Related Articles

• Perfect Presents
• Taigan Fetches the Best of Atlanta
• A to Z: Guide to Style
• Modern Metropolis
• What’s Modern Now

Considering Barbara Heath’s vast knowledge of design and recent notoriety in the field, you might be surprised to learn that her vision of opening new Brookhaven boutique, The Mercantile, was realized just three months ago—following an extensive career in diagnostic marketing and sales. Finally, she decided to pursue her dream in order to set an example for her teenage daughter, Lauren. “When you’re young, you’re told ‘Do what you love and it won’t be a chore,’ ” she explains. “I realized that I couldn’t encourage my daughter to pursue her passions if I wasn’t pursuing mine.”

Since opening her shop in December, Heath has become a key resource in the design community, stocking such rarities as furnishings from Bradley-Hughes, upholstery from George Smith, and the only full collection of Trowbridge prints and photographs in the city. Due in part to the caliber of her anchor collections, many other notable lines have followed, including Mark Edge jewelry, Murano glass lamps by Swank Lighting and artisan soaps and candles by Jabonería Marianella.

“I try to reach out to everyone who comes through the door, whether they’re buying a $10 bar of soap or a $10,000 sofa,” she says. “It’s about making people feel good by just being in here, by bringing them products they feel good about.” 

Golden Touch “Accessorizing is all about setting the stage with your surroundings,” says Heath. “I can’t resist gold. It brings such a celebratory mood to a space. I love the mix of this elegant antiqued gold leaf table and etched gold jar atop it, with Greek key decanters and cordial glasses adding classic styling. When I see this vignette in the store, I immediately think of a wonderful celebration and a toast waiting to be shared with family and friends."

Au Currant “Part of my goal for the store is to make sure that everything is always new and fresh, because it’s energizing for customers that way,” says Heath. “I love that we’re a young enough company that we can move quickly and get very meaningful, unique products you won’t find anywhere else. People are looking to invest in quality; things that they know they will love and things that they know will last.”

STYLE (secrets) My design philosophy is… be true to your vision, and keep it personal. Your home should be your respite, the one place where you can be yourself. If it’s not an expression of who you are, then it won’t feel like home at all. My favorite color is… the blue of our logo, by far. I call it “Tiffany Blue” or “Caribbean Blue.” It’s so calming and welcoming; it feels like a representation of me. I also love raspberry pink and coral. When I was a little girl, my mother made me a beautiful coral dress, and every time I see that shade, I think of her. My earliest design memory is… wandering the floors of Marshall Field’s in Chicago, where my mother was a designer. One of the top floors was dedicated to design, and I—just 5 years old—loved to run from room to room of the “Trend House,” pretending I was living in a beautiful doll house and I was the doll. My greatest inspiration is… my family. My parents wanted to instill an appreciation of art, design, literature and music in my brother and me. They sent me to The Conservatory at the College of Performing Arts, where I earned a teaching degree in piano, so I was able to instruct friends throughout my college career at Benedictine University. My look is… about combining traditional styling with contemporary things. Traditional and modern details can coexist, and together they create more value and depth. What a lot of people don’t know about me is… I absolutely love to cook. I’m always getting ideas from magazines, and I never cook the same thing twice. Ina Garten’s recipes are wonderful; her Beef Bourguignon with chunky bread is one of my favorite things.

The Mercantile, 1430 Dresden Drive, Suite B-100, Atlanta 30319. (404) 816-0060; mercantileatlanta.com