Age of Scorpio

Larry Wolfe is a Scorpio, born under the sign of the resourceful and dynamic scorpion. But without that detail, it’s unlikely he would have chosen Scorpio Interiors for the name of his modern furniture boutique. “When I was first starting the business I was going to do something with a company out of New York, and all the outlets were to be called Aquarius,” he explains. “At the last minute I decided I didn’t want to be tied in that tightly to them. I couldn’t use their name then, and I needed a name quickly. Since I’m a Scorpio, I thought, why not?”

 

That was back in 1971. Today, Wolfe is still happy with his choice. For 38 of its 40 years in business, Scorpio Interiors has been located on Bardstown Road – and at its current location, 1517 Bardstown Road, for the past 18. 

 

Along with interior designer Shannon Boyd, Wolfe – an architect by training – offers decidedly modern, architecturally inspired furnishings for, he says, “someone who wants a clean look for their surroundings.” Everything in the shop makes a statement, and some pieces are sculpture more than anything else. “We have some reproductions of classic pieces that have been around for years and years,” he says, citing a table based on a design by Bauhaus luminary Eileen Gray. “It looks just as forward looking as it was when she did that in 1929,” he says. Another reproduction is that of a mid-‘60s egg-shaped chair that got new life in the film “Men in Black.” “It’s a fascinating chair to see and sit in, and it’s quite comfortable,” Wolfe says. “There are a number of very good reproductions now that are affordable. We try to show a variety of different contemporary styles in the showroom.”

 

Wolfe has always been interested in the modern style. As an architect, he primarily does interior architecture and interior lighting work, such as lighting of artwork in homes and businesses. But he opened the boutique because, he says, “I was having a difficult time locating furnishings for contemporary interiors, and so that’s how it evolved.”

 

Any biologist will tell you that evolution is based on adaptability, and many of the same principles apply to interior design. “A lot of things are modular; in one style there may be 20 different pieces that go together to make a sectional,” says Wolfe. “You might use two or three or four, but you can get the shape and size and scale you need. Our function is to put all of these various elements together to create an interior that is pleasing to our client.”

 

To make the shopping environment even more pleasing, Wolfe recently remodeled the showroom, installing new carpeting and rearranging the entire floor area. “It’s more of a customer working area at the center instead of the office,” he says. How very resourceful and dynamic.

 

Scorpio Interiors, at 1517 Bardstown Road, is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, and closed Sundays. The phone number is (502) 451-1224.