March 2009

Love these French 1820s directoire painted arm chairs, newly arrived at Thomas Jolly Antiques. They're $3,600 for the pair.

-JAN PARR

Diana Ostreko closed her midcentury modern furniture store in Oak Park a few months ago, but now Amazing Space is back—at the Lincoln Antique Mall at 3115 W. Irving Park Rd. Ostreko joins some 25 other dealers of vintage, retro, and Hollywood style in this terrific mall. Look for Amazing Space at the Chicago Antique Market starting in May, as well.

—jan parr

P.O.S.H. is doing some serious spring cleaning, slashing prices and hauling everything out of the basement, attic, and warehouse to set up the annual “Dish Ran Away With the Spoon” sale, March 6-15. I used to drop by this store a lot, to kill time before movies at the Music Box Theatre back when they were still in their original location, on Southport. Like NYC’s Fish Eddys, they specialize in china and silver from restaurants, ocean liners, country clubs, etc., that have gone under. It’s fun to find platters and plates with weird logos or loopy monograms, and mix them up with your other tableware. Make up your own P.O.S.H. provenance! Did you know that the acronym stands for “Port Out, Starboard Home” which some say comes from the time of the Raj, when highfalutin travelers between England and India booked the best, most expensive rooms based on a location that was in the shade most of the time, therefore cooler? History lesson over—now go buy a bargain gravy boat. 

—BRADLEY LINCOLN

Cottage chic your thing? Starting today through March 22, one entire room at The Painted Lady is filled with clearance items prices at 30 to 75 percent off. Everything else in the rest of the store is 10 percent off. Find deals on bedding from Pine Cone Hill, Bella Notte, and The Chandler Collection. The sale is to make way for more primitive antiques, new bedding, and chandeliers.

—JAN PARR

This weekend, March 7-8, Post 27 is offering “deep discounts” on the mid-century pieces in the shop’s “back room.” They’re not as cleaned up as those on the floor, but these items were still handpicked by style-savvy shop owners Angela Finney and Barkley Hoffman—and thus are pretty darn cool. The china hutch shown above is only $175.

—Gina Bazer