Rocky Mountain Shopping

By Candace Ord Manroe

The Green Plum
Next vacation in the Rockies, consider a shopping expedition that includes plenty of browse time at The Green Plum in historic Salida, Colorado. This home furnishings boutique offers a delightful mix of European antiques and new furniture--the kind of old-new blend that Trad Home fans anticipate finding in our featured houses each time they curl up for their first flip-through (followed by much longer perusing, we hope). No wonder. The Green Plum's owner is TH regional editor Susan Fox, who has honed her eye scouting and styling houses in Colorado and Galveston, Texas, where she splits her time. "The 'Green' represents recycled, and the 'Plum' represents hand-picked new pieces," says Susan.

Salida, Colorado
Salida is one of those pretty places that pays for the side trip in scenery. Nestled in Central Colorado's upper Arkansas Valley on the eastern slopes of the Rockies, it's a skiing, white-water rafting, trout-fishing, hiking, and climbing destination.

Arkansas River
Home to the state's largest historic downtown district, Salida has the added attraction of the Arkansas River coursing right through the heart of the shopping area.

Fan chair
But back to The Green Plum. You'll appreciate the "in-context" presentation--a fan chair, complete with side table, lamp and framed botanicals on the wall behind.

Foo dog
A foo dog looks at home on this painted table.

French trestle table
An old French trestle table with chairs from Paris (still in their original leather) holds its own amid new furnishings and fabrics from vendors like Currey & Co., Oly Studios, Brahms Mount Textiles, Roost, Smith Noble Draperies, Woods and Willow, Comptoir de Famille and others. Bailey Street, a manufacturer of new slipcovered chairs, is also represented, giving shoppers the opportunity to select their own fabrics for the slipcovers. The shop carries a line of new sisal and jute rugs, as well as antique Orientals.

Who could resist?

Step inside.
Will a small wing chair fit in the SUV?

Gently used
Not every furnishing in the shop is either antique or new. Susan freshened this 1990s settee with new paint and upholstery. A hardy Sunbrella fabric trimmed with black welting creates a crisp graphic effect that's a nice counterpoint to the settee's classic fluid shape.

Butterfly chair
The butterfly fabric is truly brilliant, giving a grandmotherly chair winged spirit.

Kate Fox
Susan's daughter, Kate Fox, co-owns the shop.

Rustic spirit
Every inch of floor space is packed with temptations. All art on the walls are old botanicals and other prints that Susan and Kate have newly framed.

Country French
The French country chairs in a striped chenille are from a Houston estate.