Talking Shop with Carla & Rebecca of Alder & Co.

What inspired you to open Alder & Co.? My husband was transferred to Portland from Los Angeles. I co-owned a store in LA and couldn't rid myself of the retail bug once we relocated.  I tried to ignore it, but 2 and a half years later, I was looking at "For Lease" signs.

How would you describe your wares? Rebecca Westby {store manager, web designer and photographer extraordinaire}: We love buying things for the store that we use in our own homes.  We also love knowing the actual artist, and we love finding that artist close by, or overseas.  Discovery and travel are part of what makes the job so fun.

What is Alder & Co.'s aesthetic? Honestly, it's a hard thing to describe. We love refined, and we also enjoy a sense of humor.  The two are not mutually exclusive.  Also, we really try hard to offer items that aren't seen everywhere, though admittedly, this has become more difficult to do.  Technology makes for a very small world.

What are your favorite materials to work with? We don't design anything ourselves, so we love supporting artists of all different mediums. We like using our linen tea towels, we like burning our Astier de Villatte candles, we like using ceramic pieces from Notary, we like Matteo on our beds, and we like Aesop skincare! We also are huge fans of smaller businesses. We love shopping at Canoe, Odessa and Una - all of which are dangerously close by!

What is your design weakness?

Carla: Textiles! I have a house full of blankets, linen napkins, and tea towels. I can't seem to stop myself.

Rebecca: White and pale pink. And pretty French dresses. 

Shop Alder & Co. here.