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Norma Santamaria unwinds in the serenity of her West End home. The round teak kitchen table with chrome base was designed in the early 1960s by Warren Platner for Knoll. She found it at Impulse.
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On the kitchen table is a clay cast of a woman’s torso inscribed with bra sizes, found at Metro Modern. Made by California artist Kay Henkel, Santamaria says, “It’s all about what I do — sizes, beauty, art.”
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A shiny silver marlin watches over the living room from its spot high on a wall. Crafted by hand by TJ Guthrie, the fish is made of aluminum.
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An undulating and elegant pendant light by LZF Lamps made of smooth cherry veneer hangs over the dining room table. Winner of a design award, it is available from Y Lighting.
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Perched on an end table next to her living room sofa is a leather male torso, found at Verve Home Furnishings. It was once a prop at Miller & Rhoads.
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A pair of tall ceramic lamps “make any room look elegant,” Santamaria says. Found at Revival Consignment, “They bring that modern, Midcentury, clean, minimalistic style to the decor of my home.”
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In contrast to the many wood accents in their home, the upstairs loft hosts a pair of vintage Labarge steel and brass chairs covered with antelope skins from Kenya.
When Norma Santamaria traveled from her home in El Salvador to visit family in New Orleans in 1978, she was just taking a little vacation. Smitten with the vibrant city and its colorful culture, she decided to stay, and a new life began to unfold that would lead her to achieve her dream of entrepreneurship.
She earned a degree in business administration and worked in women’s clothing boutiques learning about millinery and antique and contemporary clothing. “I learned a lot there,” she says of her early days in New Orleans.
After moving to Richmond with her former husband and their three young boys, she picked up right where she left off and worked for upscale West End shops Frances Kahn and Coplon’s. Customers loved her eye for style and her knack for helping them select just the right attire for any occasion. She also came to realize that many of her clients had vast collections of beautifully crafted clothes, shoes and accessories, and they might be willing to part with certain pieces.
Santamaria went into business for herself in 1999 as a stylist and wardrobe consultant selling clothes on consignment out of her house. Starting with just three consignors (now almost 2,000) and a list of contacts, she spread the word about her new venture, and women began making appointments to shop at her house.
“We had music and wine and a really good time,” she remembers fondly. But soon, she adds, “It was crazy! We grew out of proportion to the space. So, in 2002, I opened a retail shop, and it took off.”
Customers streamed into Baggio, her shop named for Italian soccer player Roberto Baggio, to snap up well-constructed, stylish fashions at a fraction of their original costs. Santamaria was working round the clock at her shop. Shoppers loved having access to fabulous clothes that they had seen in magazines and upscale shops but couldn’t afford at the retail prices.
“We have something for everybody, from teens to older women,” Santamaria says. “I have very high standards for customer service. We speak to everybody and will work with anyone to help them find the best options for them.”
While Santamaria’s shop is full of dazzling finery, she has chosen a completely different vibe for her new home that she shares with fiance Allan Margeson. Neutral paint colors and cleanly designed Midcentury finds provide a soothing backdrop to enjoy downtime. Asked what she loves about each of her favorite things, Santamaria offers the same enthusiastic answer for all: “The lines!”
