04/27/09
This Friday night I will be sharing a rather unattractive sofa with Nate Berkus. How could this possibly be, you ask? Berkus will be a guest on the Interview Show hosted by my husband, Mark Bazer—and the venue, the charmingly bohemian Hideout bar at 1354 W. Wabansia will also be the location for a launch party I’m having for my new children’s book called “Now Hiring: White House Dog." Please join Nate and me as we try to give the Hideout a little makeover. With his magic touch, I predict it will look like the photo above in no time! At the show, you’ll also enjoy an interview with local author Joe Meno, live music, and comedy, all for only $5. Show goes from 6:30 to 8 p.m., with the book release party following.
—Gina Bazer
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04/24/09
Post 27 is celebrating its one-year anniversary this Saturday, April 25 from 5–9 p.m. with a kick-off party for Ottomania!, a special showing of one-of-a-kind ottomans made by 12 local artists and designers. The stools will be on view and available for purchase until May 24. Post 27 owners Angela and Barkley are also announcing expanded hours—their west side store will now be open on Mondays, so you can shop for mid-century-modern trappings, artwork, and eco-aware home goods seven days a week. Shown above: chrysanthemum design by textile artist Noel Ashby; round-top ottoman made of vintage belts by Aaron Pahmier of Greensawn Furniture. Aaron is featured in the May/June issue of Chicago Home + Garden—on sale May 1.
—BRADLEY LINCOLN
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04/17/09
A lively line-up of artists and crafters will be exhibiting at Architectural Artifacts' curated Spring Show this Sunday, April 19, from 10–5. Sixty-plus, as a matter of fact, and with all that jewelry, handmade paper, ceramics, textiles, and glassware on display it should be a cinch to find a standout Mother's Day gift. I'm intrigued by these Olive Kraus hand-carved doorknobs set in sterling silver, and there's nothing crunchy about the kiln-formed fused glass pieces of Sandra Schwarzbeck. (Or you could always splurge on some Fer Forgé ironwork from Stuart's inventory-it's all good.) Vella Café will be onsite with sammys and snacks, there's no admission charge, and you'll find ample free parking along Ravenswood.
-BRADLEY LINCOLN
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04/17/09
I previewed the auction at Susanin’s that’s going on the block this Saturday morning, April 18, at 10:00, and found a lot of great stuff among the 883 lots. Love the gothic vibe of these Michael Aram aluminum and steel skeleton chairs, lot 1097 (although I wouldn’t want to curl up and watch a mini-series on one), estimated to sell for $600–$800; this hefty Indian carved wooden panel, lot 3013 (at six feet tall, it would be impressive mounted as a door, huh?), $1,000–$1,500 estimate; and, for any remodelers out there, this carved white marble fireplace surround, lot 1008, $1,000–$1,500.
—BRADLEY LINCOLN
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04/16/09
A few of us here at Home + Garden attended a media preview of this year’s DreamHome at the Mart (open to the public April 17 to December 18). This year’s entries were just as polished as ever, with a bit more of a traditional bent than in past years (at least I thought so). As usual, many inspiring ideas where shared by the designers. I liked the nature-meets-sparkle ambiance in Laurel Feldman’s foyer and Mick de Giulio had the most wonderful antique tapestry-like painted wood panel framing the chandelier above the chunky table in his kitchen. Larry Boeder loves a nice desk in a living room, which I found interesting. And the lush, deep-rosy color of the wallpaper in Missie Bender’s European-inspired bedroom had us all hailing the return of mauve! Here are some other favorites from our gang.
Jan Parr: “Loved the vintagey pivoting screens in the bathroom by Christoper Michiels and the mink-like rug in the TV
room/study by Denise Antonucci and Jerry Sanfilippo. Also the farmhouse-meets-industrial vibe of the kitchen and the grouping of Nyphenburg plates as art in Leslie Jones’ fab dining room.”
Barri Leiner: “I heart the ‘Art in Motion’ video that was created by local design collaborative Thirst to play on a loop on the TV in the family room, the rug with the constellation map design in Janet McCann’s home office, and the extra space provided by the cool undersink drawer that Mick de Giulio designed for the kitchen. Also the general idea of kitchen as dining room—love that!”
Bradley Lincoln: “I liked the bathtub fixtures, the constellation rug in the home office, the big, round dining room table chosen by designer Leslie Jones, the engraved floating marble shelf in the kitchen with patterns inspired by Art Deco details on the exterior of the Mart, and the Ann Sacks marble-tile-covered floor in the welcome lobby.”
Tate Gunnerson: “I thought the office constellation rug was interesting and I really liked the shag-rug-style pillows on the chairs in the TV room/study. They remind me of my favorite dish at Lula Café in Logan Square, the Pasta Yia Yia.”
And the winner is…. That constellation rug! Check it—and all the other winning designs—out for yourself when DreamHome opens this weekend.
—Gina Bazer
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04/13/09
If your home office is starting to feel a little too much like your cubicle at work, perhaps it’s time to ditch the Office Max catalog and start treating the space like you would a real room in the house. A place that reflects your style—not Corporate America’s. Graphic designer Julia Archer was decorating her own workspace when she realized that it was way too difficult to find accoutrements that both looked good and functioned the way she needed them to. She thought, “Wouldn’t it be nice if you could get all these things in one place?” So she opened @WorkDesign, dedicated to “design-driven, yet affordable product solutions from desks, seating and other furnishings to lighting, shelving, paper goods, and work bags.” 7500 W. Madison St., Forest Park, 708-488-9297.
—Gina Bazer
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04/06/09
Vince Vaughn had The Break-Up with the River North townhome he bought Four Christmases ago, and now he’s trying to rent the four-bedroom crib for five hundy short of ten grand—that’s right, swing $9,500 a month and you’re money, baby. Rubloff is handling the deal, and a real estate agent said that it’s available furnished, “if you want the Vince Vaughn effect.” Looking at the slide show makes me wonder what that would be, other than mismatched, oddly proportioned furniture placed randomly around, flat-screens everywhere you look, and a cramped viewing room painted tomato-soup red floor-to-ceiling. Is that the Vince Vaughn effect? I do like those Western campground paintings he has over the bed, though, and that is a sweet view from the roof top terrace.
—BRADLEY LINCOLN
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04/02/09
I checked out the Chicago Modernism Show & Sale this weekend and was pleased to see several local dealers: Converso Mod, Scout, Modern Times, Broadway Antique Market, Room Service, and Uber Modern. (If you missed it, make a note not to next year.) At the latter’s booth, Brandon McCleskey told me he had started a modern antique mall close to his Uber showroom. Called MCM Grand, (MCM stands for mid-century modernism), the new mall is at 2219 W. Grand Ave., and features items from Brandon as well as quality goods from other dealers Brandon knows who were looking for a showcase. He’s still signing on dealers. The storefront is 2,000 square feet but he plans to epxand upstairs if there’s enough interest. “It’s not like a traditional mall,” McClesky says. “It’s more of a showroom.” McClesky and his partner will group furniture and accessories into attractive vignettes instead of being divided by dealer. Sounds grand!
–Jan Parr
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04/01/09
We noticed an empty showroom on the West end of the Mart’s LuxeHome: American International Tile has closed. The Mart’s reps say that they’ll be filling the space soon; meanwhile, they report that Porcelanosa, tile, kitchen, and bath showroom, is scheduled to open May 1 in the old Design Center space in LuxeHome.
—JAN PARR
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03/31/09
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--Jan Parr
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