flourish: to decorate or embellish

As the world becomes smaller, interior designers and architects are more frequently working on projects far from home.  In many cases, the designers won’t ever have a chance to walk through the space, but must rely on floor plans and elevations to envision the interiors.  I’ve done this, and it is certainly not my favorite way of designing.  I think it’s important to feel the space; to know what works and what doesn’t, how it feels and how you want to make it feel.  This makes interior design much more exciting to me–to have a visceral reaction to a space.   Computer designs have their place (actually I find them extremely helpful as I cannot draw nearly as fast as I can model in 3D on the computer), yet it always falls a little flat.  But, as someone who always likes a challenge, I recently threw all my concerns out the window and took on a project over 1600 miles away.

Sevens Stars Coffee House started as a newly acquired wreck of sandwich shop.  Looking beyond the dirt and grease, the space was outdated, cold and, frankly, ugly.  The owners wanted it to be cheerful, warm, inviting and Kosher.  They intended on baking their own goods, making their own soup and creating their own candies.  After hearing the word “candy,” everything else was a buzz.  They said “bistro,” I heard “candy.”  They said “clean,” I heard “candy.”  Thus, I quickly did my research (ahem) for my design inspiration:

malted milk balls

sour candies

Luckily, I did have the chance to spend two whirlwind days in the space prior to any work being done.  It made all the difference in terms designing the best layout and lighting and selecting materials.  The owners were total troopers, making decisions at lighting speed.  The resulting plans were exciting, but months away from completion, and I had to head home and return to getting my updates via emails, photos and texts.

They opened the last week of June, and the buzz has been fantastic.  They were even written up in a great article on CityPages’ blog.  I haven’t been back since the remodel started, and I’m eager to walk through the space again.  I’m on the edge of my seat for each picture I am sent, and so far the coffee shop does seem warm and inviting and cheerful.  On the computer, that is.  However, I’m eager for that visceral hit of knowing whether we got what we were after. That, and there is a plethora of  handmade candies calling my name!

Hogwarts be damned.

I’ve found something better than showing up to the table and having my food magically appear.  You see, I hate grocery shopping like no other task.  The florescent lights, the packaging assaulting your senses, the inability to make a decision when bombarded by 200 cereal choices makes the process of grocery shopping tedious at best. I’ve walked out of grocery stores empty handed more times than I can count.

The irony is that I’m currently designing a grocery store.  Luckily, I can design it the way I would like to shop for food: a space small enough to see across; room for a small, but excellent, selection of items; well-lit; fixtures that remind you that food is supposed to be about color and textures and pleasing the senses.

So imagine stumbling across all of this within a store that only sells local food!

I walked into just such a store today.  Eat Local at the top of Queen Anne is everything I could hope for in my food shopping experience.  Stepping through the doorway, I realized the space is fantastic (which I declared out loud, and doing so sparked a great conversation with the guy working).  It was warm and well-lit, even on a grey, rainy day.  The space is very small, which gives you the sense that every surface is worth exploring.  Retro freezers store frozen foods with fantastic descriptions, while old industrial shelving and chalkboards litter the store.  I think I picked up every single item, partly inspired by the fact that all the Eat Local labels feature Nikki McClure artwork (one of my favorites!).  Honestly, the only thing I would change is to add a local, organic produce stand next door (though I’ve heard rumors that they have grown herbs in the summer).

I bought a small bag of rye berriers (yum!) from Bluebird Grain Farms in Winthrop and several of the frozen selections (prepared in the Eat Local kitchen in Burien).  If their food is even half as good as it felt to buy it, I’ll be back!  Plus, there are those pickles that need trying.  And the pear/blue cheese pizza.  And the flaxseed crackers…

I love small business owners.  I truly do.

I had just finished up some work with a new client, Shinka Tea, when I had a craving for ice cream.

Yes, it is a mere 34 degrees outside.  But I had a hankering.  I’m quirky like that.

So, I headed down to Full Tilt Ice Cream in Columbia City.  They opened this summer, but I had yet to venture in.  And, as one who hates navigating crowds, it seemed an ideal day to check them out.

I was so not disappointed.  I got a cone of eggnog ice cream (trying to stay true to the season), which was beyond delicious.  I was convinced to sample the ube (purple yam), and for good reason.  It is unbelievably yummy! I see a return visit in my near future.

But, most importantly, I had a great chat with shopkeep, Rob.  We talked about strategies of keeping ice cream stores afloat in cold, blustery months.  I’ve wondered, even out loud (to the confusion of my friends), how these independent ice cream shops popping up around Seattle keep their doors open during the winter.  Rob had a succinct answer: birthday parties. What kid doesn’t love gummy worms in his chocolate ice cream?  Or playing Pacman with a cold rush to her head?  Not many, which is a great thing for the folks at Full Tilt!

Our conversation continued to the those things that plague so many new retailers, like getting the word out that their doors are open.  Lucky for them, Full Tilt opened their second location (the first being White Center) in a supportive neighborhood, where even restaurants refer their customers to them!  And then on to innovative ways to keep the business thriving.  Full Tilt already knows combining video games, live music and beer is a recipe for success.  Think of it as a prime location for birthday parties of all ages.

It might have taken a cold snap to get me through the doors, but, be assured, I will be back to Full Tilt soon.  And if it means their new store is a success, I’d even be willing to one in a crowd!