Ad Categories: Home and Garden

Chicago will be the first city in the U.S. to get a freestanding Maxalto store (it’s opening June 6 at 309 W. Superior St. in River North). This collection by Antonio Citterio is part of B&B Italia but has a more classic look, with lines inspired by French design of the 1920s, ’30s and ’40s. —Gina Bazer

Local designer Randall Kramer just let us know he is a finalist in a lighting contest sponsored by

So, I mentioned on an earlier blog that I got a house. And here it is! Yay! The windows, though charming, are super-old and we are replacing them with new vinyl windows (I know, not ideal, but the place has 33 windows and we are on a budget!). I’ve been mulling over getting aluminum mullions put on these ho-hum newbies to preserve the original 1920s look, but when I mentioned this to our art director (and general in-house maven about everything that looks and doesn’t look good!) she told me that we must consider our options in Photoshop. What a beautiful thing! She got rid of the mullions to show me what the windows would look like with nothing, and I’m so relieved. I don’t need to order these fakey embellishments. The place looks better without them. Now she’s on another mission. Helping me decide whether to go with white windows or dark brown, given that I will eventually want to re-stucco the house in a different color. I will keep you posted. Anyone else have opinions on this? Please share!

—Gina Bazer

Ladies and gentlemen. Straight from the farms of Sterling, Illinois, starring center stage in their first-ever appearance at Randolph Street Market Festival (formerly Chicago Antique Market): Rick and Linda Gibson of Henhouse Furniture and Antiques. We dig their one-of-a-kind pieces as well as their “yeah, we can make that from old wood for you” offerings (they’ll make you a killer kitchen island, like the one shown here). Stellar craftsmanship and sweet people to boot. If you’ve never been to the Chicago Antique Market, season five promises to be a hit. New name, same game. Go early. Go often. And look for us (we’ll be there opening day for a special feature we’re doing called “On the Spot,” designing a room with pieces we find at the market that day). Opening weekend Saturday, May 24, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, May 25, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

—BARRI LEINER

Photos:
Randolph Street Market Festival by Keith Portman
custom kitchen island from Henhouse Furniture & Antiques

While looking for parking on Damen Avenue last week, I ran into an old friend I wanted to be sure you knew: Daniels Antiques. The Ashland Avenue warehouse shuttered about a year ago and this juicy new incarnation (at 2062 N. Damen Ave.) popped open with no fanfare, offering more of its ever-changing mix of mid-century modern and other antiquities of all ages. Georg Jensen pitcher anyone? Edward Wormley for Dunbar furniture? A 17th-century map? Guilty pleasures abound. Be schmoozy and get invited to the warehouse space the owner still maintains (a mainstay for decorators).

—BARRI LEINER

My favorite design blog, Apartment Therapy, recently sponsored a contest, Small Cool 2008, in which design-savvy people living in less than 850 square feet competed for Room & Board gift certificates and accolades. I was one of the judges, who took readers’ picks and helped choose four winners from the semi-finalists. Apartment Therapy founder Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan flew to Chicago for the party last week, where the winners were announced. We were thrilled that a Chicagoan (and one of my picks) made it to the top four; see it here. We also hope to publish photos of this apartment—located in the iconic Marina City—in a future issue.

—JAN PARR