New Upper Village Shop

Interior designer Marc Normand Gelinas has opened up shop in the upper village, opening in the space formerly occupied Blake Ashley Design next to Montecito Executive Services. “It was a fitting way to mark my tenth year in business in Montecito,” he told us during a recent visit to the store. 

The shop, which opened on July 1, offers a carefully curated collection of fine antiques and period pieces, the selection of which is constantly changing as the pieces are sold. “Antiques are a big part of my passion in interior design, and this is a way to bring them to the forefront,” said Gelinas, who is also running his thriving interior design business out of the space. 

Gelinas has been beautifying Montecito and Santa Barbara homes for the last decade, offering turn-key, high-end design services that range from full remodels with construction supervision to refreshing one room in a home, and everything in between. After graduating from the Pratt Institute of Interior Design, he spent decades designing homes and apartments all over the country, while based in New York and Providence, Rhode Island. Wanting a change from the East Coast and seeking new weather for a new phase of his life, Gelinas moved to Montecito in 2008. 

Gelinas says his ability to get to know his clients and his wide range of aesthetic styles has allowed him to succeed in the business. He says he listens to his clients’ design taste and needs, and seeks to provide a functional, comfortable, and well-designed space, even down to the choosing of sheets and dinnerware. 

His work has been featured in many publications, including House Beautiful, Traditional Home, and more. 

For more information, visit www.marcnormandgelinas.com. The storefront is located at 1482 East Valley Road, Suite 153.