Today we’d like to introduce you to William Laman.
Hi William, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
The shop opened in 1995 based on a visit to Santa Barbara. My partner, Bruce Gregga, AD Hall of Fame Interior Designer and I decided to open a shop in California on the spot. We found a 175-year-old board and batten cottage in the enclave of Montecito that we transformed into William Laman Furniture Garden Antiques. We went on buying trips throughout Europe and found pieces that were both unique and well-suited to the Mediterranean style of the area. Designers, Hollywood celebrities and locals would regularly come to the shop to see the latest inspirations. We would showcase rooms featuring unique pieces with style just as they would be used at home or in the garden. Our tagline is “Not What You Need, But What you Want”. We were just featured in Veranda Magazine as one of the 28 best designer shops in the world.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
We had a difficult time initially obtaining the old board and batten cottage that became our shop. It was such a unique structure in a fabulous location. We were told by our landlord that everyone was interested and that we probably would not get it. We went back to Chicago where we were living at the time and decided that if it was meant to be, it would happen. We came back to Montecito a couple of weeks later. The landlord had an opportunity to look up my partner Bruce Gregga’s resume’ of projects in Architectural Digest and the wind seemed to blow in our direction all of a sudden. We were offered the space and began working on the restoration. A few months later we opened. I had worked for a woman in Chicago by the name of Coco that had an incredible eye for wicker. She wanted us to carry her pieces such as rush log baskets that David HIcks had popularized. I remember a designer coming in the shop when we first opened. He looked around and said to someone, “They will never make it. All they carry are baskets! Little did he know, that when we were not selling fabulous antiques, the sale of those baskets paid the rent.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
We are all about the home and garden. We showcase furniture and objects as they would actually be used in a room. It is one-stop shopping. We have an ever-changing mix of antiques, unusual objects, and a range of home furnishings: bath accessories, lighting, art, baskets, planters, garden decoration, etc. Designers and clients come from near and far to find the unusual, the unexpected and the unique. Sometimes they purchase a complete set-up vignette either for themselves or for a design project. We also work with artisans to have things made for us that we cannot find on our buying trips. It is a treasure hunt, full of the unexpected, but never dull.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
We spend so much time arranging furniture and accessories within the shop so that people can see and touch everything. I see the direction of the industry going more and more online. Somehow it diminishes the three-dimensional and tactile experience. Our own philosophy is to steer clear of trends and buy classic pieces with style. Good is always good; even ten years from now.
Contact Info:
- Website: WWW.WILLIAMLAMAN.COM
- Instagram: https://www.
instagram.com/williamlaman/ - Facebook: https://www.
facebook.com/ WilliamLamanFurnitureGardenAnt iques - Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/
biz/william-laman-furniture- garden-antiques-montecito
