BEHIND THE BRAND: Olive Ateliers - With Co-Founder Kendall Knox

Decorative objects play a crucial role in the home. They are the pieces that weave together a narrative in a space, creating visual interest, playfulness, and flow. However, finding the right kind of pieces that conjure certain emotions and bring soul to a space can sometimes be tricky. Lucky for anyone based in Los Angeles, Olive Ateliers exists to fulfill all of your decorative dreams. 

The considered curations, led by founders Kendall Knox, Ben Knox, and Laura Sotelo, are made up of unique treasures that offer visual intrigue through texture, shape, and story. Based in the Arts District of Downtown Los Angeles, the Olive Ateliers flagship is filled with “Objects with Old Souls” sourced from destinations around the world; Turkey, India, Morocco, Greece, France, and more. A lifestyle brand that has quickly become a coveted destination for all of your homewares reveries. 

I chat with the lovely Kendall on the brand’s beginnings, it’s evolution, and her creative process along the way.

Read on for more.

Can you please share with us more about Olive Ateliers’ inception and how you have moulded it into the lifestyle brand it is today?

Olive Ateliers was born from an adoration of decor and furnishings that are a little rough around the edges and have a story to tell. In decorating our own homes, Ben, Laura and I often struggled to find unique pieces, at affordable prices, so we set out to change that. 

We wanted to do things differently, offering curated Drops of objects on a first come first serve basis, and making these objects accessible to folks via an inspiring and exciting experience. Every touchpoint of the brand ladders up to inspiring curious living. Whether it be the way we style our Atelier, or the conversation our objects conjure through storytelling the many lives ones lived of a piece, down to the curiosity around “when is the next Drop”? We started in June 2021 and have since grown into a 30,000 sq ft retail space, offering weekly exploration of our Atelier, and monthly Online drops for those nationwide. 

We’ve been lucky enough to adorn the homes of Kendall Jenner, Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Lopez, Olivia Wilde, Kristen Bell, Elsa Hosk and so many more. It’s been a beautiful journey and we’re just getting started.

Can you explain your approach to sourcing through the lens of “objects with old souls”?

We specialize in sourcing Objects with Old Souls. By that we mean we source and curate unique collections of one-of-a-kind items with charm and character, that are a little rough around the edges, and that embody that of an old soul, or are in fact, vintage or antique by definition.

What are your favourite design destinations to visit around the world? 

Turkey is a country steeped in history and tradition, adopting Greek, Anatolian and various other artisanal practices. The people are kind and welcoming, the architecture is stoic and inspiring. India is another region from which we source many handicrafts, decor, and refurbished vintage furniture. Every trip to India is a sensory overload. Lastly, we can’t go past the romance and history of France. 

What are some favourite ways of styling Olive Ateliers pieces in the home? 

We like to let nature do its thing. A foraged branch in a vintage vessel and as much natural light as possible is really all you need. Focus on incorporating natural materials and fabrics where possible and think of texture as a color. PIck a pantone from the patina of a piece and match your couch or bedding to that palette. You’ll weave together a space of harmony without even trying. 

For more, visit oliveateliers.com