New home decor store in downtown St. Charles opens Saturday

ST. CHARLES – Lauren Garbutt and Rachel McCarthy have more than a few ideas for your home.

Garbutt of St. Charles and McCarthy of Glen Ellyn are the owners of House of Charlemagne, a new home decor shop specializing in vintage and new home decor items and refinished furniture. The store, located at 221 W. Main St. in downtown St. Charles, had its grand opening April 15 during the two-day St. Charles Shop Crawl.

Garbutt and McCarthy had been vendors at Trend + Relic, located on Indiana Avenue in St. Charles. Trend + Relic sells new and vintage decor, including handcrafted items. The business has about 50 vendors.

“It was a very good steppingstone to this, the end goal and the dream,” McCarthy said.

St. Charles resident Michelle Willman, who is a vendor at Trend + Relic, is the lead designer for House of Charlemagne. Items from all three women are for sale throughout the store.

“These are things that you are not going to find in a big box store, something that has a story to it.”

—  House of Charlemagne co-owner Rachel McCarthy

Some of the items are showcased on an outdoor patio. Future plans include using the patio as an event space.

“It could be used as a place to get together before they go out to dinner in St. Charles,” McCarthy said. “There’s a seating area out there and then some shoppable items, too.”

The name House of Charlemagne is a nod to “The Legend of Charlemagne,” a short story penned by the 16th mayor of St. Charles, CV Amenhoff, which gave personification and background to the four prideful bronze fox statues situated on the Main Street bridge.

The women want shoppers to feel like the space is their home.

Garbutt refinishes furniture.

“I have a workshop on the far west side of Elgin,” she said. “I work there and bring it all here.”

Garbutt’s interest in refinishing furniture was piqued by a comment from her husband.

“At our first house, my husband said, ‘Your taste is too expensive. Think of something different,’‘’ Garbutt said. “So we went to Goodwill in Plainfield, that’s where our first house was, and we found an awesome dresser and I refinished it. And then my husband said I should keep going.”

Garbutt has been refinishing furniture for six years.

McCarthy focuses on vintage items, including vintage jewelry and vintage barware.

“These are things that you are not going to find in a big-box store, something that has a story to it,” she said.

McCarthy finds her items at estate sales and auctions. She also sells vintage artwork.

“I feel like what makes someone’s home special to them is what’s on their walls,” McCarthy said.

Willman specializes in antiques and vintage furniture.

“I’ve lived in St. Charles almost my whole life and my mom was a big antique collector,” Willman said. “We would go to the Kane County Flea Market. I kind of grew up with that. I’ve definitely followed in her footsteps. She loved home decor. When you see something you love, you tend to hang on to it. There’s a personality attached to it.”

House of Charlemagne also sells its own candle line.

“We are trying to find scents that play well into the antique feel,” McCarthy said.

Inluro candle store in Geneva is supplying the candles.

Information about House of Charlemagne is available at houseofcharlemagne.com.