Fresh And Feminine Vibes Rule This Winnetka Boutique

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Boutique with leopard-print sofa and purple wallcovering

When you’ve got a stylish boutique that opened just six weeks before the pandemic hit and has thrived in spite of those challenges, what’s your next move? For Peyton Merrill, owner of downtown Winnetka women’s fashion boutique Bunny & Babe, the play was to expand.

She opened a second location two doors down from the original store with the help of architect Michael Hershenson and long-time friend and designer Cindy Galvin, owner of Bardes Interiors and Maze Home.

“I wanted the new space to feel similar to the vibe of the original store, but a little fresher and younger,” Merrill says. “We still have a lot of patterns going on, but we changed the color palette a little by adding in a pretty, bright green that works with the lilac and light blue in the existing store.”

That green comes in the form of a striking framed section of Scalamandré’s Peony Inspira grass cloth, drawing eyes to the back wall of the boutique. Like the original, the new store also offers an area to relax with friends, where a leopard-print banquette sets a mood that’s feminine and welcoming.

“Decor isn’t distracting; it captivates people and adds to the retail experience,” Merrill says. “Interiors get people in the door, then it’s up to us to give people great fashion and service.”

PHOTO BY KATRINA WITTKAMP