It seems like only yesterday that we introduced y’all to Brad Rowley and Ty Best’s West Town home design boutique Caste, but it’s actually been 17 months since these Montana boys hung their shingle up at 521 North Halsted Street. We checked in with Brad to see how the yearling’s doing, and were happy to hear things are going swimmingly. Read more
The Chicago design community is buzzing about this weekend’s warehouse sale at Jayson Home & Garden, and judging from some preview items and installation shots I’ve seen, rightly so. A $3,000 sofa for $899? A chunky bluestone end table for $399, down from $1,195? 2,000 square feet of accessories and furniture, all marked 50 to 80 percent off? See you there. They’ve always had good sales in the basement at the Clybourn Avenue shop, but this is the first big warehouse event off-site. To make the deals even more enticing, Jayson’s throwing in free delivery, and will send someone over to rub your feet and pour you a Diet Coke as you relax in your new chair. (Not really on the majordomo action, just seeing if you’re paying attention.) The shindig starts on Friday and runs through Sunday, at 1740 W. Webster (corner of Webster and Elston). Read more
I went over to Alessi’s Tree Studios branch to see if the annual sale is worth checking out (it is and you should—there’s a nice selection of shiny happy silly on sale for up to 75% off through February). I also got a kick out of these (not reduced) miniature versions of iconic Alessi tableware designs, sort of along the lines of the mini Vitra chairs that show up in museum shops and high-end home boutiques. All the 1980s superstars are represented in the collection, including the Michael Graves shrieking bird teapot (this version about 3” in stature, $45), Philippe Starck’s Juicy citrus squeezer ($45) and that Anna G. chrome-plated corkscrew (4” tall, $32)—just the ticket if you’re trying to cut back on your drinking. Read more
Don’t wait for a proposal to venture through Tiffany’s doors—they have terrific, modern, not-as-pricey-as-you’d-think home items as well as the jaw-dropping gems on which the store built its reputation. I popped in the Michigan Avenue store to shop for a gift the other day, strolled right past all the quintuple-digit diamonds settled on their first-floor, and took the stairs at the back, up to the gifts floor. Elsa Peretti has a sexy new collection of sterling-silver picture frames that look like liquid mercury, and the store is offering free engraving on them until Feb. 9. Her crystal vases, candlesticks, and vessels are pretty spectacular too, and you’ll also find crenulated Frank Gehry bone china bowls... Read more
Oscar Isberian Rugs and Leslie Hindman Auctioneers have joined forces once again for a wall-to-wall winter rug sale at Hindman’s West Loop gallery. More than 500 carpets in an array of sizes and styles will be available for instantly gratifying purchase starting this Friday, Jan. 30 through Sunday, Feb. 8. We knighted Isberian owners Oscar and Sarkis Tatosian “rug czars” in our Best of Chicago Design issue, and here’s your opportunity to pick up a few of their greatly reduced carpets. Rug reps will be on hand to answer questions and help flip through the plush piles. Read more
Hey, how about that—we have a new President! To celebrate the Inauguration and honor the Commander in Chief with something more fitting than a six-pack of Jones’s “Orange You Glad for Change” soda pop, Oak Park’s Careful Peach home boutique has designed and commissioned some exclusive Barack-collectibles with gravitas. Pick up a hand-etched Champagne bottle depicting Obama’s name, election dates and percentages, and a donkey kicking some serious elephant ass for $90. It was crafted by Peter Morava of Morava Glass Studios, who also did the light fixtures in that tricked-out vintage trailer we featured in the Sept.-Oct. issue. (Peter also happens to be married to the Peach’s owner, Karen.) The Peach is also campaigning its sterling silver-and-resin Obama/Biden cuff links, handmade in the O.P. (Karen tells me that at least three pair were actually in D.C. yesterday—maybe you caught a glimpse?). Save some more change at Restoration Hardware, where they pledge to cut $100 off any purchase over $400, including reduced and online sales, until Jan. 26. Mention code RNPR019 at checkout; offer good in red and blue states. And to get your cabinets in order, the Container Store is holding its annual 30 percent-off Elfa shelving sale, through Feb. 9. Read more
Corbett vs. Dempsey, one of Chicago’s most welcoming and interesting art galleries, is having a knock-out show of Morris Barazani paintings through Valentine’s Day. Barazani is a Chicago treasure—the influential, octogenarian artist has been on the scene since the early 1950s, and directed and taught at UIC’s Circle Campus for 24 years. It’s all too easy to stay in and live online these days, but step away from the keyboard and make the effort to experience this 1972-2008 survey of lush, abstract-expressionist oils in person. Ask to see more of his small-scale collages and works on paper from the back. Read more