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For one day only, June 17 from 10AM to 4PM, up-and-coming local interior designer Alison Gramenos (above) of Alison Victoria Interior Design will be showing pieces from her new furniture collection at Artistic Tile at LuxeHome. Gramenos has not yet formally signed the pieces with any vendors, so this is a good opportunity to get a sneak peek.

—Gina Bazer

A reader of our earlier blog about One Kings Lane informed us that she was unable to shop the Web-based upscale accessories discounter without a sponsor. Effective now, all Design Dose readers can consider themselves sponsored. Just log on to the site by clicking here and you should be good to go.

—Gina Bazer

Start your week off right by giving props to those local independent designers who often toil away under the radar to give Chicago its bragging rights in the larger design arena. Tonight, from 6 to 9 p.m. there’s the opening reception of “The Promise of this Moment: Objects that Augment the Everyday,” presented by the Mighty Bearcats in collaboration with the Object Design League at 2035 W. Wabansia St. in Bucktown (open through the 22nd by appointment; call 312-560-1532).  This show features ceramic gas fireplace logs (shown above) by Materious and Steven Haulenbeek, whose Cumulus Light Canopy has graced our pages as well.

Continue toasting the indie spirit Tuesday night at the Guerilla Furniture and Art Truck Show, 6-9 p.m., at 1052 W. Fulton Market. Organizer Morlen Sinoway says this is the largest event yet, with more than 20 trucks filled with wares by Green Sawn, F2, Brickermade (chair shown here) and others, which will be parked along Fulton Market for your perusing-while-schmoozing-and-beer-drinking pleasure.

—Gina Bazer

There’s a new exotic wood showroom in town. San Juan Ventures, based in Bali, exports wood from all over Indonesia to the United States. The company’s flooring has been available through Holly Hunt and Birger Juell in the Mart and its furniture and architectural elements, through de Giulio Kitchen Design in Wilmette, but last week, the company opened a freestanding showroom at 664 W. Hubbard, managed by Kandis Wrigley. I stopped by for the opening party and was floored (pun intended) by the showroom. It’s open by appointment only and mostly caters to design pros.

—JAN PARR

How does she do it? How does designer Kara Mann  just keep finding more and more cool stuff for her showroom (above Hubbard Street in a huge, airy space with black-painted walls and floors)? I’m wowed every time I go there, never more so than last week, when she threw a party in celebration of her newest line, by Debra Weninger Design. Weninger, a Holly Hunt alum (you may remember we included Weninger in our feature about Holly Hunt grads who go on to do big stuff of their own in our May/June 2008 issue), has a couch, a sexy table, terrific mirrors, and these fab chairs, embroidered by Holland & Sherry, on display. 

—JAN PARR

Even during this economic downturn, certain luxuries can be attained at bargain prices-that is, if you’re willing to shop for them online during restricted hours. The Web-based upscale-home-accessories dealer One Kings Lane holds sales daily-usually representing one or two manufacturers per day-offering discounts of up to 70 percent off retail. Sales last for only 72 hours and who knows when any given company will be back to play again? Click on Sales Event Calendar to see whom they’ve got lined up. When we last checked, linens, pillows, and bath accessories from Dransfield & Ross were having their moment (a celadon-colored faux-crocodile-with-nailhead-trim tissue box, normally $80 retail, was sold out-it had been going for $39; some elaborate embroidered pillows that are normally $475 were available for $199). Coming up this week, selections from Arte Italica (see photo above) and Arteriors Home.

-Gina Bazer

San Diego–based Kreiss is closing its storefront at 415 N. LaSalle St. and will be represented in Chicago by Design Atelier at the Merchandise Mart. The LaSalle store will remain open through the end of October to sell off its remaining inventory at up to 70 percent.

—Gina Bazer