The Spotted Frog

The Spotted Frog is a business name I have always been curious about, and I was sure there must be a story behind it.

Owner Huong Nguyen explains the name is multi-layered. She says, “The frog is a powerful symbol. It also has family significance. People like the image and it’s a good conversation starter.”

The Spotted Frog is a lifestyle boutique that offers a beautiful collection of high-quality Canadian made custom furniture and home décor. The business model, like the company name, is multi-layered. It keeps evolving, and like the frog, it keeps hopping along.

The Spotted Frog opened in 2008. It was originally located two blocks south on No. 1 Road. In 2015, it moved and it turns out the new location has been extremely advantageous.

Huong says, “Furniture drives the business. We have a private loading zone and much more parking than the former location did.”

“The business grew organically to include interior design. Customers would ask for my design advice,” she says. As a result, she created an in-house design studio to meet with clients about her award-winning interior design services. One of her projects was featured on HGTV and the design firm has been recognized as a winner of the Best of Houzz for eight consecutive years.

Her extensive experience includes styling, decorating, renovating, and designing custom luxury homes. She comments, “We bring to life spaces that exude function, beauty, and harmonious flow.”

Huong’s signature look is a dynamic space innovatively mixed with various styles. She loves injecting color, patterns, and textures to create a bold and highly unique environment.

The store is beautifully curated with beds, couches, chairs, tables, wall art, clocks, pillows, and other home décor. The majority of the furniture is handcrafted custom pieces, which means there are plenty of options to select from.

Huong’s latest obsession is plants. She has a selection to choose from and confesses that the Swiss cheese tropical plant makes her feel happy and is her current favourite.

She speculates that the downtime with COVID19 has driven more people to reconnect with nature. The relaxed Boho feel is making a comeback. As a result, you will see rattan, linens in earth tones, and a flashback to the 1970s, macramé has returned. She says, “These are not so much trends as they are an anchor to help transform the current situation.”

Huong learned a lot at IKEA where she worked for eight years in various strategic management positions. She says, "The corporate role was no longer in alignment with my new role of raising a family so I pursued my dream of opening a small business to create a work-life balance that was in favour of our family."

Her children are now 10 and 13 years old. She credits her husband for running their household. Without his help, it would not be possible to juggle her dual career as a storeowner and an interior designer.

When asked about the complexity of switching hats she comments, “I like diversity. I am not the type of person who can sit well.”

Operating a shop is not as simple as unlocking the door to commence the day. Huong says with a laugh, “The creative side is all me, but I also clean the toilets and wash the windows. It is not as glamorous as it seems!” She also does all of the ordering and merchandising.

The scope of her design projects ranges from one well-decorated room up to a new custom home complete with furniture and accessories. The largest project she worked on was a townhouse development in Kelowna.

Huong has always had an affinity for Steveston. She grew up in Vancouver and Richmond. Her parents are commercial gillnetters; they have been operating out of Steveston Harbour since 1987. Huong recalls exploring Steveston as a kid where she enjoyed picking blackberries and making risky trips over to Shady Island.

Without any hesitation, she says her favourite things about Steveston are the active fishing community and the water. “It is a grounding element for me. Rivers and oceans soothe me.” She also appreciates that the village continues to remain quirky, slow, and not very gentrified.

“You get to know a family intimately when you are designing their home. Making them feel happy with a space that they love is so rewarding.”

Huong concludes, “I have never felt the support of the community as passionately as I have during the pandemic. People are rooting for small businesses. I felt like I had walked into a bubble of extra kindness when the store reopened after we were all forced to close.”

The Spotted Frog, 110-11900 No. 1 Road, Richmond, BC V7E 1S9, Telephone 778-297-4663

www.thespottedfrog.ca