What's In a Name?

When something comes about organically, it feels unforced. In the case of a name, that often means it has both a natural ring to it and is a good fit.

For years my husband, a rare book and print dealer, thought many of the beautiful things he came across would (and should) be appreciated by a wider audience. I agreed but thought it might be more fun to incorporate these stunning and detailed images into a collection of everyday items. My thinking was that instead of a framed reproduction hanging in an unused room (or worse, stored in an attic!), one would be able to enjoy art all day, every day. Phone cases were the obvious choice to start with as there is no item more ‘everyday’ than our cell phones.

A friend of mine, who is a painter, recently told me that when having dinner with friends she no longer slips her phone into her purse. Instead, she places it on the table because she enjoys looking at her Snowy Owl iPhone Case (with the added benefit that it often sparks interesting conversation).

This vignette validated the dual instincts behind Salt & Apple Designs — that it is possible to introduce antique prints to a new audience but, to do so successfully, one might have to take them off the wall. Which brings me back to the name Salt & Apple Designs. My initials are S-E-L (which means “salt” in French) and my husband’s are A-P-L. A fitting and organic moniker for this very joint venture of ours.