast! Work is also a mere 10 minutes away if we’re not working from home.
Proximity to things is high on the priority list and our home checks off those boxes. Being quite centrally located, we’re a walking distance to so many great amenities, restaurants, coffee shops, the french library, bakeries...we even have a beautiful urban forest just down the street if ever we’re in need of a quick escape from the noise of the city. It all makes for a beautifully simple life!
Our home is small (coming in at just over 1000 sqft) and humble but full of life and love. Though we have often been tempted to upgrade to more square footage we can’t seem to wrap our minds around leaving this home and the precious memories we’ve created here. It is a good reminder that bigger is not always better. We cherish the closeness that small living has fostered for our family and at the end of the day that is what ‘home’ should ultimately be about.
Three things about you that most people don't know.
1.I’m a true 4 on the Enneagram. The individualist creative prone to melancholy is ‘me’ in a nutshell.
2.I’m an introvert and a homebody to my core. Home is my happy place.
3.I’ve lived on the same street for over 25 years of my life. The house next door to the one I grew up in (and where my parents still live) went up for sale when our daughter was a year old and we jumped at the opportunity. It’s a great neighbourhood, a beautiful community and, well, having grand parents next door is pretty much the cherry on top (most of the time, ha!)
Is there something you tend to collect? (In your home, in your wardrobe, in life).
I have a weakness for knit sweaters-my husband can attest to that. They’ve taken over most of our closet! But I come by it honestly...we do live in sub-zero temps for half the year. In my home I tend to collect a variety of items from antique or vintage shops. Vases, lamps, artwork, furniture...I truly believe a home should have one of a kind pieces that tell a story.
Describe your "everyday-wear." Do you have a wardrobe workhorse or staple piece?
Usually something pretty simple and classic with an emphasis on comfort. Either a knit sweater, turtleneck or button up shirt with jeans. But I’m usually cold so there’s a good chance I’m wearing a sweater. And dare I say it? Birkenstocks and socks. Birken(socks) is the official term, so I’m told. I’m one of those people.
A creative passion that you would love to pursue one day?
It’s been a long-standing dream of mine to someday own an antiques shop filled with one of a kind treasures and objects. I’m naturally drawn to the whole process of discovering and sourcing really unique, timeworn objects(deep down I’m an old soul) and I have to admit the thrill of the hunt is a bit like a drug! It’s exciting to stumble upon that one piece that just speaks to you and you know that someone else will love it just as much!
I’ve had the chance to explore this passion of mine, somewhat, but on a smaller scale with the introduction of ‘Le Marché’, a collection of vintage and antique items that I would source locally and sell through JUNE. Though we sadly don’t offer this collection anymore (for logistical reasons) it was so well received by our customers and gave me a taste of what it would be like to pursue this dream. They say you should never turn your hobby into a job but I can’t think of abetter way to spend my time than hours on end scouring flea markets, brocantes and antique stores for unique finds!I’m currently inspired by shops like Pidgin in Upstate NewYork and Galerie Provenance in LA that do the ‘modern’ antique store so well! The curation is so fresh and highly on point!
Best recent meal?
There are a couple actually! My brother in law just recently opened up a new fine dining restaurant in Winnipeg called Nola and we had the pleasure of attending the soft open...every morsel was magic! Top menu items were the
‘Gunpowder Roast Carrots’ (you’ve never tasted carrots like these!) and the ‘Seared Scallops with Lo Bak Go’.
My husband and I also went to ‘The Roost’ recently, a tiny 3 table restaurant nestled on the second floor of a narrow building in Winnipeg’s Little Italy quarter. It has a super cozy atmosphere (think quaint English pub meets Hobbit hole) with delicious cocktails and even more delicious food. We sampled everything from the stuffed olives to the fresh oysters and mignonette, to their signature Roost burger (best vegan burger I’ve ever tasted!) Highly recommend!
Something you swear by or recommend frequently.
A trip to the English countryside, ha! But in all seriousness I truly can’t recommend it enough. We took our kids a couple years ago and they constantly ask if we can go back! There is something enchanting about it all...the rolling hills, the old world charm of village life, quaint cottages and sheep strewn across the landscape, tea, scones and clotted cream...it’s a balm for the soul and we can’t wait to go back!
You have chosen not to have a personal social media presence. What is the reason behind that?
I think it really just comes down to personal preference and even personality-we started running our business social media platforms with a more personal approach, sharing snippets of our family and home life because I thought that’s what we were “supposed” to do and truthfullyI just didn’t find joy in documenting our private life. I found myself living for the next ‘instagrammable’ moments and even striving to create them and ultimately missing out on the beautiful and the sacred bits of mundane, everyday life. I admire those who do it and I think it’s a genuine extension of their lives and personality but it’s just not for me. I’ve resigned myself to the fact that I’d much rather lead an unassuming life that’s lived quietly behind closed doors.
What are you passionate about?
I’m quite passionate about spaces and interiors in general. On any given day you can find me devouring copious amounts of design content ranging the style spectrum from the well edited spaces of warm minimalism to the highly collected, mixed interiors of quintessential British design. While I do like to stay informed on what’s trending in the interior design world I think deep down my true passion is creating a home that speaks more to a feeling than a particular design style or trend.
Even as a little girl I was acutely aware of how different spaces made me feel. I was intrinsically drawn to cozy environments that felt warm, layered and inviting (cue my love of Nora Ephron and Nancy Meyers movies). In fact I was just recently recalling a beloved memory from childhood-my parents would often bring us shopping to the Hudson’sBay Company (sadly, now a defunct department store in downtown Winnipeg) and I remember loving the 6th floor the most. What was then the furniture department, the 6th floor offered a beautiful lesson in the art of cozy. Mock living rooms and dining rooms were carefully curated and set up across a perfectly dimly lit room, with area rugs soft under foot and gently lit table lamps adding just enough glow to make the whole room feel like a magical cozy wonderland. My sisters and I would jump from ‘room’ to ‘room’ occasionally stopping to enjoy the comfort of a plush, oversized sofa and simply take it all in.
I’m sure it would look nothing like I described if I had the chance to revisit it today but to my 8 year old mind it was spellbinding and I felt happy and at home in that place.
I think there’s something so powerful about how our environment can shape and inform how we feel and perhaps that’s a part of what I’m trying to accomplish through our homewares business, JUNE. Behind the curation of beautiful home goods is really a deep desire to help others nurture a connection to moments rather than things, to foster a‘feeling’ of home rather than a ‘style’ of home-like how a beautiful wooden dish brush can accompany a contemplative, quiet moment at the kitchen sink or how a linen tablecloth can serve as a backdrop to a shared meal with loved ones. Ultimately, home should be a felt experience of the sacred and precious moments of life.
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