The six blocks between 8th Street and 14th Street are home to five antique shops, four design boutiques, five furniture designers plus a number of other stores where you’ll find accents, art and tons of inspiration for your home. There are design consultants left and right (within the shops), and most of the show rooms, housed in character buildings along this original Calgary street, belie larger spaces hidden behind—or beneath—their initial storefront.

The most concentrated area of shops is the 1200 block of 9th Avenue. Here furniture, antique, art and curio shops line the street on both sides. For a modern but cosy feeling, try Modern Country at 1227 9th Avenue. The pieces here are manufactured in Duncan, B.C. by this family-run business which offers full design services. Pieces can be custom- designed to fully meet your needs, whether this means a one-off piece, or an alteration of one of the showroom pieces.

Here the palette of the upholstery is neutral, with brighter, modern accents adding splashes of colour. This is a very contemporary country look, with woods, leathers, and overall, comfortable materials abounding. An even more organic style can be found just a couple doors down at Essential Living (1223B 9th Avenue). Shoppers will find a tantalizing array of accents plus furniture, with interesting textures such as feathers and twigs true to the “warm, organic, transitional style” of the shop, as described by proprietor and interior designer, Jodi Beckwith.

Lovers of Asian design are in luck, with From the Ground Up, the Hinchcliff & Lee Collection and Ellipses Design all within the same block. Hinchcliff & Lee (1217A 9th Avenue) features an amazing collection of antique, refurbished and new pieces, predominantly from northern China (the exception being the new addition of Sarah Richardson upholstered furniture). Owner John Lowry lived in China for 15 years and travels back often to search out new pieces for the collection.

As salesperson Carol Tanner explains, the pieces here are not what people tend to think of when they hear “Chinese design.” Rather than the ornate classical Chinese design, Hinchcliff & Lee specializes in town and country designs, a simpler, less delicate look.

Importantly, the woods used in the construction of the furniture are well-suited to Calgary’s climate since they are acclimatized to the humidity and temperatures of northern China.

This 5,300-square-foot show room (with main floor and basement space) holds many surprises for the unsuspecting shopper (or even one who has visited before), whether it’s a strikingly-detailed carving, a perfectly (and authentically) distressed apothecary chest, or an extremely rare wooden chair.

Next door at Ellipses Design (1213 9th Avenue), the shapes are very similar but the look is breathtakingly different. These inspired original designs are reproductions of Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) pieces using unexpected materials.

The juxtaposition of a classical Ming Dynasty shape constructed of stainless steel, or of reclaimed Northern Elm from original Chinese pieces beside stone or marble panels is striking. The small design team at Ellipses translates Ming pieces into an internationalist modern look, says Bruce MacMillan, one of the Ellipses designers. Best of all, the furniture is scaled for condos, a trait you wouldn’t expect of traditional Ming designs.

If modern is more your speed, the other end of 9th Avenue should be to your liking. Block, at 1410 9th Avenue, is aptly named, with furniture in modern, geometric shapes custom-built to meet your needs. Block offers a great option for condo owners—bring in your floor plan and the professional designers will create whatever you need, from sectionals to millwork, to fit your space, as well as create the perfect colour scheme.

More contemporary furniture can be found at Montauk Sofa (1327 9th Avenue), where all the sofas are custom-designed and down-filled. Any one of the wide array of sofas in the showroom can be changed in length or depth, or made into a sectional.

Condo-dwellers will be glad to know that the sofas can also be made in separate pieces which can be assembled once they’re in your home, so any of the beautiful upholstery options (white wool is the striking example that currently meets you as you enter the shop) could be a new addition in your home. CL

Other Design Shops in Inglewood:

Alberta Wood Products
907 9th Avenue
A wide variety of solid wood furnituref

Cherry Four
1215A 9th Avenue
Custom-made children’s bedding, plus décor and accessories.

Frames West
1221A 9th Avenue
In addition to framing, offers original art as well as some furniture

Junktiques Ltd.
1226 9th Avenue
Antique furniture and accents, reproductions and refurbished items

Leo’s Antiques
1225B 9th Avenue
An amazing amount of used and antique furniture awaits discovery in the large basement

Rustic Residence
1215B 9th Avenue
Furniture in predominantly wood, iron and leather plus art and accents.

Sacred Journey
1404 9th Avenue
Specializing in teak furniture from Indonesia with accents from Morocco and Brazil

World Antiques & Interiors
1312A 9th Avenue
A variety of antiques on two floors