At the recent reopening of the relocated and expanded Williams-Sonoma store at South Coast Plaza, familiar elements of the brand’s culinary image awaited shoppers – the golden pineapple motif flanking the gilt name, the shelves lined neatly with spices and dinnerware, the high-end tools and small appliances for cooking and baking, and the brand’s holiday best-seller, its own peppermint bark.
But when customers strolled all the way back to the last of the store’s three rooms, something unexpected greeted them: the Williams-Sonoma Home showroom, the only one of its kind in Southern California and the third in the state for the company. It’s been a decade since the company launched its home catalog and nine years since it opened stores with dedicated home showrooms in New York; Portland, Ore.; and San Francisco.
This year, it resumed its foray into showrooms, opening one where founder Chuck Williams first decided to go into retail: Sonoma. The Costa Mesa location is the fifth for the company.
The newest showroom and adjoining outdoor home furnishings patio take up 1,260 square feet of the 8,723-square-foot store. The space is chock-full of classic and tasteful items such as sofas that are covered in linen or wrapped in leather. Quiet hues – 50 or fewer shades of cream, beige and brown – abound.
Given this sea of neutrality, it’s no surprise that the most arresting items are the statement chairs. Twin Drummond chairs catch the eye with their look-at-me, zebra-printed cowhide upholstery contrasting with the spartan, 1940s-inspired Scandinavian frames. The James chair has a sinuous curve that looks like it would cradle the body, and its square-patterned leather and crisscrossed stainless steel legs are an unabashed update on Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona chair. A matching ottoman completes the look.
In an interview, Sol Garay, director of merchandising and inventory for Williams-Sonoma Home, discusses that curious juxtaposition of the conventional and the unexpected and other details on the new showroom in Orange County. Here are highlights:
Q. Why is Williams-Sonoma opening more showrooms?
A. This allows the brand to present a full lifestyle experience – one where we go beyond inspiring our customer during preparation and cooking to completing the table and entertaining. Expanding to the rest of the home is a natural next step for our brand.
Q. Why now?
A. The new stores with showrooms we’ve opened have been strategic decisions. This past October, the brand had the unique opportunity to reopen in the exact location Chuck Williams, our founder, had his very first store. The property includes the residence that was adjacent to the store where Chuck resided, so it allowed the brand to reopen in an innovative way; by incorporating Williams-Sonoma Home furnishings throughout the living areas. Our new store in South Coast Plaza is in response to the customer base and customer demand we’ve acquired in the Southern California market.
Q. What is the aesthetic of Williams-Sonoma Home?
A. Williams-Sonoma Home offers a timeless aesthetic … the brand offers a curated collection of classic looks such as new traditional, rustic modern and beach chic, all with influences of California style. We offer classic silhouettes mixed with unexpected color accents and luxury materials like fur, hides and cashmere.
Q. How do you differentiate Williams-Sonoma Home from its sibling, Pottery Barn?
A. Williams-Sonoma Home offers a curated, upscale collection that is highly design driven.
Q. What are some of the signature items?
A. Cashmere is an affordable luxury that is part of our decorative accessories assortment that we offer year-round. The brand offers cashmere throws in a wide array of colors and are perfect for refreshing décor every season. We also are a source for pieces that can personalize décor like zebra-print hide products, crystal lighting and unique wall art. Our chamber towels offers a little indulgence in the bathroom.
Q. What are some of the best-sellers?
A. We’ve found our pillows are incredibly popular with customers. Pillows can transform a look of a couch or bed while being an excellent way that customers can introduce themselves to the brand. … Our kitchen islands, upholstery, wall art and towels are ways people are discovering (the brand).
Q. Any surprising and unexpected customer favorites?
A. We’re finding that our bar carts and items like the upright desk are well-received.
Q. What makes them appealing?
A. The upright desk takes up less room than a conventional desk and has more storage while looking great in a bedroom or living room, whereas traditional desks may seem out of place in these areas. The carts on casters make for easy entertaining, acting as a service bar in a studio apartment but can be rolled into corner when not in use. Multifunctional designs can be timeless rather than trendy, and these two pieces are great examples.
Q. Since the store carries an edited selection and not the entire breadth of the line, how will Williams-Sonoma Home serve customers who want to customize something or order items not on display?
A. Williams-Sonoma Home products can be ordered from any Williams-Sonoma store. Our flagship locations offer design centers where customers can review fabric and rug samples as well as wood finishes.
Contact the writer: lliddane@ocregister.com
