Seattle Shops

Every display here is stunning and exquisite, whether it's an array of antique rings set on an origami-like book, or pendants, set out on cut paper. It's all an extension of Curtis Steiner's imagination, who collects beautiful pieces and makes them as well. His own impossibly dainty jewelry is mixed in with what he sources. The whole shop will make you want to hold your breath.

Hands-down one of the city’s coolest bookshops, Pacific Standard Books is located in a loft space in Belltown. Here, local creative Strath Shepard (formerly of Visionaire and V Magazine) has curated a rotating selection of hard-to-find art, fashion, and photography books.

We have the design world (and Instagram’s) current obsession with fiddlehead figs to thank for the current craze for bringing the outdoors in. Husband-and-wife duo Ryan and Michele Tansey who hopped on the trend, first opening the Plant Shop as a pop-up last year before making things permanent this past spring. Here, they’ve stocked the space with a darling selection of little potted cacti and succulents, ferns, Ficuses—and just about anything else your green thumb could desire.

Local photographer Jim Henkens has an eye for finding beautifully weathered vintage kitchenware and props for shoots, so it’s only natural he’d turn his love of a treasure hunt into a brick-and-mortar shop. Tucked into Madison Park, Henkens’ buy expertly mixes old (vintage ironstone dishes, glass beakers) and new (linen dish towels, cookbooks, and earthware from Colombia) in a light-filled space you could easily spend the better part of an hour exploring. In the back of the store is a full kitchen, where he hosts a dinner series with guest chefs, Q&As with cookbook authors, and cooking classes.

We’ve always been fans of Nordstrom, but now we have another big reason to stop by their recently renovated, OG downtown Seattle outpost: From May 12th through June 25th, goop is setting up a shop-in-shop inside. We’ve assembled a wellness-centric edit of best-selling clean beauty products, workout gear, dinner-simplifying cooking tools, and so much more—including essentials from our own family of house lines: goop by Juice Beauty skincare, closet basics from goop Label, goop Wellness vitamin and supplement regimens, plus goop Fragrance edition 02—shiso, which is crafted from gorgeous, natural ingredients (without any of the typical toxins). You can find goop-in@Nordstrom (furnished by 1stdibs) in seven other cities—including nearby Bellevue—plus a full expression online, through June 25.

This plant design studio goes well beyond your average succulent—although you're sure to find some of your favorites here, as well as stumble upon new varieties. Curated by owner Brandon Peterson, the shop has a just-right amount of options ranging from terrariums to kokedama (the moss balls) to larger indoor tropical plants. The Palm Room also carries a good edit of pots and less common plant vessels.

Lucca is packed from floor to chandelier-filled ceiling with an undeniably reliable assortment of giftables for any and all occasions: Astier de Villatte candles, piles of stationery both vintage-looking and modern, clean beauty favorites from Herbivore Essentials, and the kind of out-there, one-of-a-kind curios that make perfect presents for tough-to-shop-for friends.

A Seattle standby since the ‘70s, this men’s and women’s boutique in a historic part of Seattle is achingly beautiful, with a grand spiral staircase, floor-to-ceiling windows, and meticulously merchandised displays—kind if like a mini Barneys, but a bit more boutique-y. Buyer and co-owner Jill Donnelly, who’s been responsible for the assortment for over 20 years, continues to do an impeccable job of introducing under-the-radar Euro lines and supporting tried-and-true faves like Kenzo, Co., and NLST. The end-of-season sales here are known to be epic.

Other than the simple, feminine-but-not-prissy interior and robust but not-too-cluttered displays, Moorea Seal (its namesake owner/buyer has been running the place since 2013) has another major thing going for it: A good portion, 7% to be exact, of the offering—tons of dainty jewelry, accessories, home goods, stationery, and giftables—is backed by some sort of philanthropic mission. A gold-plated opal ring, for example, supports Best Friends Animal Society, while the purchase of a hand-forged brass serving set contributes to the Washington Trails Association.

Seattle is home to a healthy roster of excellent bookshops, of which design-focused Peter Miller is arguably the most notable. In addition to a library of tomes that span all manner of topics from architecture to landscape design to interior decorating, the shop carries a tight selection of design-y home décor, drafting supplies, and other related goods.