Four Winds Artful Living

I went to Four Winds after my trek to Nepal with my daughter, super interested in buying something there. The sales lady followed us around as if we were shop lifters and the whole experience left me feeling a bit sick as we were treated as if helping us was way too much trouble or we were stealing something. The experience was a first for me.

Trekking in Nepal is not something I’ve long wanted to do. In fact, it never really occurred to me until one day in March 2015 when I followed my intuition into Matt’s store where I was offered a card containing details about guided treks in Nepal. As I took the card in my hand I experienced a powerful sensation pulling me forward. Instead of dismissing the opportunity as I would normally do, I stepped into it. The following evening I made a commitment to join Matt’s group in October. I didn’t know why I was choosing to go… I just knew that I needed to.
In the months preceding my trip Nepal was hit with two devastating earthquakes. News of the tragic impact this event had on the people of Nepal spread around the world. The economic impact of the disaster on the country’s most vital industry, travel and tourism, received much less publicity. The Nepalese people quickly repaired trekking routes closed by the earthquakes, although most trekkers cancelled their trips in the months that followed.
My trip was no exception. Although I signed up to trek with a group, five months after the earthquakes I was the only remaining client who was undeterred. It was the first time in 21 years that Matt didn’t have a group. It would have been easy for him to justify canceling my trip, but instead he honored his commitment to me and offered a unique opportunity which I happily accepted. Instead of trekking with a group, mine would be a solo experience guided by Matt’s head sherpa, Gombu.
The trip was INCREDIBLE! It was everything I hoped for and so much more than I could have imagined. Any reservations I had about Matt’s absence on the trip vanished when I met Gombu. At all times during the trek I knew that I was in excellent hands. Even though Matt wasn’t with us, Four Winds was very well represented. At every guesthouse along the way I was welcomed and treated as family, which was comforting after each day of hiking at altitude. Matt truly has developed some longstanding friendships and strong bonds with the Sherpa people I encountered during the trek, and I felt privileged to be his client.
To this day when I am asked about my Nepal trip by others I find it difficult to describe the experience in words. briefly, at least. The closest I’ve found so far is to say that leaving the people, mountains and spirit of Nepal was absolutely heartbreaking and not a day passes that I don’t dream about my next Nepal adventure. Before the trip I didn’t understand the spontaneous feelings compelling me to embark on this adventure. Nor did I have the capacity to understand the incredibly profound sense of living life that I would experience on my 14-​day trek. An awakening of my spirit and sense of self occurred for me in Nepal, and I suspect it’s just the beginning of a richer and more rewarding experience of being who I am.
There is an enormous number of guide services out there if you are considering a Nepal trek, but I truly don’t believe you could make a choice better than Matt Fioretti and Four Winds. There are good reasons why he and his crew are so loved by the Nepali people. Matt and his crew are highly experienced, genuine and compassionate people who operate with responsibility and integrity in a marketplace where those values are often sacrificed to create the illusion you are getting more for your money. What you don’t get to see until you are there is the impact this has on the people who are working for the guide and you, their client. Matt takes excellent care of his sherpa and porter staff, who in turn take excellent care of you. It is wonderful to be a part of this ethically responsible practice and to contribute to the goodwill of people who you may consider family by the end of your trek.
Of course, every individual will have a unique and personal experience on a trip such as this, and yours will certainly differ from mine. However, I truly believe that Matt and Four Winds played a significant role in my overwhelmingly positive experience of the Himalayas and Nepal. Another way to look at this… your choices as a visitor of this extraordinary country will influence your experience of being there. Partnering with a guide who is a steward of the land and people will go a long way toward the impression you leave behind and the impression you take home with you.

What a treasure at the top of Queen Anne. This store is a pleasure to visit and acquire precious gifts or a winter treat (hat or the softest scarf). The owner is the kindest, genuine person and his staff are always ready to help with wrapping, advising or talking about the product, its origin and makers. I have been a customer for over 15 years. I return again and again and am always happy with my purchases and the experience.

I decorated my whole office space with treasures from Four Winds. My clients are always wowed by the bench made of Tamarind which graces my waiting room, adorned by colorful silk pillows as accents. Matt is a wonderful soul, and I’m so happy to support his work. Hand made pieces from hand selected reclaimed wood – How does it get any better than that? If I could give 6 stars, I would.

I don’t really know what to say about this place, though I have been here several times now with my mom. She loves browsing here, and we often have brunch nearby, so I’m getting some Four Winds under my feet on a semi-​regular basis lately.
It’s a combination of occasional furniture, housewares, decorations, and women’s accessories. Basically a land of temptation for the Visa-​equipped housewives of Queen Anne. My mom gets ideas for her condo every time we come here, but she blanches at the prices – «I’m not paying $ 400 for a side table,» and so on. They have tons of little things, too. Candles, salad bowl, scarves, purses, decorative rocks. Then there are sink basins, and huge carved-​stone sculptures, and interesting benches. Things you can fit in your pocket, and things you’ll need to borrow a truck to move.
They emphasize products, to some extent, from the Himalaya – Tibet, Nepal, maybe some Bhutan stuff. I think they get stuff from everywhere, but those are the primary manufacturing locales of choice for this spot.
The people are always super nice, and everything in here looks to be of very high quality. If the prices don’t bother you, and the items suit your taste (or the taste of whomever you’re shopping for), then this is a fairly handy store for you. I’ve never wondered who shops here or anything like that, it’s always just seemed a bit on the pricey side.

I love this store! The owner is a *lovely*, sweet, welcoming, kind, and charming soul, and the whole place has a warm, inviting energy. The prices range from reasonable to a little high, but there’s something for everyone.
I LOVE their candles, soaps, jewelry, scarves, and cute summer dresses, and everytime I walk past the store windows, the handbag displays never fail to make me stop in my tracks. They’re a little out of my price-​range, but I *love* peeking in to admire. :)

This place is awesome! They really know how to make customers feel valued, even if they’re just browsing. Matt, the owner is kind and helpful has interesting stories about his treks. Their prices are reasonable and you know you’re buying something no one else has. This is the anti-​Crate & Barrel!

After getting my hair cut and my eyebrows/​lip waxed today, I stumbled into Four Winds and was immediately drawn in by the lovely Matthew and April. The calming music and the friendly demeanor of the staff was so enjoyable! April showed me how to use a (recycled) wood hair stick which I am happily wearing in my hair right now and love! I highly HIGHLY recommend Four Winds for any free-​spirit looking for great conversation and some funky, one-​of-​a-​kind jewelry, hand bags, and home décor. Matt told me he knows almost all of the artists he purchases from and goes all the way to Indonesia, Thailand, and Nepal to find what he sells. That’s a business that we can all feel good about supporting. Namaste!

This Queen Anne boutique is a local treasure. The owner and wonderful employees are knowledgable, kind and helpful. Great finds at great values.

A great little shop full of hand-​picked stuff. A great resource for birthdays, holidays, housewarming &c…

I wish I had more money to spend at this place. The owner (s?) is very friendly and has a personal connection with all the items in stock. Matt has some wonderful stories about his travels and also his life struggles. Amazing guy.
It’s a little pricey but we’ve been happy with everything we purchased here. The porcelain tea set was pretty, though it didn’t pour neatly (always a challenge with teapots) and the bamboo handle was cumbersome. We still love our bamboo/​paper lamp that we had rig ourselves with an electrical fixture. The rough paper notebooks made great gifts and we’re still filling in ours.
The best item we purchased there was a really old rug that was actually used as a doggie blanket. It had the perfect color and pattern so we settled at a pretty high price point of $ 400 but we love it to this day and it’s held up beautifully. It shows that Matt can spot quality even for his dog.

Happened to walk past Four Winds this evening and dropped in quick before I met friends for dinner in Queen Anne. What a find! Scarves, hats, jewelery, and ornaments made in co-​ops in Indonesia, Nepal, or Thailand. Everything is beautifully displayed and manager was very helpful. Prices are a tad steep, but I would rather pay more for fair trade, which is exactly what Four Winds is providing. So glad I stumbled across this one!

This place is a real gem on Queen Anne. Hand carved statues that are actually beautiful, imported from Bali. Beautiful teak furniture and tables…
If you want cool stuff with a tibetan/​buddhist influence come here.
Even if you’re shopping for tables/​chairs etc… come here before you sell out to Crate and Barrel, Pottery Barn, and heaven forbid… Restoration hardware. I think I pick on the last one the most simply because people are WASTING SO MUCH MORE money on the exact same piece of crap furniture they have at the other places.

This is an amazing store! Great imports — clothes, jewelry, furniture, housewares, and knick knacks, all bought by the owner, Matt, who is super nice and helpful. I’m usually a bit skeptical about buying stuff made out of country (sweat shops and slave labor and all that) but he travels and knows the families that make the things he sells, which makes me feel better about the import factor. Some of my favorite skirts and all of my favorite jewelry is from this store. If you’ve never checked it out, you should.