Online shopping: SouthPark design firm launches boutique e-commerce site for apartment owners

Basically you get to shop and decorate like an interior designer without having to hire one.

Owner and President Martha Thomley said SPI specializes in commercial design for university student housing and other apartments, which sparked the idea for Stellar.

“Along the way all the students would come through and say ‘Oh my god, I love that where can find it’ or ‘That’s the best lamp or the coolest pillow, can I order that?” Martha said. “We’d tell them ‘Uh, no we don’t do residential.’ So Lisa (principal) and I decided there was a need here.”

Here’s what you need to know about online home/apartment decor shopping site, We Are Stellar Designs.

How it works: The SPI team pulls pieces from their vendors to create collections of home accessories they categorize by vibes — a collection made to match a specific style. And if you don’t know your vibe, they’ve got a “What’s Your Design Vibe Quiz” for you to determine your style. The ideas is that any pillow, rug, piece of art, etc. you order from that collection will match.

The products: They’ve got accessories and home decor for bathrooms, bedrooms and living spaces. So you’ll find anything from shower curtains and bath mats to bedding and rugs.

Prices: Lisa said items start at $10 but go up to the hundreds for things like rugs; the price-point is meant to be accessible. For example, they have around 20 featured lamp/lighting options for your apartments starting at $33 going up to $333.

Save money: You can get 10 percent off with code STELLARCA10 for the entire month of March.

Style advice: Since the collections have been made with apartment living in mind, the SPI team said multi-purpose seating is a must. You can use floor pillows to eat dinner at your coffee table or ottomans can add extra seating when you have people over. Martha also suggests getting window treatments and hanging them a little higher than the actual window to make the ceilings feel higher.

Other cool features: If you order from Stellar and you need advice on styling — it can be anything from ‘I’m not sure what size rug to order’ to ‘Does this painting need to be higher? — one of their team members can help you out, for free.

Must-purchase pieces: The SPI team told me big wall art and seating are always a good investments.

All photos by Southpark Interiors and their Facebook page.