The Novogratz Opens Up Its First Furniture Store In Los Angeles

Husband and wife interior design team, Cortney and Robert Novogratz, known best as The Novogratz just opened up their first retail boutique in the trendy Venice neighborhood of Los Angeles. After years in business, April 2021 was the perfect time to expand their high style, yet accessibly priced namesake furniture line. Located at 1629 Abbot Kinney Boulevard, this converted bungalow is fun, whimsical, and provides a unique shopping experience that’s much needed right now.

Who Are The Novogratz?

If the name Novogratz sounds familiar, it’s because not only are Robert and Cortney Novogratz known for designing high-end homes, hotels, and offices everywhere from The Berkshires to Brazil— they’re also reality stars. The couple, who have seven children together have shared their unique talents and opened up their lives as stars of their own HGTV and Bravo shows.

As a brand, The Novogratz has a major web presence and is available on its own website ShopTheNovogratz, as well as Wayfair, Amazon, and CB2 among others. They’re also collaborated with many other brands including Tempaper.

From sofas to beds, decor, lighting, and rugs, there’s a Novogratz piece for every room in the home.

The House Of Novogratz

One surprising fact is that unlike most brands venturing into retail for the first time, this project was just several months in the making. Quite a feat, the store opened in approximately ten days, which is even more of an accomplishment during the chaotic times of the pandemic.

“We are often contrarians, and right now there is a unique opportunity in the commercial retail space that we felt was a wonderful opportunity. We took the space in the midst of a pandemic, knowing we could use it as a creative and content studio if the world was still not open. It was a risk, and we’re willing to take calculated risks. We felt then when the world opens up, we’d be ready and have something we felt strong about sharing. People need to gather and be social and we wanted to have a place to experience that, when the time is right,” Robert Novogratz tells me.

The bungalow-style house, which measures approximately 2000 square feet consists of six different rooms, each with a different purpose and flavor.

Both the pink exterior and multi-colored interior are the complete opposite of the standard “vanilla box” furniture store. It reflects the style of the designers and the brand itself, truly feeling like a home.

There are six rooms total, each of which has a very different setup. The main room, which is the largest space, features several dining and entertaining areas. The second largest room is designed similarly to a studio apartment complete with a bed, home office, and living area.

From top to bottom, not one inch is wasted, yet the store doesn’t feel cramped. Even the floors are decorated with layers of Novogratz rugs while fixtures hang from the ceilings. With chic gallery walls of framed art, neon signs, and various peel and stick wallpapers from the brand’s collaboration with Tempaper, it overflows with design inspiration and has plenty of space for social media photo opportunities. 

Several of the brand’s sofas and chairs are stationed throughout the space, giving customers a way to experience The Novogratz as never before.

When it comes to accessibly priced furniture, even with a well-known name like The Novogratz behind it, it’s entirely different to see and experience something in person versus online. The retail location allows the product to speak for itself.

The Right Time For Outdoor Living

One of the hallmarks of the House Of Novogratz at least during the current season, is that it’s designed to showcase pieces from the outdoor collection.

While outdoor living is so much a part of Southern California culture, particularly in Venice, the pandemic has also increased interest and sales in this category throughout the country. 

Collaboration With Sarah Jessica Parker

As for the future of the store, one of the plans for space is to feature a rotation of brand collaborations— the first one being with actress and designer Sarah Jessica Parker.

This collection includes a variety of vibrant retro-style outdoor pieces ideal for the spring and summer months. From pink and aqua-colored chaise lounges to lawn chairs and an indoor/outdoor bar cart, many of these pieces have already sold out online. The store also sells a line of exclusive merchandise like shoe print water bottles, reusable bags and makeup cases.

This post first appeared on Forbes.com. To see the original, click here.