Parachute's Ariel Kaye on Disconnecting, Dreaming, and More

Racked is no longer publishing. Thank you to everyone who read our work over the years. The archives will remain available here; for new stories, head over to Vox.com, where our staff is covering consumer culture for The Goods by Vox. You can also see what we’re up to by signing up here.

Parachute founder Ariel Kaye never dreamed she'd make a living dressing people's bed frames. "Sometimes when I hear myself talking about bedding in such an intense way, I'm like, ‘Who am I? How did I end up here?'," she says. "But then I'm like, I have the coolest job: I get to talk about being comfy and cozy and sleeping all day."

Before founding her line of direct-to-consumer (read: affordable) luxury bedding, the Santa Monica-raised entrepreneur relocated to the Big Apple, where she worked in digital marketing and advertising after graduating from NYU. On the side, Kaye dabbled in interior design, helping pals decorate their homes and getting them photographed for Apartment Therapy and other home decor sites.

"When I was in grad school I started a home blog and did that as a passion project," she reveals. Eventually, her side gig inspired her to reevaluate her corporate job and revisit her design obsession. A combination of an a-ha moment at Bed Bath & Beyond ("It was a terrible shopping experience!"), memories of her college-era experiences in Italy (where she met talented artisans at textile factories), and seeing her friends work at startup companies ("I wanted to work my ass off and see something for it [too]") is what led Kaye to switch gears and create Parachute Home.

Two years after founding the brand, Kaye's planning on opening Parachute Home's first-ever brick-and-mortar boutique this spring. Landing at 542 Rose Ave. in Venice, the 500-square-foot shop — which will be located in the front space of her new HQ — will stock her LA-designed brand's new bath collection, which is set to launch in late February.

We sat down with Kaye over smoothies at Juice Served Here on Lincoln Boulevard, not far from her soon-to-open shop. Below, read on to find out her top New Year's resolution, what she's looking forward to most, her fave R&R spots in LA, and more.

What are you drinking today?
A green smoothie — I actually didn't have a real lunch today so I'm hoping it gives me enough energy.

What's your favorite relaxation spot in LA?
Olympic Spa [in Koreatown], but the beach is probably the place that I go much more frequently for relaxing and clearing my head. I go to Venice just since I work and live right here.

Weirdest dream you've ever had?
I used to have a recurring dream — it wasn't a nightmare — where a wave would come and it would get bigger and bigger until it would take me under, and I would be in this world of sometimes happy fish; sometimes they were a little bit scarier.

What's your top New Year's resolution?
To not bring my phone into my bedroom. [My boyfriend and I are] gonna put them away in a drawer, let them charge, and that's it.

Most recent regrettable splurge?
I bought a really expensive dress for a wedding that I'll never wear again.

Last funny movie that you saw?
That new movie with Amy Schumer, Trainwreck.

Finish this sentence: Don't cry over....
The small stuff. My biggest thing that I always say is 'Don't sweat the small stuff.' It's so easy to get worked up and obsess over everything; and it's so often not worth it and just distracting and making a mountain out of a molehill anyway.

Do you have a good luck charm?
I do have a necklace that I wear often that has a Hebrew prayer for protection in it. It's in this leather pouch.

Green thumb or a black thumb?
I love plants, I'm very much into the plant vibe — I'm not sure I can really call myself a green thumb, but I am planning on getting planter boxes for our back yard with kale and chard and other plants that apparently can't die.

Other than your new store, what are you looking forward to most right now?
I'm getting a puppy tomorrow — a mini Labradoodle. I'm really excited, she's eight weeks old. We're flying to Portland to pick her up. I can barely contain myself!