Justina Blakeney Dishes on the Inspo Behind Her Boho-Tastic Empire
Designer Justina Blakeney proves that a little greenery can go a long way. The #plantlady behind the award-winning blog, Jungalow, uses her green thumb to infuse personality and good vibes into all sorts of spaces. Her use of fun patterns, colors, and plants (of course!) has helped to give her a cult following that’s extended far beyond the blog itself. With over two million online followers, there’s no doubt there’s something behind her boho-tastic approach to life. Throw in achievements like author of a New York Times best-selling book, The New Bohemians Handbook ($28), and overseer of a fabulous e-commerce collection, and you’ve got a role model worth keeping on your radar for the years to come.
In this installment of females to follow in Black History Month, we caught up with Blakeney to get the scoop on what’s inspiring her on the day-to-day. Get the full interview below.
Brit + Co: Who has inspired you / continues to inspire you?
Justina Blakeney: I am inspired by multidisciplinary artists that are breaking boundaries — a few that come to mind are Solange, Donald Glover, and Tracee Ellis Ross.
B+C: What obstacle do you want to see women overcome in 2018?
JB: I would love to see women lifting up and supporting other women, hiring and promoting other women, celebrating our strengths. The competition vibe is so 2017!
B+C: How do you use social media to inspire others?
JB: I share what’s in my heart and in my mind’s eye and at my fingertips and hope that it lights others up the way it lights me up.
B+C: What issue should we be paying more attention to?
JB: There are so many worthwhile issues. I think it’s very personal. Universal health care, the environment, and education are the three issues I’m most passionate about right now.
B+C: When do you feel most creative / most beautiful / most powerful / most magical?
JB: When I’m painting, beneath the sunshine, making love to my husband, swimming, in a different country, dreaming, smelling our garden roses, and hugging my daughter I feel the most creative/beautiful/powerful/magical.
B+C: What would you say to inspire your younger self?
JB: I would tell my younger self to read more, travel as much as possible, and to worry less about what other people think. I would also tell my younger self that one day I will be exactly where I always dreamed I’d be, and not to stress out so much.
What other fierce females are you following? Let us know @BritandCo!
(Design via Sarah Tate)