If you think an end table is just an end table, then you haven’t seen Kathy Taslitz’s Old Leaf, a delicate yet sturdy wilted leaf of a table made with etched blackened bronze on the surface, polished bronze on the underside. And clearly you haven’t talked to Taslitz about the endless possibilities for expression that designing furniture affords. "When I first drew this table, I thought about parents maturing," says the artist and interior designer, who just opened a studio/ gallery space in River North. "What was once new and shiny has become old and curled, yet still provides support and love." After working on clients’ high-end homes for nine years, Taslitz spent the last two creating Pieces of Ourselves, a 14-piece collection of sculptural furniture and accessories (of which Old Leaf is one) that, she explains, "expresses identity, family, humanity, and a sense of where we all come from." Look for dressers, tables, and accessories made of glass, metal, and wood. And don’t be afraid to use them—these pieces are not just meant to sit there and look profound. Kathy Taslitz Studio, 313 W. Superior St., 312-787-7899; kathytaslitzinteriors.com