Nashville's Hidden Treasure

Get ready for spring with charming garden accessories and fun floral prints from this Berry Hill neighborhood shop.

Tucked away in the quaint and slightly eclectic Berry Hill area stands one of Nashville's best spots for home decor. In an understated house, next to an independent record store and across from an eccentric retro shop, sits Gilchrist Gilchrist, a tasteful home accessories haven. From floral bedding to rose-scented soaps, this quiet gem offers everything you need to bring the spring season home.

Antiques junkie Genia Gilchrist (with the help of her family) opened the store in May 2000, converting an old house into a comfortable showplace for all things feminine and floral. "I call it grandma style or vintage chic," Genia says. "My style is a step back in time. I find things that are worn and make them chic again."

Genia's design aesthetic pervades every inch of the store. Each nook and cranny boasts pretty pastel whatnots, antique finds, and dainty tchotchkes, all displayed like accent pieces in a lived-in house setting.

From the bedroom to the dining room and even the bathroom, the store features laid-back luxury for every budget. Whether you're looking for an elegant antique or a simple scented gift, you'll find it tucked away in one of Gilchrist Gilchrist's charming displays.

Step into the shop's bedroom area for plush pillows ($55-$65), cloth-covered journals ($35-$45), or custom-order bedding from designer Rachel Ashwell's Shabby Chic line of linens ($40-$64 per yard). Then wander into the bathroom for oilcloth makeup bags ($8-$15) and candles wrapped in handkerchiefs ($8-$12).

Throughout the store you'll find an array of frilly whimsies such as pink-tipped matchsticks, rhinestone brooches, and even grapefruit-scented laundry powder. Genia sells items as small as seashell salt-and-pepper shakers and as large as white cherub sculptures. Among the best sellers are antique mirrors, chandeliers, and white stone pieces. The store can hardly keep these rarities in stock, often leading Genia to seller's remorse. "I see some things go out, and I feel sorrowful, like I've sold a puppy from the litter," Genia says. "You never know if you'll see something like it again."

To keep up with demand Genia and her team of vintage "pickers" constantly scour flea markets and antiques malls across the South for unique accent pieces.

In addition to home decor, Gilchrist Gilchrist also sells garden accessories. The shop's backyard boasts wrought iron tables and chairs, as well as stone birdbaths, watering cans, and flowerpots.

Whether you need great garden goods, charming home accents, or vintage one-of-a-kinds, a visit to Gilchrist Gilchrist won't disappoint. VIVIAN CANEDO

Gilchrist Gilchrist: 2823 Bransford Avenue, Nashville, TN 37204; (615) 385-2122.

Copyright Southern Progress Corporation Mar 2004
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