Looking ahead, what sort of home decor trends should we be looking for in the next 12 months?
Q&A W I TH
Barbara Geyer Watts Owner of Reunions Looking for a one-of-a-kind table lamp? This is your place. Reunions, at 1709 Centre Plaza (near the intersection of Quaker Lane and King Street), offers unique items new and consigned. We recently asked Reunions owner Barbara Geyer Watts a few questions about how you can freshen up your home decor this year.
What are some home decor accessories that can be used to make a home more inviting that people sometimes overlook? What immediately comes to mind is lamps. We feel that lighting is extremely important in our shop, and that same philosophy would also apply in our customers’ homes. We carry a large variety of lamps in different styles, sizes and colors. Baskets are another item. Baskets are a great way to tame clutter, as well as look good on their own. Finally, customers often forget about the scent of their home. We carry a vast array of scented candles, fragrance mists and diffusers.
Have you noticed any sort of home decor trends this season that have been popular that you can share? We noticed that customers gravitated toward neutral colors in 2017. Melamine serving pieces—salad bowls and trays—were extremely popular. Customers continued to love table linens, especially runners.
From what I have read and seen at trade shows, it looks like the color purple—especially lavender and lilac, will be popular in 2018. Velvet will continue to be “in.” We expect to see more circular patterns. Photo courtesy of Reunions
What are some go-to items that local residents can find if they are looking to freshen up the look of their home?
Where to Shop Local for Home Decor
Reunions carries high quality artificial greens and flowers year round. These are very popular with our customers, who use them to change their decor for each season. We also carry a wide variety of pillows in different colors and sizes. An especially popular one is our rectangular black on linen Alexandria, Virginia pillow. We recently added an Arlington, Virginia pillow. I have also made a concerted effort to find unique vases, candlesticks, sculptures, etc. made by American artists around the country. Our customers have been very receptive to this idea of supporting other small businesses and artists.
A few home decor stores and designers in Alexandria that you can check out include: RED BARN MERCANTILE 1117 King Street Red Barn Mercantile is a furniture and home gift store that mixes old and new, antique and modern. ARROW-ALT-CIRCLE-RIGHT redbarnmercantile.com
VICTORIA AT HOME 1125 King Street Victoria at Home has a collection of home furnishings and accessories curated by Victoria Sanchez.
What are some of the more popular consigned items customers are looking for?
ARROW-ALT-CIRCLE-RIGHT victoriaathome.com
Our most popular consignment items are stemware, china and silver trays. We almost always have several Waterford stemware patterns in stock. We frequently sell entire sets of china. Silver trays are always popular, especially during the holidays. We also sell consignment furniture.
If a customer isn’t sure about figuring out how to pull together a look in a room, does Reunions offer any sort of help in that regard? Although we do not make house calls, we are happy to help customers with their design questions. Frequently, customers bring in photographs or scraps of fabric showing their color schemes. We love helping customers select furniture that fits their needs and spaces. We also help customers design mantles, arrange flowers, and create unique table settings and baby nurseries.
RANDOM HARVEST 810 King Street Random Harvest focuses on pieces that are beautiful, unique and functional. ARROW-ALT-CIRCLE-RIGHT randomharvesthome.com
HOUSEWORKS INTERIORS 421 S. Washington Street Houseworks Interiors works with individuals on creating beautiful, architecturally thoughtful interior design. ARROW-ALT-CIRCLE-RIGHT houseworksinteriors.com
STUART NORDIN DESIGN 600 Cameron Street Stuart Nordin Design focuses on designing and decorating homes with a nod to personal tastes and life stories. ARROW-ALT-CIRCLE-RIGHT stuartnordin.com
2018 Preview Issue | alexandrialivingmagazine.com
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