Gracious Home

Profile

Stocked with a bewildering collection of hardware and housewares�everything from closet organizers and bedding to cookware, electronics, gardening tools, lighting, and party supplies�the store, mindful of its uptown clientele, tends to showcase upscale brands than Home Depot and nearby Bed, Bath, and Beyond. But the opportunity to purchase a vacuum cleaner with a four-figure price tag is part of the charm of this forty-year-old local institution, where frou-frou scented candles and downy duvet covers lay side by side with unglamorous air conditioners and garbage cans. In addition to all the stuff, Gracious Home has a parts department and a repair clinic, rents out tools and carpet-shampoo machines, and offers free delivery in Manhattan, as well as assembly and installation of purchases. Though not as mind-bogglingly large, the sizeable Upper West Side outpost offers a substantial selection of housewares and domestic booty. — Geeta Dayal