Local Accent of the Northern Neck

A Family Affair: The Trimbles’ Love of Antiques and Art

By Darleen Nichols

Oxymoron is the word that comes to mind when describing Lewis Trimble Decorative Arts and Antiques in Kilmarnock. Owner Lewis Trimble describes his inventory as “modern antiques.” This term applies to high-end pieces crafted by well known designers between the 1930’s and 1980’s. Among the prestigious designers and decorators represented in Trimble’s collection are Henredon, Wormley, Dessi and Draper, just to name a few. The array of decorative pieces is quite eclectic. The model for John Risley’s sculpture “Someone is Watching” is joined by a late 19th century life-size anatomical model. A 1930’s Italian gold-plated tea set has an Egyptian Revival ibis stool as a neighbor. The gallery also houses a fine collection of Murano glass.

It would be a mistake to describe the Lewis Trimble Gallery as a local enterprise. It has clients all over the world: London, Paris, and even Dubai make the short list. Lewis is also known for supplying pieces to decorators in New York, Miami, Los Angeles and even Hollywood (for photo and film shoots). Of course, some visitors enter the shop thinking it is still a used furniture store – although once inside, they quickly realize their mistake. That’s because in a past life the space housed a “used furniture store” of sorts. The Tides Inn of Irvington rented the building to offer their furnishings for sale when the Inn was re-decorated.

The family history is as interesting as the art and antique offerings. Lewis Trimble is a third generation art and antique dealer. For more than fifty years his grandfather, Donald Sykes Lewis, owned and operated the Auslew Gallery in Norfolk, one of the largest galleries in the southeastern United States. He was also a painter, as is Lewis. Some of their work is on display in the Kilmarnock Gallery. Lewis’s mother, Leigh Lewis Trimble, is an artist and used to do art restoration as well. She did restoration work for the Auslew Gallery. Uncle Don Lewis is a painter of landscapes and still life. Brother Chris owns and operates a shop in White Stone which offers 18th century antiques and hand-crafted furniture. And not to be left out, grandmother “Bebbie” is the official greeter of visitors.

D. Lewis Trimble was born in Norfolk and attended schools in Virginia. At Virginia Tech he majored in Art and Art History. On September 11, 2001, Lewis was living and working in New York on 57th Street in the heart of the art world. He had the misfortune to see the second plane hit the World Trade Center and then watch as both buildings crumbled. In the aftermath of this tragic event many galleries closed, and work in New York became hard to find.

Lewis returned to Virginia, where he and his mother joined forces to form the current enterprise. A polio survivor since the age of 4, Leigh is now suffering from post polio. However, this doesn’t hold her back from joining Lewis on “shopping trips” to obtain new pieces for the gallery.

At age 34, Lewis Trimble was invited to join 1stDibs.com., the home of beautiful work crafted by some of the top designers and decorators across the country. If a client has a particular piece in mind, Lewis will attempt to locate it. An invitation to join 1stDibs.com is quite an honor for an antique dealer. Lewis decorated one of the bedrooms at Walesa Point, location of the Historic Urbanna Holiday Homes Tour in 2009. This exhibit displayed a daybed by Maison Jansen, who designed for President John F. Kennedy, among many other pieces from the 1930’s through the 1990’s.

Asked why he elected to open a shop in a town where antique stores abounded, Lewis said that the more options available to prospective clients, the better for all of the shops. Lewis and Leigh travel extensively to bring exciting decorative art and antiques to an extensive list of clients but there is always room for more who appreciate beautiful things. A visit to this shop is a “must” on your trip to Kilmarnock.

Lewis Trimble Decorative Arts & Antiques
15 North Main Street
Kilmarnock, VA 22482
Telephone: (804) 435-7771
Hours: 10 am – 5pm Mon-Sat • By Chance on Sunday