Caspari: Chinoiserie Heaven

I had the pleasure of being in Charlottesville, Va. on Monday and Tuesday...the town that is home to my alma mater, the University of Virginia, and home to Chinoiserie heaven, a.k.a. the Caspari store.

Caspari has a deliriously beautiful storefront on Charlottesville's Downtown Mall. The store moved in after college, which is a good thing because had I been in close proximity to it during my college years I would have neglected my studies and bought stationary and home accessories instead of food.

If you've been, you know its glory. And if you haven't, and you love Chinoiserie (and/or colorful decor in general), you NEED to go. Trust me.

Walking through the Caspari store was a religious experience - I was awed by every single detail. The styling is impeccable. No object is overlooked. And the store is huge! Furniture, stationary, fine china, napkins, paper party products, gift wrap, design books, casual tableware...the list goes on and on.

If you can't tell, I think the visit was the highlight of my year. I of course snapped some pics to share with you, though they are from my phone so not amazing. Rest assured that the store is incredibly beautiful and these pics are only a preview of what you would see in person.

I wasn't kidding. The Caspari store is amazing and a must-see for any Chinoiserie lover. I almost walked out because I was so overwhelmed by it all - my heart was racing. And then I realized that would be ridiculous. So I took a deep breath and continued to take it all in.

Charlottesville is an amazing place, so you should plan to visit anyway (fantastic restaurants, wineries, the University, Monticello, Blue Ridge Mountains, etc., etc.), and while you are there, make your own pilgrimage to the Caspari store. The only other retail shop Caspari has is in Paris!

p.s. Several rolls of gift wrap and dinner napkins came home with me.