WELCOME TO CURATED BY AMY SCOTT, A COZY VINTAGE STORE IN CLARENDON HILLS, ILLINOIS
Amy Scott of Curated By Amy Scott opens the door to her new vintage sanctuary in Clarendon Hills, a historical Chicago Suburb 20 miles West of the city.
Tucked away in the quaint, quiet, historic suburb of Clarendon Hills, Illinois, which gives you all the Stars Hollow vibes you need, you'll find a vintage decor store so enchanting you might end up spending a whole afternoon perusing through the most unique, one-of-a-kind finds to give your home a story and character.
Meet Amy Scott, an interior designer of over 20 years turned shop owner of Curated by Amy Scott, where not only will you feel the excitement of possibilities for your home with unique decor, but you'll also be greeted by the shop owner herself who will offer you imaginative ways to refresh your home’s environment. Amy’s selections are special, curated, and there are boundless ideas for you to explore!
I had the pleasure to sit down with Amy, talking about her new business and what it’s like to be a shopkeeper. Whether you visit her store to browse or stop in on a mission to find the perfect piece, you'll leave feeling energized with creative ways to redesign your space. Not only that, but Amy is very inspirational, so, naturally, I asked her:
What inspired you to open up a store?
“I took a leap of faith to be able to use my passion for styling as a business.”
Curated By Amy Scott carries everything from vintage home decor to upcycled furniture and art along with plants ready to take home.
“This was a long-time dream of opening my own shop and I dabbled in my own home first by hosting basement boutique events as “pop-up” shops. From there I started to rent space at Jackson Square Antique Mall in La Grange where I discovered my love for styling (Styling for retail is different than home decorating). I took a leap of faith to be able to use my passion for styling and opened up this shop.
Styling for a store is about packing items in a creative way to create layers that have embellishments and give customers a vision of their home. I am hoping the vignettes I create in a retail space stand out in a different way because I’m forcing things together that you wouldn’t always think about in home design. But when I mix every element in my store, I’m hoping what inspires me will inspire my customers. I love to give my customers ideas for how to layer and mix different elements and styles to create something interesting in their own homes.
I like to do what scares me and take risks. I dreamed about owning this store for 15 years. I love that I’m able to be flexible to have my own creative outlet with this shop.
As a mom, I also wanted to open this shop for my children to show them that you can do hard things that are stressful and challenging. That is important to me; to model and lead by example and show them that if you take risks, use your talents, and show up as your authentic self, you can do anything you are inspired to do.”
I also asked:
Why did you choose to open a store in Clarendon Hills, Illinois?
“I am recreating the past. It’s a good fit.”
Beautiful window displays for the curious at heart designed by shop owner, Amy Scott. Amy also sells vintage clothing and jewelry for fashion-minded customers.
“I wanted a walkable small town and a space that would fit with the vibe vintage. I love this space for the old tin ceiling, tall windows, height, and history of the building. There is a historical photo of an original shopkeeper in a black skirt and white blouse with a pony out in front. I’m going to recreate the same photo of me in the same way. I like that the building has the same story as mine and that I’m bringing vintage items that at one time might have been used here when it was a coffee shop. It’s a good fit.
There used to be a coffee shop here. Some of my customers who have lived here for a long time like to visit my shop and relive the memories of the past. People share their stories of having coffee here and remember sitting in the windows drinking their coffee.”
What are 3 words that describe your shop?
“INSPIRATIONAL. SUSTAINABLE. ESCAPE.
Inspirational. I want customers to come into my shop and feel inspired by what they can do in their own home.
Sustainable. I’m telling customers that I’m upcycling old art or pieces of furniture to give it a new vibe. Things don’t have to be wasted. There are so many imaginative ways to be environmentally conscious through vintage and give new freshness to old things. I want customers to think about things they have in their home that can be refreshed, or things in my shop that can be used to embellish a space in a new way. Being sustainable is very important to me and it has been since the beginning of my career in home design and selling vintage.
Escape. I want to provide an escape for people to come in and feel transported to a space that makes them feel good. When a customer comes off the street and says they just want to browse, I want them to feel welcome and I love when they take pictures for their own inspiration. I love it when my space serves others as something that makes them feel good and happy. To me, this is more than a shop. A place where people can spend time and explore.”
Do you have a memorable customer story?
“I want this shop to be a break from the everyday world. More than a shop, but a place to explore.
There is a woman who loves to come here before she goes to work. She always stops here because she said it feeds her soul and energy before going to a sterile work environment. Customers come here with all kinds of reasons or stories to tell and I like to provide this space as their getaway.”
What experiences do you want to provide for your customers?
“Styling has a big impact on space. It’s not what you have, it’s how you have it.”
Amy hosts regular workshops on painting, crafting, and decorating.
“A place to learn. It’s a personal interaction with me to get questions answered about ways to decorate their home. I also host events like learning about Feng Shui, or painting. I also want to use this store as a community space to host book clubs that bring people together in a beautiful space. People can have their own choice of experience by hosting their own private events as well.
I love to teach. It’s in my roots and my nature. I like to create a space where I can teach about how to creatively use something in a home or new ways to build an environment that means something. It’s more than home decorating in my mind. Decorating gives calmness, and peace and I love to teach people that changing their environment gives them a sense of happiness and wellness. It improves their life.
But I also want this space to be a visual source for how people can display things in and usual way in their own home. For example, I collect rocks from the beach and use them for different props or old bottles to display jewelry. My display is for sale so if someone loves a piece of jewelry, they can also buy the antique bottle it’s displayed on.
My goal is to make things look effortless and not perfect, but lived in and used and functional.”
What are pieces in your shop that are your favorites?
“I love sourcing things that are unpredictable.”
Amy layers multiple items in her store providing beautiful visual displays ready to take home.
“My favorite thing in my shop is anything you hang on a wall. I love to upcycle art, or use old window frames for new mirrors. I love to mix modern, abstract, and vintage all together. I like to show people that you can put old and new art together for interesting gallery walls. There can be paintings or textural things on a wall. I even like to hang old chairs on a wall as a piece of art.
I love when walls are kept neutral so you can play with all kinds of art on a wall that makes a space so unique and interesting.
I also love collecting and selling fun lamps. I source bases and shades from different places and love putting them together in a new way.”
Amy has started to also source vintage clothing, accessories and jewelry, so her store has a variety of one-of-a-kind items for everyone!
Don’t forget to check out Amy’s rotating events—the next event will be led by me! On October 3, 2024, from 6:30-8:00, I will be conducting a Feng Shui workshop. For anyone interested in learning more about how to use Feng Shui to transform your space, you’ll leave with tons of immediate home hacks!
And check out Amy’s shop at 2 Prospect Avenue right in the heart of downtown Clarendon Hills.
and If you’re searching for interior designers in Chicago & beyond, here’s how I can help:
And if we haven’t met yet, it’s nice to virtually meet you – I’m Kat, an interior designer and founder of Urban Lark. I turn spaces into statements and I’d love to do that for you. Here’s how we can connect:
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