Siteline | Two New Shops That Warrant a Closer Look

It’s rare to have two new stylish shops like Pippin and Atelier Sunhouse open at the same time, and even more so when you consider that neither is in Montecito or Summerland. I went for a closer look and emailed some questions to the respective owners, Carly Pippin and Julie Pointer Adams. First up: Pippin, across from the turtle fountain at La Arcada Plaza.

How do you describe Pippin?
Pippin is a lifestyle home boutique that activates the senses, from the fragrant wafts of quince and lavender to the visual stimuli of paintings with impasto, and from the sounds of French jazz to the smooth feel of handmade 150-year-old pine furniture. It offers real, tangible things within a 3-D, real-world space, making Pippin ultimately about connecting people to the pleasures of beautiful objects and being present in the world, where anything spontaneous and enjoyable might happen. That could be a meet-cute with a stranger while looking at old books, a visually arresting encounter with a textile, or the sight of a painting that speaks to your core. My response here might be trending towards the dramatic, but ultimately I think shops, at their best, can have the same transformative effect of museums or cathedrals, places that connect us to our higher selves by reminding us of our humanity. If I achieve even a tiny fraction of that sensibility with customers, I’ll feel like I’ve been successful.

Please share a bit about your background.
After studying Humanities and Art History at Pepperdine, I moved to Washington D.C. to intern at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art. That led to a five-year-position where I was surrounded by some of the world’s most significant artifacts from the Eastern Mediterranean to East Asia. While in D.C., I got my MBA from Georgetown, after which I moved back to California and worked at the Getty Foundation, reporting on Getty’s philanthropic activities in art historical scholarship, national and international art exhibitions, and art and architecture conservation. But ever since I was a kid, I have always wanted a shop. When I moved to Santa Barbara two years ago, I realized that now was the time and place.

What are three favorite items in your shop?*
The first of my three favorite items right now in the shop is a pair of monumental 19th-century Italian chinoiserie painted panels. Although chinoiserie is a beloved and traditional design style, these panels are unlike anything I’ve ever seen—in shape, size, and essence—and I think they’d provide a sense of grandeur and drama to any high-ceilinged great room, especially in one of our town’s historical estates. I love mixing old and new, because antiques contrast beautifully next to contemporary items, and vice versa, so I also love our pastel candy-colored Gluggle Jugs. Brand new, but made in England since 1870, they’re engineered with two chambers to trap air that, during pouring, create a hilarious gurgling sound. These silly jugs have brought life and mayhem to dinner parties everywhere for 150 years. Thirdly, I’m obsessed with our decoupage frames, made by a lovely lady in the South of France, using highly detailed and decorative vintage French papers. The colors and geometric patterns are a feast for the eyes. [*I should’ve asked this question before taking the photos.]

Anything in the works?
We have plans to host events in our upstairs space—workshops and classes, book signings, artist lectures, and more. We want to be a place for community connection and the exchange of ideas. I also love jewelry, so in addition to our French-produced lines and local, handmade pearl jewelry collection, I plan to offer one-of-a-kind estate pieces.

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And now, Julie Pointer Adams of Atelier Sunhouse, upstairs at 888 Linden Avenue (i.e., above The Nugget) in Carpinteria. Regulars hours are still being determined, so keep an eye on Instagram for updates.

How do you describe Atelier Sunhouse?
Atelier Sunhouse is the shared creative studio between my husband (Ryan Adams) and me, centered on creative direction/consulting for hospitality-centered projects. “Hospitality” here includes homes, wherever we go to be away from home, gifting, and gatherings. The impulse to create warm, welcoming spaces (both physical and emotional) is something that Ryan and I have always shared, which is why our new shop/showroom space is such a natural extension of what we’re doing. We’ve collaborated on many creative projects together over the years and Atelier Sunhouse now allows us to do so in an official capacity.

Two specific services we offer for hire are Maison and Concierge—Maison being our interiors consulting (help with overall vision, decor, sourcing, styling and so on for home/office, etc.), and Concierge, which is our corporate and private gifting service for holidays, special events, weddings, and one-off gifting.

The shop is a tangible way to showcase the kinds of spaces we like to create, and the types of objects—beautiful, intentional, made to last—that we want to share with others for the everyday and through our additional services. It’s also quickly becoming a place we can welcome all kinds of people into, whether or not they are in the mood to shop. Currently we’re featuring the Sommerhus collection, a curation of objects inspired by Danish summer living.

Please share a bit about your background.
My creative background began in the fine arts but in graduate school I studied environment design (essentially thinking about how the spaces we live in/interact with daily can shape us emotionally and behaviorally) and I’ve been circling around various aspects of creating meaningful spaces/environments/experiences ever since. I started my career working with Kinfolk Magazine, where I wore many hats but mostly headed up the worldwide dinner and event series for a number of years. From there I freelanced in photo styling, art direction, editorial and brand writing, floral design, and photography, and I have written and photographed two lifestyle books (Wabi-Sabi Welcome and Al Fresco) with a third on the way (Spirited Spaces, due out in the spring of 2027). Most recently I’ve also been offering interiors consulting, which has now rolled over into our shared Atelier Sunhouse services.

What are three favorite items in your shop?
We are lucky to have many gorgeous pieces by Tina Frey (the founder/maker behind TF Design, based in San Francisco), but a standout is the carafe from her Sculpt collection. Tina starts by hand-forming all of her pieces in clay, then has them cast—many in resin, though this one is in stainless steel. This piece has has such a lovely reflective quality without being mirror-like, and the kind of perfectly imperfect surface you just want to touch.

Another favorite is the hand-carved wooden mixing spoons made by my 98-year-old grandfather. He makes them out of two different maple varieties found in the woods behind his home in western New York. I’ve been using these spoons all my life, and I’m so happy to be able to get them into the homes and kitchens of others.

Lastly, the Lin Table Lamps by Muhly are an incredible piece of functional art. You really have to see them in low light to experience their full magic, but the design is such that the pinpricks in the metal create this amazing show of dotted glow above and below the lamp. It’s both whimsical and very sophisticated. The lamp is also designed by one of my dearest friends, so I’m an extra big fan.

Anything in the works?
We’re continuing to add to the Sommerhus collection, as well as working on some summer creativity kits for kids. We’re also excited to be able to share our space in a variety of ways beyond just the shop/showroom experience. The light, the view, the feel of this building above the streets of Carpinteria is really something extraordinary, so we’re looking forward to hosting workshops, events, portrait sessions, and more in the coming months. Stay tuned!