Window treatments intimidate me. There are a lot of premade panels, blinds, poles, and gewgaws for hanging available, but I’m never sure where to measure or hang the rods, and I’m not a fan of big contrasting buttons, tabs, or clips. My partner Peter and I have been talking about changing up our sunroom window situation for quite some time…
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Virtu is a cute little Bucktown shop that’s been around for a while, and every time I go in I’m reminded of why I like it so much. Owner Julie Hororwitz Jackson carries practical and fun items such as these FDA-grade silicone placemats ($18 each; shown above) by Modern-Twist, along with doilies ($25 per pair) and coasters ($23 for box of 4). Cute easy-to-clean placemats are a very good investment in my book.
—GINA BAZER
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I confess that European Furniture Importers on Grand is one of those showrooms I tend to forget about, even though I bought some stools there a few years ago. So I was happy to get a note from them about two new pieces, both from Cattelan Italia. The Goblin table by Modus Studio has a thick glass top on a solid walnut or oakwood stained wenge base. It comes in several sizes and shapes. The Kayak sideboard by Andrea Lucatello comes in polished white or black lacquered wood and has a three-dimensional jewel design on the doors.
—JAN PARR
In a North Side townhouse, Old World elegance meets modern joie de vivre
Post 27 are having a fun joint event this weekend called Vintage Processing Plant, taking place at both stores. “We have amassed an amazing amount of vintage planters, and we’re planting up each one,” says the press release. All plants will be for sale. —GINA BAZER
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Going on today through the rest of the weekend, Vintage Pine’s Fall Festival, featuring new shipments of antiques from France, England, and the Netherlands, and the opening of a new shop, Salvage Sisters, a collaboration between 11 local interior designers (including real estate stager Bethany Souza, a regular on HGTV’s “Designed to Sell,” and custom linen designer Maida Lin) who have come together to sell their vintage wares. Check Vintage Pine’s website for details.
—GINA BAZER
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Morlen Sinoway just got these fun cardboard animals, designed by an architect who decided to get creative with some leftover materials at the office. They come in two sizes: $35 for an approximately five-inch-high beast, $120 for eighteen inches high. Sold flatpacked in an envelope, they come with directions for easy assembly. Fun gift for a kid, especially one with designphiles for parents. Morlen also carries these awesome felt rugs. What’s great about them—in addition to the fact that felt is so darn cozy, durable, and unexpected on the floor—is that you can order them for about $20 a square foot in custom colors, designs, and sizes (not so great is that it takes 10 weeks for delivery—though good things come to those who wait!). I love how the stripes are sort of fuzzy, rather than hard; it’s a soft-yet-modern look, and you can go wide or thin for the stripes. The display samples in the store are currently 10 percent off, including the runner shown above ($504).
—GINA BAZER
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I like this new organic cotton bedding by Amy Butler for Welspun. I have to agree with what the press release says: ”This bedding is perfect for teens heading off to college, young professionals furnishing their first homes, or any eco and style-conscious person in between.” Prices range from $30 for a decorative pillow to $250 for a King Duvet set at Bed Bath and Beyond. It’s rarely a good idea to buy an entire set—they often feel too match-matchy. But elements of these would make a great foundation for a fun bed-scape.
—GINA BAZER
Interior designer Annika Christensen loves to surprise with her hues
