April 2011. Balancing the past and future in Baton Rouge.

Is it possible to keep one foot firmly planted in the future, while partnering with the past for inspiration? To balance old and new with integrity? Sit down with Amy Strother, co-owner of Noelie Harmon and, as of January 2011, Denicola’s Furniture Upholstery, and become a believer.

With partner Michael Gatz, Strother has built Noelie Harmon from scratch with the conviction that their boutique would strive towards sustainability in every way, evidenced by the four pillars that drive their product offerings: eco-friendly, socially responsible, fair trade, and local artisan. If this world is headed to a future where sustainable practices and responsible consumerism are mainstream—and let’s all hope that it is—then Noelie Harmon is quietly leading the way for Baton Rouge citizens, educating them on the “big picture” and offering accessible alternatives to shallow purchasing.

Along with home accessories, locally crafted jewelry, organic baby products, and TOMS shoes, stylish men’s and women’s vintage clothing—from party dresses to cowboy boots, sunglasses, scarves and hats—can also be found at Noelie Harmon. The wide array of products at the store are intermixed cleverly enough to help customers see how a lifestyle can indeed embrace the same four pillars that support Noelie Harmon’s world. It means mixing a few pieces of vintage clothing into the wardrobe; or welcoming home a piece of vintage furniture recovered in organic fabric; selecting recycled glassware or recycled paper products; or—one of Strother’s favorites for environmental and health implications—eschewing chemical laden carpeting in favor of 100% wool, toxin-free carpeting (offered at Noelie Harmon’s “Green Building Shop” at a competitive price).

As they like to say at Noelie Harmon, every product has a history, a story to tell. It was their penchant for honoring history and local craftsmanship, mixed with a passion for recycling and refurbishing, that led Strother and Gatz to Denicola’s Furniture Upholstery years ago when they became the owners of a mid-century house. “Kind of by accident, we began restoring mid-century furniture pieces, and that’s how we started working with the Denicola family … We wanted to use only ‘green’ upholstery and VOC-free paint on the furniture, and sometimes they laughed at our fabrics, but we came to respect them a lot and had a great relationship … We learned a lot from the Denicolas about quality, about history.”

At the end of 2010 when original owners Jasper and Sarah Denicola approached retirement, they also approached Strother and Gatz to carry on the business. Strother and Gatz were keen to keep the Denicolas’ son, Carl, on as chief upholsterer. “Carl secures our name and reputation. Upholstery is kind of a dying trade, and it’s all he’s ever done. It’s rare to find work done with such precision and care.”

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