Best of Philly 2005: Home
New boutique: KC Home Nestled in the corner of the South Jersey Kepple’s Carpet showroom, this 400-square-foot in-store boutique is an ode to modern, clean-lined design. Marci Kepple has assembled an impressive mix of designers, including Jonathan Adler, Hable Construction, local Kevin O’Brien, Cole River, and Global Views (which furnished an apartment featured on The Apprentice) (1 North Springdale Road, Cherry Hill; 856-424-8686).
Special-occasion gifts: Town Home The go-to spot for spoil-me-rotten gifts, from super-soft cashmere throws by Rani Arabella and etched-glass barware by Salviati to Simon Pearce hand-blown glass tableware and ultra-chic baby items. The best part? There’s something for absolutely everyone (126 South 19th Street; 215-972-5100).
Place to make your house a home: Simply Cottage Since relocating from Chestnut Hill into a smaller Main Line location, this lifestyle boutique has really hit its stride: It’s Nantucket cottage-meets-shabby chic, but with an edge. The store sells 11 lines of bedding, including Matouk and Dans Nos Maisons; custom window treatments; furniture lines like Maine Cottage, and hundreds of tabletop items, such as Nicholas Mosse pottery and Arte Italica glassware. While some may plead sensory overload, others will feel they’ve hit the motherlode (367 West Lancaster Avenue, Haverford; 610-642-2905).
Vintage textiles: PS Vintage Pamela Simón’s sweet robin’s-egg-blue corner shop is devoted to American textiles from the ’30s to the ’70s, from barkcloth to kitchen cottons, which she’s collected over the past 20 years and sells by the yard. She has a stable of “pickers” across the country who are constantly sending her new material, and also stocks retro reproductions, such as oilcloth and cowboy prints, that she recommends for larger upholstery projects (101 North Main Street, Ambler, 215-540-1920; vintagefabrics.com).
Salvaged architectural treasures: Manayunk Design Group It’s not always about being modern, and MDG knows this well. It features one-of-a-kind historical items for the home, including stained glass from 19th-century churches, wrought iron gates, and even a fire safe with iron casing, a working lock and file drawers, from a razed mansion (4327 Main Street, Manayunk; 215-483-2804).
Wallpaper store: Colonial Wallpaper With wallpaper making a comeback, it only makes sense that Paul Sperling’s 29-year-old South Philly shop is again in vogue. Forget tired floral prints and last year’s toiles; Sperling’s exclusive, one-of-a-kind modern prints — by designers Bradbury & Bradbury, Arte, Waterhouse, Melinda Made and Duro — are today’s big sellers. Wallpaper reproductions from the ’50s, ’60s, even ’70s, from England, France and farther abroad, are also available (707 East Passyunk Avenue; 215-351-9300).
Traditional lighting store: Heritage Lighting The source for all kinds of traditional lighting, from country European sconces, pedestal and table lamps, and flush and ceiling mounts to the most beautiful chandeliers you can imagine, with embellishments like Murano glass and bohemian crystals. There are hundreds of items available, and every inch of wall and ceiling space is covered (67 Bridge Street, Lambertville; 609-397-8820).
Source for Italian Majolica: Bella Vita Ceramica In a converted barn in Pipersville, Patty Jo Ivenz and Susan Wilson have amassed a collection of expertly painted and detailed Tuscan and Umbrian ceramics so impressive, you’d have to go to Italy to match it. The real crowd-pleasers are the oversize pieces like dry sinks, mantles, tabletops, and three-dimensional wall art (6350 Easton Road, Pipersville; 215-766-9900).
Antiques store: La Tela Open just two years, interior designer Lara Lennon’s Berwyn shop features an eclectic collection of vintage and antique finds. While the store’s turn-of-the-century mahogany buffets, conversation chairs with muted bronze leather, and a fabric line that includes selections from Robert Allen, Stroheim & Romann, Duralee, and RM Coco are huge draws, it’s the vintage chandeliers from the ’20s and ’30s that make this well-kept secret a must-see (664 Lancaster Avenue, Berwyn; 610-644-2110).
Vintage furniture shop: Vintage Modern
Like an infinitely more elegant version of the basement in That ’70s Show. James Miller’s shop makes cushy sectionals, bright orange plastic étagères, Kensington vases, and brilliant blue and green flokati rugs—hand-loomed goat hair from Greece—feel on par with Art Deco. Many of his customers are dealers, there to buy and resell his pitch-perfect goods at twice the price (906 North 2nd Street; 215-238-1997).
Oriental rug bargains: Maloumian Oriental Rugs This Mount Airy carpet showroom, usually only open to the trade, is a favorite among the interior design crowd for its beautiful, diverse selection of more than 7,000 handmade Oriental rugs. Now regular folks can reap the rewards, too, since owner Roy Maloumian has declared Thursdays, from noon till eight, open to the public (231 West Mount Pleasant Avenue, Mount Airy; 215-247-3535).
