New Scottsdale Showroom is a Curated Haven of Minimalistic Luxury
Interior designer Claire Ownby launches Ownby Home, a boutique showroom offering curated furnishings and finds handpicked by the owner.
By Linda J. Barkman | Photography by Steve Craft
BACKGROUND: Ownby Home is an extension of the Ownby Design interior design firm, which Claire Ownby established in 1998, after only a few years in the business. “I went from design school at ASU to opening my own firm,” she recalls. “It was just me for three years.” In the beginning, she built the business by focusing on renovations, which the company returned to after doing design/build projects for about a decade. They currently specialize in projects of all sizes and scale throughout the U.S. and Mexico. The evolution of her latest venture—Ownby Home—was spurred by the shortage of product and long lead times to acquire inventory that became the new norm during the COVID-19 pandemic. “The mission was to create a store for us to shop for ourselves but also use it when we were doing clients’ homes,” she explains.
CONCEPT: “We specialize in unique, curated items; different things than what you would find at the furniture markets or in other stores,” Ownby replies when asked about the concept behind their showroom. “We carry items for every room of the house but nothing that is attached, such as sinks and bathtubs,” she adds. “Our inventory is a reflection of all our favorite things.”
DESIGN PHILOSOPHY: Ownby combines minimalistic elements with earthy materials that offer interesting textures and uses neutral color palettes and clean-lined furniture to create calm, comforting spaces. “I like design that isn’t derived from history or previous time periods, something that is unconventional and unexpected,” she comments. “I like to focus on connections; how you connect something organic to something more modern, for example.”
WHAT’S IN STORE: Whether looking at individual pieces or fully furnished spaces in the 2,000-square-foot showroom, a single glance quickly reveals a sophisticated marriage of luxury and Ownby’s signature style. Everything showcased is either designed or hand-picked by the designer. The inventory ranges from handcrafted wood and upholstered furniture to lighting, floor mirrors, art from local as well as national and international artists, polypropylene rugs, custom accent pillows, coffee-table books, one-of-a-kind accessories and rare natural pieces such as large basalt planters and petrified wood stools. About 20% of the furniture pieces on the floor at any given time are designed by Ownby, while the remainder comes from such well-known sources as Holly Hunt and Palacek.
FAST FACTS
OWNER: Claire Ownby
OPENED: December 2022
LOCATION: 7154 E. Stetson Drive, #D105, Scottsdale
HOURS: Mon.-Fri.—10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sat.—10 a.m.-3 p.m.
PHONE: (480) 904-9846
WEBSITE: ownbyhome.com
INSPIRATION: Ownby says almost all of the inspiration for the pieces she designs comes from things she sees or experiences while traveling. “Seeing a new environment that offers different materials, shapes and textures always inspires me,” she describes. “And it doesn’t have to be in another country. I might find something I love in a farmer’s market in Ohio.”
FOCUS: Ownby points out that she is not trying to create a showroom for the masses, something with a lot of different styles and brands, but what she describes as a curated style. “I hear what clients are embracing and what they are not and make sure the things they like are the key pieces we’re showcasing,” she notes.
HOT TICKET: “Our large basalt planters generate a huge response,” Ownby says enthusiastically. “Almost everyone comments on them and clients are eager to incorporate them into their homes.”
PREMIERES: “We recently introduced our signature scent for the home,” Ownby reports. “It’s a blend of masculinity and femininity without being sweet. We’ve also formulated our line of tableware—plates, cups, glasses, service pieces—all handmade from black clay in Oaxaca, Mexico. It’s been a lot of fun to develop these products.”
