i+D - March/April 2019 - 47

Curated Home by
Chrissy & Co features
several exclusive lines,
including a private
collection of furniture and
custom area rugs designed
by Chrissy Cottrell.
(Image: Chrissy & Co)

How Does It Feel?
Though challenges are aplenty and, in some respects,
unending, it's the creation of experience that drives each of
these designers to continue down the retail path. "My space
reflects the marriage of Old World and new: total sophistication
with a touch of whimsy. Because, at the end of the day, just
as my philosophy is to create spaces that echo who my clients
are, my shop had to capture the essence of who I am-not
just as a designer, but as a modern woman in business who
has a passion for craftsmanship with a contemporary twist,"
professes Cottrell of her storefront.
Fitzsimmons balances the fine line of staying on brand with
client demand, "Our Coastal aesthetic is expressed in the
materials, textures, artwork, and accessories. We try very hard
to avoid the cliché nautical pieces."
Taking on a more is more position, Rafferty's The Grand Tour
echoes the sentiment, while offering a little something for
everyone. "My interiors are usually very layered, and I like
to incorporate colorful, interesting pieces and art that tell a story
and feel collected. The store follows the same concept," she
explains. "There's also a mix of high and low-we have items
from $15 to $15,000."
Explaining their own philosophy, Nicholas and Ramsay note,
"As is our deepest wish for all CLOTH & KIND-designed
spaces, our shop conveys a sense of history and heart, of
story and substance. To us, it feels like home."

Gina Fitzsimmons (left)
and Megan Trachtman,
Fitzsimmons Design
Associates, Inc. and
Details of Design.
(Image: Wing Lian)

And the Pay-Off Is?
Perhaps the question, surpassing the romance of the experience and
creative inclination, is the impact on the designer's bottom line. Has a retail
arm positively influenced their businesses? For this group, the answer is
a resounding yes. "We're ecstatic to have expanded this way," shares
Rafferty. "It's added exposure for us as an interior design firm and allowed
us to build community. We're enjoying building on our relationships and
getting to better know the makers and vendors we've admired and worked
with on a different scale for so long now. The store amplifies [my] and my
firm's design voice and really allows us to both focus and expand at the same
time. And, it gives us an opportunity to explore product that we would love
to spec, but don't always get the chance to."
Echoing this enthusiasm, CLOTH & KIND's Ramsay advises, "Opening the
shop has most definitely had a positive effect on our interior design business.
It gives people a chance to experience our design work firsthand and has
resulted in many more inquiries from homeowners that would like to work
with [us.]" Nicholas agrees, adding, "That said, we would strongly caution
designers from opening a shop solely for the purpose of attracting new
clients. It's a sweet little fringe benefit, but not one that outweighs the time,
money, and energy required to run a retail shop."
All things considered, these designers don't intend to stray from the retail
component of their businesses anytime soon. The extra effort, it would
seem, has been well worth it.

CARA GIBBS
is a freelance design and lifestyle writer, editor,
and stylist residing in Manhattan. Formerly the principal
style editor at Luxe Interiors + Design, she now is a regular
contributor to Architectural Digest, Apartment Therapy,
House Beautiful, Wallpaper, and The Wall Street Journal,
among other publications. She also is the co-founder of the
artisan marketplace, In The Pursuit, that aims to marry
content with commerce.

i+D - March/April 2019

47
i+D - March/April 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of i+D - March/April 2019
