This year more than any other, home has been a place of safety and refuge for many. Diane Stiglich, the owner of Luna Rose Home, a Hoboken staple for close to twenty years, has seen a renewed sense of community in Hoboken. “Residents have come together to help during the pandemic,” she says, “and people are nesting, new bedding, new pillows, and throws are unbelievably important.”
Luna Rosa Home is a tactile store, where people come in to touch, something they can’t do when shopping online. Diane chooses items not just for their look, but also their feelings. She pays close attention to how visitors respond to items – as she believes that things are more than things, especially if you buy something that is connected with memory or specialness.
She’s noticed that people respond to colors, sounds, and smells, based on happy memories. When someone wanders in, not knowing what they want, she’ll show them items until they make an indefinable connection. That way, they’re bringing beautiful and comforting items into their home.
“Home is where all the important things happen, it’s where you relax, it’s your oasis, your place where you heal and you let go of the day’s troubles, then restart all of your life at the beginning of the day.”
This season, iridescent pillows cover the display couches, and sparkle drifts down in snow globes. Silver and gold vases remind us that there’s much to celebrate in life, but she’s also shifted to more natural, woods, crystals, and rocks. “Natural textures don’t go out of style, because it’s a part of the earth and a part of us,” she says.
Homeowners who’ve spent months in their apartments crave that connection with nature, but they’re also connecting with their families. Diane’s family loves puzzles, and she’s often spent an afternoon on her sister’s deck slotting in pieces while nieces, nephews, and neighbors stop by to chat and put in a piece. Families have come into the store to buy the same puzzle, then compete against each other to see who can finish it first. It’s a way of connecting when they can’t physically be in the same place.
They’re also having fun buying cocktail books, crystal barware, and opalescent artisanal wine glasses, taking the opportunity to learn a new skill and create small moments of celebration in their lives. Heading into a season normally marked by large celebrations, it’s still worth decorating and putting on the glitz.
“When things are hard, you have to lift higher. Go the nine yards” Diane says. She put out holiday decorations early and has already had to reorder twice.
Sparkly flora and fauna, touches of flowers and color, bowls filled with ornaments, candles, and candle holders have all flown out the door. It’s a special season, with a slower pace and smaller gatherings. Since everything you chose for this very unique space in time will be associated with that, choose beauty.
Diane’s ultimate goal is to create a safe haven in Luna Rosa Home. “It’s supposed to have the vibe of the way the world should be, kindness, light, and peacefulness.” In a year that’s been short on all three, it’s especially important to bring light, softness, and coziness into your home.
To take a peek inside Luna Rose Home, check out their Instagram feed. You’ll find plush pillows you’ll wish you could touch, sparkles galore, and plenty of inspiration to help you make your home a refuge.
