Worldly Appeal
Written by Jessica Ritz
Photographs by Meg Sandu
“I’ve always had an affinity for Santa Barbara,” says Judy Cottingham Sieber. So bringing EMILY JOUBERT HOME & GARDEN to Montecito was an opportunity for her to share the essence of her beloved Bay Area emporiums while exploring her connection to this part of the Golden State. Her jewel-box retail space at the Country Mart complements the original Woodside location in Silicon Valley, which is celebrating two decades in business, and the three-year-old San Francisco outpost. “I’m definitely trying out new things,” Sieber says.
Before opening in mid-July, Sieber did her homework, visiting decor shops throughout the area so that she could best “see how I fit in the town.” The reconnaissance ensured that the avid traveler—whose stamps from Morocco, France, England, Korea, and Japan, among other countries, are still fresh on her passport—could be confident that the global wares at Emily Joubert are distinctive. For the brand, which is named for her design-loving maternal grandmother, Sieber notes, “I’m developing interesting, artisanal products” full of texture and color, whether it’s hand-block-printed clothing or copper Turkish hose pots. Also on her agenda are collaborations with artists such as Grace Chamberlain and Alice Ford, as well as book-signing events celebrating creatives in various disciplines. These community-minded efforts reflect the way Sieber is subtly attuned to each Emily Joubert location.
“There might be a nod to more city in San Francisco, more country in Woodside, and a little coastal in Montecito,” she says, “but the core is the same.” 1016 Coast Village Rd., Santa Barbara, emilyjoubert.com
