(lively music) - I would describe Amelie's as very unique.

One of the biggest things that I always hear about, aside from our amazing pastries is how people speak of the decor and how, you know, beautiful and whimsical and amazing everything is.

- [Customer] It's inspiring, it's a wonderful ambience.

It just has a artistic spirit.

- After years of repurposing items, I've developed a really keen eye for what will work and what won't work.

I am part owner and designer for Amelie's French Bakery.

16, probably 17 years ago, the original owner saw some of my work in Julia's Coffee Shop, which is in Habitat for Humanity Restore, and she asked who had done the design, and they connected her with me.

As we brought in a little more money, the decor, of course, improved a little bit, and things just evolved from there.

(lively music) These are macarons that I use in various projects for my decor.

I make 'em out of this, which is used to seal windows with.

As an artist, I'm trained to see things not as they are, but what they could be.

And that is why I have this unrelenting creative drive to transform things and not leave things as they are.

- I don't think as many people would come to Amelie's if we didn't have the decor that we do, the photo ops, and just experiencing each of the different bakeries.

So all the bakeries have something a little different inside versus it's a different chandelier or a different mosaic table that Brenda has made.

We have like upside down tree and other places have like raining macarons with umbrellas.

So everyone is just a little bit different.

I think that's what pulls our customers in.

(lively music) - Well obviously, you could feel the French Paris ambiance, but it has a very unique dream-like aesthetic.

So it's really draws you in to really look at different things, and it's really cool.

- I like to think that when you walk into Amelie's, each location, there is a story, and the story can be what your mind conjures up.

You know what it inspires in you and what you can relate to.

I like to say it's Allison Wonderland meets Marie Antoinette.

- [Announcer] Step into an exciting, colorful, wonderfully new world.

There are wonderful tunes for your heart.

(playful music) - So I'd say a lot of my inspiration comes from just everyday life and the things I see every day and I try to, I can look at the same thing every day for years and then suddenly see it differently the next day.

I just wanna be free.

I don't wanna have anybody else's opinion in my mind about what something should look like or what the rules are.

I just flow, and that is the advice that I would give to anyone that aspires to create their own niche in art.

(lively music)