Fabulous Furniture, Artful Accessories
????Therefore, once you’ve bought your Northeast Florida dream home, you’ll want to locate the best places to get what you need to make that conglomeration of block, stucco, glass and wood a reflection of you and your family.
????As always, Jacksonville Homebuyer is here to help. Here’s a list of our favorite places to find intriguing furnishings and accessories. Although there’s something here for every taste, all the selected shops have at least two things in common: a commitment to quality and a passion for customer satisfaction.
FURNITURE
Hugo’s
Handcrafted window treatments and custom-tailored upholstery are just a few of the reasons this 87-year-old Jacksonville institution continues to draw faithful customers.?
????Hugo’s carries one of the largest selections of furnishings in Northeast Florida, ranging from 18th century English and French re-productions to contemporary Lucite and metal pieces.?
????One of the shop’s signature touches is personal attention for every customer, often from Richard Hugo, whose grandparents founded the business, and son Mathew. New furniture lines for this year include E.J. Victor and Council.
(904) 396-2233
Iron Gate
Think Old World with a Mediterranean flair. While Iron Gate’s wide selection alone merits a visit to its 27,000-square-foot showroom, owner Fred Farah and son Fred Jr. make sure that a variety of handcrafted, one-of-a-kind accessories—including statuary and florals—keep displays interesting and impressive.?
????Indeed, there are surprises around every corner, from a Chippendale-style fish tank to a boat-shaped bar. And there’s an intriguing new outdoor living area as well.
????In addition to the Martha Stewart-designed Bernhardt furniture line, Iron Gate carries American Drew, Sherrill and Hickory White.
(904) 306-9898
Circle K
Once you find this hidden Westside jewel you’ll be struck by the sheer size of its two-story showroom. But there’s quality here as well as quantity.?
????Circle K owners Tommy Kittrell and Susan Strickland started this eclectic store on property that originally housed horse stables?—hence the name—and it’s grown into a local favorite.
????Whether you’re looking to fill your home, hunting lodge or mountain getaway, be sure to allow enough time to wander among the thousands of furniture and accessory selections that fill up Circle K’s 60,000 square feet. Styles in the store are incredibly varied, from casual Ozark Mountain to Hooker traditional.
????But the best part? After buying that must-have entertainment cabinet or dining room table/chairs set you can drive your vehicle—preferably a truck—a few hundred yards across the gravel parking lot and take it all right home since the store stocks the majority of its products in an adjacent warehouse.
(904) 781-1079
Norwalk The Furniture Idea
The expert design team at Norwalk The Furniture Idea has discovered the secret to pleasing customers—give them exactly what they want.?
????Thus, all furniture, flooring and window treatments come custom-ordered. And the company’s designers are masters at helping you find what’s perfect for you from among thousands of fabric and leather selections.
????For HGTV fans, the Jacksonville showroom displays furniture lines designed by Candice Olsen and Joe Ruggiero as well as an extensive collection of unique lamps and accessories.?
????In addition, the Norwalk, Ohio-based chain has committed to greening up by increasing the use of natural and organic fabrics, soy-based materials and earth-friendly packaging.
(904) 880-7632
Mrs. Howard and Max & Company
Elegance with flair is the best way to describe these adjoining Avondale shops.?
????Owners Phoebe and Jim Howard have combined gorgeous antiques with a nice selection of beautiful accessories, including unique mirrors and eclectic artwork.?
????Be sure to venture upstairs, where you’ll find a lamp room, a great selection of throw pillows, coffee-table books and wicker of all kinds. The stores also stock a variety of glassware, table linens, candles and French soaps and lotions.
(904) 387-1202???
Pine Cottage
For more than 13 years, owners Paul and Nancy Clements have been producing exquisite custom furniture in their Avondale shop.?
????Using traditional methods, they craft woods such as pine, alder, cherry and walnut into European reproduction pieces. Their hand-painted selections are also noteworthy.
????The shop has scaled back its accessories in preparation for a move sometime this year. And the new space will be filled to the brim with beds, armoires, entertainment cabinets and tables and desks of all kinds.
????If you’re redesigning a kitchen, the Clements also design and produce custom kitchen cabinetry and islands that are absolutely stunning.
(904) 381-9148
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Scan Design
This eclectic Baymeadows Road showroom is a mecca for contemporary furniture lovers.?
????Whether you’re equipping a home office, looking for a unique media storage unit or designing a minimalist bedroom, Scan Design offers a variety of clean, modern designs.?
????The store, one of nine locations in Florida, also carries a large selection of funky chairs, glass pieces and fun artwork.
(904) 731-7877?
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Center Stage
As the name suggests, owners Gary and Linda Gennerich entered the retail business after years designing movie sets. So as you might expect, they have an eye for eclectic and interesting pieces.
????Center Stage has a large selection of upholstered and oak furniture, original oil paintings, chandeliers and a multitude of accessories artfully displayed throughout the store’s 7,000 square feet.?
????If you’re in the market for gift items, you can find them here among the French soaps and candles. And don’t miss the new lines of linen clothing, which the couple added to their inventory last year.
(904) 242-4232
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French Market
Owner Judy Nelson, who learned the furniture business from her father, stocks this charming downtown Fernandina Beach shop exclusively with European antiques, reproductions and accessories discovered on her many buying trips to France and England.
????In addition to furniture, top sellers include antique oyster plates, French clocks and lamps. It’s also fun to peruse the large selection of needlepoint pillows, collectable dolls and Bruno Lamy linens.
(904) 491-0707 or (800) 635-6918
Liberty Furniture
Celebrating its 84th year, family-owned Liberty Furniture has been operated by current owners Marvin and Beatrice Sherman since 1987.?
????The showroom boasts the largest Thomasville Gallery in the region and recently welcomed a new American-made furniture line from Hickory White.
????With a friendly, knowledgeable staff ready to assist, the store has one of the largest selections in town and something for everyone, whether your taste is traditional, contemporary or something in between. Liberty carries Lexington, Henredon, and American Leather.
(904) 737-3700?
ACCESSORIES
Artsy Abode
This independently-owned St. Johns Town Center jewel is one of the most colorful shops around—and it now boasts five additional locations throughout Northeast and Central Florida.?
????Whimsical, hand-painted furniture and accessories are what Artsy Abode is known for as well as its extensive selection of Vera Bradley and Webkinz.
????The shop carries internationally-renowned Sticks furniture and accessories, custom-designed and crafted by artists working in an Iowa co-op. It’s worth a visit just to check out these one-of-a-kind, astoundingly colorful lamps, mirrors, lazy Susans, tables and chairs.?
????Store owner Leah Lytle will even work with Sticks to have a piece made exclusively for you, if a custom order strikes your fancy.
????Artsy Abode also stocks artsy barware, unique pewter switchplates, Peggy Karr glass and several lines of candles and fragrances.
(904) 807-9277
Designs of the Interior
This St. Johns Town Center design showroom carries choice home furnishings and artistic accessories masterfully chosen by owner Kim Prescott and project manager Jean Howell.
????In addition to beautiful furniture, you won’t want to overlook the lovely custom glass pieces by John Richards, interesting statuary, unique natural light lamps and custom artwork that can be crafted to fit a specific room or piece of furniture. Custom bedding is a store specialty.
????The experts staffing Designs of the Interior’s full-service interior design center can assist with any size project.
(904) 620-8100
T. Gregory Imports
A third T. Gregory Imports location has just opened in Mandarin, bringing the store’s signature Asian exotic island feeling to Jacksonville proper.?
????Bestsellers include Chinese reproduction furniture and beach-themed accessories. You’ll also find an extensive line of silk pillows, throws, runners and placemats.?
????Other offerings range from beautiful object-filled resin frames, Niven Morgan home fragrances, candles and florals for any season.
(904) 288-7086 (Mandarin); (904) 810-0785 (St. Augustine); (904) 247-4555 (Jacksonville Beach)???
Southern Charmer
The circa-1912 cottage that houses this truly charming shop is a fitting showcase for the antiques and accessories for which owners Steve Rodgers and Mark Mullis are known.?
????Located in Kingsland, Ga., Southern Charmer stocks Lampeberger fragrance lamps, a large selection of prints and mirrors and many pieces of upscale furniture. Rodgers and Mullis also offer custom interior design, bedding and window treatments.?
????The shop’s design team won a People’s Choice Award for favorite home design for their work on the 2007 Jacksonville Symphony Showhouse.
(912) 729-2116
Ballard Designs
Visiting the St. Johns Town Center showroom for this popular mail-order company is like stepping into a page from one of its gorgeous catalogs.?
????Ballard Designs’ signature casual European accessories and furnishings are wonderfully displayed in colorful room vignettes throughout the store.?
????In addition to wall decor, doormats, lamps, chandeliers, handsome desk accessories, rugs and fun knickknacks, the store stocks a nice selection of bar stools and folding chairs.
????The custom shop in the back shows off an appealing collection of fabrics for both indoors and outdoors as well as an array of furniture styles that can be combined to your liking.
And the surprisingly reasonable prices make decorating doable for? most any budget.
(904) 642-3260
Cottage by the Sea
This delightful coastal shop—truly a Cottage by the Sea—boasts a fabulous variety of upscale beach-themed accessories and furniture.?
????Handpainted frames, ceramic dinnerware, oil paintings and decorative mirrors are featured throughout the store’s peaceful interior.?
????When you’re wandering through the intimate rooms, be sure to notice the interesting collection of Indonesian painted and distressed furniture. Also don’t miss the store’s container sales, held about every eight weeks, when around 100 pieces of furniture are unloaded and offered at a discount before they are sorted and stored.
(904) 246-8411
Villa Vita
Owner Stephanie Edwards opened beautiful Villa Vita in San Marco before moving to St. Johns Town Center a year and a half ago. She stocks quintessential elegant country Italian accessories and furniture.?
????This is the place to find Vietri dishes, Match pewter, Arte Italica ceramics and other hand-crafted, Tuscan-inspired specialty items. Also worth a look is a new line of rich tapestries, each designed with an image from a classic Italian oil painting.??
????The shop also offers a nice selection of Italian reproduction art and designs custom mirrors or bathroom vanities using Roma moulding.
(904) 396-2800
Mineral City
It’s hard to walk into this Ponte Vedra landmark and not want to fill your home with the artful decor that owner Laura West Howson has carefully chosen.
????Chandeliers and lamps, mosaic tables, glass accents and upscale dinnerware are beautifully displayed alongside select lines of private-label furniture and a large selection of bath linens.
Mineral City also has popular bridal and gift registries and offers in-home design consultations.
(904) 285-4784
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Feathered Nest
Luxury and exclusivity abound in this beautiful Amelia Island shop, a sister company of Craven Design Group. Buy something here and it’s a near guarantee that your neighbor won’t have one, too.
????In addition to housing an extensive collection of upholstered sofas, handcrafted leather pieces and furnishings in natural fabrics such as bamboo and wicker by Baurer and Palacek, Feathered?Nest is a dealer in opulent Quorum and Cristal light fixtures.?
????If art is your thing, you can select an original watercolor, have a wall mural custom-painted or commission a one-of-a-kind oil portrait.
(904) 261-7273
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A World Away
Visiting this eclectic Atlantic Beach shop is a learning experience. Nearly all the wares are imported using fair trade practices, so you’ll want to spend time reading the heartwarming cards detailing the place of origin and introducing the creators of the displayed items.
????The variety of materials discovered by owner Lori Armstrong is amazing: Ellie Pooh Papers notebooks and stationery (crafted from elephant dung and charmingly beautiful), kisii stone sculptures, Vietnamese ceramics, hot-mat newspaper coiled plates and bowls and fused glass batiks to name a few.
????A World Away also features a lovely selection of locally made jewelry.
(904) 247-4411??
SELECTED SHOPS
Here are some additional furniture and accessory shops that we enjoy visiting. Some are national chains, some are mom-and-pops, but all offer variety and value.
Ashley Furniture Homestore
(904) 642-2347
Bath & Linen Shoppe
(904) 398-7147
Bo Concept
(904) 996-0661
Drexel Heritage
(904) 928-9567
Ethan Allen Home Interiors
(904) 292-1700
Furniture Mart
(904) 726-0666
Oxford House
(904) 739-6071
Palm Valley Gardening
(904) 543-7777
Pine Cottage
(904) 381-9148
Pineapple Post
(904) 249-7477
Pottery Barn
(904) 928-1118
Woodchucks Furniture
(904) 880-0091
Thomasville Home Furnishings
(904) 292-0212
West Elm
(904) 928-0661