Take A Trip Around The World Without Setting Foot Outside This New Connecticut Showroom

Details

Inside Lars Bolander showroom

From Balinese umbrellas with Thai elephant stands to Louis V and VI teak seating and Austrian contemporary furniture, the newest Lars Bolander showroom is an eclectic study of global treasures that transcend time. The Westport, Connecticut, shop (1300 Post Road East) boasts 2,600 square feet of contemporary furniture, textiles and decorative accessories as well as European and Scandinavian antiques. Bolander first delved into retail when he opened a shop in East Hampton in 1987 with his wife, Nadine Kalachnikoff, and he currently has an antiques shop in West Palm Beach. Their son, Chris Kalachnikoff, is the Westport store manager; here, he shares details about the new venture.

Why Westport? “We have had two shops in New York in the past. They were both great locations, but the shops restricted us from showcasing a wider range of furniture due to the size of clients’ apartments and the lack of outdoor space. Coming out to Connecticut was a natural next step and finding a unique space was paramount. Westport appealed to us for its rich artistic history, diversity and its more European feel than many other areas in the vicinity.”

How will this shop vary from the others? “We will delve more into accessories and have numerous trunk shows. We’re also getting more involved with our clients as they have been more hands-on with their own home-decorating as of late.”

What can we look forward to? “Our upholstered and our outdoor seating collections, which we never did in Florida. There will also be book signings, painting exhibitions and cocktail parties when we receive new shipments.”

Painting at Lars Bolander showroom

PHOTOS COURTESY LARS BOLANDER