This Week’s Top Story

Looking to revamp your living room quickly and affordably? Havenly is a new online interior-design platform that makes redecorating simple for people with modest budgets. Just log on to the website, run through a few questions to help you choose your style profile (unless you already know yours), then let Havenly pair you with an interior designer—including Chicago-based people—with a suite of services including design renderings and concierge buying.

It’s a pared-down version of the interior design process for those who don’t want to sit through meetings or want to do some of the work themselves. The Mini package ($79) helps you redecorate one room in less than two weeks, then follows up with two weeks of post-design support. The Full package ($199) also comes with 3-D renderings so you can visualize your dream space.

Founder Lee Mayer says she uses her product herself, and goes for trendy, contemporary looks. “Whether it’s tone-on-tone patterns on beautiful rugs or grays and linens juxtaposed against white walls, I absolutely love how textures can provide variety against a clean, neutral background,” she says.

Interior Intel

RH Chicago, the Gallery at the Three Arts Club (1300 N. Dearborn St., rh.com) just debuted the Metropolitan Sofa (designed by Wyeth’s John Birch) and the Curve Sofa (an authentic reissue by Adrian Pearsall), both on view on the gallery floor. They’re part of the brand’s annual RH Modern Source Book, which partners the housewares juggernaut with leaders in furniture design.

On September 19, luxury bathroom and kitchen brands Brizo and Delta Faucet open the doors to their showroom in the Merchandise Mart (222 W. Merchandise Mart Plaza). Check out Brizo’s Litze kitchen and Vettis bath collections, and Delta’s Pivotal Bath collection, which debut in the newly designed showroom.

Sales

Lincoln Park’s Design Within Reach (755 W. North Ave., dwr.com) is slashing 15 percent off all Loll Designs furniture, so you can make the most of these final sunny days of summer. All the Minnesota-made pieces are crafted from 100 percent recycled plastic—mostly from milk jugs. Who knew those stinky dairy containers could be reused for such a stylish purpose?

Chicago artist Adam Siegel has just debuted his new show, Wabi-Sabi, Portraits of Evolution at The Golden Triangle (330 N. Clark St., goldentriangle.biz). The new exhibition, which runs through January 31, includes 32 new works. “It’s rare that an artist is able to show such a wide range of work,” says Siegel. “This is truly a unique installation at one of the most interesting places. There is just nothing else like [The Golden Triangle] in the city.” The Illinois Art Council fellow’s portraits embrace a Japanese aesthetic that focuses on finding beauty within the imperfections of life. Every piece is for sale.

Events

It’s here! Entering its sixth edition, Expo Chicago (expochicago.com) returns to Navy Pier to present artwork from 145 leading galleries. The exposition brings together curators, collectors, and art patrons to check out (and even purchase) works by established, emerging, and innovative artists from around the world. Even if you’re not in the market for a Robert Motherwell or a Sol LeWitt, pop by for an immersive art experience. (Need a guide? Check out one-day itinerary.)

Over at the Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in Fine Arts (4 W. Burton Pl., grahamfoundation.org), the Madlener House has been taken over by fellow David Hartt, whose multimedia installations have appeared at Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art and the Art Institute of Chicago. His new commission here, In the Forest, revisits architect Moshe Safdie’s Brutalist, unfinished Habitat Puerto Rico project. Though it was never completed, the 1968 concrete structures remain in decent shape as the jungle encroaches all around them.

For architecture junkies, the Chicago Architecture Biennial (chicagoarchitecturebiennial.org) returns for its second year—and it’s the largest architecture and design exhibition in North America. The show opens Saturday and runs through January 7, giving you plenty of time to explore the most transformative, creative, innovative works by top minds in the field. This year’s Biennial includes more than 141 architects from some 20 countries, all talking and thinking about the theme “Make New History.” Everything is free, and events are happening all over the city, though the main HQ is at the Chicago Cultural Center (78 E. Washington St.).