Let’s Shop at Highpoint Home in Watch Hill, Rhode Island

“It’s a little wicker wild right now,” says shop owner Kaitlin Smith about her trove of vintage wicker furniture and accessories. She often groups much of her merchandise into vignettes to help shoppers envision how things might look in their own home.

The shop is tucked into the historic district of Watch Hill, Rhode Island.

Smith, whose family has long summered in nearby Charlestown, Rhode Island, runs her interior design business out of her shop during the summer months.

Smith favors exuberant fabrics from Schumacher, Thibaut, and Sister Parish for her handcrafted toss pillows and upholstered pieces.

Customers planning a dinner party get inspiration from a tablescape featuring wicker, Matouk linens, and locally made candles.

Kaitlin Smith’s career in interior design got off to an unorthodox start. “Most people are designers, and then they open a shop,” she says. “I did it the other way around.”

A background in fashion retail gave her the confidence to open Highpoint Home, her boutique in the tiny coastal enclave of Watch Hill, Rhode Island, back in 2011. “I had decided to go back to school for a master’s in interior design, and I thought, why not open the shop as a way to see where interior design will take me?” she relates.

“I figured it would be a commitment for a season if it didn’t work out. Twelve years later, I’m in the same spot, so I guess it worked out.”

Every day from Memorial Day to Labor Day and on pleasant weekends into autumn, Smith opens her sunny space to shoppers looking for a fun accent piece, unique furniture, or the perfect hostess or wedding gift.

The storefront, a cozy 600 square feet wrapped in Schumacher’s exuberant Hydrangea Drape wallpaper, teems with one-of-a-kind pieces, including vintage wicker and bamboo furniture, antiques Smith has repainted or reupholstered, handcrafted toss pillows, locally made candles, distinctive light fixtures, blueware pottery, and luxurious Matouk linens. Shades of blue abound, from baby to sky to turquoise to navy, and so do patterns, from spirited florals to maritime-inspired stripes. All of it reflects Smith’s own style sensibility. “I love color and texture,” she says. “There’s a little bit of Palm Beach here but also traditional New England style.”

Smith spends happy hours searching for treasures for her shop. “I love going to Brimfield, to estate sales, to consignment shops,” she says. “It’s kind of a thrill to find a perfect piece.”

Whether customers buy a lone toss pillow to freshen up a room or a whole roomful of furniture, Smith wants them to feel they’ve happened upon a prize. “I wanted a shop that feels special and unique,” she says. “When you step inside, I want you to feel you’ve been transported to another place.”

Highpoint Home, Watch Hill, R.I.
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