Patina Alan Shull’s take on the cottage concept is on display at this charming, uncluttered, burlap-walled shop in Andersonville. Shull is sticking to his country-boy roots (he grew up in Oregon, Illinois), dotting Patina with large-scale reproductions of small-townish signs he paints and distresses (at press time, he had one advertising a general store), old … Read more
Grucza Studios For the past 25 years, Michael Grucza has been restoring 20th-century decorative art, furniture, and sculpture for up-there clients like the Art Institute of Chicago and Wright auction house. He can work in virtually any medium (be it matching a leg for a wooden chair, rebuilding a crumbling stone statue, or returning the … Read more
Careful Peach, Geneviève Lethu Careful Peach is a charming little shop that feels like it could be stumbled upon in Paris. Owner Karen Morava carries everything from Juliska glass and dinnerware to bamboo bedding, vintage jewelry, and imported preserves, mustard, and honey, as well as vibrant—mostly French, all machine-washable—table linens. For a slightly more contemporary … Read more
Northern Lights Swiss cowbells, Jordan-signed basketballs, and Chinese porcelain vases are just a few of the things these pros have wired up and topped with custom shades. This beloved old Winnetka shop and its lamp artisan extraordinaire, Sam Boulos (here 25 years), are the secret weapons of many prominent designers—Michael Del Piero, Christine Garrett, and … Read more
Carlisle Wide Plank Floors Founded 44 years ago by a historic preservationist frustrated with the sterile monotony of modern wood flooring, Carlisle has longstanding relationships with sawmills that give the firm first pick of old-growth timber from sustainable forests. “We’ll find the widest boards with the tightest grain possible,” says product management director Scott Jones, … Read more
Clark and Barlow More than 500 manufacturers represented, with about 10,000 knobs, pulls, hinges, and other pieces to choose from. In business since 1894. Knowledgeable salespeople. A favorite with design pros. Free parking. Plus a no-kidding, nuts-and-bolts, hardcore hardware store, right there. What more could you want? 353 W. GRAND AVE., 312-726-3010, CLARKANDBARLOW.COM
Loomcraft Find 15,000 square feet of high-end fabrics (think Kravet, Waverly, Duralee) at 50 to 75 percent off retail prices at Loomcraft. “We’re one of the largest suppliers of in-stock home-decorating fabrics in the Midwest, maybe nationwide,” says store manager Avon Cote, who presides over a vast sea of sample racks and bolts encompassing everything … Read more
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Dad always said it’s what’s on the inside that counts. So when he sent along an e-mail filled with these kitschy but clever photo tarpaulins, I finally figured out what he meant! They’re made by a German firm that went from window and door decals to Style Your Garage. Neighbors will certainly stop in their tracks (or move!) at the sight of your swanky new Cesna, mid-life crisis mobile, stable doors, garage band, or any of the many hilariously designed cover-ups SYG offers on their site for $200 and up. So whether you have a warped sense of humor or no solution to your unsightly “up and over” garage door—they’ve got you covered. The site says they are as easy to attach as a screen in a window. All it takes is the Velcro fastener system they include, 15 to 30 minutes, an extra hand, measuring tape and a bit of moxie.
—BARRI LEINER GRANT
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Naomi Cooper, director of marketing and public relations for Pierre Deux, the French Country boutique, was in town last week to present a preview of the company’s new spring line. If French Country isn’t your style, fear not: We spied plenty of things at the new store in River North that would blend beautifully with many types of décor. In particular, we loved these mega bottles ($120) of hand-blown glass (they’d look terrific grouped on a side table) and this line of pillows (shown: 12 inches by 18 inches, $250) from Ankasa, hand-embroidered, from France. Couture for your couch.
—JAN PARR
A designer’s century-old graystone evokes her childhood in Vienna and her adulthood in the here and now
