For all those who relish puttering around their homes among cherished hand-me-downs and knickknacks, flocks of us simply lack the chance to pull together our nests.
When schedules or finances prohibit the feverish flip through design magazines, or the dedicated hunt for obscure home shopping haunts, it helps to know a few stores that rarely disappoint. So it is for you, style-conscious, budget-minded multitaskers, that these five home-shopping “best bets” from the metro area were selected:
SHELTER URBAN LIFESTYLE
1720 Wazee St., 303-572-7900
The salon crowd knows cool. So it should come as little surprise that the proprietor of this hip decor mix for the kitchen, bathroom, bedroom and cocktail cart also runs the nearby Crush salon in LoDo. The store has vintage-inspired flair, like the Norcal Pottery planters featuring “Flintstones”-eque shapes and stripes. It also has a sense of humor – look for poker-card martini trays, Tableaux coasters with bright, manipulated flower photography, or “Pad: The Guide to Ultra-Living,” (2000, Chronicle Books), a kooky design book that inspires ideas such as zebra-print home offices and tactile toilet seat covers.
Also try: Composition, Crown Mercantile, Decade, Mannerisms, Starlet.
THE FUZZY ANTLER
901 Front St., Louisville, 303-666-7864
Good taste at this store, nestled among old Louisville’s historic charm, takes the form of European antiques punctuated by lush fabrics and decadent – but not necessarily expensive – accessories. Pewter cocktail trays, etched-
glass hurricane vases, bronze paperweights, porcelain planters, Italian dessert plates and the like crowd the store’s grand antiques gleaned from markets on the Continent and in the United States. Linen and lace guest towels grace a dark-stained mahogany footstool. And a small silk orange-tree topiary tops a walnut Dutch dresser from the early 20th century. No surprise: The store is run and stocked by two interior designers.
Also try: The Collection, Tesoros, Dejuna.
TOWN
601 S. Broadway, 303-282-8696
Almost two years ago, four of the state’s top interior designers, all of whom favor muted tones and minimalist furniture, decided they were fed up with heading to the coasts to glean coveted staples such as Jonathan Adler pottery, Joseph Lapiana water photography, midcentury collectibles such as Wassily leather chairs, or sleek European furniture from the likes of Gervasoni and Birdman. So they opened Town, one of the few stores in the Denver Design District where the public can shop without a professional. And instead of packing the floor with random, expensive furniture and accessories, this is an airy space where gorgeous pieces speak for themselves.
Also try: One Home (recently relocated to Cherry Creek North), Zeitgeist Modern Furniture Classics.
WILD FLOWERS
1201 Madison St., 303-333-4050
This Congress Park plant and gift shop specializes in bringing the outdoors inside, and giving gardens the look of untouched forests and meadows. The vision comes courtesy of a landscape horticulturist who grew up on a Christmas-tree and pumpkin farm in Fairfield County, Conn. Plants are handpicked for their distinction and ease of care. The earthy store, where shoppers might catch wind of a Joni Mitchell CD on the stereo, is also a sure thing for offbeat garden accessories, a well-edited greeting-card selection, and comforting, botanical bath and body products such as wild-rose soap or Linden flower lotion.
Also try: Urban Roots, The Perfect Petal.
INDOCHINE
1779 Valtec Lane, Boulder, 720-565-8262
Few items distinguish a room like a well-selected import. There are actually two outlets for this 10-year-old store founded by Buddhist practitioners from the Boulder Shambhala Meditation Center. The Village Shopping Center storefront might be more convenient but Indochine’s cavernous warehouse in unincorporated Boulder County is the real treasure trove. The place is a maze of Asian statuary, trunks, shutters, screens, sushi sets, pottery and carved-wood cabinetry. Its owners studied feng shui before most Americans knew how to pronounce it, so they regularly visit customers’ homes to offer decorating tips. And they have established relationships with Asian artisans, which means this store supports sustainable development, buys in bulk and keeps prices relatively low.
Also try: Asian Antique Gallery, 5 Green Boxes Unpacked, Cost Plus.
