When Heidie Buffomante suffered a brain injury in August of 2014, she was very nervous for the future. As an assistant principal, she had a huge responsibility to the students and staff she served in the city of Buffalo to stay on track, but she knew it wouldn’t be easy.
“It happened a month after my husband, Adam, and I got married and it completely changed our lives. It has been and will continue to be a long recovery. Nevertheless, I have tremendously supportive family and friends. My husband is truly remarkable. The devotion and care he has given me has helped me be stronger than I was before the injury” she said.
Suffering from terrible headaches and loss of memory, Buffomante needed something to soothe her soul. She found that styling her home decor was calming. She could put simple and unique items together like a lazy susan marble spinner, silver and gold trimmed coasters, and a cozy frame to house a family photo into a work of art that you’ve never seen before.
She called them “buffBOXes.”
“Before my injury I wasn’t very creative, I focused on academics. I was an avid reader, enjoyed public speaking engagements at conferences, and wanted to start teaching at the collegiate level. But the interior styling challenged my brain. It was something new and an opportunity to pursue a passion I did not know was in me,” she said.
buffBOXes are a combination of unique items that create a simple and functional style that is custom and made with love. When not working as a school leader, Buffomante and her husband adventure through Western New York to purchase items from various local businesses and pair them with other complementing textures or colors to make a custom package that can be purchased as a gift or for your own home décor pleasure.
“The best part about this passion project is building relationships with local vendors, artisans, and entrepreneurs. We are meeting new, talented people and supporting their small business. The money then stays right here in our community. Adam and I want to support the resurgence and beautifying of Buffalo with buffBOXes,” she remarked.
Buffomante said conjuring up the idea to create buffBOXes was a direct result of the immense love and encouragement from her close friends and family.
“Always surround yourself with people who want you to lean in and excel at life. Friends who will have countless FaceTime brainstorming sessions and dream big alongside of you. A sibling who will let you rearrange their whole house, no questions asked. A mother who lets you style her new home and believes in your potential to do so. A mother-in-law who trusts in your choices and uses social media to follow your projects. Notice and appreciate the joy in the quality and meaningful relationships with people around you. It matters. A lot.”
For more information on buffBOXes, follow @buffboxes or @buffalove_heidie on Instagram.
