That Personal Touch
Written by Joan Tapper | Photographs by Sara Prince
Antiquarian Lee Stanton has been splitting his residential time between Montecito and Los Angeles for nearly a decade, but it was only last August that he opened PRIVATE STASH, a small shop in the Upper Village that features select pieces from Stanton’s personal collection. Like his large Los Angeles showroom—which has been a mainstay for celebrity interior designers for 20 years—the new business focuses on 17th-, 18th-, and 19th-century antiques from England and Europe, but it’s a more curated, eclectic version of his elegant and refined inventory in a more relaxed setting.
“I had amassed quite a collection,” says Stanton, who wanted to downsize and also gain a better understanding of clients in this area and their taste. “I’ve brought things in stages, a few pieces at a time. And I’m finding that people enjoy coming in each week and seeing what’s new.”
In addition to designers from Los Angeles who are decorating homes in the Santa Barbara area, the business welcomes private clients. “I’m beginning to sell to end users,” Stanton says. “People now want to personalize their home—to fine-tune their décor or add a special piece that makes a statement.”
The location—a mini design enclave with neighbors like Davis & Taft and Marc Normand Gelinas—has many benefits. There’s a community feeling that reminds Stanton of the small Ohio town where he grew up.
“I love my little shop,” he adds. “It’s like a scene from an old British film. When you walk in, you feel like there’s someone who’s been a collector for years, someone you can trust and who has things you can enjoy or share.” 1482 East Valley Rd., Ste. 41, Montecito, leestanton.com.
