school house interior If you haven’t found a purpose to enjoy the NW area known as Slabtown, here are a few good reasons to spend several delightful hours there.

Once known for its lumber mill on Northrup, where its discarded log remnants were stacked outside the homes of the area’s working class, more recently it’s been the forgotten industrial area north of NW “trendy-third,” and it offers a somewhat grittier and interesting area to explore.

The longtime Bedford Brown is a favorite place to buy arguably the best orchids in town, the perfect alternative to the standard bouquet which wilts in a week. While there, hobnob with decorators and the friendly and stylishly dressed staff and peruse the decorator items. It is also one of the best places to buy indoor plants and has an amazing selection of pots, indoor and out.

Just a mile away, stop into the expanded newer home of Schoolhouse Electric, which adjoins their factory facility. Admire the home furnishings and well designed light fixtures and partake in caffeine at the attached coffee house.

A little jaunt on a side road under 405 gives some lovely dining choices such as the NW outpost of Olympic Provisions, great for both lunch and dinner. Pick up some tea at the nearby Smith Teas, a calm and tastefully designed oasis. Not far away, slurp noodles at the NW Boke Bowl outpost at the base of the Addy building.

Now that there’s a New Seasons at NW Raleigh and 21^st, it won’t be long until the area really starts to develop. Explore now while one still feels like a bit of an explorer.

When clients Andrew and Yellena James recently gave me a gift certificate to Schoolhouse Electric, I was thrilled. Besides being a generous gift, I had always wanted to visit- and as a triple bonus, the talented Yellana has been chosen as the first artist in a series of exclusive designs and her work was not only prominently displayed in the store, it graces the front of their most recent catalogue.

The building itself was more recently a storage area for the nearby Miller Paint Company- thankfully the current owners removed the brick covering the lovely facade and brought the room back to life. Schoolhouse lighting is made completely in the United States, the designs originating from vintage molds as well as designed in-house here in Portland. The components are finished and assembled just two blocks up the street. The era runs from historic to mid century.

I'm so looking forward to hanging my light- and to spending more time in this delightful local resource known as Schoolhouse Electric.

See more of Yellena Andrew's work. Yellena has an upcoming solo show in Barcelona this year, has designed snowboards for K2 that are in stores now, and is working on some "kicks for Keds".