A little more from my trip to So Cal…
While it’s certainly fun to go to Los Angeles and play in la-la-land for a day or two, I prefer to head south to the cute little beach towns–way more relaxed and fun. Just 15 minutes from LAX you’ll find Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach and Redondo Beach.
For design lovers, I recommend heading to Pier Avenue in Hermosa Beach where you’ll find three amazing little stores–Gum Tree Shop & Cafe, Maison Luxe and Curious.
Gum Tree is a darling shop and cafe owned by the nicest couple, Lori and Will Ford. Housed in a beautiful, bright little beach bungalow, it’s the perfect place to find home accessories and gifts and then grab a bite to eat.
Gum Tree carries a wide selection of beach-inspired decor like Dash & Albert rugs and Thomas Paul pillows and accessories, as well as coffee table books, tableware and gorgeous jewelry. You’ll also find a fabulous selection of children’s items and some larger furniture pieces like a Bungalow 5 etagere and a lucite coffee table.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE these little tables and chairs that are handmade in Togo. Added to my wish list for my kids’ playroom…tea party anyone?
Lori and Will regularly receive new merchandise including these beautiful ceramics that arrived this week from Australia (Will is an Aussie and obviously trips home are a little work and play!)
Head just a little west down Pier Avenue and you’ll run into Maison Luxe. My friend Carrie bought this stunning glass jar pendant light for over her kitchen nook table–it casts beautiful shadows on the walls that are almost like waves.
Not only will you be blown away by all their beautiful things, but you’ll also be inspired by how everything is displayed–everything looks so perfectly collected thanks to the layering of global accessories and the use of different textures. My camera wasn’t working so I’m going to borrow some pics from Teri over at beach city lifestyle (a great blog if you’re headed out this way) who featured the store last fall.
I love the use of the large shell as an orchid pot.
This little vignette is perfection–such an eclectic mix and you can just imagine the interesting person who would collect these items.
Our final stop on Pier Avenue was Curious–a home decor and novelty shop. This is a fun store with lots of kitschy gifts and refurbished furniture, but my favorite thing is their custom furniture. Camera continued to not cooperate so thanks to Sweet Peach blog for this shot of the store:
For months I searched high and low for a perfectly proportioned, rectangular parsons style side table for my living room. Oh how I wish I could have walked into Curious and had it custom made…and at a great price! Continuing to shop locally, Carrie had a beautiful HUGE solid wood desk built specifically for her study–large enough for both her and her husband to work on at the same time. Painted in a washed soft grey so the grain is still visible, it came in at under $400–beautiful and great quality at a great price. Love it.
Bryce the owner makes the furniture and Carrie says he’s a total delight. He obviously has a great design aesthetic and a sense of fun…check out these projects also featured on Sweet Peach blog (apparently Pamela of Sweet Peach was Bryce’s neighbor.) Love the creativity!
And, for my L.A. friends who are looking for other design shops in the area, check out this list provided by L.A. Confidential Magazine: http://la-confidential-magazine.com/living/articles/home-chic-home. Oh Nathan Turner how I love thee and how I wish you’d open a store in Chicago.
Let us know if you have other faves!
after seeing that photo of my desk, i think i need a little helpful inspiration on cord hiding!