Where to go for inside finds By Catherine Berlin The area of Buffalo near the Elmwood and Bidwell Parkway intersection is a relatively new spot for a few shops that cater to the care and well being of the inside of your home. It may not have reached the level of saturation that would justify calling it the “Furniture District,” but walking about the two-block range is still a nice way to spend an hour or two getting inspired. Annabelle vanity and chair I have always been in love with vanities. It is too late for me to have one now. I make do with a red light and a rear view mirror, and that is never likely to change. I still fall for them, though, like the one I found two years ago that folded up into something you could picture being hoisted onto an ocean liner. Even the makeshift number that the local greenhouse had put together to show off some new pots and other plant paraphernalia captivated me. I didn’t want the plants. I wanted the old planking and wrought iron table-like contraption to which someone had tied an old mirror. When I walked into room and saw this one, all mirrors and mahogany and stainless steel, with crystal candle holders—because when you’re already over the top, what the heck, go for more—well, I simply stopped and stared and knew that if I were a princess, this would be mine. I also knew that there was not much hope that any photographic reproduction would do it justice, but here it is anyway. Go see for yourself. By Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams. Vanity, about $2200. Chair for $600. At room, 988 Elmwood. Jude chair Maybe the toughest part about going into room is having to pick just one piece to write about. So I didn’t. I stopped counting at six, but as I only have space for two, I’m going with a simple chair that looks smart, feels comfortable, and fits in anywhere. Maybe I am most attracted to it because of its simplicity. You can dress it up, accessorize it, and change the feel of a room every few months. Again, by Gold and Williams, at room, about $750. Designer Fabrics It’s nice to have a place to go that is not limited to the trade, but looks as if it could be. Elmwood Village Fabrics carries designer-smart fabrics for hanging, upholstering or wearing, including Marimekko of Finland. Here is an example of how one of the available barkcloths, this one in a sixties inspired abstraction called Seaweed (or as we affectionately refer to it in the office, “the CBS eye”) turns the ubiquitous, tedious swivel chair into something that plays off the cabinets. It’s a nice lift without a major investment. Elmwood Village Fabrics, 982 Elmwood. Bucket What started during the winter, looking for something to put my sidewalk salt in—something that looked a little less like a bag slumped over against the wall by the front door, has turned into an obsession: storage. The Bread & Butter buckets featured here have been around for a while, with their almost fabric-feeling exteriors and vibrant colors. They also bear a distinctive gray button marker. Homeward Bound carries these, as well as other containers that can tweak a kitchen or living space. I think of this type of embellishment as lipstick for the house. These double as containers for gloves and caps, umbrellas, dog leashes and their plastic bags, the things that seem to collect at the top of the stairs to the basement … you know. Sizes range, as do prices, about $18 to $70. Homeward Bound, 927 Elmwood. Ceramic sink It can be tough, or at least expensive, to personalize a bathroom much beyond guest towels and whatever art one deems appropriate for the commode. Toilets are kind of, well, toilety, and the entire room is based on the concept of wetness. Absent a full-time staff, staying mold- and mildew-free can sometimes be the most you can reasonably hope for. So it’s nice to see a charming touch that works with soap and water and more water. A ceramic sink takes the bathroom out of the “what the plumber had in the back of his van” product line, and combines practicality and an individualized décor. Local artist Catherine Gillespie, who attended the Boston Fine Arts Museum School for Ceramics and Fine Arts, creates custom sinks for about $300. Chatham Pottery is not in this neighborhood, but further south, on Bryant. It is included because I have a soft spot for bathrooms and because you have to call for an appointment (881-2199), which you can make before you head out to see the others. Catherine Berlin is a writer, photographer, and lawyer, raising children and a husband in Buffalo. Back to the Table of Contents Back to Top