Laguna Becomes Eclectic with Vertigo Home

“After all, style is art. And art transforms, delights and inspires our everyday lives.” — Vertigo Home

A treasure trove of Scandinavian design, customers often leave the store surprised at South Laguna’s Vertigo Home. Far from your average furniture store, it’s a wonderland of unexpected finds from efficient kitchen tools to a stunning variety of monkey lamps; a place you’re guaranteed to go home with that one piece you’ve been searching your whole life for. 

Style, simplicity, and quality are the hallmarks of Scandinavian design. Founders Chris Oswalt and Martin Ulrich envisioned that for the store when it opened 10 years ago, but the name came from the store’s first location. “The shop where it all started had different levels and stairs in the middle, and our cross street was Center Street -- so we were ‘off-center,’” says Ulrich, who hails from Denmark. The store’s cheeky name is certainly apt for many of the more unique finds in the store (think wooden doll collections of famous figures like Elton John and Karl Lagerfeld), but it’s the furniture that sticks out with its architectural precision and unexpected lines and clean finishes. 

While traditional Danish style often includes an earthy color palette, more than a few pieces at Vertigo have a colorful flourish. It adds a touch of whimsy without losing sophistication. 

Perhaps most striking of all, however, is the extraordinary collection of wallpaper books and swatches, enough to easily occupy an entire afternoon of swooning. Colors, textures, and price points for all tastes and budgets, you won’t even be able to look at them without at least considering to wallpaper a room of your house -- and the store’s owners know it. “We work with some great professional wallpaper hangers who we recommend to our customers. They are familiar with our wallpapers, some of which are printed on finicky materials with confusing matches and layouts,” Ulrich offers. 

Located on Pacific Coast Highway across from the Surf and Sand Hotel, Vertigo Home’s current location attracts a varied range of shoppers. “We work with a lot of interior designers, but locals and tourists are the backbone of our business,” Ulrich explains. “Spring is our busy season when people like to refresh and renew their homes and outside areas, but, in general, home decor is always a popular niche to be in.”

From furniture and wallpaper to kitchenware, office accessories, and even children’s toys, Vertigo is unlike any store in Laguna Beach -- the kind you have to see to believe. There’s a sprinkle of west coast cool, but it’s unapologetically Scandinavian chic and everything feels like a work of art. 

Victoria Kertz is a local journalist and co-founder of Third Street Writers in Laguna Beach. Follow her at @orangecountess on Instagram for food and travel finds. 

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