Milieu is a series that explores the unique ways in which we breathe life into our homes. From coastal towns to city living, our homes are a celebration of small, simple moments. They’re a reflection of our lives. Our stories. Our milieu. 

Our second feature in the series brings us to a small town outside of Vancouver, Canada to visit Sarah Shabacon. Sarah is the heart and soul behind  Bohème Goods; a curated collection of vintage treasures and in-house designs that feature romantic and effortless silhouettes. Sarah’s eye for detail and commitment to sustainable living is laid out as an art form in her home; a celebration of personal aesthetic.

Please, introduce yourself! 

My name is Sarah Shabacon, I live in a small town outside Vancouver, Canada with my husband Ryan, our sons Isaac and Ziggy, and our two pups. I’m a vintage curator and the designer of Bohème.

What sparked the idea behind Bohème Goods? 

Funnily enough, I started Bohème with the idea that turning my passion of shopping for vintage into a small business would allow me to make just enough to help with groceries and maybe buy myself a car. It ended up becoming so much more and I’m so happy now. My childhood was filled with antique malls and playing dress up in my Gigi’s old ballroom dancing outfits. I’ve always loved the excitement of finding something that speaks to me and when it’s got a story to it, it’s even more special.

Does vintage play a big role in the aesthetic of your home? 

Definitely – when kids come over they say our house looks “ancient” haha. I find joy in well worn pieces and when you shop vintage it’s quite easy to find that.

Where in your home do you feel most creative? 

The living room – we have so much natural light and it’s a blank canvas with the exception of our shelving. The shelving holds years of memories and trinkets from travels so I am able to pull from the best of both worlds.

What does a typical day look like in your household? 

The boys wake around 7 and we tend to the pups, make breakfast together and then I get to work while they play. My husband works in film so he’s gone before the sun rises and home well after it sets. Weekends are reserved for family time unless I’m too far behind with my work.

What are your kids most excited about right now? Are they vintage lovers too? 

My first solo trip with each of the boys as infants were to vintage shops! They’ve been raised surrounded by it and accompanied me for hours a week while I sourced for a solid 5 years before they started school. We have so many great memories of the car being filled to the brim with vintage and they’d be laughing so hard in the back seat while they had everything from chairs to fluffy coats piled in with them. My eldest son loves to mend clothes, he think it’s a cool skill but also knows that to reduce our environmental footprint, we’ve got to care for our things.

What does your dream home look like? Where in the world would it be? 

We’re all happiest in the sun so our dream home would be in Aruba (our favourite island) and it would be a well-thought-out bungalow with floor-to-ceiling windows, jasmine trees lining the entryway and solar panels on the roof…Imagine a breeze that can fill your whole home if it’s designed right and curves throughout the interior in the form of clay. Less is more when you live somewhere so lush.

What do you find most inspiring about the landscape in which you live? 

Living in Canada we tend to spend our entire Summers outdoors and I’m fascinated by the Mountains and how drastically the landscape can change with each coming season but remain the same. I think of this when I’m designing or decorating, the simplest change can create a world of difference.

Which piece in your home – big, small, old, new – has the most unique story? 

We have a 300 lb stump that came to us on one of our mountain drives on my 24th birthday. It was laying on the side of the dirt road and was perfectly cut. We used milk crates to get it up into the truck bed and let it dry out for a year but it has happily sat in our home for 5 years now and it will always remind me of that weekend spent together as a family.

What is a recent find that you’re still excited about? 

I’ve got two – The first is vintage hemp mosquito netting fabric from Japan – It’s beige and the texture is perfect for draping – and the second is a signed Picasso Book from the 1950s. I paid $4.99 for it one night at a thrift shop and didn’t see the signature until I got home and was in a state of nirvana and delirium all at the same time while I waited to have it authenticated. It ended up selling in an auction but it is something I feel so lucky to have held before passing on to someone new.

What is an interior piece you have your eye on right now? 

The Nordcasa Console Table from Restoration Hardware – we have the coffee table and the wood is so beautiful and solid.

Who or what are your biggest design inspirations? 

Old interior magazines from my dad and current day Scandinavian and French home owners I find through Architectural Digest or even Insta!

You can see more of Sarah’s bohème dream on  Instagram  or peruse her collection of vintage treasures online at  Bohème Goods.