Nashville Design Week, October 31–November 4, showcases the style and creativity of Music City, bringing together shop owners, hoteliers, restaurateurs, and tastemakers. We asked Keith Smythe Meacham, who opened the chic home goods shop Reed Smythe & Company in the Sylvan Park neighborhood last fall, what spots she most loves in her hometown.
What events stand out to you on the Nashville Design Week calendar?
I’m looking forward to attending many of the sessions during Design Week, but this one feels spot-on right now for any small business: 7 Questions You Can Answer Today to clarify your brand and focus your business.
Dining with design in mind
I love Henrietta Red in Germantown as much for its delicious food—the wood-fired bread and anchovy butter will make your eyes roll back in your head—as for the clean and chic design of its dining room. Oyster happy hour is a great time to grab a drink with friends. For croissants that rival the French version, quiche, delicious pies, or yummy lunch, Dozen Bakery in the Wedgewood Houston neighborhood, a stone’s throw from the new Design District, is a Nashville treasure.
Music for all
There are so many amazing places to hear even more amazing music in Nashville, a statement of the obvious. Not that it’s off the beaten path, but the Ryman Auditorium, the “Mother Church of Country Music,” is still my favorite place to see a show. And it’s a pretty cool tour, if you’re looking to do some sightseeing.
A day at the museums
It’s great to have such a variety of museums in Nashville, but my two favorites are the Frist Art Museum, which hosts fine art exhibits from all over the world and is a great place to take kids, and the new National Museum of African American Music, which is a tour de force of music and history.
Shopping with friends
Of course I’m partial to my own little jewel box of a shop, Reed Smythe & Company, located on Charlotte Avenue, for unexpected gifts and pieces for your house and garden. For clothes, I love Alice, my friend Betsy Taylor’s chic boutique with unique brands from France and elsewhere, and her sister Elena’s fabulous vintage furniture and art gallery, Pierre, down the street.
Out and about
I am so lucky to live within walking distance of one of Nashville’s most treasured outdoor spaces, Percy Warner Park, and I try to spend as much time walking and hiking there as I can. My favorite is the White Trail, which makes you feel like you’re a million miles away from any city when downtown is only a ten-minute drive away.
Field trip
If you have an extra day (or even a few hours), it’s worth driving the backroads out to Leiper’s Fork just outside of Franklin and a fifteen-minute drive from West Nashville. It’s like stepping back in time to the most adorable country town.
