As art directors, there are many days where we feel like we have the best jobs in the world. We get to go inside some of Chicago’s best-designed homes, meet the talent behind them, and then work with great photographers to feature these amazing spaces in the pages of our magazine. At the end of the day, however, our feelings of inspiration begin to mix with a healthy dose of envy as we return to our own homes. The reality is that appreciating good design, and being able to afford it, is not always a package deal. We certainly get that, especially now—which is why we love luxe for luxe but often live luxe for less. Maybe that’s why a low-budget, high-design store like IKEA is such a mecca. Last week we were invited to test-drive some of their new products in advance of the launch of their 2010 Catalog, and we were excited to see that their commitment to affordable good design is still in check. Not only have they lowered their prices on some of their best-sellers (that’s a new trick!) but they’ve expanded some of our favorite lines, including the IKEA PS Collection. This line includes furniture, glassware, textiles and lighting, and is created by collaborations between designers and students, which gives all of the products a unique and artsy feel. Here are a few items from the PS Collection that we fell in love with. (Not all have hit the stores or the Web yet, call first for availability):
1. A modern version of the Moroccan daybed, the Veranda bed frame is equally at home in the living room or bedroom, $499, stained and clear-lacquered solid pine. 2. Add sculpture to your table with the oversized Spraka spice mill, $19.99 each, of solid birch and feldspar porcelain. 3. We love the mid-century modern look of the Nybygge shelving unit, $229, oak veneer. 4. Keep warm with the super thick and soft wool Vadmal throw, $29.99. 5. Mies Van der Rohe meets Swedish chic in the August bench, $499, of solid pine and leather. 6. Impress guests with a couple of the Bjuda glass carafes at your next dinner party, $9.99 each. 7. No need for flowers with the modern, organic look of the stoneware Stock vase, $24.99 each.
- MEGAN DUFFY ROSTAN AND ADAM MOROSCHAN
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As art directors, there are many days where we feel like we have the best jobs in the world. We get to go inside some of Chicago’s best-designed homes, meet the talent behind them, and then work with great photographers to feature these amazing spaces in the pages of our magazine. At the end of the day, however, our feelings of inspiration begin to mix with a healthy dose of envy as we return to our own homes. The reality is that appreciating good design, and being able to afford it, is not always a package deal. We certainly get that, especially now—which is why we love luxe for luxe but often live luxe for less. Maybe that’s why a low-budget, high-design store like IKEA is such a mecca. Last week we were invited to test-drive some of their new products in advance of the launch of their 2010 Catalog, and we were excited to see that their commitment to affordable good design is still in check. Not only have they lowered their prices on some of their best-sellers (that’s a new trick!) but they’ve expanded some of our favorite lines, including the IKEA PS Collection. This line includes furniture, glassware, textiles and lighting, and is created by collaborations between designers and students, which gives all of the products a unique and artsy feel. Here are a few items from the PS Collection that we fell in love with. (Not all have hit the stores or the Web yet, call first for availability):
1. A modern version of the Moroccan daybed, the Veranda bed frame is equally at home in the living room or bedroom, $499, stained and clear-lacquered solid pine. 2. Add sculpture to your table with the oversized Spraka spice mill, $19.99 each, of solid birch and feldspar porcelain. 3. We love the mid-century modern look of the Nybygge shelving unit, $229, oak veneer. 4. Keep warm with the super thick and soft wool Vadmal throw, $29.99. 5. Mies Van der Rohe meets Swedish chic in the August bench, $499, of solid pine and leather. 6. Impress guests with a couple of the Bjuda glass carafes at your next dinner party, $9.99 each. 7. No need for flowers with the modern, organic look of the stoneware Stock vase, $24.99 each.
- MEGAN DUFFY ROSTAN AND ADAM MOROSCHAN
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As art directors, there are many days where we feel like we have the best jobs in the world. We get to go inside some of Chicago’s best-designed homes, meet the talent behind them, and then work with great photographers to feature these amazing spaces in the pages of our magazine. At the end of the day, however, our feelings of inspiration begin to mix with a healthy dose of envy as we return to our own homes. The reality is that appreciating good design, and being able to afford it, is not always a package deal. We certainly get that, especially now—which is why we love luxe for luxe but often live luxe for less. Maybe that’s why a low-budget, high-design store like IKEA is such a mecca. Last week we were invited to test-drive some of their new products in advance of the launch of their 2010 Catalog, and we were excited to see that their commitment to affordable good design is still in check. Not only have they lowered their prices on some of their best-sellers (that’s a new trick!) but they’ve expanded some of our favorite lines, including the IKEA PS Collection. This line includes furniture, glassware, textiles and lighting, and is created by collaborations between designers and students, which gives all of the products a unique and artsy feel. Here are a few items from the PS Collection that we fell in love with. (Not all have hit the stores or the Web yet, call first for availability):
1. A modern version of the Moroccan daybed, the Veranda bed frame is equally at home in the living room or bedroom, $499, stained and clear-lacquered solid pine. 2. Add sculpture to your table with the oversized Spraka spice mill, $19.99 each, of solid birch and feldspar porcelain. 3. We love the mid-century modern look of the Nybygge shelving unit, $229, oak veneer. 4. Keep warm with the super thick and soft wool Vadmal throw, $29.99. 5. Mies Van der Rohe meets Swedish chic in the August bench, $499, of solid pine and leather. 6. Impress guests with a couple of the Bjuda glass carafes at your next dinner party, $9.99 each. 7. No need for flowers with the modern, organic look of the stoneware Stock vase, $24.99 each.
As art directors, there are many days where we feel like we have the best jobs in the world. We get to go inside some of Chicago’s best-designed homes, meet the talent behind them, and then work with great photographers to feature these amazing spaces in the pages of our magazine. At the end of the day, however, our feelings of inspiration begin to mix with a healthy dose of envy as we return to our own homes. The reality is that appreciating good design, and being able to afford it, is not always a package deal. We certainly get that, especially now—which is why we love luxe for luxe but often live luxe for less. Maybe that’s why a low-budget, high-design store like IKEA is such a mecca. Last week we were invited to test-drive some of their new products in advance of the launch of their 2010 Catalog, and we were excited to see that their commitment to affordable good design is still in check. Not only have they lowered their prices on some of their best-sellers (that’s a new trick!) but they’ve expanded some of our favorite lines, including the IKEA PS Collection. This line includes furniture, glassware, textiles and lighting, and is created by collaborations between designers and students, which gives all of the products a unique and artsy feel. Here are a few items from the PS Collection that we fell in love with. (Not all have hit the stores or the Web yet, call first for availability):
1. A modern version of the Moroccan daybed, the Veranda bed frame is equally at home in the living room or bedroom, $499, stained and clear-lacquered solid pine. 2. Add sculpture to your table with the oversized Spraka spice mill, $19.99 each, of solid birch and feldspar porcelain. 3. We love the mid-century modern look of the Nybygge shelving unit, $229, oak veneer. 4. Keep warm with the super thick and soft wool Vadmal throw, $29.99. 5. Mies Van der Rohe meets Swedish chic in the August bench, $499, of solid pine and leather. 6. Impress guests with a couple of the Bjuda glass carafes at your next dinner party, $9.99 each. 7. No need for flowers with the modern, organic look of the stoneware Stock vase, $24.99 each.
In the mid-1930s, Frank J. Fisher, a Marshall Field’s executive, commissioned the architect Andrew Rebori to design a residential property that would also generate some income. Rebori recruited the muralist and craftsman Edgar Millerto help detail the spaces with stained glass and other finishes…
Last Friday night, Primitive threw a phancy phiesta to launch Phuture Primitive, the second chapter of its With Primitive series, the in-house quarterly invitational in which local designers use the shop’s inventory to set up living environs in small spaces. For this installation, Lukas Machnik of Florense and Jennifer Sweas of Jennifer Sweas Design transformed…
Lake Forest–based Brimar, a to-the-trade trimmings, hardware, and textiles company, has just come out with a slick line of drapery hardware inspired by modern architecture called Manhattan. Instead of a typical cylindrical rod, this one is flat and narrow and the finials that go with it have the same streamlined quality. Sold through Kenneth Ludwig Home (Merchandise Mart, 312-467-0530), and Chicago Design Team (Arlington Heights, 847-394-1800).
Once an off-the-beaten-pather in Ravenswood, Patina, an urban cottage–style antique shop, has joined The Andersonville Strip (at 5137 N. Clark St..), jumping on the Clark Street bandwagon with other great shops of its kind like Scout, White Attic, Brimfield, The Cottage, Room Service, and Roost. For other great finds in Andersonville check out our guide.
The dog days of summer are always a great time to stock up on furniture and accessories at reduced prices. One of our favorite shops, the charming Crosell & Co. is holding its annual floor sample sale, with furniture and lighting on sale from 25 to 75 percent off. Find upholstered furniture, tables, lamps, chandeliers, pillows, and more from Cisco Brothers, Arteriors, Ankasa, Luna Bella, Kelly Rauch Designs, Soleil de Provence, and Arte Italica. In conjunction with the floor sample sale, accessories such as Lawrence Essentials hand-carved resin serving pieces, L’Object nickel and gold serving bowls and trays, Casafina Portuguese stoneware, Michael Aram, Riedel, Kim Seybert, and more are on sale. Shown here: A cast aluminum Louis 14th chair upholstered in black patent leather for $2,000 (down from $3,000) and Preston Bailey for Egizia crystal from Italy, $20 each or four for $60 (originally $60 each). Save through the end of August.
We were shocked when we heard that Baumeister Electronic Architects, one of the city’s top integrators (the guys who automate your home’s lights, security, thermostats, music, movies, and video games) fell victim to the recession in January, leaving clients in a lurch as the firm was liquidated. But wait! There’s a happy ending. John Baumeister has been hired by Automated Lifestyles here as business development manager, and the firm bought Baumeister’s remaining assets from liquidators. Baumeister’s former service and maintenance manager is on board, too, to work with Baumeister’s previous clients. That must be music to their ears.
It’s almost August yet it feels like summer just started, with all that less-than-beachy weather and whatnot. Oh well, if life gives you lemons, you can still make a vodka lemonade, and there’s plenty of time to legally still wear your white skinnies…
Who hasn’t dreamed of a closet like this? This new luxe system, called Valet, is from Neff. The modular design offers tons of cool features, including wooden hangers with stitched leather; leather-faced toe kicks and ceiling scribes; chrome spiral hangers to hold up to 60 garments for corner storage; and roll-out, leather-trimmed shirt shelves with softly curved glass fronts (the better for viewing your bespoke creations). Are you worthy? Pat Borg of Neff promises to soon show us a Valet system he’s installing in an area home—it sounds incredible. In the meantime, ogle the model on display on the first floor of the Mart in LuxeHome, near the Neff showroom.
Bleeker Street (847 W. Grand Ave.), a fun, well-edited antique shop run by Denise Odell now has a 400-square-foot satellite shop in the back of Brimfield (a great antique shop owned by Julie Fernstrom located at 5219 N. Clark St. Find everything from big wooden planters and dough bowls to cows skulls and vintage furniture.
