I have been going to Texas to visit my sister for over 25 years now. Over the years, favorite stores have come and gone. None have been more inspirational than
Simple Things. We first visited more than 5 years ago. Deb and I drew a lot of inspiration from this store when we built the 7gypsies trade show booth (
what seems like an eternity ago). The store had a wall covered in burlap that we mimicked by dying burlap in coffee that we made with used coffee grounds we got from Starbucks. But that's a story for another day.
So over the years, every time I visited, we had to drive over to Simple Things even if it was to just walk around and dream about living in the showroom. Then a couple years ago, Simple Things moved from the shopping center location to their warehouse, operating on an appointment only basis. Of course, that was terrible for us dreamers. No showroom to wander through and glean ideas from.
Well, Lucky me Simple Things just re-opened to the public in the new redesigned warehouse in Benbrook, TX. It took us 30-40 minutes to get there from my sisters, but it was worth the drive just to see the space and imagine living in it. Some spaces are just that magical. The new space is no exception. Come along while we go in together...
Be still my heart. This wall was huge and all covered with US Mail bags. It reminds me of the famous burlap wall we mimicked years ago.
Shelves covered in linen with tacks on the end.
Lavender Chalkboard wall
My favorite display of the day...so very Texas!
Love this sign...and the green lockers, wow what a backdrop.
this hanging lampshade was rough and rustic, but fabulous...
the work table...(look at the hanging lamps!)
the beautiful linens...
Love the reclaimed wood floors...totally different pattern in some areas, but it all works together beautifully.
Some (or many) of these glass bottles may have gone home with me.
If you click on the Simple Things link at the beginning of this post, be sure to scroll down and see the transformation of the warehouse, from raising the roof to laying the floors...really inspirational.
carry on,
paula
ps - do you have a favorite store in your area? I would love to know about it and why it is inspirational to you. If you leave a comment by Tuesday at midnight - I will give away some good stuff on Wednesday! See you then, with another of my Texas favorites.
