Wright auction house (wright20.com) is hosting an exhibition of pieces created specially for this show by product designers Constantin and Laurene Boym (Alessi, Flos, Vitra) Nov. 3-14. At the Merchandise Mart (mmart.com), Dining by Design is Nov. 5-7; the One of a Kind Show and Sale is Dec. 3-6. SOFA (sofaexpo.com), featuring artful functional objects, … Read more
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It’s no secret that a whole lot of people who love home design also love their pets. Interior designers Todd Haley, Susan Fredman, and the owners of Hudson Home are all gaga about their dogs; I just came across this interview with Nate Berkus about living with furry friends in Tails magazine. Seems like the pros don’t worry too much about dog hair on their furniture or paw marks on their floors. (Cats are a different story… if you’ve got clawing kitties, we’ve got tips here. If you truly love your pet, then perhaps you need a plaque made in its honor. Made by local artist Kristen Romaniszak (out of gouache and ink on paper, glued to wood) these quirky portraits are available through Asrai Garden ($60 for 4-by-4 inch size; $140 for 5-by-7). All you need do is provide a photo of your beloved; delivery time is about two weeks.
—GINA BAZER
If you’re a regular on the charity gala circuit, or attend a lot of fancy-pants weddings and dinners, you’ve probably seen and admired the work of BBJ Linens…
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Hailing all the way from Valencia, Spain, sculptor Ernest Massuet, who creates pieces for Lladro (such as Sunset at the Pier, shown above), will be demonstrating how a Lladro creation is made at Pierce Interiors at 6177 N. Lincoln on Thursday, Oct. 22 from 5 to 7 p.m.
—GINA BAZER
With paint colors, as with hairdressers and doctors, it’s best to get a recommendation before jumping in. We asked our trusty style editor, Barri Leiner, to spill the beans on seven hues that design pros turn to again and again.
Q: My old leather sofa looks exhausted. What should I do?
A classic 1950s split-level in Riverside gets an update that celebrates its past
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A few things that caught our eye from the new accessories collection from Roche Bobois: enameled ceramic leaf plates by Edith Terrier and the Trench pillow. See more at 222 W. Hubbard St.
—JAN PARR
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I knew I never should have brought home the Dux Bed brochure. My husband started flipping through it, becoming more and more engrossed, and disparaging about our “inferior” bed. Thank God I hadn’t taken him to the opening party of Duxiana at Tree Studios! It’s truly hard not to get hooked on what they’re selling (Champagne helps, too): The secret is 4,980 springs in a Dux bed compared to about 1,000 in most mattresses, organic, all-natural materials, headboards that tilt down for reading (and which come with zip-off cover so you can change colors on a whim), zip-off mattress covers (since the bed will likely outlast its cover), and easily customizable support for each side of the bed. Not convinced? You’re welcome to take an up to four-hour nap in the lower-level “sleep room” (shown here). It’s basically a little hotel room outfitted with the silkiest Dux mattress and bed linens. It’s one of the company’s three sleep rooms in the U.S.—in New York, says area manager Mark Wilson, 70 percent of shoppers who take a nap on the bed emerge with credit card ready. (Actually, at between $5,000 and $12,000, it’s not much of a hit for a luxury bed that will likely be the last one you buy.) May my husband never learn of the sleep room.
—JAN PARR
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Furniture designer Bladon Conner, who has been featured on this blog and in our magazine several times (his groovy designs are carried at Scout and Post 27), is going to be on TV this weekend, talking about his “edgy sustainable furniture,” which is the topic of the NBC show “Open House” Sunday at 10:30 a.m. Connor will also be hosting an open house of his own at his new studio space at 1845 W. 35th St. in McKinley Park (near Bridgeport), Saturday, November 14, from 3 to 8 p.m. Check out the designs that will be on the show, and plenty of his other fantastic work. Snacks will be served. Check his Web site for more details as the event approaches.
—GINA BAZER
