Siblings Charlotte and Will Hough work with an Indian company, Marudhara Arts, to find authentic fabrics to use as upholstery for chairs and floor pillows for their new furniture store, Sunnyside Trading Company. (Photo: Angela Wilhelm)

Siblings Will and Charlotte Hough understand the modern paradox of wanting to travel the world and come home to a place that feels rich.

At Sunnyside Trading Company, their new store on Depot Street in the River Arts District, they sell textiles and furniture that embody the "travel home philosophy," as Will calls it.

Travel, which the Houghs have benefited from since they were children, creates new, unimaginable connections, he explained.

"But then there’s the wanting to come back home and be comfortable," he said. “There’s the piece in your home that reminds you of your travels."

Sunnyside Trading Company sells home goods that look like that piece. There are chairs from India and China, tables and wood sculptures from Thailand, rugs from Turkey, furnishings from Uzbekistan.

Siblings Charlotte and Will Hough work with an Indian company, Marudhara Arts, to find authentic fabrics to use as upholstery for chairs and floor pillows for their new furniture store, Sunnyside Trading Company. (Photo: Angela Wilhelm)

The Hough siblings run the business with their father, Stuart Hough, who taught them to love travel. The family lived in Paris for 10 years while Charlotte and Will were children. Stuart worked as an antiques trader.

“He makes us very credible with all of his experience," Charlotte said as Stuart waved to Depot Street passersby. In addition to being a furniture expert, Stuart is also a natural salesman, Charlotte said.

Stuart ushered groups of shoppers into the store in the Pink Dog building, which was strewn with packaging as the Houghs endeavored to set up. The business isn't officially open, but because of its highly visible site — the former location of Asheville Running Company, which features a glass, roll-up door — it's open by default.

Stuart and his children differ in their interests. The elder prefers the furnishings, while Charlotte and Will are more interested in textiles.

Will, who studied international affairs at the University of Colorado, feels a kinship with early entrepreneurs who traveled trade routes through Asia and Europe to exchange fabrics around the world.

"It’s actually the oldest human profession," he said "It’s been around for 25,000 years."

Charlotte and Will plan to continue to travel to source vintage and reused textiles for the store. They work with an Indian company, Marudhara Arts, to find authentic fabrics to use as upholstery for chairs and floor pillows.

The floor pillows provide an accessible entree into furnishings for younger customers who might not need a heavy wood dining table.

“In this day and age, people our age are not settled near as much," Charlotte said. "We have year leases. We move around."

Will picked up her thought: "We want to bridge that gap between people our age who may not have as much money or may not know as much about furniture," he said.

Floor pillows start at $50, and a modern egg chair upholstered in reclaimed fabric costs about $275.

The Houghs have big plans for the shop: upholstery classes, locally made handbags, lifestyle goods from nearby artists. But for now, they're focused on the storefront.

A grand opening celebration is planned for 5 p.m. Aug. 4, and the festivities will last throughout the weekend.

For more information, search for Sunnyside Trading Company on Facebook or Instagram.

(Source: citizen-times.com  Author: Emily Patrick)