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We’ve heard of lots of fun sales lately: Andrew Hollingsworth is have a “garage sale” at its warehouse at 2021 W. Fulton  and at its showroom at 222 W. Huron. Find contemporary and vintage furniture and accessories marked down 30 to 90 percent off list (such as this Louis XVI armchair for just $250). The deepest discounts will be at the warehouse, an employee tells me. The sale is June 13 and 14, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pottery Barn on Michigan Avenue is closing and having a blowout sale. Champagne Furniture Gallery is moving to the Mart in August and clearing out everything at 30 to 50 percent off. And Poggenpohl in the Mart is clearing out several of its modern display kitchens at at least 50 percent off.

–JAN PARR

Holly Hunt, center, with interior designers Laura Kirar and Doug Levine (her former staffers, featured in our May/June issue)

It was the biggest design party of the year. That’s a risky statement as I am not the biggest partier at the office, but I’m going to throw it out there ’cause I haven’t been to a party like this in a long time (I blame a certain three-year-old who lives in my house for this). Holly Hunt’s 25th anniversary bash Monday night on the terrace of the Harris Theater was HUGE. Some 1,200 beautifully dressed people showed up to fete the design doyenne, who seemed genuinely touched by the show of support as she addressed the crowd from the stage before introducing the evening’s entertainment, Poi Dog Pondering. Hunt is beloved by the design industry and this showed—as did her long-held business mantra of offering the “best in class.” The food and wine were abundant and delightful, and the setting was classic and perfectly appropriate. Guests looked like movie extras lounging on the Holly Hunt Great Outdoors casual furniture line, displayed in surprisingly un-muted tones, below a gigantic billowing white tent that was illuminated by modern orange-shaded fixtures. Even the day’s iffy weather cleared up just in time. Here’s to another 25!

—Gina Bazer

Photos by Chris Guillen Photography

I stopped into Crosell & Co. in Bucktown the other day and boy is this one chockfull shop. I mean this in a good way. Table linens. Bar accessories. Dinnerware. A small selection of furniture. It’s mainly traditional stuff, but housed in a cute little cottage, it doesn’t feel stuffy. Owner Dianne Crosell, an interior designer, turned me on to a local artist whom she represents: Kelly Rauch, who refurbishes vintage furniture. She uses many techniques, including layering paint, stenciling, waxing, distressing, varnishing, reupholstering, etc. I was very impressed with this chest of drawers. It’s got a sort of quiet-glam quality to it that I find very endearing and it feels more sophisticated than a lot of other painted antique furniture out there.

—Gina Bazer

When I stopped by the River West gallery/furniture showroom Caste (covered in our January/February 2008 issue) on a recent rainy afternoon, Ty Best, the artist behind most of the pieces in there, happened to be hanging out, working. He and co-owner Brad Rowley showed me these great new X-chairs, which called to mind African birthing chairs. The darker, faceted one is walnut that’s been treated with iron oxide to bring out the grain ($3,980) and the one joined by splines is Jamaican Blue Mahoe with a hand-rubbed wax finish ($3,770). The name of the store is Latin for “pure and clean,” not the repressive class system, and these sleek and surprisingly comfortable lounge chairs embody those ideals with aplomb.

—BRADLEY LINCOLN