MEET HACIENDA
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH HACIENDA
Hacienda was an idea quite a long time before it ever became a reality. Founder Krystin Leigh Smith had dreamed about curating a shop since she was a teenager. Her mother Camille, an avid hobby decorator and creative, sparked her passion for decorating, antiques and collecting beauty very early on in her life. Camille would take whatever little resources the family could spare and create something amazing on a shoestring budget. She could make anything look like it came from Crate & Barrel even if it did come from Walmart.
Although the road took Krystin first to school where she studied to learn to work with people in a social work capacity, she always had a keen interest in home decor, art and making things and knew someday this would be a career she would cultivate.
With the support of her then husband Matthew Smith, she left social work after 5 years working on housing the homeless, to pursue a career as a prop stylist. Prop styling is a very small niche and breaking into the industry isn’t a simple task. It costs money to start a new business as a freelancer and leaving a full-time job to pursue a passion was a huge risk. With no experience or assurances, just guts, Krystin and Matthew moved out of their lovely two-floor Greektown apartment into a much smaller one bedroom basement space in a less desirable area of the city to save money and cut their rent in half.
Although this decision was extremely hard for them to make in the moment, it ended up turning into the best decision of their lives. Since moving gave Krystin the flexibility to leave her job at the shelter and pursue prop assisting, Matthew was also able to pursue a new career as a UX designer for a popular Toronto consulting firm. Krystin did some research and connected with a few senior prop stylists in the industry who were looking for assistants. She spent the next two years assisting some of the most well known stylists in the industry, and was able to learn through them how to navigate the industry and build a client list of her own.
Krystin’s passion and skill grew as she progressed as a prop stylist and went in new directions as well. Styling commercial sets, print advertisements, catalog look books, and eventually buying for film and TV for many big name clients are all things Krystin has been able to do since switching careers. Her passion for finding just the right item or materials for the right project or client is part of the job that brings her the most excitement and joy. As a buyer she gets the opportunity to research and shop for countless different products. She has honed in on what makes a product special and high-quality.
When the pandemic hit in 2020 it was a shock and huge lifestyle adjustment for everyone, including Krystin. During this time there was a period of 4 months where gigs had seemed to dry up while everyone was figuring out this new reality. Krystin decided it was now or never, and used her period of months off to officially start Hacienda. Although Matthew and Krystin are no longer married, they work together as business partners to grow Hacienda and share responsibilities. With Matthew’s now decorated career as a Senior UX analyst, he was able to bring some great skills to the Hacienda team and worked with Krystin to help with the official launch of the website. Together they continue to grow the brand and work to get the word out about a business they both believe in.
Hacienda, to Krystin and Matthew isn’t just a home decor brand but the idea that home can be a haven. Although Hacienda didn’t exist until 2020, this driving belief was always a base for what kind of brand Hacienda would be. Krystin thinks back on helping her mother decorate the bedroom she shared with her two sisters growing up, and remembered how with just some pretty pink floral comforters, a stencil and some art my mother created a little girl’s dream bedroom just for us. It felt like home and we loved to spend time in there. Hacienda is the idea that home can be more than just four walls but a safe, comfortable space that inspires you to create new ideas, be with friends and family and just be at peace.
SHOP KRYSTIN’S PICKS
CERAMIC FRENCH PRESS
Elevate your morning coffee with this heavy walled ceramic French press. In three modern colours to suit any decor. The ceramic body maintains a consistent temperature throughout the brewing process and the copper pull is a stylish nod to the importance of the finer details.
Natural Linen Light Shade
A beautiful handmade natural colored light shade. Made in beautiful linen it brings instant warmth and softness to any room. All shades are thoughtfully designed to be timeless and elegant, built to last and handmade in Bali with sustainable materials of rattan, cotton and linen. This takes time and meticulous craftsmanship.
Original Artwork & PRints
Handpicked artwork can dress up your walls, bringing colour and personality into your space. Hacienda carries a wide array — from abstract to figural to landscape — in both original and prints.
Concrete Tabletop Fire Pot
A handmade concrete fire pot, small enough to be placed in the center of a table. A lovely way to add ambience to your parties or dinners. This clean burning fire pot burns on over the counter rubbing alcohol and is safe for use indoors and outdoors. A beautiful and eco friendly way to add a cozy decorative touch to your backyard, patio or balcony!
Organic-Shaped Drinking Glasses
Handmade, delicate, organic shaped glassware from Malfatti Glass. Made by hand in New York, these stackable glasses are beautiful and strong yet delicate and lightweight. Use as a stemless wine glass, for juice or water.
Concrete Sculpture Collection No. 1
Cast Editions is the latest collection of hand finished sculptures by Vic Wright. Each piece is cast by hand out of sustainable pigments and casting cements. The shapes in Cast Editions are designed to interact and connect with each other making adaptable collections. All the pieces in the whole series can be displayed and stacked in a variety of different ways. Use the shapes for a fun vignette on a shelf, coffee table or on top of books.
Learn more at www.stacktmarket.com