This is from DC finalist, Rachael. Comment away!
Rckndy (pronounced Rock Candy) offers quirky but practical home decor for small spaces. Although handguns are banned in DC (for now), you can buy ceramic 3-gun vases, single pistol wall vases and surprisingly pleasant smelling Gunpowder Green Tea Candles by Joya and ceramic designer Sarah Cihat...
If you would rather hide from than decorate with guns, disguise yourself in a self-portrait mirror like the pirate mirror, which has cut-outs to give your reflection an eye-patch and shoulder parrot. Also humorous is this little boy lamp with strategically placed switch - a reportedly popular item with couples expecting baby boys. On the softer side, Rckndy stocks a wide array of pillows, including the Thomas Paul line and this comfortable AU sleeper sofa available in 5 different sizes and various colors. www.rckndy.com
More must-see in-store items:
- Clearance items, like these wood end tables (hugely discounted).
- A vintage train car to maximize space, perhaps in an entryway or a
large closet.
- The hot pink cabinet behind the register holding large bowls of
candy including, of course, rock candy.
- Rachael G.
(Thanks, Rachael!)
Reader Vote:
Copyright © 2008 Apartment Therapy
Just because it's on U street, doesn't mean it's 'fly'.
view Sleek's profile
The photography is a little blurry...
view madcow77's profile
Love that store! Nice job.
view jooly's profile
Very cool, unique, and plain, old fun...
view umoja2003's profile
Great layout & photos!!!
view ajl7's profile
where does it say fly? Good choice, (plus I live half a block away).
view sixfive's profile
I love your posts -- I had no idea that this store existed and I'm going to check it out. You provide true local color, and the pictures really add to the posts.
view nats iv's profile
I don't know about that lamp, but the rest of the article is great, including the photography!
view mma01's profile
This is a great little shop, and these photos share that!
Barb
view foxybarb's profile
i love RCKNDY...
GO DC!!! YAY!
view 335ktt's profile
I just called to ask about the Gus-Carter sofa. The guy was very nice and had no problem with giving me full details about the sofa over the phone. :-)
view kerri's profile
I'm pretty sure handguns are not banned. They were, plaintiffs sued and won on 2d Amendment grounds, DC appealed to US Supreme Court, who heard the case last month and appeared to be ready to agree that DC cannot ban handguns. No that that has anything to do with AT. I like your post, one of the most authentic in terms of the AT "voice. "
view greeps's profile
This is a fantastic store - David, the owner, is incredibly helpful, and will order anything you need. We can't afford many of the things we'd like from here just yet, but did buy our first "real" sofa from a floor sale he had not that long ago.
view cupofyoshi's profile
I happen to think that lamp is great. Great find! I'm moving to DC so I've been reading the AT DC posts and this stuff is really exciting. All of your posts, including this one, have been fantastic. I hope I get to read more.
view ernieg's profile
I love the 3 gun vase and the sleek fold-out couch!!!
view kaylabriar2's profile
Hi Rachael,
You have a greay eye for unusual and unexpected design. Just another of your many multi-faceted talents! This may not be the kind of store that I would ever enter, but your writing is very convincing and humorous. You must win this position!
Keep up the wonderfully creative work!
Love,
Daniella
view daniellat's profile
Yes very cool store!
view falstaf's profile
cute lamp, lol.
again you managed to find a hidden gem in the big city. i also really liked how you didn't go overboard documenting the whole store but gave us what works.
great post Rachael.
view jeffinto's profile
Great job--love all of the unique accessories in the store.
view ashley1234's profile
Wonderful store. Lots of fun items; great photos; nice concise write-up. You really capture one of the most interesting slices of D.C.--keep it up!
view gardendoc1957's profile
RCKNDY is my absolute favorite design store in DC, and the owner, David, is incredibly helpful and interesting. He's always on the lookout for new, interesting things and changes his inventory frequently. (As a result, he puts a lot of fabulous items on clearance when most stores would still be trying to get every last penny for them; I scored the Polly George butterfly vases for 50% off.) He's also great about doing custom orders and has gotten Chris Duffy's Glo Chandelier and Tristan Zimmerman's Park Planters for me. I love just going in there, seeing what's new, and talking to him about what he's getting next.
view elleb's profile
Great post, but as the parent of a 14 month old boy who has been caught "in the line of fire" more than once, that lamp is a little much!
view halleck23's profile
Well, I wish I liked RCKNDY as much as the other posters -- I think it should be so much cooler and better-maintained, organized and edited than it is. But, even as someone who doesn't care to shop there, I agree that you've picked out the highlights and shown what's fun and worth looking for at the store.
Baltimoreans can go to Home on the Harbor, a well-curated contemporary-sleek-funky store that I think is all RCKNDY is trying to be, at Mt. Washington Mill, 1340 Smith Ave, Balto MD. I love the chance to share resources on apartment therapy!
view scormeny's profile
ur post and pictures make me wanna visit this store. thanks!
view SD913's profile
scormeny: thanks for the b-more recommendation. it looks like rckndy and home on the harbor carry many of the same lines, including blu dot and alessi.
view rachael in dc's profile
RCKNDY is not my favorite DC design store, but the post is well done and does give an accurate feel for the store itself.
view annhenry's profile
just went there last month and asked them when they would appear on AT. hmmm...psychic.
view avianmission's profile