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Mid-century modern fills three floors at Boomerang for Modern’s new location.
With oversized glass windows and dramatic high ceilings, Boomerang for Modern’s new location hardly needs embellishing. For more than two decades, Boomerang has been the go-to place for mid-century modern furnishings and accessories. It is only appropriate that this home in Little Italy reflects the collection’s clean, fluid lines and honesty of design.
“The size isn’t much different from the last location, but this place was built for my store, so I was able to customize it 100 percent,” says owner David Skelley, whose art education and design background taught him the beauty of historic pieces. “I’ve created vignettes around the shop to showcase the mixture of vintage and new pieces.”
In the window is one of his unique finds: a creamcolored Swedish chair designed in 1958. Inside the three-story showroom are sofas, chairs, European glassware and other period pieces from the 1940s to 1970s, including those from Herman Miller, Vitra and Stelton —all of whom incorporate a design aesthetic Skelley admires.
“These designs are honest; there isn’t anything applied or unnecessary,” he says. “Sometimes you see a screw or exposed plywood, but it’s this honesty of design that makes it all the more appealing.”
In his early days, Skelley frequented flea markets and estate sales to find unique pieces. Today his repu - tation is solid and widespread, and sellers know well enough to come to him. His customers are also a little bit older and a lot more educated. “They know the histories of the pieces and where they came from,” he says, which is essential when shopping for vintage finds.
“There are many copies out there,” Skelley adds. “So it’s important to become educated and know what you are looking for. And remember that what makes it exciting is the hunt for things that are really rare and unique.”
To begin your hunt, visit Boomerang for Modern at 2475 Kettner Boulevard in Little Italy, 619-239-2040; boomerangformodern.com
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