Port City furniture store aims for hip image
Taken from the 1960s, it means hip, cool and fun. Store owner Deb Orlando saw a ’60s movie and got the name from a dictionary of slang.
“This store is just ‘phly,’” said Orlando. “It’s modern and retro, and very mid-century, with a little bit of art deco thrown in.”
Her background is varied, having been a graphic designer and artisan herself. She majored in business and art, but really wanted to be a set designer.
Now, she said, she is designing her own space and helping others to do the same.
Her background and enthusiasm shows. The colors of the walls in Phly reflect the changing colors of the sky as dusk turns to darkness. It’s pretty amazing to see what good color can do.
“I’ve always loved design and color,” said Orlando. “I was making clothes for my Barbie when I was 8 years old. Of course, I moved on from that, but it was my beginning.”
Orlando is also a jewelry designer and her store will showcase some of her own designs.
For now, it’s all about very cool, very hip, modern furniture, with a bent to the traditional. It is a divine combination of function and form.
“As a designer I didn’t always want to be hustling off to Boston,” Orlando said. “I wanted to find resources here and Portsmouth is ready for this.
The furniture on sale at Phly is not available in any other store in Portsmouth. Orlando only wants to offer what other stores do not.
This way, she explained, she and other furniture sellers can work together in order to give the customers the greatest range of options and choices available.
Think Danish, think Corbusier, and you’ve got as sense of what Phly offers.
Orlando is also offering original textile designs by Penumbra, a company run by a local artist named Bridget Bleckmann. Every pillow is unique and with custom-designed textiles.
“I want my customers to walk into a room and feel light, and not heavy,” said Orlando. “Call it Palm Beach, California meets Portsmouth.”
The furniture is mostly made by a company in Texas called American Leather. But not all of it. Many pieces come from Europe.
Everything on the floor is for sale. If you like it, you can buy it and take it home with you. Or you can select the color and fabric of your choice and Orlando will get it for you.
“Furniture has to be functional, and it also has to be comfortable and beautiful,” she said. “This is the goal here, and I think I have some amazing selections.”
Orlando said lots of people just don’t have the time to do all the legwork necessary to find just the right piece of furniture.
Orlando said it’s what she is all about. She even calls herself a “furniture detective.”
The original art on the walls is mostly by local and regional artists. It will change constantly, she said.
“There is no age demographic here,” said Orlando. “Young people and older people all find something they love.
“This is what I want everyone to know,” she said. “Come visit me and just say hi.”
Orlando chose her location carefully. She said she believes State Street and this side of Portsmouth is becoming the “Soho” of Portsmouth.
“We all complement each other,” said Orlando. “It’s just the best business environment, and I want to be here year-round for residents and not just tourists.”
Orlando said the inspiration for Phly came from several women in business in Portsmouth.
“These women inspired me to open Phly,” said Orlando. “Portsmouth is a great town for women in business for themselves.”
Her ultimate goal is to market a Phly brand that she will design and manufacture locally.
“Portsmouth has changed a lot in the last few years, and I think Phly is right on target for the new (and old) demographics,” said Orlando. “People really want to be able to shop locally and find what they want.
“I hope I can do that for them,” she said. “Phly is just a great concept and full of fun and functional furniture, and more.”
Tags: art deco, artisan, beautiful, c design, colors, combinat, complement, dictionary, dy, fabric, functional furniture, furniture, furniture store, jewelry, love, modern furniture, pace, palm beach, piece of furniture, rope, showcase, signs, store owner, target, tiles, urn, whRelated posts
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