In David Fruscione’s opinion, the little things make a home. “Design is about way more than furniture,” he says. Still, when he arrived in Southwest Florida 14 years ago, he couldn’t help but notice the abundance of furniture stores lining U.S. 41 (“More than anywhere else I’ve ever been,” he says.) and the dearth of independent home accessory boutiques. He decided to do something about it and launched Republic of Decor, a full-service design firm, home accessories wonderland and gift shop, which recently relocated to a 1,500-square-foot emporium in the Naples Art District, a warehouse neighborhood filled with working artists and makers.
Over the last decade, David has garnered a strong following among designers and savvy homeowners with his curated stock, which ranges from cashmere Italian throws and hand-woven baskets from sub-Saharan Africa to Mexican blown-glass bowls and ceramics from makers in San Francisco and Boston.
The Buffalo, New York native has had plenty of time to develop his discerning eye. After obtaining degrees in interior architecture, marketing, and buying and merchandising, the high-achieving virtuoso cut his teeth as Banana Republic’s in-house interior designer for more than a decade before being wooed from California to become the creative director of store design for Chico’s in Fort Myers. “I was the new guy brought in to help bring Chico’s, White House Black Market and Soma into the future,” he says.
When he was laid off four years later, David was ready to leave the corporate world but not Southwest Florida. Even after navigating through three locations—including his most recent Naples Design District locale that flooded during Hurricane Ian—David’s enthusiasm for finding distinctive, artisan-made goods remains steadfast. “I still find so much joy in finding stuff that not everyone has,” he says. “There’s a soul to pieces that are not made on an assembly line.”
Photography by Christina Bankson
Photography by Christina Bankson
Photography by Christina Bankson
Photography by Christina Bankson
Photography by Christina Bankson
Photography by Christina Bankson
Photography by Christina Bankson
Photography by Christina Bankson
David spends his days scouring the internet (“It’s the devil, but it allows me to be so resourceful,” he says) for standout objects on Instagram, design blogs, websites and forums. He also travels to seasonal trade shows to meet new makers and vendors.
The designer’s efforts have not gone unappreciated. Republic of Decor has won several awards, including two Retail Star distinctions from the trade publication Home Accents Today, which also named the shop as one of the top 50 home furnishings stores in the United States. He also feels the love of his repeat clients, whom he likes to push to think beyond their customary coastal expectations. “I get a little burned out on aqua and turquoise,” he says. “Don’t get me wrong, I love blue and white—they’re wonderful colors. But I’ll ask, ‘Can we try to think a little broader?’” He may point them toward a lacquered, tangerine-hued decorative box or a violet, amethyst-encrusted centerpiece.
The way David figures, intentional design can be another form of self-care. “When you go to the doctor, she helps heal you and makes you feel better. I want customers to think of me as another person on their team who will make them feel good,” he says. The designer believes every object in a room sparks a thought or feeling and aims to help clients optimize the restorative energy in their personal spaces. “I’m like a design therapist,” he says.