鈥淚t feels perfect being downtown. The vibe is so exciting,鈥� says Scott Elias, co-owner of Victoria鈥檚 luxury home d茅cor retailer Luxe Home Interiors.
鈥淥n the first of May, we moved our business to 564 Yates Street (between Government and Wharf) from our long-time home of 22 years, on the corner of Douglas and Hillside.鈥�
The new change of space was necessary as their lease was expiring at the Scott Building due to redevelopment plans. Luxe has found a new home in a 160-year-old heritage building that has been the site of a silent movie theatre, a supply store for miners enroute to the Klondike, and the offices of the local women鈥檚 temperance union.听
Historical buildings often make ideal retail spaces for modern furniture and home d茅cor, with the juxtaposition of old and new creating a beautiful atmosphere for display.
鈥淲e love the exposed walls and natural light that pours in from our skylights,鈥� says Elias. 鈥淭he team is very excited 鈥� one of our members feels that Luxe has finally found its home.鈥�
听new space has two levels 鈥� a 3000 square foot main floor featuring living room and home office furniture, and 2000 square feet upstairs floor focusing on bedroom, dining, and smaller items.
鈥淥ur designers are thrilled about setting up the store and utilizing the space in interesting ways.听
鈥淲e feel incredibly fortunate. A year ago, our doors were locked due to the pandemic, so we are happy to have seized the opportunity to move downtown,鈥� Elias adds. 鈥淲e just know how lucky we are.鈥�
Customers will appreciate a rare downtown parking perk with one hour free in the Bastion Square parkade, directly across the street.
Since the owners expect an increase in 鈥榳alk by鈥� traffic at the new location, home accessories and smaller gift items have been added with Luxe鈥檚 commitment to developing partnerships with local artists and craftspeople, including charcuterie boards from Saanichton, contemporary indigenous art & rugs, metal art from Nanaimo and blown glass from Parksville.听
Luxe has always been a brick-and-mortar retailer and has never gone the e-commerce route. However, their website is a vital source of visual inspiration and ideas and will continue to be.
鈥淒uring the quarantines and isolation periods of Covid-19, we all learned how vital human connection is, as well as the importance of creating a home that is comfortable, functional, and visually appealing,鈥� adds Elias.
The owners believe that customers deserve the opportunity to touch, see and feel the furniture they鈥檙e interested in. The online shopping experience can often leave folks feeling flat, receiving goods that look nothing like the photos, sometimes even damaged in shipping.
The furniture labels and brands Luxe is particularly excited about carrying vary in style but never scrimp on quality. 鈥淩ene Cazares out of LA does exceptional upholstery. We love the Bernhardt brand for the elegant look they provide, and Trica from Quebec is ideal for condo living, especially with all the smaller spaces popping up all over downtown Victoria,鈥� says Elias.听
鈥淲e are a people business that sells furniture, not the other way around,鈥� he says. 鈥淭his must be about relationships, with our staff, with our clients, and our business partners 鈥� we want to touch people somehow.
鈥淲e believe in revitalizing the dying art of exceptional customer service with quality and integrity.鈥�
Visit the Luxe Home Interiors听,听听page听 and听听page听for the latest updates, location information and inspiration for your home.
