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January 2010
Missing Michael Shannon?
Our top five picks for things to do this week: Chicagoan Michael Shannon onscreen … Joffrey's Cinderfellas on dancing in drag … Joan Didion's Magical Thinking at the Court … plus freebies and more Read more
Win a Bathroom Makeover

Got a bathroom in need of serious revamping? The Tile Shop is holding a contest to find the ugliest bathroom in the area. When they find it, they will bestow upon the owner tile, cabinets, fixtures, lighting, paint, and professional design and installation advice. Find all the details and enter by February 4 here.

—JAN PARR

Photograph: Courtesy HGTV.com

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New Life for Dr. King’s Lawndale Dream
By Dennis Rodkin
In Lawndale, at the site of the Chicago apartment where the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  lived with his family in 1966, work has begun on the Dr. King Legacy Apartments, a $17-million complex that, when finished, will have 45 units of affordable rental housing, retail space, and a mini-museum dedicated to the efforts of King and others to provide equal access to housing in Chicago. Read more
Oak Street’s Newest Boutique
By Bridget Maiellaro
From Hickory Hills to the Gold Coast
After 30 years in the Southwest suburbs, Lili of Trieste (8711 W. 95th St., Hickory Hills; 708-598-3632), a special occasion and everyday wear shop, opened its second location on the chain-heavy block at 50 East Oak Street (312-915-0122) late last fall. Read more
Enter Turquoise

Just the other day I blogged about the staying power of yellow, but the folks at Pantone have other ideas. The color authority has selected 15-5519 Turquoise as the 2010 color of the year. Come to think of it, I have been craving a turquoise purse lately, and I got a scarf in that color last year, and have been happy to have it this season. Stop controlling my mind, Pantone! Still, for my home, I'm not loving this hue. Too harsh, I think. (Although Kartell's Frilly chairs by Patricia Urquiola, shown above, are pretty fun. So is the floor in this Nantucket boathouse kitchen, featured in the current issue of House Beautiful.) Any other opinions on the matter?

—GINA BAZER

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Weekend Photos: Late Bar
We took them at their word: Our photographer hit Late Bar—Logan Square/Avondale's new late-night dance spot, open until 4 a.m. most nights and 5 a.m. Saturdays—in the wee hours of Saturday morning and found an enthusiastic crowd still heating up the dance floor. Brought to you by the folks behind the long-running, club-hopping new-wave theme night... Read more
Spurlock Antiques
 

Spurlock Antiques & Decorative Arts, a relative newcomer to the antiques scene in Chicago, is offering discounts on existing inventory (such as this unique desk made of Jasper stone) and consulting services. Serena Newmark Mout, who has done stints as Alessandra Branca’s art and antiques assistant and at Carswell Rush Berlin in New York, opened her business last year. She’s offering 30 percent off all merchandise in her small warehouse (open by appointment at 1645 N. Francisco Ave.) and is charging $30 an hour (down from $50) for consulting. Wondering if grandma’s couch is worth reupholstering? Looking for a specific type of painting or furniture? Mout can help. She works with designers, collectors, and architects to quickly locate pieces and give advice. The sale runs through February 28.

—JAN PARR

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A Mid-Priced Mid-Century Modern
By Dennis Rodkin
List Price: $1.29 million
Sale Price: $950,000
The Property: Although its street face is mostly an off-putting wall of brick, the other three sides and the interior of this Glencoe home demonstrate the mid-century modernist concept that a house should contain simple, open spaces with a nearly transparent connection to the outdoors. Read more