THIS IS NOT IKEA OPEN: We've spoken of the votives. Of the change-'em-out couch covers. The meatballs, too. The big yellow bag often hangs from our shoulder, but when we're looking for something offbeat and a mite mid-century-ish, we'll make for Fairfax, and this fresh store devoted to one-of-a-goods. A friend devoted to feathering nests told us about it one day; the next, we heard about it from another furniturista. Two mentions, too tempting; we're checking it out. 515 S. Fairfax Avenue
More furniture nearby...
ORANGE: Picture Philippe Starck end tables, oak horseshoe chairs, chandeliers and sconces that look like they were bought from some luxe hotel that had its boomday around 1962. It's walking distance from This Is Not IKEA -- well, it's a bit of a hike -- so best drive, especially if you'll be loading a credenza into the back of your wagon. 8111 Beverly Boulevard
VINTAGEWEAVE INTERIORS: Up a few blocks from This Is Not IKEA. Not mid-century, although there might be a few mid-18th-century-ish type pieces around. This is one of the Left Bankiest stores in town, with books on Paris, tables and mirrors that have a certain je ne sais quoi, and soaps and pretty pins for the non-furniture shopper. 169 S. Fairfax Avenue
