Store Style

Three Local Shops With A Look All Their Own

Texture, pattern and a neutral palette equal an earthy elegance at And Beige. (Photo by Len Spoden for The Washington Post)

Shopping for home furnishings in department stores, national chains and catalogues has clear appeal: Those sources are affordable, accessible and everywhere. But because they aim for the mass market, their inventory often begins to look exactly the same: How many khaki-slipcovered sofas does it take to fill American living rooms?

That's why we like to visit smaller shops, especially local enterprises that carry pieces not found everywhere else, from dining tables and side chairs to lamps, pillows and decorative accents. Smaller stores that sell one-of-a-kind furnishings you can feel confident you won't see in your neighbor's house the next week.

We talked to the owners of three successful shops -- And Beige in Adams Morgan, Ella Scott in Bethesda and Random Harvest, which has stores in Alexandria, Bethesda and Georgetown -- and picked their brains about their distinctive styles, sources and thoughts on design. Each of these stores has an avid following among customers and designers, each has a look all its own and each is intent on bringing sophisticated design and quality furnishings to the Washington area.

In small shops such as these, prices can be high. But stores with a distinct design sensibility are worth a visit even if you don't buy a thing. They are great resources for ideas and inspiration, from the mix of styles and arrangement of objects to the paint color chosen to showcase the collections. (At one Random Harvest location, so many customers inquired about the wall colors that the owner had cards printed with the names of the paints to hand out.)

Today we take a peek inside these storefronts and encourage you to browse. Because, as we all know, even when you don't take anything home, sometimes the window shopping is worth the trip.