Gail Silverstein and Jessica Berinato are the mother-daughter team behind Urban Cottage in Atlanta’s Virginia Highland neighborhood. They believe the right home furnishings and accessories help make a house a home.
The shop: Gail opened Urban Cottage in 1997 in a little house in Buckhead's West Village Shopping area. Ten years later, the boutique relocated to its current location at North Highland Avenue.
Owners & background:
Silverstein is from Long Island, New York, and lived in Florida for 20 years before moving to Atlanta. A former teacher, Silverstein’s last position was at the Atlanta International School, teaching third-grade English before she changed careers.
Berinato attended Xavier University in Cincinnati and Atlanta College of Art, where she took interior design classes. She previously worked at a showroom in the AmericsMart in Atlanta and for her father, a furniture manufacturer, before joining her mother at Urban Cottage.
The main goods: Custom-made furniture (from hutches to headboards), but also furniture lines from Aiden Gray and Currey & Company; upholstery collections from Robin Bruce, Four Seasons and the Best Slipcover Company; Dash & Albert rugs; and lamps from Bungalow 5 and Gallery Designs.
Tabletop favorites: Juliska glassware, plus bowls, plates and serving pieces from Canvas Home and Bloomingville (a Danish brand).
Popular gifts: Capri Blue Volcano Candle in a white jar ($29); throws/blankets ($59 to $129); barnwood trays with rope handles (made in-house, $45); Breathless Paper Co. greeting cards ($3) and cocktail napkins ($8); and Milk Glass salt & pepper set ($29).
People are surprised to learn: The shop has a clothing room called the 'Little Black Dress Room" that offers women's clothing, including tunics, shirts and leggings.
… and offers some Atlanta-made home goods including: Heirloomed, including table runners, napkins and aprons. Also intown neighborhood mugs by Devanie Schilpp Ceramics.
Always on the hunt: For wall art, especially florals, landscapes and abstracts.
Favorites
- Blogs/websites: Domino; Design Sponge; The Design Files; and Lark & Linen.
- Magazines: Real Simple, Country Living, Coastal Living, Dwell, Southern Living, HGTV and Wallpaper.
- Instagram: magnolia made; a house and a dog; calling it home; style at home, house of jade interiors; and home is where the hart is.
- Atlanta home/design stores (other than our own): Bungalow Classic, Pieces and Redefined Home Boutique.
Design pet peeves: Greige. We love gray, but not a gray that leans to beige.
Current design obsession: Layering rugs. Also mixing old and new pieces.
Most unusual request: Design a piece of furniture to hold cat litter boxes.
What's new: An expanded children's section, with more books, clothing, games and blankets.
Find Urban Cottage at:
- Website: www.urbancottageatlanta.com
- Facebook: Urban Cottage Inc.
- Instagram: @urban_cottage_atl
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