By Amy Wolf, Sunset travel editor

There are so many reasons to love western Sonoma County it’s a little ridiculous. Take, for instance, the Inn at Occidental with its folk-art–filled rooms. Or Osmosis day spa with its Japanese-style cedar enzyme baths and calming tea garden. Or Wild Flour Bread, with its wood-fired oven and incredible pear, fig, and ginger hard-crusted loaves. Or the Sonoma Coast beaches. The sun seems a little more golden out here, and everyone seems laid back and creative.

So I wasn’t at all surprised when, as I was suiting up for a bike ride (yep, that's me up there!) from the teensy town of Valley Ford to Salt Point Campground, south of Jenner (where we were planning to take the kids for their first real camping trip beyond our backyard), my husband urged me to step into a little shop called West County Design. Which turned out to be the kind of place I’d like to have as my own home.

I mean, look at this swimmer! I want her in my front entryway. “She’s so naive looking, isn’t she?” said Sharon Eager, the shop’s owner, whose name I adore. (I mean, I’d marry a man whose last name was Eager, just for the name. Instead, I married a Wolf.)

I lusted after the tables too, all handcrafted by Craig Collins, Eager’s husband. (Collins is a fine name but I don’t blame Eager for not changing her name.)

But mostly I loved the small stuff, like these colorful Chilewich "plynyl" floor mats. We bought an orange one and took it with us camping. You never know when you might need an orange floor mat.

In case you’re wondering how the camping trip went, check back with me next week. In the meantime, tell me: what’s your favorite small-town design shop?