03/19/09
Steven Burgert, owner of I.D., just informed us of some new hot sellers at his shop: Blu Dot’s One Night Stand sofa bed, $1,799 (a sleeper sofa that actually looks good? sign us up!), and designer Tord Boontje’s latest ethereal light-fixture line, Future Flora, made from silver-plated steel, $97 (it comes with a 15-foot electrical cord). Burgert had orders for both of these items before they even arrived at his shop. Now the sofa and at least one of the Future Flora designs is on back-order, but you can still get your request in. Proof that even in a slow economy, the good stuff sells.
—Gina Bazer
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03/13/09
It’s going to be a couple months before the summer art fairs get going, but in the meantime there’s March’s Handmade Market this Saturday at the Empty Bottle bar, 1035 N. Western, from noon until 4:30. Thirty-two vendors are showing wares and demonstrating crafts, ranging from jingly-jangly jewelry to cards ‘n’ candles, scarves woven from handspun wool, Megan Lee’s sock dogs (above) and even bedazzled hula hoops (no kidding), all made with loving hands at home. The overall vibe is hipster/rocker, with lots of repurposed vintage items and affordable prices—a perfect spot for last-minute Pi Day gifts for your mathlete team. Empty Bottle opens at noon, so (if you’re 21+) you can grab a bloody mary, shop around, then go next door to Bite Café for brunch.
—BRADLEY LINCOLN
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03/06/09
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
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03/06/09
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
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02/27/09
One of the city’s best modern furniture and accessories showrooms, Morlen Sinoway Atelier, is having a sample sale starting March 3 at 9:30. Find discounts of 20 to 70 percent off lighting, area rugs, accessories, chairs, and side tables. The sale runs through the end of March. Morlen says that last year he “dipped his toes” into the sample-sale waters, but this year the sale is much bigger.
—JAN PARR
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02/19/09
Mary Jeanne Kneen, who ran the Au Coin du Feu antique fireplace surround showroom here for years, has a new blog about—antique fireplaces. The posts show readers how to use these gorgeous pieces to bring warmth and history to a room. She also shows fresh ways to use them. One entry shows an antique fireplace of gray and white marble looking totally fab it its setting—a 1960s-inspired bedroom with lavender walls and white bedding. Mary Jeanne still sells surrounds and fireplace accessories (she has an inventory of more than 3,000 one-of-a-kind French and Continental European mantels and accessories) through her Web site, and she is available for personal consultations at her River North office, which also serves as Chicago’s exclusive Nymphenburg porcelain showroom.
—JAN PARR
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02/19/09
Through the month of February fabulous antiques straight from the French countryside (along with some vintage American pieces), including armoires, farm tables, primitive benches, cabinets, and collectibles, will be marked down by 25 to 75 percent at Porte Rouge. Dinnerware and home accessories, too, will be marked down. This is your chance to finally achieve that je ne sais quoi in your house!
-Gina Bazer
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02/18/09
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I can’t remember the last time I was asked, over lunch, “Jan, what’s your relationship with objects?” But this was Didier Milleriot, the owner of the now-closed Le Magasin on Wells Street, a French tabletop boutique. So the question seemed completely natural. It sparked a lively discussion about old things, new things, things we keep, things we give away. I believe I introduced the brilliant and quite-fluent Didier to the word “waystation,” a term I used to describe my basement, the place were unwanted objects go to chill out before they are given away. The main topic of lunch was Didier’s new Web site, ShopAndSource. On it, Didier, who, for personal reasons, moved back to France a few months ago, posts his daily finds—antiques, vintage pieces, and new decorative accessories he locates in the markets of France. All are for sale. Didier can also find a particular object for you (furniture, linens, an Art Déco vase). And should you find yourself traveling to Paris and/or Provence, he’ll shop the markets with you, translating and handling shipping arrangements. I love that he is completely upfront about his fees, which are posted on his site: about $128 to initiate a search, plus a 10 percent markup (search fee waived for big purchases). A day of shopping with the delightful Didier is about $900. Didier has already helped the owners of The Golden Triangle procure merchandise; see the results here. Judging from my interest in Didier’s finds, I’d say my relationship with objects is quite solid, thank you.
—JAN PARR
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02/16/09
The new Artistic Tile showroom at Luxe Home at the Mart is beautiful. If you’ve walked by you’ve probably noticed the wavy tile display in the window: it’s the Ambra Collection by Giovanni Barbieri. It undulates and reflects light—who knew stone could do these things? All hand-carved out of one piece of stone, each piece is a work of art and makes me think, once again, that stone does not just belong in the bathroom or kitchen. Ambra retails for $40.00 per square foot and is available in two sizes: 24 inches by 24 inches and 12 inches by 12 inches and three colors: Gris, Lake Blue, and Moss Green. Above are some more shots of the space (the gorgeous Taif chandelier, $2,200, is by Barovier & Toso, inspired by a similar design made in 1980 for the home of a Saudi king).
—Gina Bazer
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02/13/09
Everything at Zella Brown (besides special orders and consignments) will be 30 percent off on Saturday.
—Gina Bazer
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