Domestic Aspirations
Marshall
Domestic Aspirations acts not only as a store where shoppers can peruse a mix of handcrafted boxes, finely upholstered furniture, local artwork, grand accessories with international flair, designer decor and lighting accoutrements but also as a showcase to owner Daniel J. Moore’s design business, Daniel J. Moore Design, and one of three businesses he runs out of the building, including The Rooms Up There, a boutique inn, and The Drawing Room, a quaint event rental space.
At Home
Multiple NoVA locations
This big-box retail chain is a warehouse of deals on anything and everything you could imagine for a home—indoor and outdoor furniture, textiles, tabletop, wall and seasonal decor, rugs and more. The chain based out of Texas has stores popping up all over Northern Virginia.
And That
Multiple NoVA locations
If you’ve shopped at a Christmas Tree Shop, then you know what is in store for you at And That. The chain retailer based out of Massachusetts offers discounted seasonal items throughout the nation. In 2003 the brand was sold to Bed Bath & Beyond. And with their growth throughout the nation have changed the banner name to And That.
Shining Sol Candle Co.
Manassas
At this Manassas candle shop, owned by Pete Evick of the Bret Michaels Band, all of the more than 100 versions of candles are hand-poured in-house and come with names in the same vein as the Ben & Jerry’s approach, as Evick says he wants them to be like art. There is the music line (KISS, Warrant, Aerosmith and Def Leppard), the Star Struck line (soap opera and celebrity-designed scents where each personality played a part in creating the scent). Shining Sol candles are made from soy wax and wood wicks, all sourced from farms in the United States.
27 South Interiors
Leesburg
27 South Interiors is a store on Leesburg’s main strip that is filled with unique private labels, but they also offer popular brands such as Gabby Furniture and local brands like Sydney Hale candles and Lauren Bruce oil paintings. The overall aesthetic of the shop, one that feels as though you are walking into a photo shoot for House Beautiful, and the pieces it carries is farm-style chic, with some of the piece being made by owner Nick McCarter, who owns the shop with his interior-designer wife Carolyn.
Bards Alley
Vienna
Jen Morrow opened Bards Alley—a nod to Shakespeare’s sobriquet and Harry Potter’s Diagon Alley—in mid-July on Vienna’s Church Street, hitting the ground running with near-daily events for both children and adults. Readers aged 35-55 are the bookstore’s largest demographic, but the shop also offers book clubs and activities for toddlers, middle readers (third to fifth grade) and middle schoolers. Along one wall of the cozy store is a sprawling bar with an all-day menu of locally sourced food options. And a sommelier from The Country Vintner selects national and international wines for the shop, sold by the glass or bottle and easily enjoyed either at the bar or outdoors on the patio.
Green Mansions
Leesburg
What started as a floral and design business in California, Green Mansions found its way to Leesburg and opened a brick-and-mortar store last spring. The style is defined by owner Rima Grenedas as “simple elegance with a twist” and carries a blend of old and new, rustic and modern and simple and ornate. Here you’ll find furniture, lighting, candles, cards, soaps and more.
Home on Cameron
Alexandria
Color is what you get from the moment you walk into Home on Cameron, a shop opened by Todd Martz and Susan Nelson, both interior designers with more than 35 years of combined experience. The space, which used to be a tobacco warehouse, has an eclectic mix of finds such as upholstered furniture, custom dining tables, consoles, coffee tables, ceramics, artwork, textiles and vintage pieces, all set up in vignettes. The duo wanted something fun, colorful, comfortable and approachable—“collected,” says Martz.
The Old Town Shop
Alexandria
The Old Town Shop is a product of its proud Alexandria owner Valerie Ianieri, who sells Old Town-branded products, crafted wares and nonperishable products from local vendors. The store is split up into themed sections that offer patrons the opportunity to both learn about Old Town’s past and purchase locally crafted wares.
Barnes and Noble
Ashburn
The fifth store in the bookstore giant’s prototype Barnes and Noble Kitchen, the One Loudoun location features a large open floorplan flanked by floor-to-ceiling glass windows. The center of the 17,000-square-foot store features more than 10 piazzas stacked high with best-selling books. With each section clearly defined in large wall type and comfortable seating scattered throughout, the new Barnes & Noble also features a “fast-casual” dining experience. At the Kitchen, guests can choose to either grab-and-go or grab-and-stay. With seating for 72, wine and beer on tap, and a full menu available after 4 p.m., the store and its manager Christopher Louderback are focused on hospitality.