A Colorful Surprise

Recently, I was in Georgetown, Connecticut, just minutes from my home. As I drove down the main street I discovered a terrific new store. Lola Tralala is a gift shop and interior design service geared to girls and boys of all ages.

While I was there, children joyfully wandered through the three-foot-high flowers that seem to sprout from the floor. I always get excited — and get my camera — when I see a fun, charming store created on a small budget. The owners, Caroline Giraud and her fiance, Gregory Sukornyk, put a lot of love, sweat, and laughter into the design, and the results are something to see.

• Polyurethane grass is cut into a whimsical, petal-shaped welcome mat right inside the door. Time to cut: about 10 minutes. Cost: minimal. Whimsy: Excellent.
• On the wall opposite the cash/wrap, the store's yellow and pink palette is repeated in a striped design. Little red roses are stenciled on the walls to break up the strong pattern and add a fanciful flavor.

HINT: If you decide to paint your walls in a geometric pattern, invest in chalk, blue painter's tape, and a good yardstick. Measure the lines and do one color at a time. And allow plenty of drying time, as you'll be taping over the edges of the first color to paint the second one. Make sure the colors you choose compliment each other without causing a visual vibration. Softer colors work better than brights to highlight your merchandise.

• Flower shaped tables are cut from plywood, painted in bright colors, and mounted on metal-tube legs. You can buy these tables from a display house for hundreds of dollars, or make one yourself for about $100.
• A simple hanging bar is created by using a covered rod with ribbon attached to both ends and connected to the suspended ceiling frame. The ceiling frame won't handle a lot of weight, but the bar will work fine for light, ready-to-wear items.
• With an image that is dynamic and engaging, Lola Tralala's colorfully decorated interior design office tells customers that they're not dealing with a conservative Connecticut nouveau English design firm. If they want a sense of fun, this is the place to come.

Color, texture, whimsy, and a hamster, combined with a friendly proprietor and a good mix of interesting merchandise, make Lola Tralala a memorable shopping experience for adults and children alike.