3 questions with Jen Knoch of Shop SENTi

CollabsLifestyle

Nov 19

What does SENTi mean?

Literally, SENTi is the imperative form of sentire, the verb meaning "to feel" in French, Italian, Spanish and Latin! SENTi is also a nickname for someone who is sentimental, which is a big characteristic of mine.

Everyone thinks about the dining room when throwing a dinner party. I was at your house once and am still charmed by the display and perfumes in your powder room, any tips on making even that room feel special for guests?

Awww, thank you! Our bathroom/powder room is the room I clean, tidy and "set" last before guests arrive. It's a small room that the majority of your guests will use, outside of the entertaining space, so make it a statement to bring in thoughtful sensory touchpoints. And play with the intimate scale of the room - I like to arrange a "guest vignette" with a new decadent-smelling small bar of soap on a vintage dish, a special washcloth size hand towel next to a luxury scented candle, a nice hand lotion and a small, like really small, vase with one fresh or dried flower stem. And if you have your fragrances on display, a mirrored tray with a lit glass votive shows them off so beautifully!

You are the queen of tiny delights! What are your favorite little treats for the holiday season?

For decor, I've built a small but mighty vintage holiday collection, like a dancing, wind-up Santa, a variety of plastic, metal and wood reindeer, small paper village houses I put on the window sill, plastic mistletoe and bells I hang on the front door. The patinated details and character of these one-of-kind items with a long life are so charming and often come with a story that can spark conversation. RFor these reasons, it was important to hand select vintage holiday items for SENTi. These items are true treasures and yes, some wacky from the past, but the holidays are a good time to embrace them as they are out for just a short time but tied to the season of gathering and become sentimental heirlooms.

And then for the table, having some special serving items that are brought out for the holidays - plates, dishes, special glassware, mugs, tea towels, placecard holders, tongs, napkins literally set the scene for the season! Mixed in with a variety of daily but unexpected details - utensil rests, flower petal salt, salt spoons and cellars, utensils for caviar, spreads, candles in a range of colors, textures and sizes.