Pure Salt Interiors founders share brand expansion journey at Casual Market Atlanta

Interior designers Aly Morford and Leigh Lincoln founded Pure Salt Interiors to create natural, California-lifestyle environments for their interior design clients, and they’ve since expanded their brand to e-commerce, retail and product collaborations. They discussed their journey during a Casual Market Atlanta panel, moderated by Designers Today‘s Andrea Lillo. 

The duo met as college roommates and first pursued different careers (Morford in floral design and Lincoln in advertising). But they always had a shared love for design and eventually came together to found Pure Salt Interiors in 2016. They are also serving as ambassadors for Casual Market Atlanta this summer. 

The Newport Beach, Calif.-based interior design firm embraces the philosophy of their California roots, said Lincoln, and “leans into natural elements, so you’ll see lots of layers and textures, all inspired by the outdoors.” The overall feel is simple and clutter-free, she added.  

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It was only two years in that they began selling the pillows and other styling elements they were already using in their design projects – and then Covid propelled the e-commerce arm forward, Morford said. “It kind of blew up, everyone was shopping online.” Since then, they’ve opened a retail store and launched product collaborations with such brands as Modern Hardware, Momeni and, as of this month, Tempaper.  

But the women are careful about who they partner with. “Everything goes through Pure Salt funnel,” said Lincoln. “We really want to be sure everything is representative of our ethos,” as well as shows uniqueness and their point of view. 

Being in California, the outdoors space is just as important as the interiors on a project they said. “In almost every project, we treat the outdoors like the indoors, it’s just an extension of the home,” said Lincoln. “Historically, a lot of design was sacrificed” in the outdoor furniture space – but not anymore. Now, products include natural materials, different weaves and more, and they’re all both durable and beautiful, she added.   

For other designers who want to expand, the duo advised people to get the foundation right when you start. The operations and back end of a company is such a crucial part of the business’s success.