Modern Style, Human Feeling

At Quixote, contemporary and rustic/exotic items mix to create an elegantly earthy style.

THE SHOP: Quixote Organic Modern Furniture, 1570 E. Battlefield, Springfield, 417-877-0233. (Open Mon.–Sat., 10 a.m.–6 p.m.)

Atmosphere: Quixote is not just a novel by Cervantes. It’s a store in Springfield fulfilling a quest to marry contemporary and organic impulses in home décor. High ceilings and tiled floors create the perfect setting for an array of modern furniture and accessories. The feeling is warm and inviting, and the staff is welcoming, but laid-back. This is a place to relax, browse and dream about your plans for your home.

KEY PEOPLE: Stan and Sherry Fauscett opened Quixote in June 2001. Josh LaBrit is the store manager. All the pieces are hand-picked by the Fauscetts, who travel three to four times a year to find global goodies.

WHAT YOU'LL FIND: The furniture at Quixote has a feeling about it—almost like it’s coming straight from nature into your living space. Décor objects seem less like objects and more like artifacts. While there are some contemporary looks, other items seem like they could have been handed down from the Middle Ages.

Pieces come from Indonesia, Mexico, Brazil, China and India, among other countries. When I walked in the door, my eyes immediately focused on the leather sofas and chairs, pieces Quixote is becoming known for. The styles are sleek and contemporary, but the leather is soft and comfortable. I relaxed on a butterscotch colored sofa with curved arms that was priced at a reasonable $995. Many other pieces start even lower, making high style very affordable.

It’s hard not to notice the large bookcases and armoires lining the walls. These hefty pieces from India are solid wood with antique wood fronts and accents. Many of the elaborately carved pieces are old doorways or panels from buildings. One bookcase, measuring around 6-and-a-half feet high, had antique metal accents and drawer pulls but was priced at only $1,400. Yes, it’s an investment, but one that can be handed down and enjoyed for centuries.

Since most of the furnishings sold at Quixote are antiques or reclaimed teak from other countries, they are the ultimate in recycling and are made to withstand wear and tear. They also have fascinating stories of past lives so be sure to ask the staff about each piece. I challenge you to try to keep your hands off the teak tables from Indonesia. These are created from the trunk and roots of teak trees that have been left in the forest for decades. Each piece is polished and cut to create an artful table made of a beautifully random organic form. I loved one that was the size of a small coffee table, priced at $595.

All this furniture from Indonesia and India may conjure up images of a certain type of décor, but the simplicity of the styles make them compatible for almost any home. “What I love about this store is that any person could walk in off the street, and we’d have something that would work in their home,” says Josh. I agree. Even in my heavily Danish modern home, I could see several pieces fitting well with my other furniture. One of these is a shelving unit ($995) that simply screamed “Eames”... I was highly diggin’ it. With geometric styling and open shelves, it would look beautiful as a room-dividing shelf or placed against a brightly colored wall for contrast. If only I had the space!

If you’re not in the market for furniture, Quixote is a great place for home accents. Lamps from Indonesia use natural resources such as bamboo, vines and bark to create warmth and interest. Most start at a very affordable $19.50. I personally liked the bark covered rectangular table lamps I found for $49. Placemats and table runners from India feature metallic threads and sequins to add global glam to your tables. Placemats are just $6.95 and can also be used on end tables for color. I loved the pottery from Mexico and Indonesia. The Mexican pottery was glazed in warm, neutral earth tones and the Indonesian pottery was deep orange with rust flecks. Most pieces were less than $15 and larger pots were less than $50.

417 VERDICT: Spanning the globe for home fashions has never been more chic than at Quixote. Shop here to bring nature—and a touch of the otherworldly—into your home. I should know—my husband, Steve, and I have one of their sofas in our house.