Andrianna Shamaris

This job does have some perils. I’ve become a bit of a hardened shopper—not often expecting to see anything that really bowls me over. That said, last year I was out shopping for product for Traditional Home’s Body & Soul feature and wandered into Andrianna Shamaris, a home furnishings and clothing shop in SoHo. I knew immediately that I’d exhaust a paycheck or two picking up gifts for friends or, more likely, myself. While it took every ounce of self-control I had, I managed to limit my individual purchase to a mere pair of sandals. I did, however, leave with some great product ideas for the feature. (Look for a Balinese daybed from Andrianna Shamaris in Traditional Home’s April issue).

The eponymous shop is one of two Andrianna Shamaris locations—New York and Malibu—chock full of unique items from across the globe. Take it from Andrianna herself, “You’ll find things in my shop that you can’t find anywhere else. I import directly, instead of buying from wholesalers, so my items are unique.” And she designs the products herself, often while traveling. She recently spent a month in Indonesia, creating a new collection of furnishings made of aged teak planks with shell inlay—tables, cabinets, beds and bookshelves. Andrianna’s other favorite items include hand-dyed fishermen’s bags she converted into handbags and bracelets she created from leather and solid silver.

So what inspires the designs? “I’m inspired by texture, patina, smell,” says Shamaris. “I love vetiver root. The scent is amazing and I weave it into all my placemats. I also have huge screens made from sarsaparilla wood that smell of peppermint.”

The sandals aren’t half bad either. A wise purchase, indeed.

For more information on Andrianna Shamaris stores, visit http://www.andriannashamaris.com/.

Store locations:
Andrianna Shamaris
121 Greene Street
New York, NY
212/388-9898

Andrianna Home
3835 Cross Creek Road, # 9
Malibu, CA
310/456-2243