A big thanks to writer Claire Walsh and our friends at WSGN for this glowing write-up in their Interiors Trend Analysis Sept 2009

On our recent trip to the US West Coast, the WSGN interiors team visited Surfing Cowboys, a lifestyle store that embodies the California attitude. Fashion Photographers Wayne and Donna Gunther were forever on the road looking for surf and adventure and the couple had amassed an amazing collection of furniture, pottery and wooden skate and surfboards along the way. They decided to close their studio and open their place as a store back in 1998; the store anchors the eastern end of Abbot Kinney Boulevard, and provides the shopping stretch with authentic character.

Their mix of art, textiles, mid 20th century furniture and surf memorabilia offers an authentic slice of Californian culture. Iconic designs mix with handcrafted one-offs; sculptural pieces have the look of outsider art; and the collection of pottery spans vintage Californian brands such as vintage Catalina to mid-20th century German pots and vases.

The homeware is coupled with beautiful vintage surfboards in wood and softly shaded fiberglass designs, hard-to-find surf stickers and transfers and a mass of wooden skate decks bolted to the walls complete the look.

The couple show work by craftspeople who share their laid back, built to last aesthetic. Silouettes are sturdy, with a mix of hardwearing materials such as leathers, hard woods and metals. They have also begun to produce furniture based on the most loved pieces from their own home. We love the combination of the slender wire frame and strong leather sling of the Santa Cruz chair.