Throw blanket

Studio Herron

studioherron.com
The item:A Mondrian painting in tapestry form, but one that includes all the colors, incorporates the grid idea but also thinks outside of it, and is reversible ($180). So: much better.
Pair with:“Craft beers and sparkling water would look great in your bag with the blanket, while brightly colored fruit would pair well with the pattern of the throw,” says Dee Clements, Studio Herron’s owner and lead designer.

Picnic basket

Secret Treasures

605 Dempster St., Evanston, secrettreasures.biz
The item:One-of-a-kind vintage woven and tin receptacles, some dating to the late 1800s, unearthed by a loyal army of pickers. Gingham-print tins ($12 to $28), a big deal in the 1940s and ’50s, are trendy again in 2020. (The shop also stocks an ample selection of punchy, mishap-proof enamel plates to pack in them.)
Pair with:“Small, triangular finger sandwiches will fit appropriately with the geometry of your basket,” says Henry James, the director of operations at Secret Treasures.

Chopping board

MCA Store

220 E. Chicago Ave., Streeterville, mcachicagostore.org
The item:Exclusive-to-Chicago swag from fashion designer Duro Olowu’s MCA show. Based on fabric patterns from his line, the lightweight wooden boards ($38) will outlast the typical cheap plastic ones you’ll
find … anywhere else.
Pair with:“An arrangement of Brie, crackers, and strawberries would be a beautiful vignette — a great juxtaposition of colors and textures,” says Laura Ralston, director of the museum shop.

Hammock

Grand Trunk

grandtrunk.com
The item:Known specifically for their extra roominess, these 11-by-4-foot soft nylon tree beds ($70, with straps) are designed in Skokie and can hold up to 400 pounds. Patterns include the Chicago flag but also prints inspired by Cabo, Thailand, and the Nile.
Pair with:“Pizza and a brew,” says Tony Brosio, manager of Uncle Dan’s in Highland Park, one of five of the local chain’s stores where you can pick up your hammock in person if you don’t want to wait for it to ship.