September 2008

I recently bought a cute Room & Board chair on Craig’s List, and wouldn’t you know it, the seller was a student at Harrington College of Design. Keith had a highly personalized new-construction condo, wallpapered and painted in cheerful, mod colors. Among the things that gave his space character was his modification of the developer’s kitchen. The kitchen was square-shaped but not big enough for a standard island, so Keith ordered one from Seattle-based Kerf Design and plopped it smack in the middle, gaining a little extra storage and a pop of originality. “They will custom-make and ship anything to Chicago and they were really easy to work with,” Keith told me. “The top of our island is actually Boomerang Formica that Formica Company has reissued.” Fun design tips from like-minded strangers. Yet another reason to love Craig’s List.

—Gina Bazer

Do y’all know about 1stDibs? Because if ya don’t…well, ya should! A few years ago, a lot of designers I talked to started mentioning it as a favorite resource for finding those unique pieces that really joosh-up a project, so I checked it out and have been a loyal site-stalker ever since. It’s like shopping a Paris flea market from the comfort of your living room, and a great educational tool as well. Real-estate mogul Michael Bruno thought it up as a “multiple listing service for the design industry” in 1998 after seeing dot-com kids with nouveau money to burn and McMansions to fill, and started his empire in Paris by listing inventory from local dealers. In 2002 he expanded the site to include hand-picked (he visits and vets every vendor) U.S. shops, including local faves Thomas Jolly (that’s his 19th-Century carousel horse above), Richard Wright (Alvar Aalto Tank lounge chair, on the right), Malcolm Franklin, DouglasRosin, Architectural Artifacts, and Antiques on Old Plank Road. You can search the site by city, category, period—whatever—and the prices are usually posted, with links to the stores. 

—BRADLEY LINCOLN

For some time now, the Jolly Roger motif has been popping up in fashion—you can spy the skull and crossbones on hipster scarves and graphic tees from any Wicker Park crow’s nest, it’s all over Marc Jacob’s Bucktown locker, and even the uber-preppy Ralph Lauren has gotten in on the action—but arrrrrrrr you ready for a home invasion? I’m onboard with the trend, and added some cool pirate cred to my bathroom with this blood-red mat from the MCA shop—the curly plastic fibers feel great on bare feet. For (quite) a few doubloons more, here's an interpretation I found at Orange Skin that shivers me timbers. As shown in pink and red, 78-inch  by  75-inch, this Popskull Rug from Floor to Heaven runs $5,607. Ahoy, matey! 

—BRADLEY LINCOLN

I went to the DreamHome press preview yesterday at the Mart and, as usual, much creativity by local interior designers was on display. Here’s what I took away from the viewing.

1. Anne Coyle designed a bedroom that felt like a London club. What a concept. She told me that clients often come to her and request a sanctuary of tranquility for a bedroom, a serene, calming place that will whisk them away from reality. Coyle pointed out that her own bedroom is constantly being trampled by her two sons and realities like a child being sick and needing to lounge around in mom’s bed all day while watching TV often trump the need to escape. So she created almost a hotel suite where one could hang out all day. There’s a sitting area in one corner with a wrap-around banquette and coffee table; a nice-sized flat-screen TV surrounded by pictures facing a big luxurious, fur-throw-covered bed (which feels almost like a sofa, with its curvy pink-velvet tufted headboard from George Smith); and the color of the room is not the least bit serene: Benjamin Moore’s Racoon Fur, which is almost black in person. Against this color, the accessories and furniture in Coyle’s signature lavenders, pinks, and pale greens popped like nobody’s business, and the mix of modern and traditional was just right. Ooh, almost forgot the black and white leather chevron floor tiles from Edelman—stunning, and apparently crazy expensive!

2. Erik Kolacz and Keitha Brathwaite created an impressive entryway that Apartment Therapy blogger Janel Laban pointed out really could be used as a room, with two comfortable yet elegant chairs and a bench for hanging out. The mohair and pony skin on the walls, and the python upholstery (“like a man’s belt,” said Kolacz) on the bench where all part of the “men’s fashion” theme that the duo chose as their inspiration (the show’s tagline was “Fashion at Home”). A big red painting above the bench acted as a sort of pocket square. Crystal 1920s sconces were the jewelry, lending a little femininity to the space.

3. I really adored Sanjay Singhal’s over-the-top bathroom, inspired by Coco Chanel’s loo and Belle Epoque Paris. The red and beige wallpaper and upholstery, the big pillow-covered ottoman in the middle, the massive statue on the table. Mon dieu! What a fantasy. I particularly loved the squared-off-style toilet and bidet from Duravit’s 1930s Paris collection. I’m a sucker for anything that reminds me of Gay Paree!

4. Joan Craig’s kitchen was also a highlight for me. I don’t have photos handy of the table right now, and will try to get some later, but I loved how it was set up in the limited space available: against the wall opposite the center island, there was a banquette punched up with red and white throw pillows (above it, there was beautiful hand-painted gray and white wallpaper, almost like subtle modern art), and a big table in the foreground, set with my favorite red and white Hermès china. Another wall, show here, had a charming display of hanging plates inspired by Craig’s 17-year-old daughter’s visit to a country home in France, where the owners had each of the family members’ plates hanging up similarly (they would take them down and actually eat on them). The actual functional kitchen portion was gorgeous, too, but I was so swept away by the non-utilitarian stuff.

So many great ideas at this show. Check it out Sept .25-Dec. 20 on the first floor of the Mart.

—Gina Bazer

Photos 1, 2, & 3, courtesy Merchandise Mart; photo 3, Barri Leiner