From the Mississippi Delta to Reed Smythe: Keith Meacham’s Story of Friendship and Craft

From the Mississippi Delta to Reed Smythe: Keith Meacham’s Story of Friendship and Craft

Author: Ariel Okin December 17, 2025 Duration: 47:41

Some people collect memories; others collect stories, objects, and traditions. Keith Meacham does it all, creating a beautiful alchemy of unexpected home goods that celebrate her Mississippi roots.

This week on Talk Shop, Ariel heads to the heart of the American South to welcome Keith Smythe Meacham, co-founder of Reed Smythe & Company, the home goods shop she launched in 2018 with her dear friend and fellow Mississippian, the late Julia Reed, a beloved industry legend.

Rooted in the Mississippi Delta and shaped by a deep respect for craft and collaboration, Reed Smythe & Company partners with artisans across the South and beyond to create uncommon goods for house and garden. Keith shares her journey from a long career in public education to entrepreneurship, the power of female friendship, and the importance of trusting your gut, both in design and in life.

Keith’s work and home have been featured in Veranda, Elle Decor, Flower, and Southern Living, and she’s been recognized as a Southern Living Tastemaker and a judge for the Garden & Gun Made in the South Awards.

From career pivots and creative risk-taking to honoring legacy and building community through design, this is a thoughtful, inspiring conversation about making a home, and a life, that feels true to you.

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Learn More about Reed Smythe: https://reedsmythe.com/

Follow on social: https://www.instagram.com/reedsmytheco/

Explore Keith’s ShopMy storefront: https://shopmy.us/shop/mksmeacham

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To join Ariel and our Season 5 guests on ShopMy, download the ShopMy app, create a shopper account, and start building wishlists and shopping your favorite pieces: https://go.shopmy.us/join/arielokin


Behind every beautiful room is a story, and Talk Shop with Ariel Okin: A Fenimore Lane Production uncovers them. Hosted by Ariel Okin, a House Beautiful Next Wave Designer and founder of Fenimore Lane, this podcast moves beyond glossy magazine spreads to explore the real, human elements of design. Ariel, who also writes for publications like Vogue and Architectural Digest, brings her insider’s perspective to conversations with leading interior designers, shopkeepers, and artisans from around the world. Each episode feels like an intimate chat between colleagues, where you’ll hear about the practicalities of running a creative business, the unexpected sources where professionals find inspiration, and the personal journeys that shape a distinctive aesthetic. Rather than just discussing trends, these dialogues get into the nuts and bolts-how a favorite fabric source was discovered, the challenges of launching a brand, or the philosophy behind a curated shop. It’s for anyone curious about the layers of thought and effort that create a lived-in, beautiful space. Listening to this podcast offers a masterclass in taste and entrepreneurship, straight from the voices defining the field today.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Talk Shop with Ariel Okin: A Fenimore Lane Production
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