Owner of Giraffe’s Design, Glenn Ross, holds a Chinese terracotta soldier replica, one of the many unique finds at his antique store at 2231 Oneida St.

***Giraffe’s Design has temporarily been closed due to plumbing and heating problems that have not been resolved by the building’s owner. Look for an announcement in a future issue of the Front Porch on when the store will re-open.

The day has come when you take a good look at your home and feel like it has taken on a “blah” feeling. It doesn’t need to be totally redone. It just needs some pizzazz. That is the day to stop in at Giraffe’s Design at 2231 Oneida St.

Giraffe’s Design, owned by Glenn Ross, offers furniture and collectibles from model homes and estate sales. There is silver, artwork, unique old trunks, terracotta replicas in clay and leather furniture—some of which has never been used and comes from model homes.

“I have very unique bedroom furniture,” Ross said. “On the model home furniture, the price is half of what you would pay retail and it’s never been used. On the estate sale items, I just try to make a little profit on it.”

Ross has designed cocktail tables and headboards for beds, and his designs will always be in stock. Items from model homes and estate sales change often. The giraffe that stands on the floor watching you shop is not for sale. It has been in Ross’s family for years and represents the name of the shop.

Currently, Giraffe’s Design has in stock a huge, collectible ship that would be perfect for a library or a sitting room and sells for $600. A desk lamp with a leather look is priced at $110. Terracotta Chinese soldier replicas done in clay are $50 each. The same soldiers sell elsewhere for $75 to $100, Ross said.

“Maybe one item out of 10 is antique, but I don’t like antiques,” he explained. “I try to look for people that do special things in Colorado. I have a guy that makes tables and I have a well-known artist—Jess Dubois. I have his original works.

“Right now I have three people whose pieces are here,” Ross added. “I want to have 10–15 local artists, regardless of what they make—bath bits, horn pieces, whatever—just a local person from Colorado. It’s not an art gallery. It’s a place with unique things.”

Giraffe’s Design would be a great place to hunt for a unique gift for the person that leaves you with no idea what to give them for Christmas. There are leather boxes for men and jump ropes with stainless steel handles for the woman in your life who has a passion for exercise workouts.

Ross retired from mortgage banking and moved to Denver from California’s Bay Area. He opened Giraffe’s Design in June. He chose Park Hill for his shop because “Park Hill is my favorite community. I have friends that live in Park Hill. I like Park Hill because all of the houses don’t look alike. The older houses don’t have garages in front of them. I just like all of that.”

Giraffe’s Design currently has in stock a collectible ship.

To see about 100 items that Ross offers, become a friend on Facebook to Giraffe’s Design Denver, CO. Ross also buys items. If you have something you want to sell, call Ross at 720.638.0174 for a Saturday appointment.

Giraffe’s Design is open Sunday through Friday from 11am to 4pm. The shop is open Saturdays by appointment only.

Editor’s note: Giraffe’s Design was forced to close shortly after this article ran due to water damage in the store.