Creative Registry, which opened this past Sunday, is an eclectic 500-square-foot-menagerie that’s annexed off of the owner’s, Los Angeles interior designer Susan Manrao, studio. The goal there is to provide all with a sense of wonder while giving exposure to artisans whose work she cherishes.
Manrao encountered several craftspeople while crisscrossing the globe seeking custom works for her clients and eventually realized that she could create her own personal store that could bring these emerging designers to light. The result is a high-end shop with an exclusive ambience that’s not resultant from the price tags.
“It’s exclusive because these are pieces that are hard to find,” said Murao. “To me, that is what luxury means.”
Interior design, much like the rest of the fashion world, is perpetually evolving. It was just over 100 years ago when Englishman Samuel Simon first patented a screen printing technique for use on custom wallpaper for the hyper wealthy. Now, wallpaper is rarely used if ever.
Modern interior design is more international. Manrao isn’t the only designer to tap into this cutting edge trend. Heather Ashton, who recently updated the Sixty Beverly Hills hotel in Los Angeles, also incorporates her travels into her design. For the past three years, she’s been furnishing her own apartment in a “hand-curated, world traveler” manner, as she puts it.
Internationality has in part become so popular because foreign furniture and other curios lend an air of character to a place–they create a sense of history.
Repurposed furnishings has also tapped into this zeitgeist and is also becoming increasingly popular. Items that can be described as “rustic,” or “vintage” all beg to tell their respective stories.
In the past three years, repurposed and vintage furniture boutique, Shizzle Design, has made a name for itself with a unique style. People nationwide admire the owners’ ability to take what once could’ve been called “junk,” and turn it into something great. As a result, their work has been featured a number of times by designers and artisans across the country, including: Marian from Miss Mustardseed, Karen from Redoux Interiors and Donna from Funky Junk Interiors.
Those looking to remodel or redecorate their homes should look forwards towards this interior design trends, which ironically are looking back. Nowadays, it’s not so much about filling a home with functional furniture, so much as it’s about filling a home with history, charm, and character.