Ink

One word describes the inventory at Mash Handmade, a new Westport boutique.

Covetable.

This shop opened a couple of weeks ago and specializes in handcrafted house wares from local and regional artists.

“We have so many fun things that you honestly can’t find anywhere else in the city,” co-owner Amanda Tholen said. “Everything you didn’t know you were looking for.”

The goods: You’ll find a selection of expertly crafted home accessories, including cheeky aprons, funky wall art and vibrant, upholstered chairs, as well as a few personal items such as jewelry and hair combs.

A children’s section called Mini Mash is stocked with whimsical toys, blankets and blinged-up baby shoes.

Buying handmade is hot, Tholen said.

“Right now, with the economy shifting and our ideas about living green, people are being more conscious about how they shop,” Tholen said. “Buy handmade and you support an artist.”

About 15 artists supply the inventory. People can apply to sell their wares at mashhandmade .com.

The owners: Tholen, 29, opened the store with her mom, Karen Tholen. The pair — who sell wares as Miss Mash and Mama Mash, respectively — hope to host monthly workshops in their store.

“For years, we wanted to have some kind of business together,” said Amanda Tholen, an art school grad who also works in a dental lab. “We’re both lifelong crafters.”

The look: Tholen’s objective? Less stuffy than a gallery, more comfortable like a home.

The boutique is bright, clean and colorful — and in good company. Neighbors include Boomerang, a vintage-goods store, and Chop Tops, a rockabilly hair salon. “This whole block is really nurturing to the creative side of life,” Tholen said.

The name: When the mother-daughter duo decided to open a home accessories store, the younger Tholen recalled the childhood fortune game MASH — remember it? — whose acronym stands for Mansion Apartment Shack House. The idea behind the game, she said, reflected the point of the shop.

“People of all walks of life and sizes of paycheck can find something in our store,” she said.