San Francisco Inspiration

Some San Francisco inspiration for the SLP: the beautiful (no pun intended) CocoaBella chocolate boutique.  Just what part of the boutique was the most beautiful?  All of it.  No joke.  Every part of their design, straight down to the furniture legs at the bottom of their cash wrap had me swooning.

Don't let these pieces of art fool you, they're just as delicious as they are gorgeous.  My favorite?  The Venezuelan Spice by Christopher Elbow Artisanal Chocolates-- definitely the perfect balance of chili pepper, cinnamon and vanilla. I ate ummmm... about ten more than one :-)

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Sabon Sabon Sabon!

The last few months have been such a whirlwind of once in a lifetime opportunities, some of which have taken me to my favorite cities.  I've had a blast visiting new storefronts and shops, gleaming as much inspiration as I can for the Spice Loft.

One of the biggest sources of inspiration for my storefront is Sabon, one of the best soap and bath product retailers in the world.  The pictures below are from storefronts in Rome, Tokyo, Chicago and New York.


What intrigues me about this shop is how they've managed to blend "old world" with "new and modern."  I find their displays breathtaking and neat, always impressive, and truly appealing enough to have someone just walking by take a long detour into their store.  That's the whole point on business interior design with commodity retailers, and Sabon writes the book!


Love these cabinets and the chandelier!

And what better way to try bath products than an old stone fountain sink in the middle of the store:

 {photos via coloribus.com and sabonlover}

Mari's of New York

One of the things that I'm most looking forward to when I actually have the storefront is the opportunity to customize basket and gift orders for my clients.  I'm excited to put together packages for clients looking to stock a new bride's first spice cabinet with the essential basic spices, for the athletic clients looking to boost their metabolism while eating low calorie/high flavor meals, for a man or woman who loves to barbecue and wants to create their own spice blends, and to the aspiring chef who wants a million different salts and spice infused sugars, to name just a few.  Wedding favors, however, will be one of the most fun for me to create, and hopefully one of the best customized products to sell!

I was inspired to write about favors after I read about Mari's of New York customized brownie favors.  Personally speaking, I think these are one of the classiest and thoughtful (because who doesn't love a brownie?) wedding favors I've seen in a while.

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And here are a few other of my favorite favors! 

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Check out c(oi)n:purse's homemade vanilla extract here!

It's Complicated, but I'm Officially in Love

I laughed out loud and fell in love all at the same time this weekend when I watched "It's Complicated".  Meryl Streep was amazing (as usual) and I'm now in complete infatuation with her house, her garden, and her bakery from the film!

Soooooo gorgeous!

 

 

 

White marble island... I'm in love...

Don't you just want to be there, laughing with the ladies?

 

Love the wide-open *loft* feel of this bakery

 

 

Interior Fetish: Vinology, Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, Michigan, is where I grew up.  I never really knew how neat of a town it truly was until I moved away.  Not only is this lively town riddled with culture brought in by the University, but it's blessed with old architecture, good restaurants, and a great nightlife.

This week's interior fetish is Vinology, one of my favorite wine bars *ever*.  Nestled on the north end of the busy but quaint Main Street, Vinology's decor is truly an experience.  From the bubble room to the wine bar, the interior design firms working on this project got is sooooo right:

"To create the warm contemporary atmosphere of Vinology we worked with local designers to maintain the historical attributes of the space while relating the decor to wine education. To evoke the elements of the winemaking process we used materials of stainless steel, cork, and glass. Our preservation efforts lead us to restore the tin ceilings and exposed brick walls and create four separate spaces for our guests to enjoy."

Definitely takin' notes for the SL storefront!

Vinology   Ann Arbor, Michigan

The Bubble Room

I love the bubbles!  My good friend had some of her wedding photos taken in this room.

Love the exposed brick and tin ceiling... character and ambiance appropriate for the product.

Bottle Glass of your finest pinot noir, please.

{Quote and photos from Vinology}

Interior Fetish: Extraordinary Desserts

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I'm in love with the interior space of Extraordinary Desserts in the Little Italy section of San Diego, California:

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The high ceilings and open space is a "true loft" feel, with high ceilings and exposed ceiling beams. Th zen-inspired decoration adds a much needed warmth to this restaurant and bakery. My favorite detail is this custom wood wall. I love the way the light plays through the circles:

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Love it!

When the Spice Loft opens, I hope it turns out as beautiful and inspiring as this Extraordinary Desserts location.

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