Good intentions

Erica Tanov Atelier (Berkeley)

GOODS & SERVICES • FOUND Shop

The new Erica Tanov Atelier isn’t the kind of place you casually pop into while window shopping; it’s designed for more intentional visits. The by-appointment-only studio, showroom, and event space eschews a traditional showroom for a private residential setting, an immersive experience for browsing hand-silk-screened wallpaper, furniture, bedding, and expertly-curated antiques.

While her nearby retail boutique on the Fourth Street shopping corridor stocks multiple brands, the atelier is all about Erica. The comforting fragrance of hand-rolled cedar rope incense (beloved by the designer) envelops you as you enter the striking 1878 Italianate Victorian mansion with soaring ceilings and arched openings. Lovingly sourced antique treasures commingle with racks of the designer’s ethereal clothing — from slips and camisoles to sumptuously soft sweaters — and upholstered furniture from a textile collaboration with local artist Emily Payne.

The space — which includes a great room, parlor, kitchen, bedroom, and dramatically designed bathroom — speaks to Tanov’s ethos of relaxed California luxury and quality craftsmanship. It’s a perfectly shoppable, ever-changing canvas for her creative vision, an antidote to the age of online ordering. –Allison McCarthy

→ Shop: Erica Tanov Atelier (Berkeley) • 1808 Fifth St • By appointment.