A Store With Personality

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Not every gift and décor store has a personality you can feel when you walk in the door. But at Tuvalu Home Environment, you know the vibe the moment you enter.

This shop is based in the heart of Laguna Beach (a sister store is in another beach town, San Clemente). That means a palette favoring neutrals and natural hues that encourage you to relax. And the assortment is filled with beach-y things. Some of them are targeted to locals, who want to bring the outdoors inside in a way that only beach-town residents can. Others are for visitors, who long to hold onto the carefree feeling of the sun, sand and water through their décor.

On the day I visited, Tuvalu had a wide array of items to help recreate the mood:

Beach landscapes for your wall
Books about surfing
Weathered wood candleholders
Raffia-wrapped lamps
Paper cocktail napkins that read Eat. Drink. Beach.
Accent pillows and picture frames come in watery blues and greens

Alongside these more-predictable pieces are those that set Tuvalu apart. They feel uplifting, sophisticated, and even a bit quirky—all without going down the path to kitsch, as some assortments can.

Words—well placed or done for fun—are a primary vehicle for this tone. They are used sparingly, which is part of their charm. Some are stealth, like the smile-worthy titles among the store’s collection of cookbooks: Mind Over Batter, Graze. A gift set of gardening tools is packaged like a book; its cover reads YOU GROW GIRL.

Scented soy candles are labeled for various uses. Working From Home “smells like video calls that could have been emails.” The label for Being Sarcastic says, “Hey, I found your nose. It was in my business again!” Awkward Moments “Smells like your entire life.”

Kitchen towels with white lettering (VITAMIN SEE) feature a plain gray ground, resulting in a contemporary character. White ceramic mugs say BEACH BUNNY or OCEAN CHILD in embossed letters that are almost invisible at a distance.