Abbey Westlin is a self-proclaimed iced coffee enthusiast, practitioner of beauty, and fashion connoisseur. By day, she makes a living by creating Fashion and Lifestyle content for Betches Media. By night, she enjoys cooking intricate meals, sipping a glass (or four) of rosé, and keeping up with the news. Follow her on Instagram @abbey_westlin.
LED light strips give Bilal the ick because they tend to look cheap, when that is not the desired effect. “They do not look expensive, they don’t look high-end, they don’t feel like elevated decor,” he says. “They literally just feel like you ordered an LED strip off Amazon and stuck it to your wall. And that’s exactly what it is.”
Vivien of Posh Pennies is particularly averse to battery-operated sconces, detesting the fact that they require remotes and batteries, and that they eventually stop getting used because they require recharging. “If you’re serious about where you want your light, then get it wired, pop in a smart bulb, put it on a schedule, and call it a day! So worth it,” the interior design blogger and YouTuber explains. Bilal agrees that smart light bulbs are a much better alternative, especially if you’re looking for the ability to easily change the mood of a room with lighting.
Focusing on the screen, rather than the big picture of your space
As sharing interior design on social media gains more and more traction, and we become accustomed to seeing beautiful rooms on the reg, it can be tempting to focus only on what looks good onscreen. Imani Keal, a design blogger who specializes in renter-friendly decor and DIY, often wonders what’s going on beyond the frame of a quirky DIY space she sees on TikTok. “They sometimes don’t show the project in the context of the rest of the room or apartment, and it’s often because that project only looks good from one angle or as a vignette,” she explains.
It’s important to make sure a fun project actually works with the rest of your living space, rather than just conforming to the latest trend. “The purpose of creating a beautiful space is so that it looks and feels warm and welcoming in real life and on the internet, not just in five-second clips,” she adds. Garrett Le Chic fully agrees. As an interior designer, he’s all about making updates to your home that are consistent with its architecture.
“Renovating to change the style of your house in the long term doesn’t always make the most sense because it just requires a lot more effort, a lot more money, a lot more work than is really necessary,” he says. “When, if you took the core elements, the backbone of what the architectural style of your house is, and you apply that, it works better in the long term.”
Bland dust-collecting decor
There’s nothing like a good knickknack or piece of art to really liven up a room. With so many affordable online and brick-and-mortar home-goods stores, it’s easier than ever to find what you need to add in a space. This is both a blessing as a curse, as it means that now more than ever, there’s a plethora of mass-produced items with no personality taking up space and collecting dust over time.
On the subject of word art, Phoenix has one question: “Who is buying this?” He continues, “I know the ‘Live, Love, Laugh’ signs of the early 2000s have faded out, but now it’s like very weird quotes on boards that people are spending between 10 and 20 dollars on. The amount of staged homes that I’ve seen from real estate agents that have those too.”
What’s a fair price to pay for mouthwash, soap, body wash, and toothpaste? One TikToker is in shock at their total from Target when buying these items and voiced their concerns about the affordability of basic essentials.
In the video, Steve Owens (@iamsteveowens) is in their car telling viewers about their recent Target visit. They mention that their total price for these essentials was $35, which averages out to about $8.75 per item. They also mention that everything in the store is locked up and that the self-checkout is no longer an option, allegedly due to the store’s concerns about theft. They go on to explain that people are stealing out of necessity, not as a hobby.
“Y’all, people are not stealing because it’s fun. People are stealing because they have to. If you look at what’s locked up—it’s soap, deodorant, toothpaste, mouthwash, body wash. These are essential items, OK? They didn’t lock up the home goods stuff in there,” Owens states about the items at Target.
The video has over 16,000 likes and over 144,000 views since April 10 at 9pm ET.
Owens goes on to contextualize the total of the items based on the average minimum wage in the United States.
“Y’all, people are struggling—that is why folks are stealing. This is $30, OK? Minimum wage in the United States of America, on average, is $11 an hour. You have to trade three hours of your life. Think about this, y’all. You gotta trade three hours of your life for mouthwash, toothpaste. I’mma show it to you again—soap and body wash. This is three hours of your life that you have to trade, and you ain’t never get it back,” Owen states about the Target purchase.
@iamsteveowens Target is robbing us blind, and we are letting them! #fyp #foryou #foryoupage ♬ original sound – Steve Owens
While some sources say the accurate average for minimum wages across the United States is $9.00, the federal minimum wage is lower than this at $7.25 an hour for nonexempt employees, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
People in the comments began to echo their concerns as well.
“Trading your life (work) for items is insane to say…. lordt… that just changed the way I see things,” one comment reads.
“Between essential items and groceries it’s ridiculous,” another wrote. The Daily Dot has previously written about people being overwhelmed by the price of groceries as well.
“Corporate greed,” commented another.
It seems that Owens is not the only one fed up with the price of items nowadays. The Daily Dot has reached out for comment to Target via email and Owen via TikTok comment.
The internet is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here to get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.
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*First Published: Apr 11, 2024, 2:00 pm CDT
Marlin Ramos
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Marlin Ramos is a museum educator currently working at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. They founded LUMXN Magazine and is a graduate student at New York University. She loves long walks in nature, doing yoga, and baking!
As Indian summers invite us to stay indoors and enjoy our surroundings, homes become havens of warmth and holiday vibes. With the days getting longer and temperatures rising, it’s the perfect time to infuse your space with summer decor ideas. Whether you’re longing for a tropical getaway or a serene retreat, summer-inspired designs offer limitless opportunities to revitalise your home. Experiment with vibrant colour palettes and incorporate light, airy materials to capture the essence of the season. Whether you opt for subtle changes in one corner or a bold transformation of the entire room, embrace the spirit of summer and create a refreshing sanctuary within your home. (Also read: Summer interior design trends 2024: 7 tips for infusing coastal vibes into your home décor )
7 trendy summer home decor ideas
Interior Designer Punam Kalra Creative Director of I’m the Centre for Applied Arts shared with HT Lifestyle seven summer decor ideas that will make your home feel cool and fresh.
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1. Set up an intimate indoor ambience
The brute of the summer sun calls for an escape—you can have that by creating your own bubble with singular, statement furniture pieces that tie the space together. Choose settees over sectional sofas, chandeliers over pendant lights, pedestal tables over side tables and closets over racks, to create a close-knit ball of comfort.
2. Go with nature-inspired mood boards
The home-bound times may take us away from nature—say otherwise by throwing hints of raw nature in the interior elements. Bring a tactile memory with rough cuts of the stones in the wall, veins of the live wood in the tables, grains of the ceramic in the accessories or a fresh whiff of organic dyes in the tapestries that reminisce the outdoor scenes.
3. Give life to the hushed colour palettes
The hushed, lighter tones can easily make the sun-bathed spaces look deserted—make them livelier with energized hues of neutral and pastel colours that keep up with the quietude of the season, without being overwhelming. Bring in a peach upholstered chaise, zest cocktail table, mint green console or an ice blue canvas to refresh the aesthetic with a mood unique to the colour.
4. Include a selection of breathable fabrics
The still summer air needs a space that it can breathe through—try stripping the space off the décor layers and keep things light. Get your hands on linen, cotton, chambray and more that are easy on everything from the upholstery to the drapery. You can keep things simple with solid sheer cotton or talk about exclusivity with dyed and block-printed patterns that are authentic and sustainable at the same time.
5. Get your hands on the handcrafted pieces
Handcrafted styles speak for the things that are both near and afar—something that is a local craft but seen only in a far-off summer retreat. Take a detour and bring them back to your space like a cocooning rattan armchair, basketed jute planters, caged bamboo pendants, looped hemp rugs and more that let you relive your holiday memories whilst cooling your space down with the restorative character of nature-based materials.
6. Make way for the vacay vibes
A regular home can be an ode to the vacation home when the elements make their way into the interior. While you can think big like setting up a cabana in your backyard—try to start small by adding a hammock to your deck or a patio furniture set to your porch. Recreate a nautical style statement with blue-white stripes in upholstery, shell studded embellishments in the tables or weather wood planks in the wall décor, to give something that you can indulge in, all day every day.
7. Don’t forget the fresh greens
An indoor ambience gets fresh both by look and feel, when the greens are a part of it. You can sound exotic with tropical ferns and florals or keep things simple and practical with peace lilies, spider plants, and English ivies, among others. You can also house succulents like aloe vera, jade, cactus and more that stand the heat and come out as aesthetic greens, ideal for low-maintenance contemporary homes.
The Citizenry’s flagship store in New York City. [Photo: The Citizenry]
The Citizenry, a Dallas-based direct-to-consumer home decor brand that partners with artisans around the world, has been acquired by Havenly, a Denver-based interior design service and home furnishings company.
The acquisition will allow the socially motivated home decor company to continue to scale the availability of its sustainable artisanal furniture and goods, further multiplying its impact, Citizenry said. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
“We set out to prove retail can be a force for good. Not only does the Havenly team appreciate our values, they have fallen in love with our unique design aesthetic, product line, and most importantly, our commitment to fair trade,” Rachel Bentley, co-founder of The Citizenry, said in a statement. “They’re the right partner to lead our next chapter of growth. We worked with almost 3,000 artisans last year, and with this step—that just feels like the beginning.”
Havenly said it anticipates retaining much of The Citizenry team, including Bentley, who will serve as president of The Citizenry, and Co-Founder Carly Nance, who will transition to serve as an executive brand advisor.
The Citizenry co-founders Rachel Bentley (left) and Carly Nance [Photo: The Citizenry]
Focused on fair trade—and poised for growth
The Citizenry joins Havenly as part of its ongoing efforts to build a collection of home brands and technologies that appeal to the next generation of shoppers, the companies said.
The deal will allow Havenly to expand its fair-trade initiations with The Citizenry and across other areas of the business.
The Citizenry co-founder Rachel Bentley visits with an artisan in Morocco, from our 2016 profile of the company. [Photo: The Citizenry]
Since its founding in 2014, The Citizenry has expanded its offerings to cover the whole home, while supporting the work of thousands of artisans around the globe at pay rates that average twice the fair trade requirement.
From its beginnings, The Citizenry said it set out to build a design-forward company that celebrates the people behind its products and sets new standards in social responsibility for the industry. The Citizenry adopts a fair trade business model, and its following has grown the company into the largest U.S. home decor company to have 100% of its products sourced according to the rigorous standards set by the World Fair Trade Organization.
In 2021, The Citizen raised $20 million in Series B Funding from San Francisco-based NextWorld Evergreen, a growth equity firm with a focus on conscious consumer brands. And just last September, The Citizenry launched a new brand campaign, “Uncontained,” to highlight a deep lineup of new brands hitting shelves at nearly 100 Container Store locations nationwide.
Rolling out its collections across Havenly’s platforms
The Citizenry said that with the acquisition, it will roll out its iconic collections to audiences across the Havenly platforms, expand its retail footprint, and scale its global network of artisans and heritage manufacturers to new levels.
“We’ve always said that our business marries old-world values with new-world market strategies,” Carly Nance, co-founder of The Citizenry, said in a statement. “We’ve grown to where we are today by being customer-centric and digitally-driven. This partnership provides even more strategic firepower in those arenas. The Havenly team is passionate about the same things we are—building potent, meaningful brands designed to stand the test of time.”
Mercado storage baskets from The Citizenry. [Photo: The Citizenry]
Havenly’s third acquisition in 36 months
This is Havenly’s third acquisition in 36 months, with past acquisitions including Interior Define and The Inside. Havenly said the deal cements it as the largest digital-first, DTC platform in the home decor market with a strong strategy for sustainable growth.
“As a personal customer of The Citizenry, I’m thrilled to bring the brand into the Havenly family,” Lee Mayer, co-founder and CEO of Havenly, said in a statement. “Rachel and Carly’s unrivaled commitment to sustainability, social impact, and support of artisans combined with premium quality and exquisite design is truly something revolutionary in the space, and a big reason why The Citizenry has long been a favorite among our customers. We’re excited to build on the work they’ve done to promote more sustainable values and help usher in the next era of great home brands for the modern consumers.”
Organic Turkish cotton duvet from The Citizenry. [Photo: The Citizenry]
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Dallas Innovates, the Dallas Regional Chamber, and Dallas AI are teaming up to launch the new AI 75 program at Capital Factory’s Future of AI Salon today. The first-ever list will recognize Dallas-Fort Worth innovators in artificial intelligence. Nominations are open through March 20.
You’ll find deadlines coming up for a new accelerator program; and many more opportunities.
Usually they race for the end zone, but Wednesday some of the Dallas Cowboys’ top players swung for the fences at the Reliant Home Run Derby in Frisco. And whether they got dingers or popups, it was all for a good cause. Find out which Cowboy won for the second straight year—as two all-new ‘Pokes players joined in the fun.
Classic, comforting, and quirky—this is how I would describe both my grandma and her home decor style. When I’m at her house and surrounded by everything she has thoughtfully selected, I get a special feeling I can only hope to re-create one day. With that said, I could not be more on board with the grandmillennial home decor trend that’s been buzzing around for the last couple of years.
The thing about grandmillennial decor, however, is that it’s not so much about turning your home into an exact replica of your grandmother’s. It’s more about capturing that feeling. The goal? To invoke the sense of nostalgia and comfort that comes with being in a cozy and familiar place. That means plenty of warm neutrals, traditional patterns, and pieces that look like they could be antiques (even if they’re not). Fringe, ruffles, and pattern-on-pattern decorating are all fair game, too.
Every time I come across decor that reminds me of my grandma and falls within this trend, I can’t help but run to the checkout counter. So thank you, millennials, for taking what used to be considered “granny” and turning it into grandmillennial. Since this trend isn’t going anywhere, I rounded up some home decor that perfectly captures the coziness and fond memories of my grandma’s house. This is grandmillennial decor done right.
If you’re on the hunt for the right pattern to decorate the walls of your home, look no further than Just Wallpaper in Brookfield.
The wallpaper store’s new location at 9219 Broadway Ave. opened to customers Tuesday. Co-owners Julia Hamilton and Kate Sanderson staff the stop themselves Tuesdays through Saturdays, helping customers who walk in or book appointments browse through the thousands of patterns the store has available to personalize their homes and make their spaces feel lived in.
“Don’t decorate your house gray and white for the future owner. Why are you doing that?” Hamilton said. “You live there. Decorate it for you!”
Berwyn Shops, an incubator program for small businesses in Berwyn’s Roosevelt Road corridor, and realized how much demand there was for a walk-in wallpaper store.
“A week into getting our LLC, the person from the [Berwyn Development Corporation] was like, ‘Oh, hey, do you want to get involved in this?’ And the next thing you know, we donated wallpaper to all 12 of the shops, and we have a park bench with our logo on it,” Hamilton said. “Then, people were like, ‘Well, we want to come check the books.’”
While Hamilton said she hadn’t envisioned Just Wallpaper having a storefront, she and Sanderson converted a “little, tiny, tiny office space” in Berwyn — the entire building was smaller than the front room of the store’s current space, Hamilton said — into a shop in June 2022 so they could host customers. In January 2023, they had expanded the store’s hours, accepting walk-in customers two days a week. By September 2023, they were open four days a week for walk-ins.
“Most of what we found is that people were coming into the little shop, and they [were] like, ‘Oh my God, thank God I found you. I’ve been on the internet for three months, I’ve spent $100 on samples, and I still haven’t found the [right] wallpaper. Help me!’” Hamilton said. “That’s where it became, like, ‘OK, this is a shop, and we’ve got to find a real store, and this is real.’ We’re solving a little problem, but we’re solving it.”
When it came time for Just Wallpaper to find a new location, Hamilton said the business’s current space felt right as soon as she saw it. She said Brookfield, too, made sense for Just Wallpaper’s new home due to its proximity to Chicago and its central location among the western suburbs.
“One of the things we learned rather quickly is that our clients that were in the city had no problem coming to Berwyn or Brookfield,” Hamilton said. “It’s not that far. It’s no big deal.”
Since the original Just Wallpaper was in Orland Park, “We have a lot of south suburb clients and people that are willing to drive, and they’re not willing to drive into the city,” she said. “We knew our general client is, you know, from Oak Park to LaGrange … We didn’t want to venture far, and Brookfield ended up being the most perfect.”
Hamilton said wallpaper has had a “really big surge” in popularity since the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We’ve seen it in real estate, but in interior design, [there’s a trend of] just making your space more your own, making it more lived in, making it more personal, and wallpaper’s just like a really easy way to do that,” she said. “It can be a luxury product based on price point, but just like anything else, it can also have a core-basics price point as well.”
While Just Wallpaper is just starting out at its Brookfield location, Hamilton said she and Sanderson have their eyes on the future.
“Not on the immediate horizon, but long-term horizon, I would love — you know, assuming we are thriving in the space, and wallpaper is trending in the way it has been — I would love to open more locations and have it be a retailer for wallpaper,” Hamilton said. “That’s the big dream.”
Enhancing your living room with carefully curated coffee table décor is a way to infuse style and seasonal charm into your space.
When it comes to decorating for the spring and summer seasons, you may not feel like you need to go over the top with extravagant purchases, but small intentional design choices.
“GMA” chatted with Andrea Erman, senior director of design and development housewares at CB2, to share some tips on what to keep in mind.
“CB2 has plenty of smaller decor items perfect for a coffee table of any size to brighten and liven up your space for Spring,” Erman said.
“Mixing different textures and materials, like light-colored sculptures and objects with woods, glass, and polished metals, will elevate your home with considered touches of luxury and flare, especially next to a vase of florals.”
You can shop some of Erman’s top picks and more below. Happy decorating!
By clicking on these shopping links, visitors will leave Goodmorningamerica.com. These e-commerce sites are operated under different terms and privacy policies than Goodmorningamerica.com. ABC will receive a commission for purchases made through these links. Prices may change from the date of publication.
ONYX RAW EDGE STONE BOWL
SEMBEL BRASS PILLAR CANDLE HOLDERS SET OF 2
NOKOMIS WHITE ONYX DECORATIVE OBJECT SMALL
KOS SILVER CAST ALUMINUM LEAF DECORATIVE TRAY
MARCELLO WARM WHITE PATTERNED CERAMIC VASE
ZUMEL ROUND TWO-TONE GLASS HURRICANE CANDLE HOLDERS SET OF 2
More spring decor to shop:
Handmade Wooden Decorative Tray
Anthropologie
By Anthropologie Fresh Fern Moss Glass Jar Candle
$18 to $188
Anthropologie
Williams Sonoma
Brilliant Summer Wreath
Williams Sonoma
Urban Stems
The Good Vibes
Urban Stems
Glass Flower Vase
Pottery Barn
Burlwood Tray
Pottery Barn
Anthropologie
Cut Glass Candle Holder
Anthropologie
French Blooms: Floral Arrangements Inspired by Paris and Beyond
The Artisanal Furnishings Brand Becomes Havenly’s Third Acquisition as The Company Continues to Expand Their Offerings for The Rising Home Consumer.
DENVER , Feb. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Havenly, the country’s leading interior design service and home furnishings company, announced today it has reached a definitive agreement to acquire The Citizenry as part of its ongoing efforts to build a collection of home brands and technologies that appeal to the next generation of shoppers. The acquisition, which is the third brand acquisition in 24 months for Havenly, is indicative of the design & furnishings leader’s growth trajectory as it expands upon its offerings for the digital first home consumer.
Launched in 2014 by Rachel Bentley and Carly Nance, The Citizenry works with master artisans and heritage manufacturers to bring to market beautiful, globally-inspired designs, that are ethically crafted across rugs, bedding, decorative textiles and accents.
“As a personal customer of The Citizenry, I’m thrilled to bring the brand into the Havenly family,” said Lee Mayer, co-founder and CEO of Havenly. “Rachel and Carly’s unrivaled commitment to sustainability, social impact, and support of artisans combined with premium quality and exquisite design is truly something revolutionary in the space, and a big reason why The Citizenry has long been a favorite among our customers. We’re excited to build on the work they’ve done to help usher in the next era of great home brands for the modern consumers.”
In recent years, amidst the increased importance of home, Havenly has been building a design-led ecosystem that offers unparalleled access to talented designers alongside beautiful and functional furniture and decor offerings, driven by the needs and preferences of the next generation of home customers. Havenly has focused on partnering with market leading brands in the direct to consumer space, emphasizing consistent quality and sustainability. The acquisition of The Citizenry expands the company’s offerings in furniture, textiles and home decor by adding a beloved brand for this consumer.
“We are excited to join the Havenly house of brands,” said Carly Nance, Co-founder of The Citizenry. “We truly believe their team is building the next-generation home decor powerhouse, investing in the right tools to fuel the purchase journey and meeting customers with inspiration in the moments that matter most. We bring our rich brand, distinctive product offering, and loyal customer base to fuel that vision.”
The acquisition comes on the heels of Havenly’s purchase of the assets of customizable furniture and upholstery brand, Interior Define. In combination with the 2022 acquisition of The Inside, a direct-to-consumer home furnishing brand known for its customizable pieces and heritage design partnerships, Havenly has solidified itself as a rising market leader in home decor and design.
As part of the acquisition, Rachel Bentley will continue on with the brand as President of The Citizenry, and Carly Nance will transition to serving as an Executive Brand Advisor. Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.
ABOUT HAVENLY
Havenly is creating home for this generation. Made up of the nation’s largest scaled interior design service, as well as leading brands in home furnishings like Interior Define, The Inside, and The Citizenry – Havenly is bringing a fresh take on home design and home furnishings to the modern home consumer.
Through their design services, Havenly creates hundreds of thousands of designs per year, making them the go-to source for in-home design inspiration across the country. In conjunction with their furnishings brands, Havenly is becoming one of the premier destinations for all things home.
For more information, visit www.Havenly.com, www.InteriorDefine.com, and www.TheInside.com and follow on Instagram at @thehavenly, @interiordefine, and @theinside
ABOUT THE CITIZENRY
The Citizenry is a direct to consumer, socially-conscious home decor brand. The Citizenry partners with master artisans & heritage manufacturers to create exclusive collections of home goods, crafted with the finest materials and time-tested techniques. The brand is setting new standards for transparency and social responsibility in the market – every piece is ethically crafted in fair trade environments.
For more information, visit www.the-citizenry.com and follow The Citizenry on Instagram
For media inquiries, please contact: Adalia Roberts Full Picture [email protected]
After participating in pop-ups and markets—and working with AD100 designer Alex Papachristidis—founder Alice Minnich opened Larger Cross to embrace New Jersey’s “bucolic lifestyle.” The shop features a wonderful mix of country house essentials, including antique English furniture and silver, Mexican etched glassware, and other stylish finds. Though Larger Cross has select pieces on its web store, its Oldwick location is a must-visit because of its robust inventory and soothing sage green interior.
Charming and often locally made home accessories and gifts are the specialty of interior designer Laura Hodges, who runs this storefront in the historic area of downtown Catonsville. Knitted throw blankets, handmade ceramics, ample artwork, and a profusion of pillows are what keep shoppers stopping by.
Think of Good Neighbor as one of the few home decor stores that can appeal to all the senses. Located in Baltimore’s Hampden neighborhood, the retailer boasts a roster of contemporary wares sure to elevate any entryway, living room, or home office. (Highlights include rippled glassware from Ferm Living, Hem’s vibrant side tables, and terrazzo stools courtesy of Normann Copenhagen.) Should you get hungry mid-spree, grab a coffee or sweet treat at Good Neighbor’s in-store café. You can also check out Green Neighbor, the retailer’s New Age nursery next door that sells plants and modern gardening essentials.
Eclectic design enthusiasts might know Yowie for its sprightly social media presence; however, its brick-and-mortar store in Philadelphia’s Queen Village is well worth the in-person visit. Yowie is open only a few days each week, but if you schedule your stop for the right moment, you’ll see that Shannon Maldonado packs the storefront with punchy ceramics, glassware, pillows, and linens, as well as innovative provisions. Out-of-towners, take note: In 2023, Yowie opened a colorful hotel attached to the storefront for some bold beauty sleep.
Growing up in Amsterdam, founder Natalie van Dijk had a deep appreciation for all-things home decor—so much so that she studied textile design in Europe and pursued a career in New York City. When she decided to open her shop in Boston’s South End, she blended aspects of her unique journey into one storefront: the sleek aesthetic of Amsterdam, the luxuries of Paris, and the innovative spirit of NYC. (Lekker is Dutch for “pleasing, enjoyable, and tasty.”) Van Dijk’s perfected the balance of understated and upscale with furniture upholstered in Alexander Girard textiles, outdoor rugs by Chilewich, and table lamps by &Tradition.
Home Remedies has been serving up classic New England charm since 2010—and remains a favorite design destination for locals and out-of-towners alike. (Even the store itself feels unequivocally Maine, thanks to its exposed wooden beams, brick walls, and a sprinkling of shiplap.) Nestled on Portland’s bustling Commercial Street, the retailer is the epitome of east coast style with an assortment of Thibaut throw pillows, lobster-printed serveware, and cast-iron cookware.
Midwest
With a studio-slash-storefront a stone’s throw away from Chicago’s famed Wrigley Field, Mitchell Black is the place to find custom and bespoke wall coverings in any style. You can also specify statement-making wall murals, peel-and-stick repeats, and just about anything else that will add a graphic punch to a project. In addition to signature repeats, Mitchell Black is also brimming with designer collaborations from the likes of Beth Glover and Forbes Masters, among others.
Open on weekends, or by appointment, The Stoop isn’t the kind of store you can sporadically swing by. But once you finally carve out some time to visit the West Town retailer, you’ll be happy you did. While The Stoop might have an impressive selection of secondhand clothes and accessories, it’s the homewares section that offers hit after hit. On any given day, you can pick up a complete Alessi by Michael Graves set or graphic art by Erin Burke.
Shopkeeper Beth Berke isn’t an interior designer by trade. (In fact, she spent many years as an aid and social worker.) However, when she was sprucing up her historic home many years ago, Berke found herself searching all corners of the earth for unique vintage pieces—and loved every minute of it. Her hobby turned into a full-fledged business with South Loop Loft, which is located just north of Chicago’s Fulton Market area. From Carrara marble office furniture dating back to the 1980s to a Belgian “space age” sofa from the 1970s, South Loop Loft gives retro finds a cool, trending flair.