West Elm is Opening At Utica Square
Many of you have been waiting for “our” West Elm to open in Tulsa ever since the paper went up on the windows of the former Pier One space at Utica Square, 21st & Utica.
Well, the wait is over. West Elm officially opens on Thurs., Aug. 28 at 10 a.m., but you can get a sneak peek at the special Open House tonight from 6 – 8 p.m. During the presale, everything is 10 % off!
If you haven’t been to a West Elm store, here’s the lowdown. I was already a West Elm fan, but I learned a lot on my personal store tour with Kendall Coleman, the store’s PR person from San Francisco.
One thing that Kendall pointed out was that Tulsans are really proud of their community. Funny how most people pick up on that right away. West Elm likes to bring products made by local artisans into the store. There’s a display with Oklahoma products like these super-cool, midcentury looking napkins by Owl and Drum. There are also cards showing who the artists are and giving a little extra info. about them. Kendall says they hope to expand their local products offerings. If you make stuff, or know someone who might like to have their wares in West Elm, here’s the email to inquire: welocal@wsgc.com.
Moving from Oklahoma to the world, Kendall pointed out that West Elm is an eclectic store that brings in products from around the world, all with a West Elm spin. For example, these paper mache “trophy animals” were made in by artisans in Haiti. Trophy animals are kind of a trend in decorating and Haitians are great at paper mache, so these quirky decorative animal heads were the result. You can read about the different countries and the artisans on displays around the store.
Speaking of quirky, Kendall says that West Elm has a definite fun side. So, while you’ll find plenty to love in terms of great design, colors and furniture, you’ll also find some elements that will add a touch of whimsy to your home.
The middle section of the store will always have seasonal items, Kendall says. Right now, it’s filled with a little fall glam, but October will bring in the holiday season.
One of the coolest offerings of West Elm is their free personal decorating advice. Those computers you see sitting in a circle toward the back of the store have special software that will help designers layout a room for you. Kendall says they love to match what you already have with something new, whether it’s a new piece of furniture or just some new pillows and throws to give the room a new look.
“Sometimes you just need a new pair of eyes,” she said. Moving furniture to new places in the room, choosing paint colors, helping you find lighting or put together your own look in bedding are all things the free design service can help you with.
And, I don’t know about you, but I might see some lighting I love, but leave it because I don’t know the first thing about how to get it installed. Well, West Elm has installation services! Yay! They offer the following installation services:
1. hanging art
2. hanging drapes
3. installing lights
The lighting I saw was really affordable and there seems to be something for every taste from Industrial to shiny glam to (my favorite) mid-century modern looks.
The staff can also help you with table designs such as layering dishes and napkins in interesting ways. You can even check out the DIY decorations in the room and try to recreate them in your own way at home.
So, that’s just some of what I found out and had to share with you. Check out Tulsa’s West Elm store.
