design Solutions

This place is full of knic-​knacks

Dropped in here with my sons today, ready to purchase multiple housewarming and hostess gifts.
Barely stepped foot in the door before I was told: «There’s a lot of breakable things in here so your boys should go to the back.» Interesting sales method. Normally I’m used to a «Hello!» or «Is there anything I can help you with?», but I brushed it off as her having a bad day and headed toward the back. When we arrived to our banished corner, my son saw a stuffed animal on a child’s-sized bed and leaned over to play with it. Immediately the clerk screamed across the store: «DON’T TOUCH THE BED!!!». To be fully honest, there *was* a sign saying not to touch the bed (and I do apologize for not seeing it initially), *but* the request to not touch the bed was written as the final line of a ridiculous eight stanza poem, so at first it wasn’t obvious. If you don’t want kids touching the bed, put up a normal sign people will notice, not a poorly written poem with bad meter, and don’t smother the bed with stuffed animals! What the heck do you think is going to happen?! And really, is the children’s bedspread you’re trying to sell so delicate and fine that a kid brushing against it will hurt it? If so, maybe it’s not a high quality product.
Even at that point I was willing to stay in the store and browse until I noticed that the sales clerk wasn’t finished. She had a show to put on. She beelined to the bed, removed all of the stuffed animals to the floor and began smoothing the comforter’s invisible wrinkles while muttering and groaning. I couldn’t take her hysterics so we left.
Here’s the thing: I’ve spent a good half of my career advocating for small business support/​development and main street revitalization. Shopping local retail is my THING – personally and professionally. I am local retail’s best friend and fiercest advocate. As far as customers go, I am your lowest hanging fruit. If you’ve driven me out of your store and prompted me to actually get on Unilocal to complain about my experience, you’ve got serious problems.

While the store itself is cute, the staff is atrocious. Snarky and snooty are the two words that come to mind– have never been pleasant towards myself or my family– so uncomfortable and unfriendly that we changed our mind about purchasing anything more than once. Won’t be returning until some FRIENDLY and HELPFUL employees are hired!

I love this store!
While visting New Canaan for Father’s Day, my boyfriend’s stepmother brought me into town to do some shopping, while he and his Father went golfing all day.
We stopped into Design Solutions to browse and I fell in love with a plush arm chair that they had on display. It was gorgeous, had a great pattern material and was comfortable. It was a bit pricey, but what can you expect in New Canaan?
I also picked up a few funny coffee table books and a Father’s Day card for my boyfriend’s Dad.
Really cute store with books, furniture, gifts and a multitude of fun things for your home.
The staff was friendly and helpful. They gave me pricing information and delivery information for my dream chair. Then, my boyfriend shot down my dreams in one foul swoop by telling me it won’t fit in our living room… but somehow his liquor cabinet does… FML.

lots of neat stuff. staff was friendly. lots of cool gift ideas for kids or adults. unique selection of iphone cases too. if you like ‘design’ stuff or are a graphic designer, this is a good store for you to check out in new canaan.

For a store that looks so cheerful there’s a complete lack of mirth here. The sales staff makes everyone feel completely unwelcome. Constant hovering and snarky «can I help yous» without really being of much help. It’s also a very nice idea to have one half of the store be filled with kid products and the other for adults, but not when you hear the manager (or owner — not sure) admonish a kid for picking up a wind-​up doll from a kid-​level display at the counter and — horrors! — trying to play with it. Lighten up, ladies. It’s just a bunch of plastic crap at the end of the day.