Shop Visit: Eleish van Breems Home

Rhonda Eleish and Edie van Breems have been championing all things Scandinavian for twenty-two years. Together they’ve authored books on the subject and traveled extensively in search of the perfect Nordic wares. The duo originally opened their store—Eleish van Breems Home—in Woodbury, then moved to Westport, most recently to a renovated historic warehouse that is, explains van Breems, a hybrid of a “Danish boathouse and a ski chalet.”

Gloriously light-filled, this new nest with its freestanding steel stove and pristine white walls is the ideal showcase for the women’s own line of Swedish furniture. Based on classical forms, each piece is hand-painted and finished in the Eleish van Breems workroom. The talented designers also offer a line of leather bags, purses, and pillows crafted in Stockholm using vintage machinery and hand-stitching. But that’s not all: the shop’s skillfully curated mix also includes midcentury-modern furniture, Gustavian antiques, and Pappelina rugs, plus lighting, photography, and mirrors.

Since “Swedish linen is among the best in the world,” says van Breems, there’s a wide assortment of that, as well everything from napkins and aprons to pillows and throws by Axlings, Klässbols, and others. Lovely tableware in neutral colors like pale blue and misty gray by MUD Australia claim the shelves. And no need to cross the ocean; offerings from such Swedish stars as artist Charlotte Nicolin, jeweler Yvone Christa, and fashion designer van Deurs help visitors experience the appealing Norse vibe even more.

In fact, all that’s missing at this heady stop may be the northern lights.

Eleish van Breems Home, Westport

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