Designing Ideas
Femmesleigh
Vintage shopping just got a little more fun! Femmesleigh Design, located inside Kings Antiques and More, offers vintage décor and furniture, vintage-inspired décor and handmade items, such as signs and pillows.“My shop is a beautiful, eclectic mix of items,” Leigh E., owner, creator and curator, said. “I love creating, collecting and refinishing, too, so a large part of my shop is filled with refinished furniture that I’ve worked on. It brings me so much joy to give those items a new look and know that someone will treasure them for years to come.”
“We specialize in a farmhouse/ cottage style,” Leigh said. “Our shop is filled with vintage, handmade decor and furniture – perfect for anyone looking to redecorate or searching for a gift.”
Leigh enjoys hunting down unique vintage items and styling and pairing them with new décor. “It’s so much fun seeing it all come together in the shop,” Leigh said. “One of the most amazing things you realize in doing this is that someone loved that item and valued it just as much as you now do.”
Leigh also sells Country Chic Paint so that her customers may choose to refinish their own pieces. She’ll be offering monthly beginner painting workshops soon to help instruct customers on DIY projects.
“Anyone looking to redecorate a space or just pick up a few pieces of décor would love browsing through my collection of curated goods,” Leigh said. “And if I don’t have it, there are tons of other amazing dealers located inside Kings Antiques who might!” Leigh has always loved creating handmade items – whether it be sewing, painting or building. “I also enjoy collecting vintage décor and taking things that are tired, such as old furniture, and breathing new life into them,” Leigh said. “Before I knew it, I was pursuing my love for decorating and refinishing as a business, which is how Femmesleigh Designs was born.”
Leigh’s husband, Al, is co-owner of Femmesleigh Designs and can often be seen hauling and building by her side. “He’s my number one supporter,” Leigh said.
Femmesleigh Designs is located inside Kings Antiques and More at 102 Kings Hwy. in Shreveport. They’re open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, follow them on Facebook & Instagram @ Femmesleigh.
Gautreau Gallery
Laurie Gautreau, owner of Gautreau Gallery, is making Shreveport-Bossier beautiful, one room at a time.
“We offer a boutique shopping experience with classic and timeless designs,” Gautreau said. “Our visual comfort lighting gallery allows customers to shop designer lighting including chandeliers, wall sconces, pendants, outdoor lighting and table lamps. The Gallery also has a design center with four different upholstery vendors and over 800 fabrics.”
A retailer of lighting, art, home décor, furniture, rugs and accessories, Gautreau Gallery also offers the talents of interior designers. Gautreau is one of those designers, alongside Jennifer Monarch. She also couldn’t be a success without her store manager, Leslie Davis.
“My favorite part of our store is the beautiful light fixtures you see right when you step into the shop,” Gautreau said.
Design has been Gautreau’s passion for a long time. After opening a design studio in 2017, Gautreau’s clients encouraged her to go into retail and open a store. When the space below her office became vacant, she quickly realized it would be ideal.
“I wanted to have a visual comfort lighting gallery, something I had been working on since December 2017,” Gautreau said. “The space offered the perfect layout for the lighting showroom and a design center so that customers can come in and touch and feel fabrics, sit in frames and feel confident in their choices before ordering.”
Gautreau Gallery is located in Pierremont Common in Shreveport at 6505 Line Ave., Suite #22. They are open Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Saturdays by appointment only.
Randy Williamson, long known for his design talents, has opened his own interior design store, Nest Interiors. Nest features bedding, furniture and antiques.
Laurie Gautreau’s Gautreau Gallery features a lighting gallery and a design center with more than 800 fabrics.
Nest Interiors Interior Design & Decoration sells beautiful furniture, bedding, window treatments such as draperies and shades, unique accessories, antiques and more.
Randy Williamson, owner of Nest Interiors Interior Design & Decoration, is a Louisiana registered interior designer. The former coowner of Designers Showroom, Williamson branched off to form his own firm. He now works alongside design consultant Jackie Gorman. They provide a team of experienced and award-winning designers ready to transform homes and professional projects into welcome spaces.
“We love creating timeless environments in residential and commercial interiors, ranging from new construction to remodeling projects,” Williamson said. “From furniture, fabric, floor covering, lighting, accessories and more, you can count on us for the finest in service and a competitive price.”
Williamson’s favorite part of his job is serving customers and helping create interior masterpieces. “We’re known for mixing antiques with new pieces, contemporary as well as transitional to traditional,” Williamson said. “It’s always our desire to create the perfect surroundings to complement your life, whether at home or at the office.”
Nest Interiors Interior Design & Decoration is the perfect spot to find a new sofa, a unique bed, a perfect lamp or a fresh tablescape setting. “We have it all,” Williamson promised.
His personal favorite of his products is the washable bedding line. “I also love mixing Italian and French accessories with my furniture lines,” Williamson said.
When asked about future goals for the store, Williamson kept it simple and sincere. “I just still hope to be doing the same thing that I’ve been doing for the past 38 years – making beautiful rooms,” he said.
Nest Interiors Interior Design & Decoration is located at 6030 Line Ave., Suite 230 in Shreveport in Evangeline Square. They’re open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday by appointment.
Maxie Home
Maxie Home, owned by Cole Baker, is a local shop that sells furniture, art, lighting, accessories, Oriental rugs and unique gifts. They also offer full-fledged design services.
The store is named after Cole’s beloved grandmother, and the logo is her signature, captured via cards and letters.
“I opened Maxie Home because I felt like there was a need in Shreveport for a highend home furnishings store and a place to purchase unique gifts,” Baker said. “I was ready to move home from Baton Rouge after 12 years there, and wanted to bring some transitional South Louisiana style to North Louisiana.”
He did exactly that and has had great success thus far. But he couldn’t do it without the help of his head employee, Donna Craig, and, of course, his store mascot – a poodle named Rose.
“Maxie Home is special in that I carry things you won’t find elsewhere in Shreveport,” Baker said. “I try very hard to make sure the lines and items I carry are not carried by anyone else in the area.” His favorite element of the store is his design studio.
Baker has high hopes for the continued success of Maxie Home. “In the next five years, I hope to still be striving to serve my clients all across Louisiana and beyond,” Baker said. “We are also preparing to launch an e-commerce site very soon. Our store really has something for everyone,” Baker said. “Maxie Home is the perfect place to find something special and beautiful for your home – or discover a unique and one-of-a-kind gift for someone in your life.”
Maxie Home is located at 5910 Youree Drive in Shreveport. They are open Tuesday to Friday from 10 a.m. 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
