From California to North Carolina, BOH has gathered all the showroom news to have on your radar in September.
Showroom Spotlight
Matthew Ames has launched a gallery in the Berkshires where contemporary makers can shine. The fashion designer–turned–interior designer began mulling on the idea of a gallery a couple of years ago. “I [wanted] to open a space really focused on craftsmanship at the highest level. I started thinking about where to do that, and I really wanted this place to be more of a destination as [opposed] to opening something in a city,” he tells Business of Home. “This idea of Walker Street Market started to come to life.”
Ames ended up choosing the Berkshire Hills in Massachusetts—a region he had visited frequently when he lived in New York. “It’s always been a retreat for people from the city, but also has a really interesting long history of the arts and craft,” he says. “The Shakers settled here and had a community centuries ago, and their life and work is very focused on craftsmanship. Since then, a lot of artists and creative people, writers and musicians have discovered this area over the past 150 years and made it their home.” He found an early-20th-century building that had formerly housed a general store and department store in the historic village center of Lenox. “I just fell in love with its history,” he shares. “It had such beautiful architecture and a lot of original interior elements. It was the perfect place with so many layers of history and stories to tell.”
The space was originally three storefronts that Ames ultimately combined to display the work of more than 70 artists and designers. Each piece was crafted specifically for the gallery, and is made to order. The work on display is by woodworker George Sawyer of Sawyer Made, ceramist Simone Bodmer-Turner, furniture designer Danny Kaplan and lighting designer Ashley Joseph Martin, among others. “The artists—whether they’re working through a more traditional lens or a contemporary one—all really have their own voice and sensibility,” says Ames.
Two of the storefronts were combined to create the permanent gallery. “As you walk through the space, I wanted it to feel very welcoming and warm, like they were able to engage with the work,” he says. “So much of it is so tactile, and I wanted people to feel like they could interact with it, pick things up, sit on things. This space is organized [to be] a sensory experience.” The design features the original tin ceilings and trails off into side rooms that were once loading docks. One library room houses ceramics, baskets, books and smaller decorative items, while another is pantry-inspired with a large wall-mounted plate rack on the wall that’s filled with tablewares and kitchenwares. “The work is organized and arranged in a way that reflects how we live with objects and pieces that surround us every day—a mix of furniture, woodcraft, lighting, textiles, ceramics, glasswork and metalwork,” Ames explains.
The remaining former storefront is a gallery that will play host to a rotating selection of shows and workshops (including an upcoming one where artist Megumi Shauna Arai teaches attendees how to make noren, Japanese textile dividers). “This exhibition space allows me to tell these stories of the artists and their processes, and get to show new work and new ideas throughout the year, and also bring artists in to do workshops and talks,” says Ames.
He believes Walker Street Market’s nature-oriented location allows for a deeper communion with the work. “I always felt like when I would leave the city and experience art and design in a place that wasn’t urban, I always had a different experience with it,” he says. “When you come up [to the Berkshires] you automatically slow down and have space to breathe and think about this work in a different way than you might approach it in a more bustling environment.” 22 Walker St., Lenox, Massachusetts
California
Canadian furniture brand Article opened a showroom in San Francisco’s Design District, the company’s first U.S. location. The outpost showcases a selection of furniture across the living, dining, bedroom, office and outdoor categories. 2299 Alameda St., San Francisco
Massachusetts
Luxury outdoor furnishings brand Brown Jordan launched a dedicated showroom inside Cabot House Furniture in Framingham, moving from its previous location at the Boston Design Center. The 5,000-square-foot space displays a comprehensive selection of the company’s collections—including Luca, Palmetto and Solenne—as well as finishes, fabrics and customization options. 220 Worcester Road, MA-9, Framingham
New York
Paint company Farrow & Ball unveiled its new “Studio” concept in its Brooklyn showroom. Having launched in London in 2024, the Studio initiative centers on consultation. The walls are swathed in the brand’s Strong White to act as a blank canvas, and the company’s palette of 132 swatches is displayed from hanging color pucks on the wall, alongside a rotating selection of wallpapers. To showcase its exterior paints, the brand transformed the backyard into an outdoor showroom designed by local landscape designer Brook Klausing. 383 Atlantic Ave., Brooklyn
North Carolina
This Friday, Design Within Reach will officially open a showroom in Raleigh, the brand’s second location in North Carolina. Spanning 4,790 square feet, the store boasts floor-to-ceiling windows, reclaimed oak flooring, custom millwork and recycled pale brick, and displays a curated assortment of furniture, lighting and accessories from brands like Herman Miller, Knoll, Louis Poulsen and Fritz Hansen. 4351 The Circle at North Hills Ave., Suite 103, Raleigh
Arhaus has relocated its Charlotte showroom from SouthPark Mall to The Village at SouthPark. The 35,000-square-foot space—the brand’s second-largest showroom location—boasts a collection of the Minnesota-based company’s furniture lines as well as complimentary design services for clients. 4320 Sharon Road, Charlotte
Pennsylvania
Cambria unveiled a new 32,500-square-foot sales and distribution center and showroom in King of Prussia. The showroom features a selection of quartz styles and colors in full slabs, a library with samples, and kitchen and bath displays. 511 Feheley Drive, King of Prussia
South Carolina
Decorative flooring brand Hue & Dot by Mirth Studio opened a showroom in the Charleston Design District. The brand’s first showroom spans 1,400 square feet and showcases the company’s flooring patterns, wall trims and borders; a selection of rugs and runners; and designer collaborations from both Hue & Dot and Mirth Studio. Storehouse Eight, 2158 Noisette Blvd., North Charleston
Texas
Architectural hardware and lighting company Corston unveiled a permanent space at the Dallas Market Center. The immersive, self-guided display boasts a complete collection of the brand’s brass switches and outlets, coordinated hardware, wall lighting and accessories. 2100 N. Stemmons Freeway, Dallas
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