O-Sense
Recent press of South Dixie Antique Row in West Palm Beach Florida
PALM BEACH ILLUSTRATED'S PBI AWARDS
BEST PLACE TO FIND DOMESTIC BLISS: ANTIQUE ROW
"With dozens of well-curated vintage shops spanning all decades, West Palm Beach’s Antique Row is a street of hidden treasures just waiting to be rediscovered."
PALM BEACH ILLUSTRATED | SEPTEMBER 2013
Lars Bolander is a design genius. To enter his shop on Antique Row is to get a glimpse of the Swedish decorator’s aesthetic, which has been called everything from bold and graphic to style-bending and quirky. For our money, a Bolander design is always tasteful and remarkably pleasing to the eye. His shop offers unusual antiques, many sourced from around the world and oozing a tranquil Asian sensibility.
We have a thing for old china and crystal, and we satisfy our fetish at Devonia. This charming little shop is jam-packed with vintage and antique china, such as a circa-1950s Meissen Blue Onion service for 12. The crystal is fantastic, too, particularly vintage Moser stems and some deaccessioned pieces from the Saint-Louis Crystal Museum.
Take one step inside, and you’ll instantly understand the “Mecox look”: bright blues, preppy greens, ikat prints, pops of pink—essentially a colorful vintage Palm Beach. Offering a mix of re-edition and antiques, Mecox focuses on aesthetic, rather than a particular decade or style. You’ll also discover newer gift items like candles, matches, cocktail napkins and stacks of coffee table books. Our favorite finds: the real coral dispersed throughout the store—each piece is $125, no matter the size—and the Christopher Spitzmiller glazed lamps, which are also found in the White House and Oprah Winfrey’s home.
Originally from Locust Valley, New York, Hillcrest features important decorative antiques from the eighteenth to the twentieth centuries, and some more-current pieces, as well. The lighting fixtures are particularly exquisite. In addition to the European antiques, there are some amazing Chinese items.
Naturally, walking the Row stirs up an appetite. There isn’t a more comforting place to rest your feet than Belle and Maxwell’s. Fitting right in with the neighbors, this charming eatery is decorated with antique furnishings, objets and art, most of which are for sale. Belle and Maxwell’s serves specialty tea (hot and cold), bistro fare and an assortment of homemade treats, served on pretty china—just like having Sunday afternoon tea at Grandma’s.
Next to Mecox, the Floral Emporium overflows with permanent floral arrangements and maintains a lush outdoor garden in the back of both stores. The floral displays are stunning, whether you’re looking for oversized, unique or detailed, but they’re especially breathtaking during the holidays, when trees are trimmed with dazzling ornaments and centerpieces exude a magical, festive spirit.
There are all sorts of finds—from fine to fun—on the Row. Vintage and consignment clothing boutiques, textile purveyors and this-and-that shops share space with international antique dealers—and it all works. The Row is one of our favorite places to source vintage ethnic jewelry. We especially love Cashmere Buffalo for eclectic treasures, vintage fabrics and Iris Apfel-style ethnic baubles.