Ojai
Under the gaze of the Topa Topa Mountains you’ll find a big design destination with a small-town charm
Written by Anush J. Benliyan | Photography by Sara Prince | Illustrations by Digital Sunsets
Scenic Ojai beckons with its famous “pink moments,” rich organic agriculture (hello, Pixie season), thriving art scene, and a design landscape that boasts one-of-a-kind décor boutiques and artisans that perfectly reflect the city’s bohemian charm. At her quaint eponymous shop, Carolïna Gramm proffers a mélange of specialty home goods and gifts, from organic olive oils and balsamic vinegars to one-off midcentury furnishings, vintage pottery, candles, antique napkins, and more. Only a handful of Chris Brock’s coveted ceramics—which nod to ancient Mediterranean civilizations and early 20th-century American works—are available each year due to the master potter’s complex glazing and firing processes. Brock’s late husband, designer Paul Fortune, is greatly missed by the design world and honored with the recent rerelease of his book, Notes On Décor Etc. Stop by interior designer Isabelle Dahlin’s deKor & Co. for customizable furniture, stylish tabletop accessories, and vintage lamps, baskets, cabinets, and Moroccan rugs. FiG Curated Living and its sister store Bungalow by FiG are brightening up the spring season with lots of color. On offer are outdoor tabletop goods and glassware that complement vibrant patio furniture by Fermob, as well as flamboyant vintage Peruvian blankets. Jack Gerard and Genevieve Barrere of Four Leaf Wood Shop specialize in hand-carved kitchen utensils and accessories in walnut, cherry, and maple. Each product is sanded and polished to perfection and sealed with beeswax and coconut oil. Local stalwart In the Field is curated with all the lifestyle essentials, including men’s, women’s, and kid’s apparel, home accents, pantry delicacies, apothecary goods, made-in-Ojai handicrafts, and more.
With sustainability at its heart, Lineage Botanica supports marginalized Eastern European communities through artisans’ handcrafted décor and textiles—think bedding, aprons, and towels—all made using organic, low-impact materials like hemp and cotton. Color consultant Teresa Grow’s Ojai- and L.A.-based studio Madison and Grow offers interior design consultations in addition to California-inspired patterned wallcoverings and textiles that are silk-screened by hand. Inspired by traditional Japanese craftsmanship, Mark Churchill crafts dinnerware, vessels, vases, and bowls by hand using stoneware and porcelain clays all sourced from local ranches. Founded by Bernd Dressler in 1981 and today run by his wife, Debra, and daughters, Chelcea and Kirsten, Messermeister is a leading cutlery and culinary company whose handcrafted products include the Ojai-inspired Adventure Chef collection, a range of compact, portable, high-quality knives that allow you “to get outside and cook great food wherever you go,” says VP Kirsten Dressler Wilson. Run by the Asquith family, Ojai Olive Oil’s Ladera Road shop stocks award-winning extra virgin olive oils—including infused varieties like basil, lemon, and Ojai Pixie. Every bottle is made with the olives from the family’s nearby groves, which date back more than 150 years. Ojai Plant Works specializes in interior “plantscaping,” with services that include designing orchid, air plant and succulent arrangements, and curating the perfect foliage for your interiors, with delivery, installation, and even maintenance taken care of. Stop by Pixie’s General Store for whimsical gifts including candles, pantry goods, cheeky mugs, stationery, sweet treats, Ojai swag, and more. Michael and Rachel Graves, the husband-and-wife team behind design and framing shop Summer Camp, recently opened Plant Based, a new store that stocks plants, pots, ceramics, and other handmade goodies. Embracing a neutral palette, ceramist P. Lyn Middleton of P Studio crafts one-of-a-kind, food-safe pieces (think plates, bowls, and other vessels) from her Ojai workspace. Tipple & Ramble’s collection of indoor/outdoor décor, small-batch specialty food items, picnic staples, games, and vintage barware will inspire you to take your next adventure, host a killer cocktail party, or perhaps both.
