New design, lifestyle store DeKor & Co. debuts in Ojai
The latest addition to the new cluster of upscale, design-wise shops peppering the heart of Ojai is home and lifestyle boutique DeKor & Co. from Swedish-born interior designer and landscaper Isabelle Dahlin, owner of interiors store DeKor in Echo Park, in partnership with beauty and travel writer Rachel Marlowe, a Vogue contributor. The 2,000-square-foot shop opened its doors at 105 S. Montgomery Street (just off Ojai Avenue) on Dec. 6.
And the vibe is cozy. Floors are covered in a collection of vintage kilim and overdyed rugs (from $600) and one corner is outfitted with a plush daybed ($1,450), piled with ethnic pillows, accompanied by a Midcentury cone fireplace ($1,245). Among the wide array of vintage lighting are wrought iron chandeliers, Scandinavian table lamps and vintage pendant lights, from Mod to Moroccan.
“I have a really eclectic aesthetic,” says Dahlin. “I am in love with Midcentury chairs because they are like pieces of art, but I mix in industrial pieces and some ethnic patterns. And I am obsessed with lighting and rugs. In Sweden, it’s so dark half the year that you get into having the right balance of light.”
Building on the mix of global antique finds, clean-lined Scandinavian decor and custom-made furniture at DeKor, which opened in 2011, DeKor & Co. offers an expanded range of made-to-order furnishings, including custom-upholstered Dorothy and Agnes sofas, named after the partners’ grandmothers, upholstered chairs, reclaimed wood swings, and reclaimed wood or metal dining tables.
Moving beyond decor, the Ojai shop includes a curated selection of books, art — damask textile wall hangings are crafted by Isabelle’s mother, Swedish artist Isa Dahlin — and fashion, from arty rope necklaces by TOTEMfactory ($80-$100) to graphic-print silk kaftans by London-based Tallulah & Hope (from $335), a U.S. exclusive.
Given Marlowe’s background, the boutique also stocks a well-edited assortment of beauty products from natural-oriented, independent brands and boasts the sole California outlet for Swedish cosmetics and skin care company FACE Stockholm. Makeup artists are on hand on weekends.
Shoppers are invited to linger at a european-style Art of Tea bar that serves (and sells) the Los Angeles company’s high-end organic teas, including a custom DeKor & Co. blend inspired by Ojai’s orange groves ($10.99 a packet). Accompaniments include local Bloom honey ($9) in flavors such as blackberry or avocado, and organic snacks and herbal Tonics ($10) by Moon Juice, another L.A. enterprise.
“I’m not a very materialistic person,” says Dahlin, “but if your home feels special and you’re happy with the things around you, I believe that you are a happier person.”
“Our philosophy is that everything’s for sale and we can find anything that you want us to find,” adds Marlowe.
On Saturday, DeKor & Co. is offering makeup applications, a 15% discount on FACE Stockholm products, and 30-minute portrait sittings ($100) with Ojai artist Vera Long, whose work is carried in the shop. For information, call (805) 272-8675.
