North Charleston’s former Navy Base has been revitalized and restored into the Charleston Design District—a Southeast hub for creative brands and high-end showrooms.
Style Underfoot
Expanding its Southeast market, Stark opened a new showroom in May in the district, serving interior designers, architects and discerning homeowners looking for rugs with exceptional quality, artisanal construction and sophisticated design. Featuring a curated selection of Stark’s most sought-after collections of hand-knotted wool and silk rugs, custom broadloom, performance-driven construction and bespoke designs for residential and hospitality, designers can explore large-scale samples and collaborate on custom projects. “Charleston is a city where design, history, and craftsmanship intersect in a truly meaningful way,” says Drew Olson, Stark’s National VP of Sales. “We’re excited to become part of this vibrant community and to offer designers a dedicated space to explore our collections, collaborate on custom projects and bring their visions to life with Stark.”
Curated Design
Schumacher’s showroom, designed by Charleston-based interior designer Betsy Berry, encompasses 3,760 square feet of luxury shopping. In addition to the 7,000 signature Schumacher to-the-trade fabrics, wallcoverings and trims, the space is a source for accessories, antiques, pillows, throws, baskets, art, coffee table books and handmade ceramics. Sister brands Patterson Flynn, Backdrop, Iksel Decorative Arts, Borastapeter, Tillett Textiles and Raoul Textiles have a presence in the showroom. “Charleston’s rich design heritage makes it the perfect home for our newest showroom and design shop,” notes Emily Raquel Romero, President of Schumacher North America. “We are deeply committed to our clients here and excited to invest further in this inspiring design landscape.”
Boutique Lines
Fritz Porter, which opened in 2015, made the move from its downtown location at the Cigar Factory to the Design District in 2023. At that time, the company switched from a mixed retail and textile showroom to a trade-only designer showroom. Focused on boutique textiles, wallpaper, furniture and rugs from around the world, Fritz Porter is known for its “small batch” textile lines, along with furniture brands such as Highland House, Verellen, Cisco and Thayer Coggin. A wide selection of custom flatweave rugs and a stocked collection of lampshades and accessories are also offered. You may recognize owner Sarah-Hamlin Hastings from her podcast, “Once Upon a Design,” which focuses on the stories behind the craftsmen and artisans Fritz Porter represents.
Creative Workspace
Kravet’s interactive Workspace at the Charleston Design District features more than 20,000 SKUs of fabric, wallcovering, carpets and furniture. Designers can browse the Kravet Family of Brands in the 2,240-square-foot showroom, including Kravet, Lee Jofa, Brunschwig & Fils, Donghia and GP & J Baker, as well as Kravet’s distributed brands: Cole & Son and Andrew Martin, Paolo Moschino and Gaston y Daniela and partnerships with the Shade Room. Offering a destination for inspiration, collaboration and discovery, Daniel Kravet, Executive Vice President of Kravet, explains the move to Charleston: “Because so many of our customers rely on our showrooms as an essential part of their sourcing and creative process, having a presence in the Charleston Design District allows us to better support designers where they work and live. This location brings greater accessibility to our collections while reinforcing the importance of the showroom experience. It represents the next chapter in Kravet’s ongoing mission to meet designers where they are.”
Classic Patterns
Lee Jofa and Weezie have teamed up on a collection of hand towels, robes, shower curtains and accessories, launching July 14. “It’s about bringing that classic Lee Jofa beauty into the most personal spaces of the home,” says Sara Kravet, Executive Vice President, Licensing, for Lee Jofa. Archival prints anchor the line, including Palermo, a lush Mughal inspired botanical; Marciana, a rhythmic stripe which offers a tailored counterpoint, and Davenport, an iconic French Indienne block print in a refined floral that dates back to the early 1800s. “Getting to reimagine these heritage prints in a way that feels personal and easy to live with has been such a joy,” says Liz Eichholz, Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer of Weezie.
