4 Nashville Stores to Make Your House a Home

As Nashville continues to grow and the real estate market keeps booming, it makes sense that new home goods stores and design shops would emerge on the retail scene. Nashville has an impressive and robust selection of home stores as it is (check out some of our favorites in our SB Guide—link at the end of this article), but we’re always excited to add new destinations to the list. Today, we’re spotlighting three places to find furniture, design advice and all the odds and ends that make a house a home. Wilder, D. Luxe Home and Oak Nashville have established themselves as fantastic new home goods stores in Nashville, and we’re excited to tell you more about them and show you some of the beautiful pieces they have to offer.

WILDER

1212 Fourth Ave. N., Nashville • (615) 679-0008
Hours: Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday, 12 p.m. to 7 p.m.; Sunday, 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Opened in November of last year, Wilder has seen tremendous success and recognition (notably from Garden & Gun and the Nashville Scene). Store owner Ivy Elrod tells us that she and her husband, Josh, are excited about the recognition, acknowledging that the Scene’s Best Place to Blow Your Paycheck award has merit, as the store has many high-ticket items. But she also firmly asserts that she doesn’t want anyone to find the space pretentious or inaccessible.

Wilder certainly has the stereotypical aspects of a modern design store–concrete floors, exposed pipes, white walls and ample light from large windows. But that austerity contrasts with the rich textures and colors within, filling what could be a cold space with light and warmth. Art and design coexist here. Each individual item is both functional and formally pleasing, as is the union of all the different pieces within the single space. If Wilder is a blank canvas, then the goods within are paints of every type and color.

Ivy embraces this notion fully, recognizing that the store is a studio of sorts, open to installations of all kinds. The Sabah event a few weeks ago is exactly the type of thing she hopes to continue having at Wilder: unique, talented artists and artisans who need a creative space to display the things they make. As she and Josh both are influenced by their backgrounds in theater and film, they think of their store as an experiment in how things work together. Case in point: the couple not only curates unique, handmade items from around the Southeast, but they also collaborate with artists to create home goods available exclusively at Wilder.

Hand crafted apple tree mobiles available at Wilder in Nashville — These apple tree mobiles would spark conversation and provide depth in any home. Perfect in a room with high ceilings or above a baby’s crib, the geometric shapes add a modern element to these handcrafted artworks. This image also gives you an idea of the array of inventory at Wilder—design books, handmade vases and bowls, shelving, pillows and more!

Ersa Handknit Baby Alpaca Scarves are large enough to also serve as blankets or even decorate walls! — These beautiful, handmade textiles are multifunctional, able to be worn as scarves or wraps, used as throws over a sofa, or even framed to show off their exquisite colors and patterns. Made by A Peace Treaty, the company empowers women artisans to craft textiles through traditional techniques they already know, but in more modern designs. $398 each

Wilder's Long Teak Leaf Bowl shows off the rich color and texture of the natural wood. — This long teak leaf bowl would look beautiful on any large coffee table or even as a centerpiece in a dining room. Shown here, it holds some of the unique handmade jewelry Wilder also sells. $270

Glazemood ceramics are made for Wilder exclusively by artist Jennie Jieun Lee. — These Glazemoods ceramics are a Wilder exclusive. Artist Jennie Jieun Lee has a background in ceramics, but has modernized the craft with her use of color and line in the decorative components of each piece. Teacup, (front) $89; mug, $90; vase, $300

Ambrosia wood trunk chair, available at Wilder. — One of the most noticeable and striking pieces within Wilder is this gorgeous trunk chair. The ambrosia wood has an incredible finish, drawing your attention to some new crevice or line with each seating. This is a functional piece that will still have everyone marveling at its craftsmanship. $1,800

D. LUXE HOME

1200 Clinton St., Ste. 30, Nashville • (615) 988-2180
Hours: Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Other home goods stores may specialize in larger furniture pieces and filling a space, but D. Luxe Home is your go-to for the knickknacks and oddities that add character to a home. Chatting with store owners Dee Bynum and Larry Wilkes, it is apparent that they have a love for finding what they call kitschy decor that enhances the personality of a space. Though they are not new to the home goods industry or Nashville, their expansion within Marathon Village last year, to a spot three times the size, has been great for business. Both men noted that while they are very tourist friendly, the new space has attracted more local attention, allowing them to gain more design clients, as the store is an offshoot of their residential design firm, Bynum Design.

Many of the products D. Luxe carries are tourist oriented—candles, tea towels, Nashville souvenirs and holiday decor can all be easily packed into a suitcase to carry on a plane. But the arrangement of the store speaks volumes for Dee’s eye for design. Help with lighting is one of their biggest requests, and the shop is full of all types of lamps, sconces and chandeliers that range from understated antique to statement modern. They also have several aged wood pieces and antique mirrors that would add depth to any home. Throughout the store, there is a seamless blend between the smaller eccentricities and large, classic pieces. Walking in, it feels like the shop has been there for years, full of a long-term collection of tasteful and interesting pieces. D. Luxe is certainly not your typical home goods store, but we encourage you to make a visit—beneath the Music City souvenirs are rich pieces with character that may add the perfect finishing touch to your home or inspire a new design project.

So many funny knickknacks can be found at D. Luxe! — This large chest is full of eclectic items for your home. Right now it has mostly Halloween decor, but there are plenty of other items, as well!

Archipelago candles are available in many different scents at D. Luxe Homes. — D. Luxe boasts several impressive candle lines, notably the Archipelago series. There are so many soothing scents that will carry you away to a place of supreme relaxation. $32 each

So many small oddities to add character to your home. — These items could sit on a bedside or coffee table. D. Luxe is the place to go when you need those small items to add character!

Local artisan jewelry and eccentric masks can also be found at D. Luxe. They really have a little of everything!

Unique iron gate at D. Luxe Homes. — Isn’t this iron gate fantastic? It separates the retail area from the Bynum Design studio, but it’s also just so fun!

OAK NASHVILLE

4200 Charlotte Pike, Nashville
Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.

When Ginny Pope opened her bricks-and-mortar store, Oak Nashville, which stands for “one of a kind,” along Charlotte Avenue on Black Friday last year, she expected success. She had been building furniture out of her garage and selling it and other items at the flea market for three years with increasing demand. What she did not expect was success that would lead her to take over the entire building for retail and storage so she could keep up with her customers’ needs. But almost a year later, that is exactly what she has done.

As Ginny is not making furniture as frequently anymore, she outsources many of the items she sells in her store. Craftsmen and artisans of all kinds are called on to build furniture, recover chairs, sew pillows and more. This outsourcing is especially important for the design consultations she takes on. Ginny and her team have worked on designs that range from a small sitting area to a full house, but they always work to keep things as affordable and cost-efficient as possible.

The curation of items for Oak Nashville relies entirely on local, handmade, quality goods. Ginny wants her store to be a one-of-a-kind space, enabling customers to come in and find things that will then allow them to create a distinct personality within their homes. Everything throughout the store has been salvaged and transformed. The pieces are remarkable, and the prices make them obtainable. Ginny says that she wants everything in her store to be affordable for the average homeowner. Looking at the price tags, we could see that she was serious. There were even pieces that your average entry-level, new-to-Nashville, post-graduate could afford! This store is perfect for your custom design needs and unique antique finds. Tight budget or not, you will definitely find something you love!

Handpoured candles from Oak make a great addition to your home or gift for a friend! — What is a home store without some yummy smelling candles? These are hand poured by Ginny and the Oak staff and have amazing scents! $26 each

This cedar table would be perfect as a dining room piece or even in a large living area. — This cedar table is stunning. The rich color would bring warmth to a room that does not receive much light, and the rough texture gives it character. $475

This informal 8 piece china set is perfect for everyday or informal use. — This place setting was too pretty to not get a picture of! The Homer Laughlin Dresden China is a complete eight-piece set, perfect for a new family’s everyday use! $110

Lovely china set at Oak. — A closeup of the china pattern … we love blue and white together!

These vintage game table chairs would look great in a man cave! — We loved these vintage game table chairs. They would be great at a lower table or just in your sitting area. The Red Cross pillow is a fun touch! Set of four chairs, $300; pillow, $40

This green mug tree is so fun! — A mug tree would be perfect as both a decorative and functional component in any kitchen. $48 and includes six mugs

UPDATE: PROVIDENCE INTERIORS

When we featured Providence Interiors last year, we knew they would continue to be successful and their presence in Nashville would only grow. What we did not predict was their literal growth into a new space! Shine Salon recently moved down the street between SOCA and Margi’s Chair, granting Providence Interiors the opportunity to expand into the vacated space. They have nearly doubled their showroom size and added a conference room for design consultations, all still full of beautiful furniture and decor. Take a look!