Tola Akinbiyi's Bright, Art-Filled Chicago Home

Tola Akinbiyi is passionate about teaching women about fellow female artists. After realizing that many women could not name five female artists, she decided it was time to help spread awareness. She launched her amazing shop Bon Femmes where she highlights many amazing women artists. She hopes to one day start a charity to help support female artists. Tola is doing this all while working a 9-to-5 job, proving that if you’re passionate about something, you will find ways to make time for it. Tola invited us into her bright, art-filled Chicago home. It’s full of eclectic vintage details and unexpected delights—like a disco ball and a punchy-orange bistro table. Her home is a breath of fresh air.

Tell us a little about yourself and how you got to where you are today.

Hello, my name is Tola Akinbiyi and I am a woman with too many passions! I went to school for fashion design and business, but equally loved my art history classes. I find myself drawn to anything design-related.

Because my interests vary, It took some time to find my footing career-wise, but after many ups and downs, I believe I’ve found a sweet spot. When I’m not working at my full-time job, I’m building my business, Bon Femmes, spending way too much time watching new plant leaves grow or trying a new face mask.

We love your shop Bon Femmes. Can you tell us about it? What inspired it?

Thank you! Bon Femmes is a website dedicated to creative women and their amazing creations. The Bon Femmes shop features art, home décor, organic beauty/self-care products and much more all created by women! This all started when I learned how incredibly low the percentage of female artists are represented in most museums. I wanted to do something to make a difference and that’s when Bon Femmes was created. I also wanted people to know that not all great art has to cost an arm and a leg.

Your home is beautiful. How did you decide on its design?

Again, thank you! It’s refreshing to hear that, because this all came together very haphazardly. The only thing that was planned was the sofa, the tv stand and the bed frame. After living in the apartment for a bit, I got a better feel of what I needed to add to the space. It evolves constantly and I move and remove things all the time. I used to really care about everything being cohesive, but now I’m not super against mixing designs and textures.

What are your go-to shops for home décor?

My friend has a shop called Mandatory Vintage and I love all her décor pieces. I’m also a fan of finding unique gems at local thrift stores.

What’s your favorite room in your home?

Definitely the kitchen! The plants are happier there so I’m happy there as well. The bathroom is a close second thanks to the addition of the wallpaper—I feel like I’m transported to a different place in there.

What are you reading?

I’m re-reading Anecdotes of Destiny and Ehrengard by Isak Dinesen (Karen Blixen). I’m a huge fan of short story books!

Favorite quote?

“If not now, when?” I constantly repeat this to myself because it applies to every aspect of life.

Do you have any self-care rituals?

Yes, of course! As mentioned, I have a cup of tea every morning—it’s just a great calming way to start the day. This is a new part of my day, which started when we all started working from home…a friend gave me a gorgeous sage bundle for my birthday, so I’ve started smudging my space two to three times a week to invite good energy into my home. I’m not sure if this counts, but one of my favorite things to do after a particularly stressful day is paint my nails. I’ve never been to the nail salon for this reason. It’s such a calming activity to me and I would never want that to be taken away from me.

What’s inspiring you?

I just discovered the Instagram account of Athena Calderone (yes, I’m very late to this party) and I am in love with everything she does. Her cooking, her interior style, her personal style, she just gives off great energy!

When you experience creative burnout, what do you do to get motivated?

Look through old Vogue or W magazines. There’s a set of magazines I collected that I will never get rid of because of the visuals inside. I went to school for fashion design and although I’m not in that industry, every time I look through a fashion magazine it unearths a new idea.