By Greenbelt Mag
Everyone in the van! It’s time to go shopping. Today Greenbelt tags along with SOI BOI in their trusty and unabashedly self-promotional Sprinter van. “But what is this SOI BOI?” you might ask. No, they are not a food truck specializing in vegan-friendly meals comprised mainly of legumes. They are Shay and Rita – a dynamic interior design duo with opinions galore on all things, well… interior design. When they’re not in the studio crafting-up mood boards and foraging through fabric piles, or onsite installing full home redesigns, they can be found sourcing furniture and styling pieces, soft goods, and textiles at some of their favorite local Boise retailers. Every time they shop, they are always distracted from the project at hand by the many beautiful and unique pieces they encounter. But today, for the sake of journalism, they must choose one top pick per store to tell you about. As a team who really likes to explore all their options, we assure you, this will be a challenge. Think Shay and Rita can handle it? Let’s find out!
MODEL HOME FURNISHINGS
There are few things in this world that get SOI BOI as excited as… wait for it… mirrors! Mirrors are the unicorns of decor – magical creatures endowed with the power to create light, magnify space, and multiply their surroundings all while simply hanging out on a wall. Because of them, mere mortals can behold the cosmic beauty of a designed room not just once, but again and again, in a perpetual state of reflective Eden! In other words, they pack an unparalleled design punch. Doubling as wall art, the mirror is essential to completing any bedroom, bathroom, or common space – and the options at Model Home Furnishings are where it’s at. SOI BOI tells us that they are particularly fond of their seemingly endless assortment of round wall mirrors because they come in a variety of sizes and can provide that extra bit of sexy in your space. 
IMPACT IMPORTS
Not gonna lie, it’s a little tough to find something unique in a place where everything is extraordinary. But SOI BOI is always up for a challenge. At Impact Imports, they searched in a sea of giant stone vessels and enormous decorative pillars, until they found an array of perfectly imperfect stump-accent tables made of old-growth teak wood. According to SOI BOI, the stump is a great piece to use in spaces overrun with sleek and leggy furniture because it adds balance to the room. Balance of weight, scale, and shape in a room is just as important, maybe more so, than the balance of color. And the fact that these wood tables work indoor and outdoor is an added bonus!
BLIND APPEAL
Speaking of the indoors and outdoors, it’s time to talk about windows. As SOI BOI proceeded to their next stop, they said that they were on a mission in this town: leave no window untreated! While it’s no longer the 80’s, and matching floral-patterned drapery and valances is still an unforgivable decorating misdemeanor, leaving these architectural gateways to the incomparable aesthetic of nature completely unadorned is a no-go. So, what is the answer to dressing a window in a modern era while still maintaining a view of our glorious Boise neighborhoods? Answer: transitional shades from Blind Appeal! Do yourself a favor and get the motorized option – SOI BOI can confirm you will not regret it.
ECHELON
Swivel, swivel, don’t speak no drivel! If you have ever hired SOI BOI to design a space for you, chances are they tried to throw a swivel chair into the mix. What’s not to love? They’re sleek, they’re stylish, and they’re a little bit Dr. Evil. But mostly, they’re the perfect foil to a non-traditional living room furniture arrangement where, say, a large, L-shaped or asymmetrical sectional is the main event. Pairing such a set-up with the ever-clever swivel chair will earn you major design points – especially if you shop for your new pirouetting piece at Echelon – the penultimate purveyor on today’s design tour. Leather or velvet, modern or transitional, SOI BOI tells Greenbelt that the most sophisticated and stylish selection of this spinning breed can be found there. When in doubt, put a swivel on it!
RENDITIONS
Finally, SOI BOI arrived at their last stop: the visually sumptuous Renditions, where the design gods favored them by shining a light on a particularly alluring item: pillows. At Renditions, SOI BOI simply couldn’t stop themselves from gathering as many throw pillows as humanly possible. No question, SOI BOI loves a fine, custom, and soft good, but custom is a long game, and sometimes, you need to just. finish. that. room. So, go ahead! Dress up that trendy green velvet sofa with a few high-quality throw pillows that range from modestly modern or tastefully tribal to refined rustic. Your couch will thank you!
CONCLUSION
Here at Greenbelt, we thank you for joining us on these design adventures, too. Hopefully SOI BOI saved you a little time by doing some of the window shopping for you at these great local retailers, but should you ever need a designer’s helping hand, just send out the bat signal and the SOI BOI-Mobile will come a-sprintin’.
