Walking into Lichen’s East Williamsburg storefront feels like dropping by a stylish friend’s house: Music is playing, people are chatting on sofas, and there are beautifully crafted objects—lamps, vases, hand-loomed textiles—placed on shelves and tables in a way that feels simultaneously intentional and relaxed. Interspersed with recognizable designs by Eames, Aalto, Rietveld, and Knoll are the self-assured works of young local and international makers on the rise.

Ed Be and Jared Blake, the friends behind Lichen, are ambitious about the store’s mission, part of which is to be an incubator for fresh talent. In addition to collaborating with established brands, the founders champion emerging New York designers, some of whom they met as repeat customers. The two also encourage prospective sales by allowing customers to rent pieces from the shop so the objects can be “tried on” at home first.

The store’s prices, in general, are accessible, a product of the duo’s desire to share good design with a wide audience. The friends focus on what Be calls “problem-solving within the realm of design,” which can mean collaborating with designers to create affordable new objects that make sense for Brooklyn apartment living, in addition to sourcing existing furniture to fill a niche.

Be and Blake have applied the Lichen vision to products beyond furniture and housewares, introducing their own candle fragrances and even socks. As the two friends grow their business, Blake explains, they are still guided by their core motivation: “Economically and aesthetically, everything we do is based on a fundamental practicality—but with room for flair.”

Lichen’s Regional Recommendations

Mesa Tres by Christine Espinal

Horned Bowl by Mike Ruiz-Serra

Moire 1 Monoprint by Pat Kim

Tob(i) Stool by Nifemi Ogunro

Sconce 3 by Alvaro Ucha Rodriguez

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