My Story.

Jessica HR Cote

I guess you could say I absorbed good design from birth.
My mom is a designer, and she surrounded us with art, interesting finds, bold colors, and layered textures. That comfort in my childhood home sparked something in me, a lifelong love for spaces that feel lived in, loved, and deeply personal.

I studied Fine Art and Psychology in college, and while school wasn’t always easy, one thing always stuck with me: being in a great space changes how you feel. Somewhere along the way, I met my husband, and after college, I followed him to Charleston.

One day, walking down King Street, I stepped into a shop that felt instantly like home. Christian Michi. It was 1994, and I got the feels for the layered life all over again. Sherri Taylor, the owner, took a chance on me, and it was magic. I was buying, selling, and styling vignettes throughout the store, learning the power of scale, placement, and how beauty means something different to everyone. That experience taught me how a space can elevate, inspire, calm, and enchant.

Soon, I was helping friends, realtors, builders, and clients bring that same feeling into their homes.

Thirty years later, my story is still unfolding, and Sapling is the next chapter. Johns Island is home now, where my husband and I live with our dog Ziggy in a house on the water. Our home tells the story of our lives, layered with art, texture, and memories collected over the years.

Everything I create with Sapling draws from those same roots, a love of design that feels natural, personal, and real.

Connect with me to tell your story.