CORE VALUES

Our deeply-ingrained core values set the stage for everything we do here at CLOTH & KIND. They shape the long-term impact of our business in each community that we touch and push us to foster mindful relationships through our work.

We are creative innovators, industry disruptors and thought leaders, breaking the boundaries of what is ‘normal’ and ‘expected’ in our business and our personal lives alike. We find unique ways to contribute to the people, companies, events and causes that we deeply believe in without simply checking a box or following a ‘trending’ social issue. We use the combination of our creativity and our systems-implementation strategies to produce desirable results that are powerful. We are aware of how our physical surroundings impact our emotional well-being and, above all, we value the power of creating thoughtful and meaningful spaces which are brimming with history and heart, with story and substance.

Everything we do for our company, our clients, customers, and vendor partners is laser-focused on providing exceptional value and exceeding expectations. Our natural instinct, come hell or high water, is to go above and beyond in all of our actions and deeds and we are only satisfied when we have totally blown the roof off. Our drive gives us the strength to incorporate additional elements into our interior design practice. Investing time and energy in relationships and kindred-spirit small businesses that benefit those other than ourselves is made manifest by our commitment to exceeding the expectations of a traditional interior design studio and showroom. We continue to set ourselves apart as we commit to including social good in our work. Hence, CLOTH & KINDness. 

We are true to ourselves and our aesthetic. We don’t try to be something we’re not, and our authenticity attracts like-minded clients, customers and vendors to CLOTH & KIND. We speak freely and in our own voices, never afraid to stand out or stand up for what we believe in - in design, in business, in life. We recognize that we have the individual strength and social platform to speak out against discrimination based on natural origin, sexual orientation and gender identity, age, disability, and religion. When passionate about a cause, we are not afraid to assert our opinions. We do not let any outside parties control our voice when we are committed to acts of justice.

We are vehemently and unapologetically anti-racist. As stewards of social justice, we actively commit ourselves to the Black Lives Matter movement in both our Ann Arbor and Athens spaces, as well as the greater design community and the world at large. While we will continue to foster an environment of anti-racism within our team culture and our personal lives, we have established several core actions to ensure that our commitment is sustainable in the long-term. A large component of this process is our Ongoing Activism blog column, filled with books, podcasts, artists, and organizations that promote continued education, development, outreach and that serves to drive awareness of, and sales for, our talented Black creative peers.

To specifically work on changing the narrative within the design community, we are active allies of the Black Interior Designers Network, an organization that is committed to promoting diversity within the interior design industry by supporting the work and business of Black designers. We also encourage you to explore our Anti-Racism Pinterest board and the BIPOC-owned page of our Little Black Book, filled with our favorite hand-selected lines.