SHOP LAGUNA: Bringing the outside in

A new shop may turn Lagunans’ visions of home design inside out.

“Basically our concept is to combine indoor/outdoor living,” said Inside Out owner and Laguna resident Melissa Arnold.

“We try to take things that you would normally use inside the home outside, and bring garden items inside.”

Most items in the store are limited or one-of-a-kind, Arnold said.

“We don’t like to carry a lot of duplicate merchandise,” she said.

Products range from antique to mid-century to new, and range in cost from $10 to $3,500.

A favorite item of Arnold’s is a black crystal chandelier that hangs over a dining table made of reclaimed wood, as well as lamps whose shades are constructed from authentic notarized Napoleonic-era documents.

A rare Louis Vuitton champagne carrier sits on one shelf, while a large Burmese blessing bowl sits in a corner.

In addition to small gift items, furniture pieces and décor items, the store offers a selection of fresh flowers and ivy topiaries.

Custom orders are available.

The shop uses Easy Clean products that use nanotechnology to coat their upholstered furniture, allowing homeowners to place elegant, seemingly delicate chairs and tables outside.

Future plans include carrying umbrellas and dining pavilions, extending formal dining options for homeowners.

“We started out trying to find something that would work well in the space,” she said.

She recalled the Garden Gate store that inhabited the space before its most recent shop, Textile Dreams, which moved to new digs on Forest Avenue earlier this year.

Arnold said she has tried to construct a very livable environment; guests who pop by in the late afternoon might be treated to a glass of wine, and the arrangements are situated to encourage visitors to sit down and enjoy the space.

Inside Out, 450 Ocean Ave., is open every day; gift-wrap services are available.

For more information, call (949) 464-2939 or e-mail [email protected].