Who We Are

I am the granddaughter of a jewelry designer and antique dealer (Eppie Behrend Zinman) who often educated me on the thousands of pieces she’d acquired over a lifetime, and the elements of good design.

Eppie’s father Max and his brother Edward were furniture makers in Philadelphia for decades. Their business, Jacob Behrend Cabinet Ware, was started by their father Jacob in the late 1800’s and located at 118-130 W. Allen Street and 1031-1037 Germantown Avenue, in the neighborhood now known as Northern Liberties, which was a short carriage ride from their home.

Eppie’s family was able to provide her with a privileged upbringing so she spent summers internationally traveling by ship, with her favorite Aunt. She continued to travel for the rest of her life and brought back various treasures, and their stories, to her home in Cherry Hill, NJ. It’s these stories and artifacts that inspired in me a love of good design and beautiful craftsmanship.

Her myriad of life lessons also often included stories around our unique character, inside and out. She had a real appreciation for life, humanity and its many expressions through all beings.

Her nuggets of wisdom were endless…

• Embrace your differences, it’s what makes you interesting.
• Share your creations. They bring joy to others.
• Be a good steward to the earth and creatures around you. It’s our responsibility to care for each other.
• Find the good in people. This is where you can connect and learn.
• Appreciate artistic expression of any and every kind. These are the unspoken stories incarnate.
• Explore! Places, stories and their people. There is no better school than our experiences.