Get ready South Lake Union—Ligne Roset is coming your way in November! It’s set to open its doors on the corner of Denny and Westlake in a space with tons of windows and a decidedly modern vibe. Owner Barbara Prince explains that she had her eye on the space for quite some time: “I would drive by the Whole Foods and I would look at the building and think ‘This would be such a gorgeous store.’ The aesthetics were perfect for a Roset store. Visually, you’ve got a corner location, the building has all that metal and glass and really high ceilings.”
As someone who has been with the company for 13 years, Prince knows a thing or two about the brand. Owning a Ligne Roset store was an exciting venture for her, and now that she has a location of her own, she’s ready to have some fun with it. “This is my dream at this point, and so I really want some drama [in the space]. There’s going to be a wooden walkway that leads you to the back of the store where the reception desk is—like a runway,” she says.
When customers aren’t too busy strutting their stuff on the catwalk, their eyes will be drawn up to furniture hanging in the air. Hey, she said she wanted drama! Prince has planned for the rest of the interior to take on a more subtle feel with natural tones, exposed concrete, white walls and a dark gray wood floor. The idea is to provide a muted palette to help showcase the furniture.
Prince designed the store with the Seattle market in mind, but was able to travel to France to work with the company’s designer and architect. (Talk about job perks.) “Ligne Roset is based on designs from France,” she explains. “I tried to tweak it to the Seattle market. I had to pick how I wanted to make those high design statements with practicality in mind.” For example, the dark gray flooring was chosen to work with Northwest elements—lighter colors don’t fare as well with rain and muddy shoes.
The fabulous location isn’t the only thing new we can expect from Ligne Roset this fall. The latest Roset products, fabrics and accessories are planned to appear in Prince’s showroom as well. “We’re going to have new models that have not been shown in the Roset store in Seattle before,” Prince reveals. Innovative pixilated fabric patterns reflecting the technology obsession of today will cover classic pieces such as the Ruché sofa, and boldly colored pieces can be put together to make modern, interlocking sofas.
Ruché
Confluences
But contemporary isn’t the rule of thumb for fall design trends. “I’m noticing more and more hints of whimsy,” Prince notes. “There are these little resin rabbits called Pan Pan that were at the furniture fair in Germany, and we will have those in the showroom. I like the idea of whimsy in design. I think having fun with your space is really important. I’m hoping that will come though in this space as well.”
Pan Pan
We’re looking forward to the grand opening of Ligne Roset’s latest location. Don’t forget to stop by the store in mid-November to check out the new products and showroom. —Rachel Gallaher
