Pet project: Photographer relaxes her subjects, then snaps a portrait

Shelly Guberek's clients enter her South Miami shop tentatively. They pause at the display of doggy beds and sniff the plaid fabric here, the attractive stripe there. Then they check out the table of treats -- miniature sugarless cupcakes with yogurt frosting.

Dania shop specializes in treasures from the sea

The official name of this store is Alex's Flamingo Groves and Gift Shop, but some regulars simply refer to it as the shell shop. Indeed, it is a shop with lots of shells. Bins and bins highlight the twisty, speckled, smooth, prickly and rippled assortment of treasures from the sea. Teeny apple blossom shells are pink and white. Lion's paws are fan shaped. A Japanese slit looks like a generous dollop of whipped cream. More than 700 varieties are in stock, and most come from the Philippines, according...

Coconut Grove thrift shop has flourished for 50 years

Hippies have come and gone, businesses have prospered and failed, building facades have been radically transformed, but for 51 years at Commodore Plaza, the This 'n That Thrift Shop has remained a popular kid on the block.

Rudma Picture Co. frames history

In a city where businesses come and go, Rudma Picture Co. has a venerable history. It was founded in 1948 by Charles Amdur (Rudma spelled backward), who hired Paul Boutilier in 1952. Eventually, Boutilier and his wife Gladys, who had moved to Miami from Vermont, bought the company, which had expanded to four stores. They framed pictures for the old Burdines department stores.

Art and Salads blends assorted artwork with bistro fare

When browsing through this gallery in Fort Lauderdale, go ahead and look straight up. Sure, plenty of art pieces are at eye level. But some of the paintings are hanging high, flat against a grid that stretches across the top of the store.

FLORIDA FINDS

Elegant castoffs: Furniture Exchange recycles high-end items

Frances Pomerance has turned recycling into a virtual art form at her Furniture Exchange in South Miami. How many places can you pay $1,260 for a flawless, second-hand, four-by- five-foot, copper-topped Turkish coffee table that originally cost $5,000?

FLORIDA FIND

Paul Farren sells products powered by natural energy

Lightbulbs, water heaters, and even the beach bags sold at The Energy Store in Hollywood have an energy-efficient twist. Those bags, for example, have a solar panel on the front that's designed to recharge batteries (and some phones) while you frolic in the surf.

Akzent's kitchen cabinets are handmade

t isn't often that a kitchen showroom is the result of a love story, but this is definitely the case with Akzent Miami. When Cristina Raidt Mendoza was 18, a German boy visited Costa Rica, her native country. There was an immediate spark and after writing letters to each other for two years, Cristina moved to Germany to attend architecture school, marrying that pen pal, Peter, who was a boy no longer.

Kreon uses 'Tools of Light' to infuse drama

Though it may seem oxymoronic, lighting designers being obsessed with shadow as much as they are with light is apropos.

Flou bed system touts comfort, style -- and extra storage

When Toby Zack's customers buy a Flou bed, they get a ``system.'' The Italian design includes bed frame, headboard, mattress and linens and pillows crafted in stunning fabrics. But best of all, an optional feature is under-the-bed storage. Some even have built-in book shelves along the frame.

Kitchen designs fuse function and technology

Italians love to eat, so it should come as no surprise that they are also passionate about their kitchens. Italian architect and designer Antonio Cittero has made it his mission to bring warmth and professionalism to the kitchen, making it the social epicenter of the home.

Gallery's offerings aren't just for looking

Visitors to the European Art Gallery are encouraged to touch the art. Three-dimensional works by artist Irmaly Brackin combine layers of resin, enamel, glass and metallic acrylics, framed in glass beads and marbles. The granddaughter of the famous German expressionist painter Hans Grohs, Brackin creates art that is sophisticated and full of texture and depth.

Company mixes wood and metal for custom combinations

Combining exotic woods with metal can be tricky, but Verna Design International in Doral approaches the task with talent, craftsmanship and decades of experience.

Two women who run Little Green House use the products they sell

Two South Florida women have created a virtual Little Green House -- an online business selling eco-friendly products for activities ranging from walking the dog to remodeling the kitchen.