The Lot Showroom is a Treasure Trove for Interior Design

Brittney Forrister loves making art out of things that aren’t necessarily considered art. So the walls of her design showroom wear an unexpected portfolio of objets: paper plates hand-painted with classic motifs of European china, collections of vintage thread samples, and framed fragments of antique wallpaper. Like the coziest of comfy houses, The Lot layers creativity, color and calm, for a bespoke shopping experience for interior design professionals.

After a career that included Garden & Gun magazine and Sarah Bartholomew Design, Forrister launched her own business right before the pandemic shutdown, unusual timing that provided a helpful runway to figure out what she wanted The Lot to be. She started out representing a handful of textile brands and, early on, loaded their wares – upholstery, trims and wallpaper samples – into an adorably upholstered van for private pop-up showings in parking lots.

When inventory disruptions led to material shortages, Forrister – an alumna of Everything But the House estate sale company – sourced vintage goods, including fabrics and ribbons. Along the way, she developed a style and service that resonated with her clients.

These days, The Lot operates out of a jewel box of a showroom on Charlotte Avenue. (Interior designer Amanda Khouri shares the space, which connects to sculptor Alan LeQuire’s gallery next door.) When designers request samples of The Lot’s materials, Forrister & Co. bundles the swatches with thoughtful details – woodblock stamps, vintage ribbons, handwritten notes, and other unique embellishments, transforming the assortment into something like a work of art. “We want people to know when they receive something from The Lot, because it’s packaged like a gift,” Forrister says.  

Standing among the swatches draping the studio walls, Forrister tells the stories of the individual patterns and designers, whom she knows personally. “All of our lines have such beautiful stories,” Forrister says of the 30-plus brands she represents. She points to Otea – a textile collection influenced by the designer’s great-aunt’s life in Italy – and to patterns created by Nashville artist Katherine Stratton Miller, who translates original paintings to upholstery and wallcovering. “It’s not just something beautiful to look at, but a true piece of art that has a story behind it.”  

Located at 4304 Charlotte Avenue, The Lot is open to the trade by appointment. thelotshowroom.com