These nifty pieces, perfect for tight spots, have tricks up their sleeves. They double as work stations or snack tables and as innocent-looking, highly presentable furniture. 1) Hinged leaves at the ends of the Moooi Two Tops oak table oak table open to reveal laptop-ready desk space with grommets for organizing cords; $5,010 to $5,727, … Read more
For practical modern pieces with a whole lot of presence, Blu Dot rarely disappoints. Here are some of our favorite picks from their spring collection. All available at I.D., 3337 N. Halsted St., 773-755-4343; idchicago.com Son of a Bench Rubber-coated steel; 54 inches long, 16 inches high, $1,299 Shilf Powder-coated steel modular shelving, comprised … Read more
Two new wallpaper options are available for people who love a lot of choices. For an additional $40 per order, any of Kreme’s patterns (1) can be recreated in any color (rolls are $215 each)—just provide a swatch of the hue you’d like to match. Farrow & Ball recently came out with a pattern called … Read more
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I was in Michigan recently speaking at Susan Fredman’s At Home with Nature and I got a tour of Susie’s home, where I was one of the first to see her new table. Roger Boike, a designer for Fredman, had this giant granite boulder cut in half and shipped from Southeast Asia. The top was “flamed” to give it a pebbly finish without being uneven. It’s a more rustic alternative to a honed or polished finish, Roger says. All we know is, this table rocks!
—JAN PARR
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If you’ve walked by Ligne Roset recently you may have noticed the amazing three-dimensional fabric sculpture hanging in the window. Called “Clouds” and designed by the French duo Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, this DIY art installation is also on display at the new Modern Wing of the Art Institute. Want to try this at home? The fabric tiles come flatpacked in boxes of eight (starting at $440) and 24 (starting at $1,105) in 14 different colors. The package also includes mounting materials; all you need is a bit of your own artistic vision and you can create museum-quality art for your house. Only at Ligne Roset.
—Gina Bazer
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A fabulous grill and an outdoor kitchen to go with it is definitely a status symbol in Chicago, but to up the ante, there is always the brick oven. Chicago Brick Oven , started by three neighbors in Elmhurst, has recently partnered with celebrity chef Mario Batali to design three models for the company. Now you can name-drop about your brick oven, too! Available through Chicago Roof Deck & Garden
—Gina Bazer
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When you’re a couple who really likes to cook and you’re redoing your kitchen, you make sure you have it all. Jim Dase, a designer at Abruzzo Kitchens, had an idea this Glencoe couple hadn’t thought of: build an herb garden right into the counter. Surrounded with wood and stone from the countertop, this planter box has a stainless steel liner with a drain that ties into the plumbing for the sink. For months, the Glencoe homeowners have been enjoying fresh cilantro, basil, parsley, and more, which are thriving thanks to the grow light bulbs installed in the decorative fixtures and can lights. Dase says the light is surprisingly nice and clean.
—JAN PARR
Hoop Dreams producer Frederick Marx has a new documentary in the works, based on the Dalai Lama’s efforts to preserve the culture of the last remaining Tibetan Buddhist society…
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Lee Weitzman just sent us a pic of his new table, a riff on the classic Noguchi. Weitzman’s Mantis coffee table, shown here in mahogany, is available in five wood finishes; the size is customizable. He’s working on a design for a side table to complement this one as well.
—JAN PARR
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Rain may have dampened the turnout at The Guerrilla Truck Show on Tuesday, but, luckily, design enthusiasts could seek shelter and satisfy their cravings at the corner of Huron and Franklin where an empty showroom was taken over for the night by Object Society, an ad-hoc consortium of Chicago-based furniture designers. It was hard not to caress Michael Dreeben’s midcentury-modern inspired chair covered in a creamy tan cowhide (see photo above). Dreeben’s curvy lines also showed up on a cocktail table and wood-veneered light fixtures (pictured above), which he did in collaboration with Ray Doeksen — their simple elegance the result of countless hours of engineering, according to Ray. Michael Koehler never ceases to impress us with his gorgeous walnut creations, and the credenza he had on display made me consider whether all I might need to make me happy was one piece of furniture. (Did I dream it, or did the credenza really open up to reveal a hidden storage space for a rifle?) Other highlights included a great new floor lamp and fabulous teak outdoor lounge chair (pictured below) by Carson Maddox (Maddox’s pieces are on display for a limited time at Lee Weitzman’s showroom in the same building); Jason Lewis’s refined lounge chair (pictured below); metal nesting tables (pictured above) in a perfect color palette by metal+works; more inventive takes on recycled furniture by Roscoe Jackson — I was particularly taken by his white recycled-plastic nightstand with one organically shaped wood drawer. The group plans to hold other events in the future — follow us on Twitter and Facebook for updates!
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—MEGAN DUFFY ROSTAN
