This Week’s Top Story
Earlier this month, Buckingham Interiors + Design (1820 W. Grand Ave., buckinghamid.com) founder Julia Buckingham published her first book, Modernique.
The 288-page tome—named for Buckingham’s modern-meets-antique style—features 175 color photos, sharing inspiration from Buckingham’s decade as a designer, with projects categorized into sections like “Personality-Driven Rooms” and “New Oldies.”
“It’s difficult sometimes—at least for me—to be objective about looking at an image, thinking of a descriptor, or telling a story,” says Buckingham, adding that co-writer Judith Nasatir helped her overcome occasional bouts of writer’s block. “I’m so intimately involved with the client, the client’s family, the materials I used.”
The biggest challenge was writing captions. “It’s almost like Twitter,” she says. “You have a certain number of characters that need to describe each image and be very on target.”
This labor-of-literary-love has been on the fast track, considering how Buckingham only signed with Abrams last summer. She recalls the publisher’s eagerness to celebrate an unexpected aesthetic: “This was such a new topic that many designers are either exploring or experimenting with: The idea that there are no rules and that we can mix and match so many different styles, genres, eras, and come out with something that looks perfectly curated.”
Interior Intel
Last week’s State of the Air report offered a sobering reminder that the air we’re breathing could definitely be cleaner—both indoors and outdoors. Dyson (dyson.com) just launched its latest bladeless heater and fan, the Pure Hot + Cool Link, which it says can improve indoor air quality. The purifier detects allergens and pollutants, monitors and maintains air quality, and reports it via the free Dyson Link mobile app.
Caution, curves ahead: Blu Dot (1953 N. Clybourn Ave., bludot.com) has introduced a pillowy collection of edge-free seating options. View the Puff Puff collection.
Haute Living (213 W. Institute Pl., haute-living.com) has expanded its offering with Brothers and Sons, a Netherlands-based label specializing in sleek furniture (like the Alumni Task Chair which can be upholstered in the on-trend millennial pink hue). Check out the offering.
Looking for new reading material? Jayson Home (1885 N. Clybourn Ave., jaysonhome.com) has dropped its Spring/Summer Catalog packed with furniture and décor inspiration. Ann Sacks (222. W. Merchandise Mart Plaza, Suite 100B, annsacks.com) has also released a Spring Catalog featuring tile and stone inspiration galore.
Sale
Visit Home Carpet One (3071 N. Lincoln Ave., homecarpetone.com) from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. this Saturday to receive savings of up to 40 percent on all carpet, hardwood, tile, vinyl, and more. Learn more about the One-Day Only Sale.
Events
The One of a Kind Show + Sale (222 W. Merchandise Mart Plaza, 7th Fl, oneofakindshowchicago.com) returns for its second annual spring edition beginning tomorrow. Through Sunday, shop ceramics, furniture, home goods, sculpture, and more, from 300 artisans. Purchase tickets.
On Saturday, the 17th Biennial Lake Forest Showhouse & Gardens (lakeforestshowhouse.com) will open its doors to the public. More than 30 designers have transformed the interior and exterior spaces of the Howard Van Doren Shaw-designed property, a five-bedroom estate that sits on more than two acres. The Lake Forest Showhouse & Gardens will be open for tours seven days a week through May 21.
Enjoy cocktails and hors d’oeuvres at Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams (1555 N. Halsted St., mgbwhome.com) with Mitchell Gold himself from 6 to 8 p.m. on May 3. During the event, Gold will have a discussion with Monroe Capital’s Ted Koenig on corporate culture. RSVP here.
Idlewood Electric (idlewoodelectric.com) will host two separate hour-long continuing education courses at its suburban locations. On May 3, visit the Highland Park showroom (114 Skokie Valley Rd., Highland Park), where the program will tackle 10 LED myths. On May 4, head to the Barrington showroom (317 W. Northwest Hwy., Barrington), where the program will center on lighting layering. A light breakfast will be served both days beginning at 8 a.m., with programs beginning at 8:30 a.m. To RSVP for either or both programs, please call 847-831-3600, or email idlewood@idlewoodelectric.com.
From 5 to 8 p.m. on May 4, the River North Design District hosts the third annual Dreaming of Design event at the River North outpost of Chicago Luxury Beds (440 N. Wells St., chicagoluxurybeds.com). Enjoy libations and light bites while perusing bedroom vignettes created by designers including Jeannie Balsam, Hunter Kaiser, Jessica Lagrange, and Alison Victoria, which will be displayed throughout the rest of the month. To RSVP, call 312-527-5337 or email david@chicagoluxurybeds.com.
Photographer Ilze Arajs will discuss her macro images of nature during a gallery talk at Cultivate Urban Rainforest (704 Main St., Evanston, cultivateurbanrainforest.com) on May 4 beginning at 6:30 p.m.