WHEN LEXIE Heath first stepped inside the historic Daniel House at 206 E. Lincoln St., she felt its history settle around her — there was something undeniably special about the place. But nothing could have prepared her for the moment she peeled back the aging wallpaper during renovations and discovered delicate golden tulips gracing the walls beneath.
Everything she experienced leading up to this point came full circle. Years earlier, when she started her Etsy shop, she named it Yellow Tulip Design, inspired by her favorite flower. As she worked to preserve what she could of the building, she realized those very flowers were waiting for her all along.
“I went to the closing, got the keys to the place, came back over here by myself, and started punching out the ceiling in one of the rooms,” Heath said. “Underneath that, there was wallpaper that had gold tulips on it. The wallpaper was in disrepair from years of neglect. But finding that little ‘God wink’ of something hidden in the walls from the ‘40s or ‘50s let me know that this was meant to be — this should be the Yellow Tulip house.”
In 2014, Heath purchased an embroidery machine on a whim while looking for a creative outlet. Her hobby eventually became something more as she began monogramming gifts for friends and family. Soon after, she launched an Etsy shop named Yellow Tulip Design.
The name captured her love for tulips and gave her brand room to grow beyond a specific location or product. As her business expanded, she began dreaming of a physical storefront.
In December 2019, an opportunity arose. She learned that the Daniel House, a beautifully preserved home dating back to 1895, was going up for sale. By January 2020, the building was hers. Then came the hard part — renovations.
Due to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, finding contractors was difficult, so Heath rolled up her sleeves and did nearly all the work herself. Eleven months later, in November 2020, Yellow Tulip Design officially opened its doors.
Before she closed on the building, she and her husband, Mason, got married in April 2020. They are now the proud parents of two children, Kennedy (4 months) and Beckett (2 1/2).
“How to survive a pandemic: renovate an old building and get married,” she joked.
The boutique’s intricate woodwork, original fireplaces, and soaring ceilings provide the perfect setting for Heath’s distinctive selection of clothing, accessories, and home decor. The boutique carries timeless classics alongside contemporary pieces, and customers often leave with something unexpected.
The real charm of Yellow Tulip Design, though, is its inviting atmosphere. Shopping here feels like visiting the home of an old friend.
“We’re the people you’re going to come to when you need donations for your kids’ fundraisers or church events,” Heath said. “We want it to come full circle and to be a community.”
She and her team take the time to understand each customer’s style and preferences, creating experiences rather than transactions. Shoppers often stop looking for a baby gift, wedding present, or special monogrammed item for themselves, only to leave with more than they expected.
Yellow Tulip Design proudly supports local artisans by featuring handmade jewelry, Bespoke candles, and custom-printed apparel.
According to Heath, investing in other small businesses is fundamental to building and sustaining prosperous communities. She encourages up-and-coming entrepreneurs to connect with a mastermind group outside the local community. These groups offer support, new perspectives, and practical advice. They’re also a great place to celebrate wins, brainstorm ideas, and stay motivated.
Yellow Tulip Design is Heath’s vision coming to life. Every detail, like the inventory and the building’s historic beauty, tells a story. And just like the hidden yellow tulip wallpaper, it all feels meant to be. GN
