Q&A with Emily Hottensen of Dogwood Company

Photo by Julia Dags — *Photo by* *Julia Dags*

We, like most of Instagram, have become obsessed with Emily’s Dogwood dog beds. First and foremost, the beds are crazy cozy, and were created with the intention of pups being able to naturally curl up in them with their round wicker base – perfect for our furry best buds. Yet with custom color options for the wicker and COM options for the fabric (you can mail your own in!) the choices are endless – perfect for any dog lover (and we know there are many in the interiors world!) What was once hidden in the corner of a family room can now be left out front and center for our prized pooches.

We were so happy that Emily agreed to chat with us about her inspiration behind Dogwood, how she started her company, and—of course—about her own dogs! Read more below for the down low on the doggos.

We love your dogbeds! How did you come up with the concept? How did you bring it to life?

Thank you, so happy to hear that!

The idea for Dogwood came together after realizing that there were very few products for dogs that fit the traditional design aesthetic that I love.

My mother growing up was an interior designer and has had a home store for the past 10 years, and I followed in her footsteps and also worked in interior design and had my own home store. So needless to say, I have had my ear to the ground when it comes to interior design products for a long time!

When I got my own dog, Caper, I scoured my sources looking for things that Caper would love but that would also work with the design of my home, and it was really tough to find. I came up with the concept of the mix and match wicker frame with a pillow-like cushion after realizing that the dogs I have lived with all my life use human furniture as if it were their own. I can use the types of fabrics and materials I decorate homes with for dog furniture!

To bring the concept to life, I found a wicker manufacturer and we went through many testing rounds to get the correct scale and size right for the Small, Medium and Large. I really wanted the beds to be size inclusive for basically any dog so that was a huge part of the process.

Once we had the frames, we worked on creating the perfect cushion. I loved the idea of making the cushion look and feel like a poof-y pillow you would have in your home, noticing that Caper always gravitates towards using a pillow in a very human-like way.

As the frame and cushion development process was taking place, I was simultaneously sourcing fabrics and paint combinations as well as working on laying the groundwork for the website, so that as soon as all the components were ready to go, the website could go live. A lot of this was going on during covid restrictions so the extra time at home was actually quite helpful in forcing me to be very diligent about certain things I may not have paid as much attention to! The process from initial conception to launching the website was about 8 months.

How do you make your dogbeds?

All of the components of the beds are from different vendors and manufacturers and come together based on an individual customer’s order. I keep the raw frames and bare cushions on hand nearby and work with a talented wicker/rattan restorer who does all the painting. I selected the 20 stocked fabrics to choose from on the website with the intention of creating a versatile assortment of options that would work with the basket color options. I think right now florals are very in as well as block prints, so I really wanted to capture that—I think Clementine, Baloo, and the Tates all cover that and have been the most popular. There are also some classics like a couple great looking plaids, a traditional ticking stripe, an iconic palm print, and more, so the options really run the gamut!

I also work with a local upholsterer to sew the covers. Once I receive an order the frame goes to the painter, the fabric goes to the upholsterer, and when the components are completed and back in my possession, I assemble the dog bed and ship it out!

What was the inspiration behind this idea?

My inspiration was threefold: the first was to create a product that dogs love, the second was to create a product that their owners love, and the third was to make it a fun process. I thought it was important to create something that allows for people to use their creativity and have fun with the process - like a mini interior design job. I just thought that was something that people would respond to and so far I think it has!

Another thing I should mention is that the cushion covers all have a hidden zipper, so the cushion covers can be removed for cleaning or if you want to switch it up, you can order just the cushion covers separately.

Who is your client base?

Anyone who loves interior design and their dogs. I have received such a positive response to both the look of the bed and the fact that dogs love them. I have heard from many people that have been very happy to trade out their ugly dog beds for something that elevates their home’s design rather than takes away from it!

How can someone order a dogbed?

Everything is online on our website - www.dogwood-co.com. But I also very much encourage people to reach out with any questions either by direct message on instagram or by emailing me at emily@dogwood-co.com.

Last, and most important—what kind of dog do you have, and what bed does he/she have?

My dog Caper is a 2 ½ year old short-legged, wirecoat Jack Russell. He is quite a handful!!!

You will often see his “fiancées” Twinkie and Toby nearby, both female labs (Twinkie is the yellow lab and Toby is the chocolate lab). Twinkie and Toby are my fiancé’s dogs so we are now a blended family :)

There are plenty of dog beds around the house for them to choose from but Caper and Twinkie often share a size Large bed together. If he’s sleeping on his own Caper loves to curl up in a Small or really sprawl out with a Medium. Right now he’s happily napping on a Large White basket with Tate Mint cushion which has been in use in our kitchen the past couple of months that he’s very attached to.