When quirky works
A recession hardly seems like an opportune time to open a quirky boutique, but with its bright turquoise storefront and friendly dog stop, Henry Road is winning fans in Studio City. Textile designer Paula Smail opened the tiny, jampacked store last summer, blending her love of flea market finds with an appreciation for humor. Papier-mache and resin deer heads are presented with mixed-media artworks, leather vases, pillows made from vintage seed sacks and coffee table books spanning Rothko to Bond girls. Shoppers who venture to the back room also will find an assortment of napkins, tablecloths and runners made from Smail’s colorful, hand-drawn, printed cottons. 3949 Laurelgrove Ave., (818) 762-8966, www.henryroad.com
-- Lisa Boone
