Ideal- carefully curated goods, is a very special store to me. It encompasses all that I love- great design, smart & wonderful owners (who are moms to children & one to a dog), & cool books. This store is about 30 minutes away from my house & I have been lucky enough to have them carry my work for the last two years. Most of the stores that I work with are either online stores or out of the state/country. So I don’t often get the opportunity to visit in person and see how my work looks in the their shops
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I usually deliver my goodies in person because I love the chance to browse & visit with the owners of ideal. They know design and how to be great moms so I could chat with these ladies for hours. Not to mention, I never walk out of that store empty handed. There is always something unique & cool to discover. They have a very keen sense of what they like and it all flows together seamlessly. We share a love of Marimekko, books, letterpress, and clean lines. They also have a gorgeous selection of jewelry too. There is always a lot to look at for Sayer and Chris as well.
Last night they hosted a klt:trunk show that coincided with the local art walk. It was so much fun to stand back and watch the hustle & bustle in their store. I have to say, I love to observe little kids. But when they are wearing something that I made & playing with klt:plush, my heart melts. Lisa (one of the ideal owners) brought her two children to the event, Hank & Lulu. They are the sweetest kids and Lisa is all smiles in their presence.
Both Lisa & Kathleen were calm, cool, and collected all night, sporting their gorgeous Marimekko attire, while talking passionately about design. I loved how Kathleen was so nurturing to Lisa’s kid’s too. You can tell these ladies are really good friends which just makes the store feel great to be in and visit. Every time Sayer has come with me to ideal, Lisa & Kathleen have been so sweet with him, showing him the newest toys that they have found. Safe to say, he loves visiting too.
This is not a stuffy design store by any stretch of the imagination. It is friendly, smart, & beautifully curated. I had a wonderful evening last night and am really proud to be one of the designers who’s goods they carry. So if you are local, stop by – you will be really glad you did!