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, a California-based home decor brand, will debut its first Michigan location this weekend. The Serena & Lily Birmingham Design Shop opens Nov. 12 in the city’s downtown. Located at , the nearly 6,000-square-foot space neighbors popular stores and eateries in the area, including high-end women’s boutique , , ,��, and .

Founded in 2003, Serena & Lily is known for offering contemporary, coastal-influenced home furnishings. There are 17 other Serena & Lily locations around the country; the Birmingham design shop — which is located inside the former Linda Dresner boutique — was more than a year in the making.

“With its variety of architectural styles and proximity to Michigan’s beautiful lakefronts, we’re thrilled to have found a home in the community of Birmingham,” says Lori Greeley, Serena & Lily’s chief executive officer, in a press release. “As we transition to the season of holiday celebration, we look forward to sharing inspiration for inviting interiors with our neighbors.”

As folks make their way through the Birmingham design shop, they’ll find thoughtfully designed living and dining room, kitchen, bedroom, office, and sunroom displays. These settings feature a wide selection of Serena and Lily’s tables, chairs, lighting, rugs, bedding, patented wallpapers, and more — all in the brand’s renowned color palette of blue, green, grey, taupe, and white. Certain items are available to purchase in store, while others can be viewed at the shop then purchased online. The floor-to-ceiling windows throughout the front of the store allow for plenty of natural light to stream in, giving the entire shop a bright and airy feel.

Kirsty Williams, Serena & Lily’s chief design officer, says the brand prides itself on offering handmade goods made with natural materials and fabrics. Take the Sanibel Chandelier — crafted from natural wood and coco beads that are cut, strung, and wrapped by hand — or the Balboa Swivel Chair, which features handwoven rattan and a handcrafted frame made of solid beech.

Other goods worth highlighting at the shop are the Balboa Desk, which can also be used as a vanity, and the Truro Coffee Table, made with ancient, fossilized clams.

“We take a lot of pride in designing product that is very thoughtfully designed, that has integrity in its design, in its construction, and it its function,” Williams said during a tour of the store on Nov. 10. “We always want to make sure what we’re designing and bringing to the table are things that people can really use in real life. … We’re very aware that our customers live real lives; they have children, they have dogs, so we want our product to be lived in and to function well.”

Original artworks by Michigan-based artists , , and are part of Serena & Lily’s rotating art gallery and are also available to purchase at the Birmingham design shop.

At the design studio located on the upper level, customers can meet with advisers for complementary design services and are free to take wallpaper, rug, and case good samples. A dedicated workspace is also available for interior designers to come in and hold private appointments, client meetings, and presentations during and outside of regular business hours.

��“The purpose of the design shop is to really experience the brand,” said Allyson McGrath, Serena & Lily’s senior vice president of customer experience, during the Nov. 10 tour. She also says through the free design advice service, customers can bring their floor plans to the shop and receive a 3D plan to help them design their space. “[We really want] to use our design shops as an incubator for ideas.”

The Serena & Lily Birmingham design shop will be open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Visit for more information, and find even more community development and shopping news at ������Detroit.com.��