Serena & Lily opens in Birmingham on Saturday

By Lisa Brody

Serena & Lily, a furniture and design store that combines a casual and coastal California style with a relaxed yet refined elegance, is opening a Birmingham Design Shop in the former Linda Dresner location, 299 W. Maple Road, on Saturday, November 12.

The Birmingham Design Shop will showcase the design-driven luxury home brand’s polished coastal aesthetic, offering a relaxed yet refined approach to furniture, bedding, home accessories and interior design.

“With its variety of architectural styles and proximity to Michigan’s beautiful lakefronts, we’re thrilled to have found a home in the community of Birmingham,” said Lori Greeley, chief executive officer of Serena & Lily. She added, “As we transition to the season of holiday celebration, we look forward to sharing inspiration for inviting interiors with our neighbors.”

The approximately 6,000-square-foot Birmingham Design Shop of Serena & Lily features vignette showpieces, from outdoor areas to living areas and bedrooms. “Our design rooms are treated as inspiration,” said a marketing team leader. All of their furniture can be custom ordered in one of their many upholstery options, with all of their fabric and upholstery made in North Carolina. An extensive swatch display features more than 300 original Serena & Lily textile and wallpaper designs, many in their iconic blue and white palette. “We treat blue as a neutral,” they noted.

The store presents thoughtful displays of Serena & Lily’s signature bedding, wallpaper, rug collections and a curated assortment of the brand’s original furniture, lighting, upholstery, accessories and expanded custom furniture options.

“Bedding is so important,” said the marketing executive, noting they sell an “extremely comfortable mattress.

Price points for furniture and furnishings are “we consider ourselves an affordable aspirational brand,” executives said, noting that because they appreciate that furniture is so expensive, many pieces are multi-functional.

The Design Studio, located on the upper level, provides a collaborative, complimentary in-person or virtual design services for customers seeking a personalized experience to bring decorating visions to life – including comprehensive customization options for upholstered furniture. Serena &Lily also partners with local interior designers. “All of the tools are here in the design shop,” said Greeley. A dedicated creative workspace in the Design Studio available for interior designers that is open for private appointments, client meetings and presentations during and outside of regular business hours.

Because all of their products are custom-made in the United States, in North Carolina, most items are received by customers in six to eight weeks, or less, and bedding can ship immediately.

Throughout the interior of the store is a rotating gallery of art by Michigan artists, all for sale. Current offerings include pieces by Grand Rapids-based Stephanie Schlatter, Ann Arbor-based Beth Billups, and Detroit-based Martyna Alexander.

Their outdoor collection, they noted, is perfect for Michigan weathers as they are not only comfortable, but functional for all weather conditions, and they partner with Sunbrella and other fabric manufacturers that provide colorfast and weather sustainable fabric.

Hours of operation for the Birmingham location be 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

Founded in 2003, Serena & Lily is a design-driven luxury interiors brand inspiring discerning customers with timeless original products and high levels of personalized service to create homes of their own. There are 17 design shops located in Atlanta, GA, Bethesda, MD, Birmingham, MI, Boston, MA, Del Mar, CA, Chicago, IL, Dallas, TX, East Hampton, NY, Newport Beach, CA, Pacific Palisades, CA, Palm Beach, FL, Philadelphia, PA, Summit, NJ, San Francisco, CA, West Hollywood, CA, Westport, CT, and Winnetka, IL. The company is headquartered in Sausalito, California.