COMING HOME: A LITERAL METAPHOR

I had to write an essay once about where I was from. My parents immigrated to New York from Haiti just a few months before I was born. But at the time in my Brooklyn neighborhood, there was a lot of bad feeling and prejudice towards Haitians. I was young, trying to fit in and not particularly proud of being Haitian, so, since I didn’t have an accent because I was born in the States, everyone incorrectly assumed I was from Trinidad. I didn’t set them straight. Instead, I wrote my essay and lied about my heritage. I made up the whole thing and got an A. The teacher even hung it up on the bulletin board outside the classroom. 

A few days later my dad pops in at school and sees the paper...he never says a word, but I knew he was hurt. I felt awful, hot burning shame that I had betrayed him when all he had ever done was work SO hard to give me a better life. I swore I’d never again be ashamed of where I came from. That I’d never again hide my true self or my true story. 

Le’Blanc is my last name. My father’s last name. A Haitian last name. It’s part of who I am and it’s important. And Le’Blanc Home Boutique is about creating authentic, welcoming spaces in your home to tell your story, from the inside out. 

My taste is elegant, calm and traditional. I always want things to be classic and classy, nothing ostentatious or over the top. But I also LOVE colors. I like finding creative places to tie colors, accessories and other elements together throughout the home.

My mom created a cozy, clean and inviting space for all of us kids (there were six of us, so it wasn’t exactly spacious) to grow up. Every Saturday we had chores to help us feel like it was OUR home, and we took pride in it. As a kid I always loved the home department at Macy’s much more than Toys R Us -- even at 7 or 8 years old! I would fix my own bed and my parents’ bed when I babysat my sister on the weekends. I realized at a young age that a tidy house made my mom happy. It was something tangible and easy that I could do to help her every day. Walking into a clean home that you love makes you more calm, less stressed and kinder to those around you.  

When you come home to your space, how does it make you feel? What story are you telling? Whose story are you telling? Is it authentic and true to you? Being proud of who we are can start in the home, with something as simple as a throw pillow or a bright paint color on an accent wall. 

The space you live in MATTERS. Taking care of your space, clearing the clutter and decorating with intentionality, choosing to be authentic in your home -- all of this helps you to become a happier and more fulfilled person, inside and out. 

I don’t mean living beyond your means, spending outrageous amounts on fancy end tables or remodels you can’t afford, but being intentional and creating a sanctuary in our homes is a tangible step that truly does care for our whole selves. 

Open your mind from I wish to I COULD...

that’s how it becomes I DID.

I’m Natasha LeBlanc, and I can’t wait to help you create beautiful spaces.