The Beau & Bauble

Most businesses start as figurative dreams; The Beau & Bauble, however, was born from a literal dream. While working as a costumier in London, England, Kate Elia dreamt about owning “the most whimsical store for girls and women,” she describes. Her subconscious conjured up a magical little shop plucked from the pages of Alice in Wonderland — fixtures were upside down and the shop was a riot of fantastical colours and objects. For years, the dream stuck with Kate, so she decided to move home to Toronto and open a “one stop shop for chicks of all ages.”

When it came to designing her dream shop, Kate went for the weathered luxury aesthetic. The store she had dreamt about would have been a tad intense for most casual browsers, she explains. Inside, worn hardwood floors and exposed brick are juxtaposed against baroque fixtures. An antique crystal chandelier hangs above the 600-square foot space refracting sunlight across the boutique. The enchanting interior radiates with a Hans Christian Andersen castle vibe, and really, who doesn’t want to feel like a Nordic princess while they’re shopping?