Where The Light Is, a furniture and décor studio located in Cumberland founded by Ashley Poirier, specializes in refinished and handmade décor. Her skill in creating new and restoring time-honored wood pieces is matched only by her attention to detail. Few are likely to focus on the painstaking effort of re-designing and re-creating two side tables, unmatched but complementary in terms of size.
The challenge: two-toned color furniture to match specialized knobs that a customer selected. And, the work needed to complement the just-refinished floors.
The solution: First, two coats of paint – teal, then black – and finally, distressed to bring out the natural wood color and maintain the teal color.
The business began at home in August 2015, by trial and error, where she viewed tutorials on manufacturer websites or other DIY websites. A passion project, she initially intended to simply create some décor for her own space. From there she received requests for pieces for a few friends, and eventually it culminated in designing and producing work for her own wedding. Positive feedback continued all along the way, while applause for her distinctive pieces at her wedding added to her confidence.
Commenting on her August 2015 wedding, she adds, “I created every single piece of décor, from the vessels for the table that the centerpiece flowers were held in, to the ceremony signs, reception table numbers and dessert table decor.” She also brought in a dozen boxes of her décor and designed the layout for the wedding planner’s installation. As she compares her work then and now, she sees growth from those earlier days. A true artist, she is proud that she learned more techniques and feels that her current work is cleaner and more polished.
Upon deciding to start the décor process in May of 2015, she initially joined Salvage Angel as a consignment artist in September of 2015, using a small space at Winnsmith Mill Market in Norwood, Massachusetts, which already had an incredible following outside of Boston. Now, however, Ashley can be found at Attleboro Farm and Garden in North Attleboro, a local nursery, where a large wall of pallets 20 feet long, 4 feet deep and 12 feet high feature her home, kitchen, and garden-themed signs, with her furniture lines on the floor below the display. Signs are made of repurposed scrap wood, discarded cabinet doors discovered by friends and passed to her by word of mouth. The nursery owners help spread the word for her, and their customers often leave a card for her to call them regarding custom projects. Online, a Facebook Page showcases photos of some of her projects, along with a behind-the-scenes story of each featured creation.
According to Ashley, “most people love the cabinet door creations.” Using cabinet parts, leaving old hardware, or adding new hardware to make a sign into a hanging rack, she creates distinctive designs and functional pieces, even as coat hangers and jewelry organizers. Currently, she displays 15-20 signs, ready to buy off the shelf, and is working on four custom orders for five pine board signs. Asked where she got the idea to begin this venture, she replied, “YouTube videos, HGTV – the shows Fixer Upper and Shabby Chic are fun – and I like French provincial décor.”
The inaugural SBS Shop RI event in 2017 was a successful event for Ashley. She connected with SBS Shop RI while at small fall fair in Smithfield in September, made a new friend, and then led to connecting with Sue Babin, the event’s co-chair and operations manager.
“I was so excited to be a part of it last year, and even more excited to return this year. I haven’t been in the business classes yet because I have a 1-year old and a baby due in October, but I am looking forward to learning about elevator speeches, marketing, and more. Right now, everything is word of mouth advertising.”