Design Stops in Denver

Recently I went to CO to visit the family.  My (twin) sister Kelly has recently moved to a new area and she wanted to take advantage of having me in town to go explore with her.  With just a few hours left before my flight home we headed on over to South Broadway, a street just outside the city of Denver.   You won’t find this place on any tourist maps but it was so much fun!  Sometimes I’m intimidated by these ‘hipster’ type areas but this was place was the perfect amount of hip, vintage and friendly.  

The first shop we visited turned out to be my favorite, it was a cute little self-owned craft shop called "The Fancy Tiger."  The walls of bright graphic fabrics and shelves of colorful yarn immediately put a smile on my face.  

As we perused the displays of home made craft kits and tiny buttons we found ourselves near the back of the store, staring right into the eyes of a hot pink deer.  We found they teach sewing and craft classes back in this area.  If ever I wanted to move to Denver before I only want to get there even faster now;  exactly the kind of place I have been looking for!  

We (sadly) left the store and headed next door to Buffalo Exchange.  You might have seen this chain before?  Although we wished we had hours to sort through the racks of vintage clothing and accessories we were kind of on a mission to hit the home decor stores so we were in and out pretty quick.  

Not gonna lie, I kind of wish I purchased this "Coloradical" hat...next time.  Had to snap a pic of the colored hardwoord floors, do you think they were recycled from a gym floor?  

Next stop Good Will.  They had a whole basement full of furniture.  A midcentury dresser caught our eye, but we passed this time.  Side note: Did you know Target donates their surplus items to GoodWill?  My friend Brooke just told me she saw some Room Essentials drapes there and I saw some stuff too...it’s true (not that I didn't’ believe her)!    

We headed across the street to a few shops.  We stopped in Decade, really cool stuff but kind of pricy.  The kind of treasures you only wish you could find at a flea market or local thrift shop (if you only had the time).  Instead you pay extra since they did all the work of finding it and prettying it up for you.  But they had some really cute stuff, lots of ideas for cute gifts.  Wish I had more time because I have lots of bridal showers coming up.

Heading back towards the car we came across Ironwood.  This place was AWESOME.  I dont even know how to describe it; I suppose it had a quirky rustic vibe.  Kat Von De (yes I watch LA Ink) would have enjoyed it very much.  Everything from butterflies and insect collections, to books, to trinkets, to succulents...so random but so cool all at the same time.  Kelly wanted a shelf,  turns out it wasn’t for sale and it wasn’t even a shelf!  Just an iron base with a piece of wood on top (bottom picture below).  That should be easy enough to replicate?  

I took home this little guy.  Might have started a new tradition of collecting little brass animals wherever I go (obviously had to start with an owl).  You could always  find these on Etsy but it’s so much more fun to have a story behind finding a little treasure.
  

Sadly it was Sunday so stores were closing early, and I suppose we did have a plane to catch.  Finished the day off with a yummy piece of thin crust pizza at The Walnut Room and called it a day.  Can’t wait to go back for more!  Two more reasons to go back: a the Mayan Movie Theater which serves beer and Sweet Action Ice Cream shop with ‘the best’ ice cream, you can smell the waffle cones being made all the way down the street...just follow your nose.