From its catchy name to its curated home décor and furniture, BuzziBoutique is building buzz in Atlanta’s Westside design district.
The shop: With its white walls, white hardwood floors and gallery-like feel, BuzziBoutique offers original and unexpected home décor, furnishings and gifts, including products from its parent company (BuzziSpace) as well as vintage and new pieces from Europe.
The company & background: BuzziBoutique is the first U.S. store opened by BuzziSpace, a furniture and acoustic products manufacturer in Belgium. The founders are Steve Symons and Tom Van Dessel. Symons, based in Antwerp, sources the shop's vintage pieces from all over Europe. Van Dessel heads the U.S. headquarters in High Point, North Carolina, where many of the BuzziSpace products are made.
Atlanta resident Daniel Monier, who joined BuzziSpace three years ago as director of North American sales. He heads up BuzziBoutique, which opened in November.
The main brands:
- BuzziSpace started with acoustical solutions for the workplace. It now offers smart pieces for homes, such as BuzziCube ($413) and BuzziMilk Stools ($532).
- Society linens ($155 to $790) from Lecco, a renowned textile town in Italy. Each season, the company introduces a new complementary color. The collection includes sheets, duvets, pillowcases, throws and napkins.
- By Lassen products, such as shelving (starting at $339), candle holders ($99) and furniture. Monier's favorite Flemming Lassen: The Tired Man ($3,999), an overstuffed easy chair.
Popular gift items:
- Gestalten Books ($40 and up). The beautiful coffee table books document key movements in design, architecture, fashion and photography. Favorite titles include: "Let's Go Out Again," "Rock the Shack" and "I am Dandy."
- Candles from South Carolina-based We Took to the Woods ($44 to $50). Many have a more masculine look and scent for wider appeal.
- Society scarves ($240). Made of cashmere and silk, scarves are available in a range of soft, neutral shades.
- Candle holders ($99) and serving bowls ($156) from the By Lassen Kubus collection.
Favorites
Blogs & websites: Dezeen; YankoDesign; and Design*Sponge. "I'm also on Houzz quite a bit, keeping my eye on designers," said Monier.
Instagram: @DesignMilk; @SightUnseen; and @theimportanceofbeingmodernist.
Magazines: Interior Design; Dwell; Surface; Monocle; and Wallpaper. A Southern favorite: Garden & Gun.
Shops in Atlanta (other than our own): Dixon Rye, Context and Switch Modern.
Design pet peeves: Knockoffs — and seeing designers use them. For example, we carry the original B.K.F. [butterfly] chair, designed in 1938. It is unfortunate to see how many bad copies of it are out there.
Design obsession(s): Memphis, a modern design style introduced in the early 1980s. I own two pieces: the Oceanic Table Light and the Kristall End Table. "I think it is one of the last big movements in architecture," said Monier.
People would be surprised to learn: Everything in the shop is for sale. And we want you to sit, touch and pick up everything we carry.
Biggest design mistake I've made: Deciding on the color of the hardwood floors in the boutique. Originally, we kept them a bit darker. We quickly realized lighter floors would make everything pop. We ended up refinishing the floors: four times.
… and mistake homeowners make: Going and staying in one direction: either all traditional or all modern. It's not wrong. But, if you can place a modern piece of furniture next to a vintage piece and make it work, you've created something special.
What's new: A curated assortment of flatware and glasses, plus the always-changing inventory of vintage pieces.
Find BuzziBoutique on:
Facebook: BuzziBoutique
Instagram: @BuzziBoutique
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