Tour Marketing Maven Domonique Shante's Earthy ATL Abode
In xoNecole's Dope Abodes, we tour the living spaces of millennial women, where they dwell, how they live, and the things they choose to adorn and share their spaces with.
The stay-at-home struggle isn't nearly as stressful when you actually like where you live, which is exactly why Atlanta-based plant mom Domonique Shante has carefully curated a simple sanctuary that meets her needs in all the best ways.
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Before the pandemic, Domonique invited xoNecole into her dope abode for an exclusive home tour where she gave us all the details on how to make your home a hub for creativity, which, according to this marketing manager starts with making your space your own. "I wanted to slowly put together a more eclectic feel. Because when I first moved in, it was very minimalistic and everything was cream. I liked that but it's not super practical to keep that up and it just got kind of boring after a while."
"I started l switching things up and putting things in different random places," Dominique explained, "Like my 'Brainstorm Boulevard' sign––I found that a marketing trade show––and I just threw that in there."
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As the creator of the Livre Cafe, an online book club community with a focus on Black literature and art, the budding horticulturist says that she often retreats to her creative corner whenever she's feeling inspired. A dedicated plant mom, artist, and book enthusiast, Domonique shared that because she wears so many creative hats, it was important that her dwelling keep that same energy. She told xoNecole, "It's a very open space, like a blank canvas. I get to do whatever I want with it."
We talked more with Domonique about her museum of books, why every home needs a creative corner, and how she keeps more than 15 house plants alive and thriving at the same damn time. Here's what we learned:
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Book Club
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Reading represents a large part of Domonique's identity. As an avid reader, she has a goal to read at least 30 books a year. That passion was partially what led to her founding her company, Livre Cafe. The other part? A lack of representation. "I've always been a reader. I've always loved reading. And it got to the point where I would go out, I would buy books, I would see what's popular, what should I read next. And it was all either white artists or white writers or white adjacent. So I was like, you know what, I'm gonna just put it put together a blog so everybody can have at least a syllabus or somewhere to refer to you if they want it to read Black stories by Black people."
Her love of Black literature also lends itself to a lot of her apartment's decor choices. "I like to use my favorite things as decorations. I like plants as decorations. I love to even use books as decorations, and I change things around a lot. So, I strategically placed certain books in certain places just as representations of who I think I am."
Nature Feels
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The 29-year-old considers her 15 plants her babies and named them all, sometimes after writers she loves. From the fiddle-leaf fig named Malachi to the snake plant and pearl plant named Audre Lorde and James Baldwin respectively, her creativity drips even from the leaves of the unique decorations that line her place.
For anyone who desires to hone their green thumb, Domonique offered this sage advice: "The easiest way to become a plant mom is to buy two plants, learn what your plants are, and learn how to take care of them. Once you master the plant that you have, or the plants if you want two––I always say get two to start––but once you master the ones you have, then you become more comfortable and you can get more."
Around The Globe
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Domonique incorporates tangible memories she brings back from her travels into her space as well. She noted an eclectic cushion she got from Morocco as well as bookends she brought from her time in Wales and Amsterdam as standout decor pieces that add color and texture to her home while adding a one-of-kind piece of history.
The Creative Nook
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The living room of Domonique's two-bedroom apartment is one of her favorite spaces for a couple of reasons. Not only is it the focal point of her plant haven and extensive book sanctuary, it also doubles as her own creative space. "When I tell you this is my favorite spot in the house, this is my favorite spot," Domonique explained. "I haven't painted in a long time but I used to, that used to be part of my routine. I would come home, sit down for a minute, read, and then try to finish a painting. I still have three unfinished paintings over there that I haven't touched."
The Connecticut native's weapon of choice is acrylic on canvas, something she fell into because of the matriarch of her family. "My grandmother was an artist, so I used to paint with her and then I stopped. I don't really know why. She would buy me all these supplies and I just didn't do it. And it wasn't until actually after she died and she left me a bunch of her supplies, I brought them back home from Connecticut and I was like, 'I want to paint something.' And I just started painting after that."
Tuned-In
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"My newest thing is my record player. I love it. My first record is a comedy record by Jimmy Walker. I'm a huge Good Times fan. So that's like one of my favorite things in my house right now other than my plants."
Click through the gallery below to tour her dope abode, as well as some of the intimate details that make her apartment feel like home:
For more of Domonique, follow her here!
Featured image by Terrence Porter for xoNecole.
Taylor "Pretty" Honore is a spiritually centered and equally provocative rapper from Baton Rouge, Louisiana with a love for people and storytelling. You can probably find me planting herbs in your local community garden, blasting "Back That Thang Up" from my mini speaker. Let's get to know each other: @prettyhonore.
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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The Power Of Your Big 3: Understanding The Astrological Significance You Hold
Explore your sign’s 2024 horoscope predictions to learn what is in store for you this year in love, career, and more. Check out the love compatibility of each sign to learn more about zodiac pairings and all things compatibility.
Astrology has become even more mainstream and a phenomenon than it ever has in the past. We have gone beyond the, “What’s your sign?” and have moved into “What’s your big 3?” seemingly overnight, and rightly so due to the significance of knowing these important details. Your Big 3 in Astrology represents your sun sign, your moon sign, and your rising sign.
This trifecta is thought to be one of the most significant details of your birth chart and gives you and others more of a full-picture look at who you are beyond just your sun sign.
What Does Your Big 3 In Astrology Say About You?
Knowing your big 3 is important, especially if you are someone who has never really resonated with your sun sign. You read about what it means to be an Aries, but may not align with what you see or your experience with other Aries. Meanwhile, the whole time, you have a Libra rising, the complete opposite sign of Aries, and this is why you have always seen yourself as a more laid-back and less confrontational Aries.
Elements hold a key role in your birth chart and having a big 3 where the elements are all compatible or the same often signifies someone who knows who they are and is comfortable in their skin. Whereas someone with a different element for each part of their big 3 may have challenges with identity or defining who they are or how they want to present themselves. It’s a different type of perspective when looking into your big 3, and it helps you see where your strengths and needs are in life, and how to tap more into this potential.
Your Big 3 In Astrology Explained
Your big 3 can help you navigate life by understanding which part of you comes out more in different circumstances. At home, you are most like your moon sign, when you are out and about, you are most like your rising sign. Whether you are at home or out and about, your goals, purpose, and interests are most like your sun sign.
You can find out what your big 3 is by looking up a ‘Birth Chart Calculator’ on your search engine, typing in your birthday details (you will need to know your birth date, location, and the exact time you were born), and generating your birth chart.
Read below for your sun, moon, and rising signs.
YOUR SUN SIGN
Your sun sign represents the core of you and what motivates you to shine and be your best self. This is your personality, goals, purpose, identity, ego, interests, direction, and where you light up in life.
FIRE SUN (Aries Sun, Leo Sun, Sagittarius Sun)
If you are an Aries sun, a Leo sun, or a Sagittarius sun, you are outgoing, confident, fearless, and in tune with yourself and your personal goals and desires in life. You go after the things you want, and you are not afraid to take up space. You are someone who prefers to be more independent, and you are often in more leadership roles in life.
EARTH SUN (Taurus Sun, Virgo Sun, Capricorn Sun)
If you are a Taurus sun, a Virgo sun, or a Capricorn sun, you are grounded, dependable, loyal, hard-working, and logical. You prefer the finer things in life but also work hard to get where you are. You are someone others feel they can rely on, and you are often a support for other people in your life. You are very connected to the material sides of life, and have a gift for manifesting.
AIR SUN (Gemini Sun, Libra Sun, Aquarius Sun)
If you are a Gemini sun, a Libra sun, or an Aquarius sun, you are light-hearted, free-flowing, intelligent, and communicative. You speak what is on your mind, and you love to connect and communicate with others. People know you for the things you say and your out-of-the-box ideas, and you are someone who is open-minded and provides a safe space for people to be authentically themselves.
WATER SUN (Cancer Sun, Scorpio Sun, Pisces Sun)
If you are a Cancer sun, a Scorpio sun, or a Pisces sun, you are thoughtful, generous, emotional, loving, and compassionate. You care deeply about the people you love, and you are always there for others. You may be more emotional than most, and this is due to your strong intuition and open heart. You are creative, inspiring, and motivated towards connection in life.
YOUR MOON SIGN
Your moon sign represents your emotions. This is the way you express yourself emotionally, how you process your emotions, what you need in love, what makes you feel safe and nurtured, your desires, intuition, your inner world, and what’s going on beneath the surface.
FIRE MOON (Aries Moon, Leo Moon, Sagittarius Moon)
If you are an Aries moon, a Leo moon, or a Sagittarius moon, you are someone who is not afraid to communicate your emotions or how you are feeling, and you can feel your emotions from a mile away. You are confident in yourself and are someone who stands up for what you feel is right. You have a strong need to be seen and heard in your relationships, and a certain type of understanding is needed for you to emotionally thrive. You may have some challenges with anger or high energy and are working through emotional impulses in this lifetime.
EARTH MOON (Taurus Moon, Virgo Moon, Capricorn Moon)
If you are a Taurus moon, a Virgo moon, or a Capricorn moon, you are someone who is emotionally grounded, safe, comforting, and logical. You aren’t overly emotional and may not show your emotions to people much at all, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have them. You think before you speak, and you process your emotions before acting on them, and you tend to be more down-to-earth and understanding when it comes to other people’s emotional worlds as well. You are someone people go to when they need someone to talk to you as you are a very good listener.
AIR MOON (Gemini Moon, Libra Moon, Aquarius Moon)
If you are a Gemini moon, a Libra moon, or an Aquarius moon, you are someone who is fun, outgoing, and emotionally open-minded. You don’t like heavy emotions or too much emotional drama, and you tend to be more go-with-the-flow in this area of your life. Good conversation and mutual understanding are very important to you in your relationships and you want funny banter and inspiration in your connections with others.
WATER MOON (Cancer Moon, Scorpio Moon, Pisces Moon)
If you are a Cancer moon, a Scorpio moon, or a Pisces moon, you are someone who lives by their heart and values your emotional world deeply. You crave a deep type of intimacy in your partnerships and you need a partner who is going to give you that type of emotional connection. You are more private with your emotional world and you tend to hold a lot in, but this can often lead to sudden outbursts as well. Overall, you are the definition of emotion and others learn a lot from you on what it means to love and to feel.
YOUR ASCENDANT (RISING SIGN)
Your ascendant sign represents your perception and the energy you put out into the world. This is the way you come across to others, the way you express yourself, your physical traits and aesthetics, how you manifest, society, and what you expect from the world around you.
FIRE ASCENDANT (Aries Rising, Leo Rising, Sagittarius Rising)
If you are an Aries rising, a Leo rising, or a Sagittarius rising, you come across to others as confident, bold, and stylish. You are known for the way you look or the way you present yourself, and you are usually adorned in bright colors or wearing something that others take a lot of notice of. You are someone who walks into a room, and all eyes are on you, and you love that. You want to be on the move and on the go, and you love to show up in the world exactly as you are today. You see the world with a lot of possibilities and like it's yours to have fun and enjoy yourself in.
EARTH ASCENDANT (Taurus Rising, Virgo Rising, Capricorn Rising)
If you are a Taurus rising, a Virgo rising, or a Capricorn rising, you come across to others as responsible, beautiful, natural, and dependable. You are a hard worker, and you may be known for your career or the work that you do. You are someone who walks into a room and people feel an immediate sense of comfort and like you are someone they can trust. You have strong values and goals, and you are someone who knows what they want. People love to be around your down-to-earth energy, and you make others feel safe and grounded.
AIR ASCENDANT (Gemini Rising, Libra Rising, Aquarius Rising)
If you are a Gemini rising, a Libra rising, or an Aquarius rising, you come across to others as outgoing, friendly, and talkative. You see the world as a place to learn, connect, and be inspired, and you are on a quest for knowledge and understanding. You connect with people from all walks of life, and you tend to have a pretty open-minded and unique friend group. You care a lot about your style and aesthetic and always strive to be authentically you wherever you are. You can talk to people for hours and are often meeting new people and making new friends wherever you go.
WATER ASCENDANT (Cancer Rising, Scorpio Rising, Pisces Rising)
If you are a Cancer rising, a Scorpio rising, or a Pisces rising, you navigate life through the lens of your emotions, and you are deeply connected to the undercurrents of life. You are ruled by your emotions, and this side of you is not something you can keep hidden away easily. You get emotional when you think about society and others at large, and you want to be known for the kind and sincere person you are. When you walk into a room, you feel other people's energy right away and are highly empathic and intuitive.
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