Just Like Heaven
Chance in Hell’s Retail Boutique
Client: Meghan Lutz and Kitten
Role: Architecture, Pre Design, Interior Design, Adaptive Reuse, Entitlements, Zoning Variances, Zoning Changes
Scope: Construction of new retail shop.
Status: Complete 2025
Size: 800 sq. ft.
Budget: $160,000
Collaborators: Arch Builders, Synergy Consulting Engineers
Adjacent to the Chance in Hell snoball shop on Louisa Street, the retail boutique, Just Like Heaven, occupies the second ground-floor space within the historic building, offering a curated collection of vintage clothing, homewares, and sundries. In contrast to the theatrics of its neighbor, Just Like Heaven foregrounds the building’s historic character while introducing a fresh and light-filled atmosphere that embraces maximalism through the curiosity of secondhand finds and community exchange.
Original elements, including the pressed tin ceiling and large street-facing show windows, were thoughtfully restored and celebrated, reinforcing the shop’s connection to the building’s layered past as a place of trade.
Maximalist details—from black-and-white checkered floors to bold trim—juxtapose the softer features of the original building, all set against a light, pastel color palette.
Together with the snoball shop, Just Like Heaven completes the mixed-use ground floor, restoring the building’s commercial life and reestablishing itself as a reliable neighborhood destination, lending joy and novelty at any age.
Studio West’s design balances restraint and personality, providing a quiet backdrop that allows objects of memorabilia, curated vintage wardrobes, and collected pieces to take center stage while reflecting the playful spirit of its owners.
