Willow Sprouts
We all pined when Amy Doehla closed the brick-and-mortar aspect of her Ukie Village boutique Willow last March (the shop went online-only in April), but the stylish home and gift shop has budded anew for a few months in the same location (850 N. Damen Avenue), just in time for holiday shopping. It will be open seven days a week in December, Tuesdays through Saturdays in January, and to spur your spending, Amy is offering 15% off almost all inventory this Friday. I can think of more than a few friends who would be thrilled to have these Tattoo Dolls by Jason Schroder ($29 each) stuffed in their stockings.
Pass the Salt
Caroline Linder and Lisa Smith founded Chicago’s Object Design League this year to promote independent, largely local designers by putting on exhibits, lectures, and other public events. This Friday, Nov. 27, they are showcasing a league of 19 extraordinary object-makers at the opening shopping party for Worth Your Salt, the group’s first sale event. The party pops up from 5–9 p.m. at Pavilion’s Bucktown storefront at 2055 N. Damen Avenue, and the show continues with day and evening shopping ops until Dec. 11. There will be a second evening reception and chance to meet some of the designers on Thursday, Dec. 3. These Frame Lights by Iacoli & McAllister are among the novel offerings.
Zella-va Sale
As soon as the turkey-induced tryptophan coma abates, you should head over to Wicker Park’s Zella Brown home store and take advantage of some great deals on Tricia London’s cutting-edge cool furniture and accessories. As of last Friday, ZB has reduced all non-consigned, in-stock merchandise by 50 percent, and will continue with the sale until Dec. 23. I spied, with my little bargain-hunting eye, lots of graphic pillows, shiny overscaled lamps, candles, jewelry, and rugs. I also spotted a lot of SOLD and HOLD stickers, so don’t drag your feet on this opportunity.
Divine Expansion
Oak Park’s Divine Consign high-end furniture resale shop has only been open a few months, but owner Kellie Scott obviously is doing something right and scratching more than a few savvy homeowners’ itches—the store has just opened a 3,000-square-foot annex at 810 North Boulevard, around the corner from the original location at 111 North Oak Park Avenue. Kellie told me that she opened the second, seasonal shop “as a testament to the power of resale shopping. The store has been so successful, and resale shopping for gifts is a hot topic in our reduce-recycle-reuse environment.” You can see that these airy showrooms are no spooky-ooky-smelly resale dives—they carry only fine quality pieces and accessories by the likes of Henredon, Baker, and Habersham.
The Art of Real Estate
To promote a swell, storied Gold Coast condo in a vintage Andrew Rebori building, Lissa Weinstein, a real estate broker with Sudler Sotheby’s International Realty, decided to deck the walls with original art and create a temporary two-person painting exhibit, open to the public during 12:30–4 p.m. afternoon showings on Saturdays, Nov. 28 and Dec. 6, and evening drop-ins from 5–7 p.m. on Dec. 3 and Dec. 8. The dynamic duo consists of Antoine de Villiers, who created six site-specific pieces (that’s her painting Always pictured here), and lauded local artist Francine Turk, whose Chicago Art Source rep Jessica Manno selected and oversaw the installation of her work that will be on view. I’m a big fan of Rebori’s pre-war residential buildings—he was a mentee of Louis Sullivan and also designed the nearby Florsheim Mansion. This co-op-cum-gallery is a two-bedroom, two-bath gut job on the market for $575,000, located at 40 West Schiller, on the corner of Schiller and Dearborn.
Nesting Instincts
Classy, classic furniture designers Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams have an instructional new coffee-table book out, and they are promoting it on a national tour. The $35 tome is titled The Comfortable Home: How to Invest in Your Nest and Live Well for Less, and the Southern gents will be celebrating its release at a cocktail party at Jayson Home & Garden next Wed., Dec. 2, 6–9 p.m. Jayson has reduced all MG+BW products by 20 percent through Christmas Eve, and during the event you’ll get a free copy of the book with every one you purchase. If you can’t make the Jayson party, stop by the lower level of the downtown Bloomie’s (600 North Wabash) for a cocktail reception and designers’ talk on Thursday, Dec. 3, 6–9, where they’re giving out books with any Modern Linens Collection purchases, and donating 10 percent to the Center on Halsted. To attend, RSVP to 312-440-4515.