How cool is this industrial metal chair, circa 1920, part of a new shipment from France that’s just arrived at The Golden Triangle? Or the club chair, circa 1930? Co-owners Chauwarin Tuntisak and Douglas Van Tress took a few trips to Paris markets recently, and filled a crate with some amazing vintage furniture and accessories, all at nice discounts over last year’s prices (the combo of a lower Euro and widespread discounting). While in Paris, they tapped the connections and expertise of, among others, Didier Milleriot, our favorite Frenchman, who operated Le Magasin here til he moved back to Europe a few months ago. These new pieces are set in the shop amid the “Exposed” collection of modern, reclaimed wood pieces. “It’s a dry, angular backdrop to the curviness innate to the French things,” says Van Tress. “The intent is not to create a French shop in my store, but to create powerful, earthy, often industrial” items that are complementary to the rest of the store’s merchandise. We think he’s done it!
—JAN PARR
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How cool is this industrial metal chair, circa 1920, part of a new shipment from France that’s just arrived at The Golden Triangle? Or the club chair, circa 1930? Co-owners Chauwarin Tuntisak and Douglas Van Tress took a few trips to Paris markets recently, and filled a crate with some amazing vintage furniture and accessories, all at nice discounts over last year’s prices (the combo of a lower Euro and widespread discounting). While in Paris, they tapped the connections and expertise of, among others, Didier Milleriot, our favorite Frenchman, who operated Le Magasin here til he moved back to Europe a few months ago. These new pieces are set in the shop amid the “Exposed” collection of modern, reclaimed wood pieces. “It’s a dry, angular backdrop to the curviness innate to the French things,” says Van Tress. “The intent is not to create a French shop in my store, but to create powerful, earthy, often industrial” items that are complementary to the rest of the store’s merchandise. We think he’s done it!
—JAN PARR
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How cool is this industrial metal chair, circa 1920, part of a new shipment from France that’s just arrived at The Golden Triangle? Or the club chair, circa 1930? Co-owners Chauwarin Tuntisak and Douglas Van Tress took a few trips to Paris markets recently, and filled a crate with some amazing vintage furniture and accessories, all at nice discounts over last year’s prices (the combo of a lower Euro and widespread discounting). While in Paris, they tapped the connections and expertise of, among others, Didier Milleriot, our favorite Frenchman, who operated Le Magasin here til he moved back to Europe a few months ago. These new pieces are set in the shop amid the “Exposed” collection of modern, reclaimed wood pieces. “It’s a dry, angular backdrop to the curviness innate to the French things,” says Van Tress. “The intent is not to create a French shop in my store, but to create powerful, earthy, often industrial” items that are complementary to the rest of the store’s merchandise. We think he’s done it!
How cool is this industrial metal chair, circa 1920, part of a new shipment from France that’s just arrived at The Golden Triangle? Or the club chair, circa 1930? Co-owners Chauwarin Tuntisak and Douglas Van Tress took a few trips to Paris markets recently, and filled a crate with some amazing vintage furniture and accessories, all at nice discounts over last year’s prices (the combo of a lower Euro and widespread discounting). While in Paris, they tapped the connections and expertise of, among others, Didier Milleriot, our favorite Frenchman, who operated Le Magasin here til he moved back to Europe a few months ago. These new pieces are set in the shop amid the “Exposed” collection of modern, reclaimed wood pieces. “It’s a dry, angular backdrop to the curviness innate to the French things,” says Van Tress. “The intent is not to create a French shop in my store, but to create powerful, earthy, often industrial” items that are complementary to the rest of the store’s merchandise. We think he’s done it!
Greg Steffens of Haus in Andersonville just emailed with a smart alternative to traditional holiday décor: these porcelain logs from the Brooklyn-based art studio KlienReid, he says, are not only perfect for putting in your non-functioning fireplace, but also make for a cool-yet-cozy centerpiece for your dining room table or a sideboard. Evoke the spirit of the holidays in less predictable way.
One of our favorite local design studios, Unison Home, is holding a Holiday Market, the next two Saturdays (Dec. 13 and 20 from noon to 6 p.m.) and also from Dec. 16 to Dec. 19 from 4 to 7 p.m. at 2000 W. Fulton St., 312-492-7960. This is a rare chance to shop straight from the source (Unison’s fun wares are sold at CB2 and a few other local retailers) and get your hands on some exclusive items (Unison aprons, Christmas tree skirts, holiday table runners, and ornaments). The Greater Chicago Food Depository will receive 15 percent of all sales.
The Raul Carrasco showroom on Hubbard is closed. A few days before Thanksgiving, a spokesperson who was packing up told us that there had been some sort of dispute with the landlord, and that the company was securing a new location. We’ve tried to follow up, but have not had calls returned and the voicemail for the Chicago showroom (the firm started in Miami) gives no information.
After several years at his Lakeview location, home enhancer George Lowell has joined the Andersonville pilgrimage and opened up shop at 5123 N. Clark Street. This stretch of Clark south of Foster (I can’t bring myself to call it SoFo, I just can’t) is developing into quite the lively design district, with shops like Baan Home, Marguerite Gardens, Foursided, and now Lowell’s emporium of sharp and eclectic furniture and accessories. Things are going swimmingly, reports George, who has tripled the size of his store and packed it with creamy ceramic urns, Adler-esque pillows, oversized Romanesque statuary, and lots more me-approved merchandise. Mostly new, with the occasional antique in the mix. He’s also an experienced interior decorator who brings a fun formality to his work, playing with scale and using unexpected artwork to liven up spaces.
Casamonte, a great off-the-beaten-path showroom that offers a mix of high-end products from Australia—including EcoSmart flueless fireplaces and Omvivo wash “planes” and other unique bath accessories, such as the Le Cob tub (both shown above)—is gearing up to close its doors. Discounts of up to 50 percent are available until the merchandise is all sold. Owner Paul Fiermonte will still represent these vendors in the U.S.
My mom loved wrapping presents, especially at Christmastime. She was obsessed with it, and even set up a designated section of the basement, with a folding table and ribbons sorted by color. She would spend days making puffy bows, folding origami tags, and collaging works of art that really were a shame to tear open. She also had a wicked sense of humor, and loved to trick us by putting gifts in inappropriate boxes. She’d tuck a doll for my sis in a power-tool package, my Mork rainbow suspenders in a cigarette carton—that sort of thing, just to see our (momentarily) disappointed faces. She would have slapped her knee silly with these fake boxes that the Onion store sells: “Visor-ganizer—turns your hat into another pocket” and “KleenStride—the personal debris removal system.” They have six Onion-y designs, they’re 12 in. by 9 in. by 4 in., and $7.99 each. Watch out!
We can think of no more festive boutique this time of year than Branca, set in a townhouse on Pearson Street. Stop by Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. for cider and treats, and feel good knowing that 15 percent of all sales that day will be donated to Children’s Memorial Hospital. Need some gift ideas? Branca’s gorgeously designed new website has a few excellent suggestions. Love the faux croc credit card pouch for $40 (even better with a Branca gift card inside); the faux bois glass hurricane for $175; and the set of four garnet lowball glasses for $120; the striped are $80 for a set.
I went to college in Lake Forest, and used to ride my bike up and down Lake Road, checking out all the estates, daydreaming about getting adopted, hoping to spot Daisy and Jay (or Mr. T. I’d have settled for Mr. T.). Most of the really big places are hidden away behind gates and walls, but one of my favorites was always Bluff’s Edge, a stately red-brick manse near the ravine and the lake, so it was cool to see that Leslie Hindman Auctioneers is opening it up for a veddy, veddy proper tag sale this weekend. There will be English and French antique furniture, Italian carved marble urns, important Oriental carpets, wingback chairs, a big collection of Audubon prints, and even a Steinway piano, all up for grabs on Sat. Dec. 6 and Sun. Dec. 7, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 620 Lake Rd. Oh and should you have an extra $7 million rolling around in the bottom of your Birkin, this Georgian peach of a home is up for sale itself. For more info on that, contact Baird & Warner’s Mona Hellinga at 847-814-1855.
Whilst strolling the Boul Mich the other day, the new window displays at Cole Haan caught my eye. They have a new line of leather bar accessories, and they’re swell for the dipso holiday season. These leather wine totes are over-the-top—they also come in shiny red patent leather and the signature C.H. woven pattern. At $98, it’s a pretty classy chassis for your two-buck Chuck, so you might want to just use and reuse yourself when you go to BYOBs or over the river to Grandmother’s house. This leather handled corkscrew ($55) comes with its own carrying case, and the witty set of coasters ($65) is printed with the options olive/twist, straight up/on the rocks, dry/dirty, and stirred/shaken.
