Shopper's PARADISE

Tucked away on a strip of East Andrews that’s also home to Pieces, Circa Lighting and Boxwoods Gardens & Gifts, SCOUT is the realization of a long-held vision for Nancy Pendergrast Duffey, the shop’s spirited young owner. And a vision it is. Fresh, rustic, tactile and transitional perhaps best describe this spot, which is grounded in neutrals but gets a boost from juicy shades of coral, citron and spring green. Duffey, influenced by her godmother, Carolyn Malone—a highly regarded Atlanta designer—studied art history at the University of Mississippi before returning to Atlanta to cut her teeth at Keith Summerour’s newly established interior design firm. But she left to open Scout last October, so naming the shop for her mission to “scout” unique finds for the home and her golden retriever, who has the same moniker. Duffey’s inventory includes accent pillows, glassware, reclaimed wood furnishings and even art from Emily Amy Gallery. And this spring, she’s bringing in ceramic tableware, stools and felted wool cushions from Canvas, along with luxurious Matteo bedding. The don’t-miss specialty? Charles Calhoun, a local metalsmith, creates custom iron beds and tables while his wife, Cary, fashions original filigree jewelry for the store.

18 East Andrews Dr., Atlanta 30305. (404) 816-2325; scoutforthehome.com

Hand-thrown ceramic tableware, textural placemats and recycled glassware from Canvas are only a few of the fresh spring arrivals at Nancy Duffey’s lovely new East Andrews shop, Scout.

As one might gather from its name, SIMPLY HOME is just that. This quiet, unassuming house on Roswell Road is awash in pure white—Benjamin Moore’s White Dove, to be exact. With a look that might be described as Martha Stewart-meets-Rachel Ashwell, with a dash of vintage rustic thrown in, this winsome shop represents the third incarnation of interior designer Jill Merkle’s retail aesthetic. (She formerly helmed a shop in the Northeast and, more recently, Addington Osborne, Ltd.) The move last November to a larger space has allowed Merkle and her team—which consists of her mother and aunt, designers themselves—to better showcase their ethereal way with interiors. Chairs are arranged comfortably by the fireplace, stacks of white plates grace the tables and block-printed Kathryn Ireland pillows await your perusal in the back. Crafty light fixtures, nature-inspired objets d’art and repurposed vintage finds mix beautifully with the simple lines, matte finishes and quiet colors of painted wood furniture, invigorated with touches of soft plum, turquoise and pink. With a look so distinctive, interior design services are a natural part of the offerings, but Simply Home is just as likely to become the go-to spot for that perfect accessory or accent piece.

4209 Roswell Rd. NE, Atlanta 30342. (404) 497-9781

White may be the predominant color in interior designer Jill Merkle’s new home décor boutique, Simply Home, but most items in this whimsical shop can be customized in any hue.

Founded in 2002, this Charleston-based lighting design and production firm is known for providing upscale artisan-made fixtures to customers as far afield as L.A. and New York, but its recent arrival in the Atlanta market captures the imagination of yet another national design hub. THE URBAN ELECTRIC CO. has sourced lighting for tony Atlanta locales such as the W Atlanta—Buckhead and the Piedmont Driving Club. And it’s just as well known for an esteemed list of collaborators; the company has worked with the likes of Amelia Handegan, Tom Scheerer and Darryl Carter, and welcomes collections with Atlanta designers in the future. The showroom, which opened in January in the White Provision development on Atlanta’s Westside, is streamlined and stocked with just the necessities—one of every catalogued fixture plus a sleek conference table where designers can meet with clients. Styles range from the whimsical to the truly classic; genteel versions look straight off South-of-Broad while others take influence from coastal settings. For example, a fixture named for Johns Island’s Bohicket Marina has the look of a salt-sprayed lantern that’s presided over the waterway for decades. Most designs can be customized in any Benjamin Moore paint color or more than 200 powder-coat finishes and other options include antique mirrored hurricane or opal glass, candle or electric types. If that’s not enough, the company can create bespoke designs for your every whim.

1170 Howell Mill Rd., Suite P-14, Atlanta 30318. (404) 815-8066; urbanelectricco.com

Streamlined and chic, The Urban Electric Co.’s new Westside showroom presents many top-quality lighting options along with a spacious spot for designers to meet with clients.

Though its remote headquarters might be considered a bit off-the-map by Atlanta’s most urbane, The Grant Design Collaborative—an award-winning product design and corporate branding firm based in Canton, Georgia—has maintained a sphere of influence well beyond its city borders for the past 15 years. Responsible for the brand design and messaging of such venerated clients as Adobe, Blackberry Farm and Herman Miller, this company has also taken on custom commissions for Jaipur Rugs and Set Wallcovering Systems, to name a few. Now, THE STORE AT THE GRANT DESIGN COLLABORATIVE, which opened in June on the street level of the prolific design hub, takes an equally innovative tack to retail by recycling, reusing and reimagining scrap materials as new merchandise for retail customers. Contemporary indoor/outdoor rugs, commercial-grade wall coverings, handmade paper goods, home accessories, furniture, apparel and more are showcased, along with the Collaborative’s nationally acclaimed interior design services, which are also available through the store. Upstairs, the bright and ambitious design team, propelled by president and creative director Bill Grant, continues to work on designs for seasonal merchandise, custom wedding invitations and more alongside its corporate projects.

111 East Marietta St., P.O. Box 1910, Canton 30114. (770) 479-8280; grantcollaborative.com

High-performance wall coverings are only a small sampling of the inventive products on display at The Grant Design Collaborative’s new Canton, Georgia, retail store and showroom.

Brothers Tim and Bill Sullivan, namesakes to SULLIVAN FINE RUGS, may have started out primarily as consultants but, since November 2008, their business has grown to an impressive inventory with a customer base that includes the region’s most experienced and discriminating rug buyers. Tim, whose expertise is in antique rugs, comes equipped with a designer’s eye and extensive connections to fulfill even the most obscure rug requests while Bill is an expert in new rug productions and marketing. The showroom’s location in the former digs of Macrae grants it a chic build-out that’s well-tailored to its purpose: showcasing such rarities as an antique American hooked rug made from castoff textiles and the duo’s new collection of flour bag kilims, constructed from wool, cotton, linen, jute, hemp and angora culled from Turkish flour and grain sacks. Decidedly transitional antique rugs are offered, too, as are custom orders, appraisals and cleaning and restoration services. “We tend to eschew traditional red-and-blue rugs in favor of unique and decorative pieces that integrate with, rather than dominate, design schemes,” notes Tim. Still, the caliber of the merchandise does not undermine this pair’s personal approach. They stock inventory, roll rugs, sweep the floors and handle shipping and receiving with family values at the forefront, which is why you’ll find snapshots of their extended brood just inside the store.

345 Peachtree Hills Ave., Suite 300, Atlanta 30305. (404) 467-4044; sullivanfinerugs.com

Bill and Tim Sullivan have more than 28 years combined experience in the Oriental rug business and are dedicated to bringing uniquely decorative fine rugs to the Atlanta market.

Forget the conventional plants and timid gardens of yesteryear. GARDENHOOD, which recently sprung up on the former site of The Urban Gardener in Grant Park, proudly espouses a horticultural mission that’s whimsical, artful and attentive to multiple garden aesthetics—blooms, berries, foliage and fall color—while creating a haven for wildlife, too. Since October, the nursery has specialized in the exotic as well as small-scale species best suited to urban environments. Inventory manager Scott McMahan has combed the earth for the most unusual specimens, including a Chinese tanbark oak and a “Bebe” tree native to north Vietnam. Meanwhile, the facility’s ongoing build-out process is led by retail manager David McMullin, also the owner of landscape design company New Moon Gardens and the caretaker of mail-order nursery Very Good Plants, which provides GardenHood with select succulents, perennials and heirloom lettuces. On-site, you’re likely to meet store manager Kacey Cloues, who brings to the table her previous experience at Habersham Gardens, as well as chief financial officer Valerie Barton. But they’re only two of many dedicated to making this south-city spot a destination for neighborhood creative types as much as it is for far-flung suburbanites. If you want something out of the ordinary, chances are you will end up here—and should.

353 Boulevard SE, Atlanta 30312. (404) 880-9848; gardenhoodatlanta.com

At GardenHood in Grant Park, exotic plants as well as small-scale shrubs and trees are artfully arranged in creative outdoor “rooms” by complementary colors and varieties. GardenHood photography by Melodie McDanal