“Laid back luxury for lifestyle and home” is the statement Beljar has listed as their home decor shop’s description but when you walk through the doors of the local Heber shop, you quickly find out its meaning runs much deeper than that.
Opening their doors in April 2020, owners Aimee Simpson and Desiree Ashworth had no idea what to expect in a time when the whole world was shutting down and no one knew what was on the horizon. To say they took a risk and opened full of hope, would be an understatement. They stuck to their feelings that the Heber Valley needed a place for women to connect, to feel accepted about their design choices, and receive encouragement to create a lifestyle that comes from the heart. They call it — Poetry of Design. Layering like poetry but also layering with feelings and connections. Eliminating the unnecessary so the necessary can not only speak but also shine. They are about quality and not quantity and a pared-back lifestyle. They carry items from all over the world; items that are made by hand and feel artisanal. Antique clay jars and cutting boards, dishes, original art, local handmade jewelry, textiles, furniture, copper, and incredible Turkish rugs are just a few of the treasures they have.
Aimee is the savvy business side that has great practicality for what women love. She genuinely wants to get to know every person that comes in, personally. She is the “real deal” and chatting with her, it’s almost like reconnecting with someone you’ve known for years. If you’ve ever experienced visiting the shop, you know it’s so easy to lose track of time when you are lost in conversation with any of the ladies that are there. (When my husband asks why I was there for so long, I can always answer with a truthful, “we were just talking! I only bought one thing!”) Aimee has always wanted a place to personally connect with the community and she absolutely loves reminding people, women especially, that we all come from craftsmen, artists, and makers. We have been creating from the beginning of time with only our needs and hearts to guide us. Somewhere along the way it got more and more complicated and filled with rules, do’s, and don’ts. “We all have so much creative potential in us, don’t worry about trends or rules, what do YOU like? Does it speak to you? Create something that is from the heart and a reflection of YOU, not from a designer book and you will love it forever.” She is passionate about lifting others and truly wants abundance for everyone.
Like Aimee, Desiree had always dreamed of having a place where she could provide her design services and offer bespoke styling items for an effortless look with influences of simple, Scandinavian design. Desiree has been studying foundations of design from different cultures, historical genres, and architecture, for years. She loves finding connections to feelings and familiarity and is always searching for the little, unknown details of how some historical methods can still influence the way we build today. Design that has deep roots to the land inspires her the most because that in and of itself can create a great foundation. The shop is a reflection of Desiree’s design aesthetic. Before the shop, she would spend countless days and hours traveling all over Utah and other states, trying to locate just the right items for her client’s homes. Having the shop has simplified that and she is so happy that it also allows her to share her tried and true favorite finds with everyone, not just design clients. Desiree can effortlessly create an unpredictable moment of “zing” that people fall in love with. She is a master vignette creator and loves teaching others how to create little moments of art in a home sense. “It is such an easy way to encourage a client to create something small that they love and continue the layering to another space, and then another.”
When asked about what has surprised them the most about running a home decor shop, the answer is that most of the people that come in are not locals. Word of mouth and sharing on Instagram have people driving up to our valley from all over Utah, just to visit and connect with this shop. (Beljar also has become well known as one of the locations to get the popular Kamut flour from The Food Nanny.) Another surprise is how much people just want to connect, how many people are craving any kind of connection right now.
Desiree and Aimee are both busy mothers, their regular lives outside the store are busy with children, everyday chores, and even building houses for clients. Yet their presence, love, and community radiates throughout the whole shop, even in the wonderful employees they have helping them. One thing Aimee shared with me is that she has moments of “Oh my gosh! We did it — we actually have a shop. Look, we’re doing it!” They want women to feel like they deserve beauty, hope, and abundance. In fact, in these interesting and unpredictable times, they are clinging so hard to it. These ladies have a love for travel, people, homes, and chasing that zing in life and it has translated into something that has been a success of connections and community. They love being here and hope you can stop in to chat and maybe even find a zingy treasure or two!
