Wynhoff may have a valid point. If there is one thing that Pottery Barn does better than its competitors, it is to give customers an accessible and inspirational vision of what a really great lifestyle might look like, without the intimidating perfectionism of Martha Stewart Living or the unattainable excess of Architectural Digest. That may be the reason why, when Condé Nast recently asked readers to name their favorite home-decorating magazine, an overwhelming number cited the Pottery Barn catalog. That's why you can't go into Pottery Barn Kids without fantasizing about going home and making babies -- if only for the furniture.
It's why Hadley MacLean admits to having "dragged a few people" into the Pottery Barn store on Newbury Street. It's also why crusty research analysts often segue from a discussion of the company's financials into a digression on the great customer service that they received when they ordered a new couch.
The brand's allure is no mystery to Tejada. She likens it to the spirit of her adopted country. "What I love about America," she says, "is that it has its windows totally open. It has influences from everywhere, and it embraces everything. Our brand is also eclectic, an open window. It's a state of mind. And customers can make it their own."
Linda Tischler (ltischler@fastcompany. com) is a Fast Company senior writer based in Boston. Contact Celia Tejada by email (ctejada@wsgc.com).
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