From a joint showroom in High Point to a Czech debut in London, BOH has gathered all the showroom news to have on your radar in September.
Showroom Spotlight
Nina Liddle always dreamed about opening her own retail shop. It was an idea she put on the back burner after launching her eponymous design firm in 2007—until now. “Myself and my whole design team really built the store together,” she tells Business of Home. “I try as much as possible to shop on Nantucket—to support the local businesses. There’s a lot of great home stores here, but I knew where the holes were because I couldn’t find things. I decided I wanted to create a store that provided unusual items. The consumers on Nantucket are extremely well-traveled and very savvy, so I wanted to find things that they may have never seen before.”
To accomplish this, Liddle used a selection of her clients as a focus group to get a read on what was missing in the local marketplace. “I took a lot of cues from that when I started buying, and it was super helpful,” she says. “I asked if they had favorite lines that they’ve never seen here, their biggest pet peeve about shopping on Nantucket, and their greatest pleasure of shopping on Nantucket.”
The result is Birdie (Liddle’s childhood nickname), a home and apparel boutique in the heart of town. Upon entering the shop, guests encounter custom shelving painted in a cheerful green (courtesy of Farrow & Ball) and an antique French desk. “When I started designing the store, the first thing I did was design the built-ins and the desk,” she says. “I didn’t want it to feel like a retail checkout guest desk. It’s a beautiful piece from France.” To the right is a section that features curated clothing lines and accessories; to the left is the home section. “I set it up almost as if I would in somebody’s home, with a beautiful Quadrille wallpaper on the ceiling and the walls,” explains Liddle. “Then I have a beautiful piece of furniture in the front with some gorgeous Urban Electric sconces. I wanted it to really feel like you were going to come in and be greeted by the host.”
In terms of product, Liddle found a lot of inspiration abroad. “I’ve got stuff from South Africa. I have a potter from Afghanistan. I have a bunch of porcelain from France,” she says. “I tried to do the same with my clothing lines with [pieces] from London, Paris and Australia.” The space boasts a whole dining table setup with hand-painted porcelain from Paris-based Marie Daâge in different colors and patterns. The store also showcases glassware, earthenware and a wide array of pillows—one of the designer’s favorite categories. “Whenever I tried to find pillows on island, I could never find the right ones. I wanted color and pattern, because that’s what I love, and a lot of my clients love, so I loaded the store with pillows, and those sell extremely well,” she adds.
Liddle sees a bright future for the store, which she hopes to expand into different categories. “There’s a real need for custom furniture, because it’s tough to get this stuff out here,” she says. “I have all the contacts, and I know all of the nuances of getting product to an island, because I do it all the time.” In the meantime, she is going to continue to curate the store to fuel her longtime dream. “When I work with my design clients, I’m designing a home for them and what they love. Here, I really get to select what I love,” she explains. “I have very eclectic taste. I love tribal rugs. I love modern furniture. I love antiques. I love handmade pottery. I’m all over the map.” 11 Washington St., Nantucket, Massachusetts
Florida
Swedish luxury bed brand Hästens opened an outpost in Aventura, its third location in South Florida. The 1,818-square-foot showroom boasts the company’s full line of mattresses and sleep accessories, as well as spa experiences that include meditation, sound bowl therapy and essential oils. 19505 Biscayne Blvd., Suite 2140, Aventura
Georgia
The Atlanta Decorative Arts Center (ADAC) announced a flurry of showroom updates. In Suite 313, wallcovering brand Innovations unveiled a redesigned showroom in tandem with its 50-year anniversary, offering a residential-style experience with a gallery display of its grasscloth, textile, foil and veneer wallcoverings. Meanwhile, outdoor furniture brand McKinnon and Harris is opening a space next month in Suite B2 to showcase a number of its offerings as well as a curated selection of antiques—some dating back to the Roman and Renaissance eras. Finally, wallcovering company Phillip Jeffries reopened in Suite 319 after an extensive renovation: The 1,900-square-foot space now offers more than 400 display wings as well as collaborative work areas. 351 Peachtree Hills Ave. NE, Atlanta
New York
Melissa Davis, owner of the lifestyle PR agency Ruby Press, and her business partner Sherri Marton have opened a home goods shop in the Hudson Valley called Marton & Davis. Located in the village of Chatham, just north of Hudson, the store features art by Mary Maguire and a wide array of pieces from popular brands including John Derian, Tensira, John Robshaw, Bordallo Pinheiro and Heather Taylor Home, as well as regional favorites like My Neighbor's Tallow, Tue Et Al, The Quiet Botanist, and The Punctilious Mr. P’s Place Card Co. 33 Main St., Chatham
North Carolina
WAC Group lighting brands Schonbek and Modern Forms have unveiled a joint showroom in High Point’s International Home Furnishings Center. Spanning over 10,000 square feet, the space boasts a selection of both brands’ crystal chandeliers and sculptural LED fixtures in a space decorated with floor-to-ceiling ivory drapes, white walls and light oak flooring to make the displayed pieces pop. 210 E. Commerce Ave., Suite H327, High Point
International
Czech brand LD Seating opened a three-story showroom in London. The space, which is shared with other Czech interior design brands, spans more than 2,000 square feet and presents a selection of the company’s most in-demand collections. The interior was designed by Czech architecture studio Chybik + Kristof and boasts exposed steel columns and a sculptural spiral staircase. 3 Clerkenwell Road, London
