Ever checked into Fort Pitt? Known for its warehouse full of used hotel furnishings from across the country, they’ve recently hit the penthouse! The Ritz-Carlton Chicago is redecorating 23 top-floor suites and Fort Pitt is selling the furniture and accessories the hotel is unloading—Louis XVI styles complete with ball and claw foots details, solid and stately pieces from big-name makers Traditional Hickory, Thomasville, Baker, as well as Frederick Cooper lamps in marble and solid brass (owner Scott Zawitz scored a few for his hip homestead—see his place in the July/August issue of Chicago Home + Garden). I’d love the half-moon tables in an entry hall, decorative side tables mixed into a more modern interior, elegant armoires, sleeper sofas as instant guest quarters. It’s all in great shape but a tad traditional for our eye. At these prices ($99–$299) we say the occasional upholstered chairs are ripe for your reupholstery, and fine wood pieces ready for a repainting, refinishing, or lush coat of lacquer. DIY or ring Agnes Barron, at Meble Custom Design Studio, 773-772-8200; she’s done the trick on many a find. See the Ritz haul at 1400 W. 37th St., Saturdays 9:30AM to 5:30PM and Sundays noon-5PM.
—BARRI LEINER
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Ever checked into Fort Pitt? Known for its warehouse full of used hotel furnishings from across the country, they’ve recently hit the penthouse! The Ritz-Carlton Chicago is redecorating 23 top-floor suites and Fort Pitt is selling the furniture and accessories the hotel is unloading—Louis XVI styles complete with ball and claw foots details, solid and stately pieces from big-name makers Traditional Hickory, Thomasville, Baker, as well as Frederick Cooper lamps in marble and solid brass (owner Scott Zawitz scored a few for his hip homestead—see his place in the July/August issue of Chicago Home + Garden). I’d love the half-moon tables in an entry hall, decorative side tables mixed into a more modern interior, elegant armoires, sleeper sofas as instant guest quarters. It’s all in great shape but a tad traditional for our eye. At these prices ($99–$299) we say the occasional upholstered chairs are ripe for your reupholstery, and fine wood pieces ready for a repainting, refinishing, or lush coat of lacquer. DIY or ring Agnes Barron, at Meble Custom Design Studio, 773-772-8200; she’s done the trick on many a find. See the Ritz haul at 1400 W. 37th St., Saturdays 9:30AM to 5:30PM and Sundays noon-5PM.
—BARRI LEINER
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Ever checked into Fort Pitt? Known for its warehouse full of used hotel furnishings from across the country, they’ve recently hit the penthouse! The Ritz-Carlton Chicago is redecorating 23 top-floor suites and Fort Pitt is selling the furniture and accessories the hotel is unloading—Louis XVI styles complete with ball and claw foots details, solid and stately pieces from big-name makers Traditional Hickory, Thomasville, Baker, as well as Frederick Cooper lamps in marble and solid brass (owner Scott Zawitz scored a few for his hip homestead—see his place in the July/August issue of Chicago Home + Garden). I’d love the half-moon tables in an entry hall, decorative side tables mixed into a more modern interior, elegant armoires, sleeper sofas as instant guest quarters. It’s all in great shape but a tad traditional for our eye. At these prices ($99–$299) we say the occasional upholstered chairs are ripe for your reupholstery, and fine wood pieces ready for a repainting, refinishing, or lush coat of lacquer. DIY or ring Agnes Barron, at Meble Custom Design Studio, 773-772-8200; she’s done the trick on many a find. See the Ritz haul at 1400 W. 37th St., Saturdays 9:30AM to 5:30PM and Sundays noon-5PM.
Ever checked into Fort Pitt? Known for its warehouse full of used hotel furnishings from across the country, they’ve recently hit the penthouse! The Ritz-Carlton Chicago is redecorating 23 top-floor suites and Fort Pitt is selling the furniture and accessories the hotel is unloading—Louis XVI styles complete with ball and claw foots details, solid and stately pieces from big-name makers Traditional Hickory, Thomasville, Baker, as well as Frederick Cooper lamps in marble and solid brass (owner Scott Zawitz scored a few for his hip homestead—see his place in the July/August issue of Chicago Home + Garden). I’d love the half-moon tables in an entry hall, decorative side tables mixed into a more modern interior, elegant armoires, sleeper sofas as instant guest quarters. It’s all in great shape but a tad traditional for our eye. At these prices ($99–$299) we say the occasional upholstered chairs are ripe for your reupholstery, and fine wood pieces ready for a repainting, refinishing, or lush coat of lacquer. DIY or ring Agnes Barron, at Meble Custom Design Studio, 773-772-8200; she’s done the trick on many a find. See the Ritz haul at 1400 W. 37th St., Saturdays 9:30AM to 5:30PM and Sundays noon-5PM.
Like the tailored industrial look? You’ll like it even more when you’ve got Richard Abrahamson pulling it together for you. Check out RJA Design, just opened on the third floor of the Boylston Building in River North. Abrahamson calls on his background in painting, art and antique collecting, and event, floral, and landscape design to … Read more
Nothing evokes a sense of mystery like candlelight at dusk. This summer, invoke that steamy tween flick Twilight and work some of these vampy lanterns into your decor.
Is your yard full of demanding, design-conscious finches? Are you in need of a very cool, artist- or architect-designed birdhouse? This one, made of wood and aluminum by architect Sig Froelich, is one of 50 to be auctioned off June 6 from 6 to 10 p.m. at artist Wesley Kimler’s studio, 2046 W. Carroll Ave. Tickets, which cover an open bar and appetizers, are $20 in advance through the Friends of Pritzker. Proceeds will go toward the building costs for a preschool and kindergarten playground at the Pritzker School. Your local feathered friends are guaranteed to sleep better.
April 16, 2009–Celebrating its 5th anniversary, DreamHome has become a permanent fixture at the historic Merchandise Mart, inspiring luxury design year-round. The University of Chicago Cancer Research Foundation and The Merchandise Mart Design Center hosted the 2009 DreamHome Preview Party on Thursday, April 16th. Guests enjoyed cocktails and hors d’oeuvres and were the first to view the new DreamHome. The event benefited the UCCRF Women’s Board, which raises funds to support basic cancer biology research at the University of Chicago Cancer Research Center.
Decorating is fun! Or so the legendary decorator Dorothy Draper reminds us. We were channeling Dot last night at Bedside Manor, where the linens boutique was welcoming its new partnership with Kindel furniture, and in particular, the Grand Rapid, Michigan company’s Dorothy Draper Collection. Draper’s painted chest was featured—in black and gold—in Vogue’s offices in the Sex and the City movie. Also shown here: the Dorothy Draper chair. The folks from Grand Rapids were in attendance to celebrate and tell their story—the firm was founded in 1912 and continues its commitment to traditional styles, with hand-carving, bench-assembly, and hand-finishing. See samples of Kindel’s furniture, available to order, in all Bedside’s locations.
I got a big white metal beverage tub at the Target Bullseye Bazaar yesterday, but what I really wanted was one of those French market baskets that were stacked up in front for shopping purposes. I asked one of the salespeople if I could buy one, and the answer was no. I asked her to ask the manager, and the manager, too, said no. No? How could that be? I was willing to pay for one! I felt like my four-year-old son: helpless in the face of authority. I didn’t throw a tantrum, though. After a quick Web search I found Medina Baskets, which carries plenty of similar totes. Also, I thought about it, and let’s say I really wanted to buy one of the big red shopping carts they have at the regular Target, the answer would also probably have been no. C’est la vie! Now if only I could teach my son that concept.
Green Home Chicago is the only local distributor of Eleek, a lighting company that uses recycled material to make energy-saving fixtures. Love the industrial look of the Starlight and Normandy pendants, shown above. They also make sconces, floor lamps, flush mount fixtures, and more. GHC is offering 10 percent off any Eleek product through June 30th.
Design-obsessed people love to talk about their favorite places to get stuff and their favorite sources for expert services. Whether it concerns a cornice, a coffee table, a light fixture, or a sound system, there’s just something satisfying about giving a friend a good tip. That’s what the following pages are all about. Call it … Read more
