Photos: Olivia Motley
Arnie Gregory has worked with interior designer Danielle Loven across multiple homes—a lake house in Crosslake, Minnesota, a residence in Edina and a complete renovation in Palm Desert, California—and he’s developed a clear sense of what makes the relationship work. “Danielle is decisive,” Gregory says. “She keeps things moving along and communicates well. When you meet with her and her staff, things are organized and presented with a purpose. She has a wealth of knowledge and ideas.”
That balance—confident design expertise paired with genuine attentiveness to how people actually live—is the same philosophy now on display at Danielle’s retail store, Vivid Home. The home design boutique has built a devoted following in Minneapolis’s North Loop neighborhood, and it opened its second location in Edina earlier this year. Every piece on the floor has been chosen with intention: apothecary, art, distinctive accents, entertaining essentials, furnishings and linens. Distinguished brands sit alongside vintage originals and one-of-a-kind curiosities sourced from markets around the globe.
For Danielle, the Galleria felt like a natural home for the brand’s next chapter. “Just being at the Galleria alone is really tapping into our clientele base,” she says. “It’s also the excitement of being in the mall with brands that are similar to our aesthetic.”
That commitment to bringing exceptionally designed and crafted products is woven into every buying decision. “We want our clients to have items that last for years, even generations,” says Sam Loven, Danielle’s son, who oversees the retail side of the business. “We would rather pay more for a great product and make less than focus on lower-quality items.” It’s a stance that runs counter to today’s throwaway retail culture—and it’s exactly what sets Vivid Home apart.
Danielle Loven, Vivid Home creator and designer. Photo: Vivid Home
Vivid Home’s North Loop location has built a loyal following among urban apartment dwellers, seeking sophisticated, space-conscious design. The Galleria store speaks to a different customer—one with more square footage, a taste for larger-scale pieces and a home that deserves to be treated as a true reflection of who they are. “The Galleria customer typically lives in a house, while the North Loop customer is more likely to live in an apartment,” Sam says.
That distinction shapes everything: furniture scale, product mix and the way the floor is curated and arranged. The two locations complement rather than duplicate each other, allowing Vivid Home to showcase its broadest range of offerings, including exclusive pieces and customization options.
One trend both stores are leaning into is the return of color. “A few years ago, most people stuck to whites, blacks and greys,” Sam says. “Now, we’re seeing people incorporate a wider range of colors into their homes.”
Photos: Olivia Motley
Vivid Home actively scours markets across the globe to bring the latest in design to the boutiques—weaving together new releases and vintage finds in a way that feels collected rather than assembled. That global reach is only expanding. Danielle is heading to Italy this year on a buying trip with something exciting in store for customers. “I will be bringing back the surprise, which will be a new product line from Italy, and it is going to be amazing,” she says. She’s also designing an exclusive custom sheet line that she says cannot be sourced anywhere else locally.
For those wanting to go deeper, full-scale design services are available—from architecture through final styling, every last fork and knife in place. It’s the same work Danielle has done for clients like Gregory, who recalls one detail from his Palm Desert renovation that perfectly captures her approach. In the kitchen, she incorporated a ceiling drop of about 4 inches and backlit it—a quiet move that completely redefined the space. “Our kitchen, living and bar area are all commingled and this defined the kitchen area as its own,” Gregory says, adding it was exactly the kind of decision you don’t always know you need until someone who knows design makes it for you.
Gregory sums up the experience the way someone does when they’ve stopped shopping around: “The reason I hire a designer is because they know more about design than I do. That said, if Danielle thinks you’re making a bad choice or selection, she will definitely tell you,” he says. “Look at her retail store. That should tell you about all you need to know.”
More Than a Store
Sam Loven envisions Vivid Home as something greater than retail. “I want it to feel like a brand that shapes how people experience their homes from start to finish,” he says. The store’s vision is grounded in the idea that the store and the design firm behind it are two expressions of the same love for the home, for quality and for the relationships built around both.
Sam Loven, director of retail for Vivid Home. Photo: Vivid Home
The company has a 24-year design legacy at its foundation. Formerly Vivid Interior, Vivid Home has interior design that Danielle Loven says reflects each homeowner’s distinctive lifestyle. That philosophy flows directly onto the store floor. Danielle brings a broad range of styles and project experience from her work in Boston, California, Chicago, Colorado and New York City. Her past also has taken root in her design work. Danielle grew up in Oak Park, Illinois, which has an assortment of architecture such as Frank Lloyd Wright houses, American and Spanish colonials, and Victorians. Danielle also comes from a long line of artisans who were artists, stonemasons and wood craftsmen.
Vivid Home
Instagram: @vividhomempls
