As his retail shop celebrates its second anniversary, local decor expert Barry Mason shares how it continues to be his dream come true.
Written by KATHRYN DRURY WAGNER
Photography by TIFFANY BRADLEY // Courtesy BARRY MASON
STEPPING INTO PROPER ENGLISH Home Decor and Curated Designs, one slips easily into relaxation mode. There’s that signature scent gently wafting on the air — it’s Japanese Quince by Seda France, and yes, you can buy it here. There are ever-changing displays, and gift ideas galore (but good luck not shopping for yourself, too), and design consults with store owner Barry Mason, who has become one of Savannah’s tastemakers.
Born and raised in the Hostess City, Mason has a background in marketing and business, and got his career start in management and merchandising for a big department store. He also later worked in roles in banking, HR, and accounting, but says, “I always knew I wanted to do this, to open my own shop. Now, 20 years ago, I wasn’t exactly sure what it would look like, but I knew it was a goal.” All the other stepping stones, he says, “taught me a little bit of everything, from every angle.”
Meanwhile, Mason was for decades also doing seasonal and holiday decorating for private clients. “It was all word of mouth, and Savannah is great for that,” he says.
In September 2023, he opened his storefront at Twelve Oaks Shopping Center (5500 Abercorn St., Suite 41). “Nothing against big-box stores, but I wanted this to be immersive and creative, where people can see things and touch textures, and have conversations. It’s not just products on shelves.”
Mason set out to transform an empty, white-walled space — it had formerly been a store carrying bridesmaids dresses — into a homelike environment, with details such as a fireplace and a dining room-style table that allows clients to assess centerpieces or place settings.
“For me, it’s always been about creating a unique and elevated experience,” says Mason, who admits he is “picky about what I’ll put in the shop. I look for things that are timeless.” You’ll find gifts, home decor, local artwork, pottery, coffee table books, and materials for making floral arrangements, such as ceramic vessels and high-end faux botanicals. Pieces from Italy and England mix with others from India or Germany, and there are U.S. designs as well, like the swivel gliders, which can be custom-ordered in around 50 fabrics.
Mason and his wife, who is a nurse, have two boys, and it’s obvious when talking with him how much he values family and tradition. “My own home is furnished with pieces given to us by our grandparents and parents,” he says. In addition to what he calls his “grab and go” centerpieces in his store, he encourages customers to bring in special pieces so that he can create a custom arrangement that suits it. “Maybe it’s an heirloom piece that has been sitting on your dining room table, and you weren’t sure what to do with it,” he says. “We do a lot of that type of work, and I’m grateful for it because every piece is different.”
Mason also does in-home consults, advising clients on how to style items on built-in shelving, for example, or on furniture placement. “Sometimes, people want to work with what they have but to see it through fresh eyes, to see what we would do with it,” he explains.
Come November, the store goes into full holiday mode, with a variety of luscious Christmas tree concepts on display. He notes that people are decorating earlier than they used to for Christmas, but, “You’re either team pre-Thanksgiving, where the day after Halloween you are decorating for Christmas, or you are a person who doesn’t want to see a tree until after Thanksgiving,” he says.
But whether you style your home multiple times a year or only occasionally, Mason welcomes you in. “It doesn’t matter if your home is strictly traditional, or French country, or if you love coastal things, or it’s midcentury; we have a little something for everyone here. Our goal is to make everything feel intentional.”
