Curating Timeless Style and Warmth in Creemore: Lagom Design Shop

Creemore is a town that’s so lovely it’s a bit upsetting. Every time I visit Laurie and Pere I threaten to move there. The main street is perfect. A ridiculously good bakery, a dangerously high number of bars considering its population, a well curated bookstore, and of course, Laurie and Pere’s growing Lagom empire. Lagom 172 is their design store, their vintage shop called Heirloom, their baby and kids store Little Lagom, Gallery Lagom, and their newly minted ‘Nomad at Heart’ outerwear store.

Lagom holds a special place in my list of retail partners as they were one of the first stores to carry my collection, taking on the rug line when I was still selling out of a shipping container in my backyard. I was able to sit down with Laurie on my last visit to Creemore and discuss how she ended up in such a lovely place.

Davin: My first question is about the origin story. How long have you been in business, and what sparked the idea for Heirloom?

Laurie: It goes back even further than that. We had stores in Europe for about 10 years, focusing on interior projects. We loved Scandinavian accessories and home décor.

Davin: In France?

Laurie: In Andorra, actually, which is between France and Spain. That's where we started with our first stores. Then we decided to move back to Canada, where I'm originally from. My husband came with me, and that’s when we started Heirloom in 2014. From there, we just grew. We had opportunities, and we really wanted to bring a Scandinavian store to Creemore, but we weren’t sure if it was the right fit for a small town.

So, we started out focusing more on vintage, antiques, and an Old World look. But then we realized we missed the modern, Scandinavian aesthetic. We opened in a tiny garage next to Heirloom, where we had Lagom. It just kept growing, and during the pandemic, it got really busy. That’s when we had the opportunity to move into this current space. Now, we have a proper showroom, where we can display rugs and furniture, rather than just using swatches and catalogs. It’s made a big difference. We’ve just followed opportunities as they came.

Davin: When did Lagom open?

Laurie: Lagom opened in 2017, I believe. It was almost like an annex to Heirloom, and about the size of a small single-car garage. Then we moved to this location in 2020, right in the middle of the shutdown, in November of that year. We’ve been evolving and expanding this store ever since.

Davin: Your stores are educating the public on good design—you guys have great taste. How has the regional aspect affected your business? Creemore has its own identity, so how does that influence your stores?

Laurie: Creemore is kind of a unique place because you get all different types of people here. We’re fortunate to have not just one demographic, but five or six different audiences. We try to have something for everyone at different levels.

We get people from Toronto, tourists, local clients, people who live here year-round, and we draw from a big area. You can’t just depend on the 1,200 people who live here—you depend on the whole region. We’ve become a place people know for good service, expert advice, and a great selection of items. That’s been key for us.

Davin: I’d imagine it took time to get that kind of draw, right?

Laurie: It has taken a long time. We’re constantly visiting other stores, especially big-box stores, and what draws people to us is being able to connect with people on what they need. In interiors, people really want to talk about where they’re at, what they want, and what their goals are. With retail cutbacks, it’s hard to find people who can have those conversations. That’s where independent stores shine—people can come in and talk to me or one of our amazing team members about their concerns, like rugs in the family room, pets, whatever. In a big store, you might not even find anyone to help, and if you do, it’s very basic service. We go further to help people, which sets us apart from other stores in bigger cities.

Davin: I fall in love with this town every time I visit.

Laurie: Yeah, it’s definitely a different experience from being in the city. That’s part of the charm—people are more relaxed here.

Davin: The Creemore aesthetic has probably influenced your own aesthetic too, right? I mean, you're in sales, so you wouldn’t bring in something that no one would buy.

Laurie: Yeah, there’s a balance. There are the safe things, and then there’s pushing people out of their comfort zone a bit, which is what design is about. For example, with rugs, maybe someone’s never considered a red rug, but when we talk about how to style it and make it work in their space, it opens up possibilities. Design is always about expanding what’s possible. A lot of our customers travel and see a lot of things, so I learn from them, but I also try to introduce things that are a bit outside their zone, while also offering things that fit any home.

Davin: We were talking earlier about products that age gracefully over time. I’ve seen that with my parents' Rose Garden Kilim rug—it’s been in front of a sunny door for years and has faded, but it looks even more interesting now.

Laurie: Exactly. Just because it fades doesn’t mean it’s time to throw it out. We live in a world where people think fading or discoloration means something is ruined, but it’s just part of how the product evolves.

Davin: Right, it adds character. These rugs are meant to last—they're multi-generational pieces.

Laurie: They may be an investment, but they’ll last. Whether someone in your family uses it or you pass it on, it’s going to have a life beyond you.

My design process always starts with the home. I love it when people open up about their home, share its story, or tell me how their kids grew up there. You start to understand their personal connection and the emotion tied to the space. Then you can help them finish it or enhance it. That’s the part I love.

You can find Lagom Design Shop at 142 & 172 Mill Street in Creemore, Ontario and don't hesitate to give them a follow on Instagram @lagomdesignshop.