Steve Koch’s Serenity Sofa and Juno Lounge Chair fit into any decor. When Doug Van Tress opened his huge new location of The Golden Triangle, he called Steve Koch, a local furniture designer and manufacturer who owns Koch-Smith at the Merchandise Mart, to help him out. Van Tress needed furniture to help customers visualize how … Read more
New York–based FTF Design Studio (a small firm that has done homes for Christy Turlington and Ed Burns, Shalom Harlow, and François Nars) has been using Corian to make furniture and accessories for the past two years. Their latest creation, a multipurpose rack (put to use as the modernist’s dream log holder, above), comes … Read more
Q. Our 1920s bungalow has its original wooden sash windows that work with ropes, pulleys, and weights. The windows have been heavily painted; plus, some ropes are broken and the windows must be propped open.
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If you haven’t already checked out our November/December story “Great Gifts Under $50,” click here for some great ideas. And for a few more, may I also suggest hitting up the MCA’s gift shop? The quirky selection is perfect for small gifts that pack a punch and don’t deplete the pocketbook. Here are two fun ones: These cutely packaged acetaminophen tablets ($7.50) crack me up and would probably put a smile on my face even if I had a headache. I also love notebooks of any kind, and the MCA store has plenty! This fun 160-page journal is only $12. See more clever options here. Does anyone else have favorite places to shop for cheap and chic gifts?
—Gina Bazer
A Lake Shore Drive condo owner learns to minimize—and achieves inner peace.
Crazy about the non-new? Prepared to travel to unlikely locales or navigate a warehouse or the Web to find really good pieces? Here are three local hidden treasures you should know about
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Cycle two of Bravo’s Top Design competition has come to an end, and the esteemed judges picked Nathan as the winner of the $100,000 cash and the four-page spread in Elle Décor magazine. Woo hoo. It seemed like the contestants were picked for their annoying laughs, celebrity relatives, or ability to perform shirtless, not for any great discernible design vision, and I mostly just watched to see what that crazy Kelly Wearstler would be wearing (a glitter beret and ankle socks with heels—cool!) and to hear Jonathan Adler’s snarky comments (these people were obviously working on his last, bare-ankled nerve by finals) rather than for design ideas. For the last challenge, the final three playas were given some cash and set off to furnish a townhouse. Beefy, Baldy, and Boho ran around L.A., and I was pleased to see them make a stop at Nadeau Imports. I’ve been a fan of the Chicago branch since it opened—they have a jam-packed warehouse full of solid wood furniture and accessories at unbelievable prices. One of the pieces Nathan picked was a huge Indian chest made of reclaimed wood, and Nadeau’s Midwest manager Keith Heric tells me they have one in stock that’s very similar (pictured above, 60” x 33” x 37”, $646). Using it in a smallish room with neutral furnishings almost cost Nathan his tiara (probably didn’t help that he referred to it as “an S&M sarcophagus”) but I think it’s got a great goth look, and would make a swell table base in a more suitable mise-en-scene. See you later, decorator!
—BRADLEY LINCOLN
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Don’t miss the St. Chrysostom’s Day School Holiday Faire this weekend, offering home accessories, jewelry, clothing, and more from dozens of local vendors, including interior design doyenne Alessandra Branca (witness her gorgeous taste in photo at left) and Home + Garden’s own style guru, contributing editor Barri Leiner, whose jewelry line, M&B Vintage (examples shown at right), is about as charming as it gets. The fair also offers free activities for kids and entertainment for adults. 1424 N. Dearborn Pkwy., 312-642-3422.
—Gina Bazer
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Dining by Design, DIFFA’s big annual fundraiser, roared into town again last week at the Mart. At the cocktail party on Thursday, designphiles munched on crab cake, chicken, and shredded-pork sliders, sipped cocktails and Beringer wines, and took in the designer-designed tables. Shown here: Kara Mann’s goth forest space complete with Nymphenburg china, a mod and totally happy table by the students at Harrington College of Design (the trend of mixing modern chairs with traditional wood tables is one we’re seeing everywhere—these vintage chairs were donated by a faculty member), Sheri Zeman of Faux Design Studio’s faux-finished space (table, table base, walls, and floor are all faux-finished), and Susan Fredman Design Group’s elegant entry. Delicious.
—JAN PARR
Credit: Fredman photo by Nick Novelli, Novelli Photodesign.
The owner of Haus fell in love with the pottery of Mark Williams before he ever opened his shop. Now, Gregory Stephens is featuring the Michigan artist’s pots and bowls in a spotlight event through November. Williams, who works out of a studio near South Haven, combines the pottery techniques of textured slab and throwing on a pottery wheel. It’s all dishwasher- and oven-safe.
—JAN PARR
