A new home decor boutique recently opened on King Street in Old Town.
Interior Instincts opened for business last month at 1124 King Street, in the former longtime home of Imagine Artwear. The shop is owned by Alexandria resident Shireen Alhasawi, who spent four months reimagining it into a space selling neutral and contemporary Mediterranean pieces.
Alhasawi, who is Iranian and Kuwaiti, moved to Alexandria after the pandemic with her husband and son. She sold an all-organic restaurant in Kuwait before she moved, and said that she’s long dreamed of owning an interior design store. She even secured the name and website for years.
“I wanted to bring a little escapism from the Mediterranean to people’s homes,” Alhasawi, said. “I want customers to walk in and to feel like they’re on vacation.”
The shop offers items with “chic simplicity,” Alhasawi said. The store is full of textiles, dinnerware, small gifts, kitchen essentials and other pieces of home decor from countries like Morocco, Spain, France, Italy, Lebanon and Tunisia.
“The most fun is when customers come in and show me pictures of their homes, places they’re trying to decorate, and I’m so happy to help them,” she said. “It feels great to be here, and to be open, and the thing that surprised me the most, is how excited and supportive everyone is that’s coming through, whether it’s the customers or even the other local businesses.”
Alhasawi said that her online store will soon launch on her website. If business goes well, she’d like to open more brick-and-mortar locations.
Interior Instincts is open seven days a week, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
