If there was a Venn diagram of soul-soothing activities, surely getting lost in a good book and petting an adoring pooch would intersect. That idea was the impetus for Book Hounds, a new St. Michaels, Maryland, shop that caters to both bibliophiles and their four-legged friends.

To design the bookstore, which is housed in a 1920s-era Victorian, owner Michelle Coughlan reached out to Philadelphia-based Michelle Gage Interiors. The goal was to create a space that felt inviting and lived-in—a place where humans could stroll in with their dogs and leisurely browse the stacks. Gage accomplished that by leaning into the owner’s love of English interiors, with each room having its own distinct palette and mood.

“Overall, we wanted the store to have a cozy, curated vibe—much like a home,” she says. “Michelle is such a lovely person to be around and we wanted the interiors to have the same effect.” 104 N. Talbot Street; 410-745-8070. bookhoundsmd.com.