Meet our sister: Elizabeth Lane of quarterlane

We’ve just launched a collaboration -- the Aesthete 06 x Sefte collection -- with the ever inspiring Elizabeth Lane, founder of quarterlane books. We love quarterlane’s seasonal collections and purpose. Elizabeth is helping elevate the book above a simple commodity or download with elegant and thoughtful literary curations.

Her love of contemporary art shines through in her work -- each seasonal box includes a limited edition print from one of her favorite artists. We love the confluence of visual art and literature -- both convey stories and have the power to crack us open and inspire change in ways we may never expect. Learn a little more about our sister Elizabeth Lane below.

How did you come about starting quarterlane?

I am a book buyer for our local independent bookstore in coastal Massachusetts. We are bustling during the summer and very slow during the winter. I dreamed of quarterlane as a way to provide my summer customers with good books year round. I also wanted to elevate the book to a luxury experience. My curations are presented in a beautiful box, so that when someone receives their quarterlane box, they feel they have received something beautiful, feel taken care-of, delighted and nurtured. For me, time spent with a good book is one of most healing and poignant ways to care for oneself -- and that is the highest form of luxury.

Tell us what inspired this collaboration with Sefte?

Sefte Living came to my attention through our shared work with Every Mother Counts and Sefte’s participation with EMC’s first Orange Rose Collection in 2016. I love both the mission and the aesthetic of Sefte. The idea of nurturing our connection with ourselves and others and cultivating elegant and cozy surroundings can help us ground ourselves, comfort and connect. It is an incredible and necessary act of self care.

What keeps you going every day - either in your craft or going about life?

Whenever I am feeling tired, worn down, or a little bleak about the business, I try to take time out for myself with a book. And always, this time spent with stories lifts me out. Last spring, I was going through one of these moments, feeling worn down and less inspired. I picked up the advanced reader of Mohsin Hamid’s latest book Exit West. I read the book in one morning and when I set it down, I knew I started quarterlane to get books like Exit West into readers’ hands and that all the little hiccups starting a business are well worth it, if I can bring a book to a reader who needs a particular story, for whatever reason.

Do you have a “sister” who has propped you up?

I do have a sister! She is nine years older and she is the person I have always looked to the most. She is my high water mark and I admire her more than anyone. She is an author, and I am her first reader. I am so honored to be that for her. She is the first person I call, in good times and bad, and I know she will always be there for me. She ran my first marathon with me for EMC and without her support, I would have struggled to begin, let alone finish.

Where do you seek sanctuary - to dream, meditate, be creative or just find me time?

My ideal place to seek sanctuary is the bathtub! I have taken a bath every night of my life for as long as I can remember (minus the college dorm years!). It is the one thing that winds me down completely and brings me exquisite peace. I always read in the bath, usually something light, always in paperback. I treasure this time. I try to find a time to meditate daily, sometimes in the morning, sometimes in the school parking lot before picking up my girls. I try not to get too precious about the space and know I feel better when I’m able to find this time within my day.

What have you done to make bath time your ritual?

For the bath, I light candles and love Epsom salts with a few drops of lavender, rose and chamomile essential oils. And I love a beautiful pair of pajamas. I just love the ritual surrounding bedtime and winding down.

Where do you find inspiration for your work and for your life?

I find inspiration in my family. I know that is a common answer, but it is the truest for me. I hope my girls see both the risk and the reward of doing creative work and building something and I hope they allow themselves to dream and take risks. I hope they find grounding within their own families in the future and that they continue to find sanctuary within their relationship with each other. My girls are 17-months apart and the beauty of their sisterhood and friendship is one of my greatest delights.

Do you have any special rituals for making time with family or friends?

I love to cook at home with family and friends. The first thing I do when I get home from work is light a few candles. That ritual both grounds and delights me and carries with it such a sense of peace and beauty. Lovely scents hit me in my soul, I just love it. And long, lingering dinners at home with friends, brings such a beautiful energy to our home, one that seems to linger well after the last guest has left.