June 2009

A reader of our earlier blog about One Kings Lane informed us that she was unable to shop the Web-based upscale accessories discounter without a sponsor. Effective now, all Design Dose readers can consider themselves sponsored. Just log on to the site by clicking here and you should be good to go.

—Gina Bazer

Start your week off right by giving props to those local independent designers who often toil away under the radar to give Chicago its bragging rights in the larger design arena. Tonight, from 6 to 9 p.m. there’s the opening reception of “The Promise of this Moment: Objects that Augment the Everyday,” presented by the Mighty Bearcats in collaboration with the Object Design League at 2035 W. Wabansia St. in Bucktown (open through the 22nd by appointment; call 312-560-1532).  This show features ceramic gas fireplace logs (shown above) by Materious and Steven Haulenbeek, whose Cumulus Light Canopy has graced our pages as well.

Continue toasting the indie spirit Tuesday night at the Guerilla Furniture and Art Truck Show, 6-9 p.m., at 1052 W. Fulton Market. Organizer Morlen Sinoway says this is the largest event yet, with more than 20 trucks filled with wares by Green Sawn, F2, Brickermade (chair shown here) and others, which will be parked along Fulton Market for your perusing-while-schmoozing-and-beer-drinking pleasure.

—Gina Bazer

There’s a new exotic wood showroom in town. San Juan Ventures, based in Bali, exports wood from all over Indonesia to the United States. The company’s flooring has been available through Holly Hunt and Birger Juell in the Mart and its furniture and architectural elements, through de Giulio Kitchen Design in Wilmette, but last week, the company opened a freestanding showroom at 664 W. Hubbard, managed by Kandis Wrigley. I stopped by for the opening party and was floored (pun intended) by the showroom. It’s open by appointment only and mostly caters to design pros.

—JAN PARR

How does she do it? How does designer Kara Mann  just keep finding more and more cool stuff for her showroom (above Hubbard Street in a huge, airy space with black-painted walls and floors)? I’m wowed every time I go there, never more so than last week, when she threw a party in celebration of her newest line, by Debra Weninger Design. Weninger, a Holly Hunt alum (you may remember we included Weninger in our feature about Holly Hunt grads who go on to do big stuff of their own in our May/June 2008 issue), has a couch, a sexy table, terrific mirrors, and these fab chairs, embroidered by Holland & Sherry, on display. 

—JAN PARR