So many people have told me about the miracle that is Garden Ridge, but I’d never been to one. Until yesterday. Yes, one finally came back to Richmond (we heard a lot about the one that used to be out by the airport but it was gone by the time we moved here 4+ years ago). Anyway, here’s what I found on my maiden voyage to the big Costco-ish warehouse full o’ house, garden, and other random stuff.
My first reaction was “man this place is huge” followed by “Teresa Guidice would like it here” (NJ Housewives reference anyone?) since there are oversized urns and stone columns a plenty. Klassy. Let’s just say it’s one of those places that you have to dig through to find the goodies (hidden among many insane and unnecessary things).
But there were definitely a few diamonds in the rough. If by diamonds you mean metal herons that I fell in love with. I know my animal obsession is weird, but these guys actually seemed kind of sophisticated – if they were used for good instead of evil (read: located among a pretty backyard garden instead of among plastic gnomes and flamingos in the front).
And John did his best knight impression while saying that he can’t wait to get one of ’em for the new house. Just kidding. File this under “who the heck buys this stuff?”
Then I fell in love with this rug and those crazy knights were forgiven. It was natural fiber (jute I think) and incredibly inexpensive (I don’t remember the exact price but it was around $30 for a huge 5 x 7′ version). Uh, yes please. I especially loved how modern many of their rug options were since many other discount rugs are only available with traditional and ornate floral designs.
Oh and I liked this queen sized bedding (priced at just $39) that looked especially high end to me- kind of like something out of the Garnet Hill catalog.
And two yards of this pre-cut fabric (priced at just $5.99) seemed like a great deal, considering it looks a lot like some $35 a yard stuff that we’ve seen around.
$1.99 ceramic bird. No further explanation necessary.
Oh and they had tons of pillows. This is just the brown and blue aisle. Yeah, we’re talking tons.
But every “wow” moment I had was tempered with a “really?” moment which followed soon after. But that’s the fun of shopping at hit or miss places like this. Besides, it’s not every day that you lay eyes on a toilet paper stand like this. And yes, that’s a plunger on his head.
Oh and some of the art had potential, especially if it was hung in the right space. For example, we thought this cheerful cherry print would look sweet in a charming white cottage-esque kitchen with red accessories (like a red teapot and red apples in a bowl).
We even thought this crazy textile-ish painting could look Domino-magazine-chic if it was hung in the right room (maybe as a headboard in a soft aqua kids room with a bold orange comforter).
And check out this $24 mirror. Not bad right? Especially if you painted it a color for added pop (daffodil yellow or smoky gray would be cool).
And here we have a $79 bar stool that would look great in a kitchen with a gorgeous bar-height island. Especially if you reupholstered those seats with something a bit more “custom” looking, which would really elevate the classic x-back design.
And here’s the cutest thing in the store: our offspring! Just kidding. This is a picture of the square tray that John’s holding (Clara’s cute face is just an added bonus). We actually ended up buying that sleek branchy tray for just $12 because I love square trays (we have a green one that I move all over the house, so I love the fact that I now have a second one to put to work around here).
And so ends our window shopping spree at Garden Ridge. Do you guys have them in your neck of the woods? Do you know who’s buying those knights in shining armor? Anyone else have an obsession with the ever-elusive square tray? Or a penchant for metal waterbirds? Let’s talk.
I’ve never even heard of Garden Ridge until now. Wow, it’s filled with lots of goodies! The only thing close to that which isn’t nearly as nice is Old Tyme Pottery. Clara IS the cutest thing in the story. She is just beautiful-you guys make great babies together! ;)
hahaha I’m not as embarrassed as I should be to tell you that I own one of those knights! I bought him the first time I visited my husband’s family from a Mexican import store on the border. his name is TS Eliot and he sits on our balcony decorated with beads and a plastic tiara.
I used to spend hours wandering the “original” Garden Ridge when we lived in Richmond. I was sad when we went back for a visit a couple years ago and it was gone. Good to know it’s back and just as quirky as ever.
We have several in the Dallas area. The entrance to yours looks much nicer than the stores here though. I usually go there twice a year. I’ve purchased almost all of my Christmas decor there. But its SO easy to get distracted and overwhelmed there!
I had never heard of Garden Ridge until this post. I am going wedding dress shopping this weekend and the city I am going to just happens to be the only place in my state that has a Garden Ridge. I think it’s fate. lol
As I started reading this post, I smiled and looked up at the canvas that hangs above my desk in my study. It’s my favorite Garden Ridge find. And then, a few pictures down in your post…I see my print!!! The orange, pink and aqua one. I love it. It’s the first thing you see when you walk into my house (my study sits open, to the right of the front door) and I get tons of compliments on it. I love Garden Ridge for this very reason – you can find some really fantastic things if you bring a little time and patience with you when you shop. It’s also been great for finding baskets and canvas storage bins for organizing my study and my son’s playroom. They have a 60-day return policy which helps if you want to bring something home and try it out, which I am huge fan of. Be sure to check them out right after Thanksgiving – they have HUGE sales on all their Christmas stuff. It’s INSANE…in a good way!
Wow – never heard of it but I have no doubt that with your eye you wouldn’t have found the best things. That tray is awesome! We don’t even have a Home Goods around Seattle.
Those are some amazing prices!
I see a road trip in my near future!!!!! 2-1/2 hours away for me. What a FABULOUS looking place. Thanks for the tour.
omg my friend was literally telling me about this place the other day! cute finds!
I just googled and was thrilled to see that there is a Garden Ridge 10 minutes from my house. It’s in the same parking lot as Home Goods and 2 minutes from IKEA – it’s a shopping mecca! I’ll definitely have to check it out.
My wife would love all those pillows! If we get any more we’re going to have to start stacking them on the floor though.
Woohooo! I have missed the Garden Ridge by the airport. I’ve gotten SO MUCH stuff for my house (especially when I first bought it) from there but you have to pick thru the weird stuff definitely. Prices are awesome!
Where is the new store located? Must visit it soon. I’m guessing Short Pump; they get all the good stuff…
Hey Vonda,
It’s actually at Chesterfield Towne Center!
xo,
s
What?! This place looks seriously dangerous. Janell
The comforter? LOVE IT! We haven’t been to our local Garden Ridge in aaaaaaages but I see a trip in our future. :)
PS- What did you actually buy?!
Hey Kara,
Just the square tray. We’re trying not to snag a lot of new things since we’ll just have to pack them up and move them!
xo,
s
I am not even on the same tectonic plate as any of their stores! They obviously don’t realize there’s a huge untapped market for suits of armor here on the West Coast.
Man!!! I live in TX and there are GR’s everywhere. I guess I have been taking it for granted and might should pay them a visit soon.
I am so sad they don’t have one of these in California, is it sad that I am considering taking an extra suitcase on my next business trip to St. Louis just in case I have time to check it out!
WOW. I am soooo jealous. Charleston SC doesn’t have anything like it. This might be worth a trip home to RIC to see it. I’ll just pretend I was there to see my parents and “OH WHOOPS-we need to go to Chesterfield Town Center” ha ha…..so so jealous
As a mother of an almost 19-month old, the thing I noticed most about this (and admittedly a lot of posts) was Clara’s cute clothes. My daughter LIVED in the many colors of the same pants your cutie is wearing. Once she started crawling/walking we switched mostly to jeans to save little knees, but I think I’m already nostalgic for baby clothes of yore. Total tangent, but thanks for sharing the sweetness :)
those metal heron can come in handy if you ever have a backyard pond. my husband built my in-laws an incredible rock waterfall and fish pond a few years back. my FIL loves his fish, but noticed they were disappearing at an alarming rate. he discovered that he was feeding the neighborhood blue heron his prize fish so they put a tasteful heron statue, like the ones you fell for, next to the pond and the real (read: fish-eating) heron hasn’t been back since.
Garden Ridge is the best! We have found some amazing bargains over the years (leather ottoman, bamboo blinds, etc.) I first visited a GR when I was planning my wedding 9 years ago- it was like hitting the jackpot! Yours looks much nicer than the ones down south for sure. I call ours the Home Depot for girls because they are all orange and white.
I live in a small town (we have Wal-mart and JC Penney and that’s about it), but my husband is from Chesterfield, so when we visit in a month or so, I’m for sure going there! Just out of curiosity, how close is the Ikea you go to – I’d like to go there too since I’ve never been, but on Ikea’s website the location of the Virginia one doesn’t seem very close to Chesterfield.
Oh Ikea’s farrrrr! About 2 hours away actually. John’s parents live near there though, so we’re in the area pretty often.
xo,
s
Garden Ridge used to be one of my standard stops but they’ve changed over the last few years. I used to love them for their florals and just the vast amount of stuff that they have but lately it seems that they have more scrubs, luggage, and books than home decor. OK I’m exagerating a little. They are still really good for wall decor, throw pillows, outdoor vases, and rugs. Their rug selection is phenomenal! O and they have a million vases.
This place kind of reminds me of Old Time Pottery (http://www.oldtimepottery.com/). But from the looks of their website, I don’t think there is one near you guys… Its definately one of those hit & miss places. A lot of stuff is cheaply made and you do have a lot of those “really???” moments. But, in my opinion, they’re the best places to find dishes. :)
We have a garden ridge. I actually bought a lot of my wedding DIY things from there. But you are right, they do have a lot of things that make you pause and think for a second!
Sooo! About those life sized metal Knights….we have neighbors a few houses down who have one of those on their front porch! Hilarious!
Dang, looks like we would be stuck driving to either Richmond or Pittsburgh if we wanted to visit GR from Philly. Reminds me a bit of Christmas Tree Shop – do you have those in your neck of the woods?
That’s it, I’m going there today. I live just literally a minute away from GR and have never been.
By the way, did you know they are bringing a Hobby Lobby to town?
We’re so excited Tana! We just found that out today!
xoxo,
s
SHERRY!! This is so crazy, yesterday I was in Ashley Furniture looking at their rug selection and the sales lady in the store (secretly) told me “Go to Garden Ridge. That’s where I get all my rugs and they are SO MUCH CHEAPER!” So, I headed to GR yesterday and looked at their rug prices and almost fell over backward!!! I found some nice 8×10 rugs for…get ready… $99.00!!!! CRAZY!! So, when I saw the first picture of this blog entry I thought it was too funny!! I just found out about the fun of Garden Ridge yesterday!! (And btw, there were a ton of “what in the world?!” pieces in there too! A hot pink Christmas tree in particular!)
Hey Shunta,
Haha, that’s so funny!
xo,
s
I have the exact same Ergo carrier that I tote my 10 month old daughter Helen in to shops just like this! Though my husband is unwilling to tage along. Ever.
Looks sort of like an Old Time Pottery! I love to explore stores like these :)
I was so looking forward to seeing the herons in high gloss white paint for a ceramic look: just couldn’t figure out where you would put them with an about to be mobile kiddle in the picture!
My mother used to drag me on Garden Ridge trips when I was younger to the one in Richmond and I just remember it being so boring, granted I was 13 at the time. Looks like I might have to go back and check it out now that I’m on my own! We have one on the southside in Chesapeake that my mother still makes quarterly trips to but I’ll have to let her know the one in Richmond is now back in business!
Did you guys happen to snag the price for the pillows?
Jennifer
Hey Jennifer,
We don’t remember the pillow prices specifically but they were definitely inexpensive!
xo,
s
I am looking forward to hitting the new Garden Ridge in Chesterfield. The other store I have heard so much about in blogland is Hobby Lobby and we are getting one of those too – in Short Pump! Now if we could get a Container Store and if IKEA would move to Va Center Commons (we’ve got too much in Short Pump), I would never have to leave the area!
i want to dig. digging is my favorite. they apparently don’t agree that the west coast is the best coast because there aren’t any out here! although, this would be an arizonian’s dream. cookie cutter decor paired with a cookie cutter house. i can already picture my mom placing flower pots on a few of those columns……
That store is rad! We don’t have one out here in AZ, but we used to have a Costco Home. It closed a couple of years ago, but they had tons of furniture and stuff that you see on the Costco website, but not in the warehouses. I’m not sure about the knights, but I’ll confess that I have a secret love for garden gnomes. I like to find them well hidden in people’s yards under a large plant or something.
The adorable square tray and fabric are by far my favorites! I had never heard of garden ridge before! (Probably b/c I’ve yet to live near one that wasn’t 3 hours away! eep!)
so jealous — no more showing off awesome stores I can’t shop at, mmkay? haha
xoXOxo
Jenn L @ Peas & Crayons
Oh and we have something called “Home Emporium” in the Hampton Roads area, it’s owned by Home Depot. Not sure if you guys have one close to you but it’s more random then GR. Not sure who would want a 4 foot giant cat statue but they have them! Along with some other neat stuff too lol
O.M.G. One of my friends has that horrible toilet paper holder! Her house is so pretty, and then there’s THAT in their guest bathroom! I always feel strange when I use that bathroom like the little man is watching me. It’s such an ugly thing!
My father in law has one of those ridiculous knights in his living room! The only thing I’ve found it to be good for is setting it up and scaring people =)
I can’t wait to visit the new Garden Ridge! I’ve missed the one over near the airport. That same Seek Happiness piece is at Ballard Designs for a whopping $249 (http://bit.ly/cb7ba2). Obviously, Garden Ridge will have some great deals to look forward to!
WOW, I really wish we had someplace like this in Chicago!! I would go nuts… I’d have to go without my husband though, haha, he’d just hold me back :)
I thought the sign read ‘Geek happiness’ :-)
That is a sign that belongs in our house. Seriously.
xo,
s
I swear I’ve seen that cherry print before. I think it’s in the Ballard catalog.
I have had my eye on that toilet paper guy- how can you pass him up when he comes with his own plunger?
Looks like a fun store with a lot of options! I wish we had one out here in Cali!
Are we getting the floor plan soon? That’s always my favorite part, seeing how you can arrange things open up rooms. And I’m excited to see interior pics too! When do you get to move in already???!!
Hey Amanda,
We’re attempting a floor plan soon (hopefully sharing it by early next week) and we’re moving in mid December (which should fly by since we figure we’ll blink our eyes and it’ll be Christmas!
xo,
s
Perhaps the toilet paper man is not smelling his finger, but blocking his nose because bathrooms tend to be smelly?
First of all, Loved the Theresa Guidice reference. And second, I know someone with his every own knight in shining armor! Check it out:
http://peanut-gallerie.blogspot.com/2010/05/it-was-mother-daughter-weekend.html
single italian-american men from florida are buying those knight statues to fill their bachelor pad. They’re also buying oversized mirrored clocks and black leather furniture. I had always wondered where my friend’s knight came from.