today’s city guide comes to us from kenyon college student, emma reidy. she kindly offered to create an indianapolis design guide for d*s and i was thrilled to add another domestic guide to the growing collection. i hope you’ll enjoy emma’s guide- click here for the full post or just click “read more” below. as always, if you think something is missing feel free to add your suggestions below- we’ll update the guide as we go along. stay tuned for a new installment of anne’s regional roundup (iceland) column at 12 and a new product guide (rugs!) at 1pm [thanks, emma!]
The great thing about Indianapolis is that everything is drivable and close by. The city has a lot to offer and one can find countless entrepreneurs and artists passionate about bringing good design to this Midwestern city. I hope you’ll enjoy my Design*Sponge Guide to Indianapolis!
SHOP
-Indianapolis Downtown Antique Mall
With forty shops on two levels, this mall contains primarily American antiques.
-Days Gone By Antiques
A mixture of collectibles, antiques, and vintage clothing.
-Murphy Art Center
Selling an abundance of art supplies, and specializing in fine art and decorative papers, Dolphin Papers occupies the first floor of the art center. Contemporary fine art gallery Galerie Penumbra and wedding and child portrait studio Style Photography also share the floor. The second floor contains twenty-three artists’ studios encompassing many mediums, including photography and printmaking.
-Dean Johnson Design and Gallery
Currently exhibiting mixed-media, painting, and sculpture work from the Garage Artist Society (G.A.S.), this non-profit gallery is intent on supporting up and coming talents of the Indianapolis Arts Community.
-At Home in the City
Specializing in silver jewelry and gifts, and fresh modern furniture and accessories, this is one of Indianapolis’ consistently top rated top gift shops.
-Dianbaar
This socially and environmentally conscious shop sells fairly traded crafts from Africa. Here is the place to find vibrant home goods. Check out the vases!
-Mass Ave Toys
Famous for its selection and totally in tune to the needs and wants of children, Mass Ave Toys has an abundance of unique, never-heard-of toys.
-Bella Chic Interiors
Specializing in hand painted vintage furniture, this store provides a constantly evolving mix of furnishings. You can even pick the finish, fabric, and design of a piece and they’ll do the work for you.
-Carmel Old Town Antique Mall
With many dealers, this mall has lots to see including vintage pin ball machines, fine estate jewelry, and vintage head vases.
-Addendum Gallery
A modern home and gifts shop, Addendum has glass fine art, candlesticks, everything for a modern home.
-Magdalena Gallery of Art
With lots of portraits and glass works, this is a space of incredibly vibrant color.
-Artifacts
Lots to offer, including jewelry, ceramics, and framing, this is a design gallery featuring the work of American artists and craftsmen. It’s also one of the only Marimekko retailers in Indiana.
-French Pharmacie
Centered around European-inspired couture, this boutique has clothing, as well as French and Continental furnishings.
-Girly Chic Boutique
You’ll feel like you’ve just stepped into your best friend’s cottage. With evolving displays of clothing from brands like Amy Tangerine and Cath Kidston, this is a don’t miss!
-Honeysuckle Home
This home store has accessories of every category, and leans toward the eco-friendly side with a line of organic bedding and recycled stationery.
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RedRose Vintage Clothing
With clothing from literally every era imaginable, this source is a great place if you’re interested in hunting for something really unique.
-Midland Arts and Antiques
This truly is THE place for antiques and vintage items. Located in an old factory, you’ll experience two floors of everything from vintage costume jewelry, mid-century furniture, and produce stands from grocery stores.
-Three Chairs Company, Carmel
With slipcovered, upholstered, leather, and more, here you’ll find simplistic lines and furniture for comfortable living. Three Chairs also has the only Indiana Mitchell Gold+Bob Williams showroom.
-Houseworks
A store devoted to all things modern, Houseworks is a bright, vivid collection of eclectic furniture and accessories.
-M.G. Tates
At the Fashion Mall, Keystone at the Crossing. This store may be housed in a mall but it’s full of seasonal decoration, a killer wrapping paper selection, and an entire room devoted to stationery. There you will find invitations and personalized correspondence and wedding invitations, all organized into huge binders waiting for you to sift through.
-Fountain Square District
This eclectic neighborhood near downtown is home to antique stores, art galleries…even vintage duckpin bowling alleys!
-Massachusetts Avenue Arts District
With performing arts theaters, restaurants, and a plethora of locally owned boutiques of many kinds, this is the place to hit if you make your way downtown.
-Carmel Arts and Design District
This nearby suburb has recently renovated their downtown area. You’ll find art galleries, food, home goods stores, and more surrounded surround by distinctive light posts, benches, and public sculpture of Old Town Carmel.
-Broad Ripple Village
This is a neighborhood not to be missed. Surrounded by public art and graffiti murals, Broad Ripple is home to vintage clothing stores, clothing boutiques, homewares and jewelry stores, art galleries, and sidewalk cafes. In May, the Indianapolis Art Center hosts the Broad Ripple Art Fair.
-The Wholesale District
A bustling area of downtown which includes Circle Centre Mall, Conseco Fieldhouse, Indianapolis Arts Garden, and many theatres.
-Midland Arts and Antiques
This truly is THE place for antiques and vintage items. Located in an old factory, you’ll experience two floors of everything from vintage costume jewelry, mid-century furniture, and produce stands from grocery stores.
-Three Chairs Company, Carmel
With slipcovered, upholstered, leather furniture and more, here you’ll find simplistic lines and furniture for comfortable living. Three Chairs also has the only Indiana Mitchell Gold+Bob Williams showroom.
-Houseworks
A store devoted to all things modern, Houseworks is a bright, vivid collection of eclectic furniture and accessories.
FOOD
-Patachou
With several locations around the city, Patachou is the place to go for fresh, inventive gourmet food with unbeatable service and a devotion to all things healthy and simple.
-Arni’s
Famous throughout Indiana, the pizza crust is super thin, the toppings always fresh and the salads enormous.
-St. Elmo’s Steakhouse
An Indianapolis landmark, huge steaks, impeccable service, and a shrimp cocktail to die for.
-Bazbeaux
Serving up unique pizza dishes both in Carmel and on Massachusetts Avenue, this pizzeria comes up with combinations you’d never think of, and is spot-on every time.
-Chocolate Café/South Bend Chocolate Company
The name says it all, the sweetest of the sweet, a uniquely Hoosier company.
-Eagle’s Nest at the Hyatt
If experiencing a revolving dining room is your thing, this is your place. With great views of the downtown skyline, the view itself is worth the trip.
-Harry and Izzy’s
The new baby of St. Elmo’s, this hip restaurant is a lively addition to downtown.
-Iaria’s Italian Restaurant
Since 1933 the Iaria family has been serving up top-notch Italian.
-L.S. Ayres Tea Room
Transported to the new Indiana State Museum building but featuring traditional menu items from the original Tea Room, this delightful little place is known for its ambiance of polite elegance.
-Puck’s
Located at the Indianapolis Museum of Art, the restaurant serves up gourmet selections from the archive recipes of Wolfgang Puck.
-Milano Inn
In operation since 1934, this historic restaurant serves up Italian goodness and specializes in catering and special events for private groups as well.
-Palomino
The place for modern fare, right in the heart of downtown.
-The Rathskeller
Enjoy a good brew and authentic German cuisine.
-Rick’s Boatyard Café
Good food, great view. Located next to Eagle Creek Reservoir, Rick’s offer a variety of indoor/outdoor dining experiences.
-Shapiro’s Delicatessen
This Kosher deli is an Indianapolis institution, serving up sandwiches as big as your head, huge slices of cake, and the best bagels in town.
MUSEUMS
-The Childrens’ Museum
If anything this is a place for inspiration, from a giant working carousel to scientific ‘how things work’ exhibits, the entire museum is complete eye candy.
-Indianapolis Museum of Art
The IMA is one of the city’s gems. The museum boasts a permanent collection of more than 50,000 works, and currently features the “Paris Posters” and “Contemporary Fashion” exhibits on loan from the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Don’t forget to hit the gift shop (think Robert Indiana sculpture).
-Eiteljorg Museum
A museum dedicated to American Indians and Western Art, currently exhibiting “Yosemite: Art of An American Icon.”
-Indiana State Museum
Always featuring an eclectic mix of history and art, the ISM sits near the Canal and White Water River District where you can find ample opportunity for outdoor activity. One upcoming exhibit is titled, “Quilting Blocks and Binding Threads: Radical Lace and Subversive Knitting.” Don’t miss the Watanabe Family Gardens, featuring indigenous Hoosier plant life.
-Herron Galleries
The art school at Indiana University/Purdue University at Indianapolis (IUPUI) features rotating exhibits of student, faculty, and alumni work.
-Indianapolis Museum of Contemporary Art
Currently exhibiting Adam Pendleton’s Rendered in Black and Events Are, a sculptural installation of black ceramic cubes.
About Emma:
Emma grew up in a small town just west of the city, where she experienced Indianapolis from the expertise of her father who was born and bred. Just weeks away from graduating with a BA in Art History from Kenyon College in Ohio, Emma is looking forward to beginning an interior design program at IUPUI and beginning her working career in the city. Passionate about interiors, design, and furniture, Emma’s goal is to own her own interior design firm and homegoods store.
