Home Crush

Montecito’s Aimee Miller recently opened Home Crush on Lillie Avenue, after converting a 1930s ocean-view Bungalow into an interactive design studio with multiple rooms, terraces, and destinations. “We kept the home feeling like a residence, but removed the doors so customers can come in and actually see stuff and how it lives in a room,” Miller told us during a recent visit. 

The store’s grand opening was earlier this summer, but at that time, only the outdoor areas were open for business; now, the entire property is available to peruse, with all spaces used to display interior and outdoor furniture, décor, and more. A converted garage on the property is currently showing off seasonal items related to the holidays – think faux Christmas trees, stockings, interesting ornaments, and more – and during the warm weather, the space will offer summer items like luxury pool towels, specialty sunscreens, outdoor accents, and more. 

Miller has set her focus on retailing lines and brands not sold elsewhere in Santa Barbara, or maybe even in California. “We focus on small-batch brands and women-owned lines. Everything has a story, and everything we carry will enhance your life in a way that’s interesting,” she said. Some exclusive items include FAR-infrared heater systems by Heatsail, and the Dome Pizza Oven by Gozney, which is a full outdoor oven for steaming, roasting, baking, and more. Home Crush also features Dekko lightweight concrete fire pits in multiple colors, shapes, and sizes for natural and propane gas, and is the only retailer in the United States to sell these Canadian-built, ultra-light, sleek fire pits.

In addition to shopping décor, furniture, textiles, and more, Home Crush is also a full-service design studio, backed by Miller’s 30 years in interior design and luxury staging. With Summerland quickly becoming the Santa Barbara area’s destination for interior design and décor, Miller says her style is different yet complementary to other outlets including Porch, Field + Fort, Botanik, Garde, and The Well. “We are all focused on helping Summerland to be known as the design mecca. We don’t carry what each other carry, and we work in tandem,” she said. At Home Crush, all items on site are available to purchase off the floor, a fresh change from the months-long waitlists that can be experienced elsewhere. “If you see it and want it, take it,” Miller said. “It’s all about instant gratification here,” she said, adding that she has a strong following on Instagram, and when she posts about a new product or item, it could be sold out within a day. 

The ocean-view location of the store lends itself to special events; the space can be rented out for photoshoots, rehearsal dinners, and more. “We want people to come here and feel comfortable, and I think we’ve accomplished that,” Miller said. 

For more information, visit www.home-crush.com. The shop is located at 2500 Lillie Avenue in Summerland.