Many of Home Accents Today’s Retail Stars are from the West Coast. Here’s a look at what makes them each unique.
Absolutely Fabulous, Huntington Beach, Calif.
Absolutely Fabulous, a repeat Retail Star, one of sister publication Gifts & Decorative Accessories’ Gifted Retailers, and the recipient of multiple ARTS Awards, has been in business since 2006 and is still going strong. Founder Diane Silverstein was a nurse for 20 years before becoming disabled and unable to do that type of work anymore. One day, on her way to get her nails done, she saw a “for lease” sign in an empty storefront and three weeks later, she was in the gift and home décor business, the company said. The store’s home and garden assortment reveals a sense of good fun and humor: celebratory items marked with cheeky sentiments, plenty of kitchen and dining pieces for home entertainment, and lots of gifts for weddings, anniversaries and engagements. The store is also well known for its eye-catching window displays. “Our visual displays in the windows have caused two fender benders in the car park; they are that good,” Silverstein told GDA several years ago. – Allison Zisko
Agoura Antique Mart, Agoura Hills, Calif.
The Agoura Antique Mart, based in Agoura Hills, Calif, is a vintage marketplace that includes more than 40 distinctive vendors. Eighty-three percent of the sales from the Agoura Antique Mart come from accessories, which is its focus, according to Strategic Insights research.
The mart expanded the 9,000 square-foot store to 11,300 square feet last summer. Each booth offers detailed displays featuring an eclectic mix of vintage furniture, sophisticated industrial components, architectural elements, lighting and textiles, as well as a broad selection of one-of-a-kind accessories for the home and garden. Merchandise changes on a weekly basis, which allows the mart to offer genuine insight into the latest trends. The Agoura Antique Mart is a ‘one-stop shop,’ blending influences from American primitives and rural European, to casual home furnishings. The retailer’s vignettes are displayed alongside modern home décor and tabletop. We believe mixing old and new provides our customers with a vast selection of ideas and inspiration. —AFW
Canteen Lifestyle & Design, Thousand Oaks, Calif.
The founders of Canteen Lifestyle & Design, located in Thousand Oaks, Calif., say their business embodies the passion of doing what they love for people they love to work with. Combining home furnishings retail with interior design services, Canteen leans into its southern California design aesthetic, taking a lifestyle approach to home décor with such categories as Found, Kitchen and Dining, Lifestyle, Textiles and Home Accents. On the design side, Canteen’s focus is on creating meaningful spaces that reflect its clients’ personalities, but with a distinct stamp.
With a brick-and-mortar and digital retail presence, Canteen has been able to expand its aesthetic beyond its California roots. The retailer’s successful approach has been honored with an ARTS nomination for Home Accents Store — West. — Diane Falvey
D’Amore Interiors, Denver
Frank and Marilyn D’Amore began their retail and design journey in 1980, selling handcrafted bedding and pillows in Florida. After the birth of their daughter, who is now in business with them, they visited and then moved to Colorado. In 2013, D’Amore purchased its own building in the Denver Design District, where it continues to serve the home furnishings and design needs of its clientele. Through the years, the company has grown its showroom and client base via a passion for furniture and design. This family affair has proven successful for the D’Amores, with Marilyn and daughter Gina receiving accolades for their design aesthetic through magazine articles and awards, including several NKBA Design Competition Awards and an ARTS Award nomination for furniture retailer, single location.
D’Amore is known for its ability to handle design projects large and small, as well as delivering a comprehensive and beautifully merchandised retail showroom in Denver’s Design District. —DF
HW Home, Denver and Fort Collins, Colo.
Colorado-based HW Home prides itself on offering an eclectic blend of home décor and furnishings from around the world, including many one-of-a-kind pieces. The company started in Boulder, Colo., in 1999 but has now added locations in the Cherry Creek section of Denver and in Fort Collins, Colo. Accessories make up about 18% of total sales for HW Home, according to Strategic Insights research. Company owner Ron Werner believes that everyone has their own unique style and so offers a wide range of customizable options, including a wide variety of fabrics and leathers for ottomans, chairs and sofas. The store also has a Make It Mine program, which allows customers to create personalized chairs and upholstered beds. While HW Home’s contemporary furniture can be viewed in-store, all items on the company’s website are available for direct shipping. All three locations also have a dedicated team of design consultants who have years of expertise in interior decorating. —AFW
Interior Illusions, West Hollywood, Calif.
Based in West Hollywood, Calif., Interior Illusions also has showrooms in Palm Springs and Palm Desert, an outlet in Cathedral City, and an indoor/outdoor showroom, called Exterior Illusions, in Rancho Mirage. The company, which offers both retail stores and design services, said its primary aesthetic is derived from the mixing of proper stylistic ingredients and correct proportions to create a uniquely storied design flavor that offers hints of modern, contemporary, regency, rococo and even organic styling. Owner Mike Valles started as a designer and solo proprietor in 1999 and now employs a staff of 20. The National ART committee has awarded Interior Illusions with its “Best in The West” award and Valles is known as the go-to business for all of Hollywood, from the set designers to celebrities. Interior Illusions is also known as a product outlet and is on every major network’s list of places to visit for set design. —AFW
Mountain Comfort Furnishings and Design, Frisco, Colo.
Mountain Comfort Furnishings and Design is a locally owned retailer of unique, sustainable and quality-driven mountain-style furniture in Summit County, Colorado. It has additional showrooms in Frisco, Colo., and Truckee, Calif., in the Lake Tahoe area. The retailer prides itself on offering curated selections of home décor and furniture from trusted brands, and unique finds that are exclusive to its showrooms.
The retailer is committed to sourcing sustainable and American-made products and supporting local artisans. Its interior design team is available for the entire process, from the blank canvas to turning the key to move in, and offers white-glove delivery and removal options. – LR
Ultra Design Center, Denver
Family-owned Ultra Design Center started out as a door and cabinet hardware company serving mostly builders and designers. When it entered the lighting category in 2019, the business approached it as a blank slate that could be presented compellingly with dedicated and committed salespeople, according to managing partner Kevin Castelo. The Denver-based lighting showroom, which carries brands such as Allegri, Allora, Kuzco, Eurofase, Currey & Co., David Trubridge and Visual Comfort, among many others, received a retail ARTS Award in January for its efforts.
It’s currently working on building a new 3,000 square-foot space dedicated to wellness products such as the first solar-powered sauna in the U.S., in addition to steam and cold plunge. “As far as I can tell, there isn’t anything like this in the U.S., which will make this showroom a true destination for Colorado and beyond,” Castelo said. – AZ
Wishbone Home Design, Lake Oswego, Ore.
Looking for home inspiration in Lake Oswego, Ore.? Look no further than Wishbone Home Design. Founded in 2014 by Kim Nilles, Wishbone was driven by Nilles’s passion for interior design. From gifts to full-service design, Nilles and her team come toget
her with a variety of design talents to assist new and repeat clients in their community and across the nation.
The beautifully curated store and online shopping experience deliver everything from jewelry and books to home décor and furniture, giving customers multiple reasons to come back and shop again, bringing beauty to their lives and homes.
On the design side, Wishbone offers services that range from home accessorizing and styling to custom finishes and professional installation. The company’s mission is to create design that reflects its clients’ vision and lifestyle. —DF
