Georges Seurat, Jules Breton, and an Oak Park Victorian

List Price: $989,000
The Property: When Gary and Marcia Myers first saw this 1902 Victorian in Oak Park 26 years ago, it was well past its prime. But the couple eagerly took it on—“I like to have a project,” Gary recalls—partly because of its excellent location on a street of impressive older homes only a short walk from Oak Park–River Forest High School and the town’s bustling central shopping district…

Shop Buchanan—This Weekend!

 

Last May we ran a story about Buchanan, Michigan and if you haven’t had a chance to check out this hamlet yet, this Saturday from 4 to 8 p.m. might be a good time to do so. Why? Because the town is having a holiday party. (Small towns can do that.) Sip some wine at Thomas Jolly Home & Garden (107 E. Front St.) while perusing vintage Christopher Radko ornaments (see above). Pick up some fun vintage books—and non-vintage snacks—at Alan Robandt’s antique shop (114 E. Front Street), and check out the contemporary selection (with brand names likes Alessi, Kartell, and Marimekko) at Front Gallery (they’ll also be serving refreshments at 207 E. Front Street). Come on—you know you need a getaway after all that quality family time.

Off for Thanksgiving

Chicago Guide is taking a break this week, replacing our usual diet of concerts and theatre with inappropriately large helpings of pumpkin pie and sweet potatoes. We’ll be back December 2nd with our weekly roundup of things to do; in the meantime, check out The Chaser’s picks for Black Wednesday bashes.

Steal this Couch

 

I stopped into Divine Consign in Oak Park Sunday to check out the new annex they’ve opened to accommodate their booming business. I immediately spotted a fantastic couch: a showroom sample from Hughes N’Cho-Allépot Home. This sexy number, which features built-in end tables, is African padauk upholstered in antique silk velvet. It’s priced at an astonishingly low $1,760. Allepot happens to be an Oak Park resident; he’s got some chairs and ottomans in the store too. I’m not in the market for furniture, but I scored a Hable Construction pillow for just $15.

Willow’s Return, Zella Brown Sale, Object Design League

We all pined when Amy Doehla closed the brick-and-mortar aspect of her Ukie Village boutique Willow last March (the shop went online-only in April), but the stylish home and gift shop has budded anew for a few months in the same location (850 N. Damen Avenue), just in time for holiday shopping. It will be open seven days a week in December, Tuesdays through Saturdays in January, and to spur your spending, Amy is offering…

Bonjour, Pierre

If you like your French country fresh and light, check out the new Pierre Deux.  French country style is not just for the North Shore anymore. Until recently, Pierre Deux, which offers everything from cozily curvy upholstered sofas to colorful table linens and pewter tabletop items, had its only local outpost in Winnetka; now it’s … Read more

Faux, Fabulous Faux

DesignRed, an upscale faux-finishing studio that consistently elevates this craft to high art, has fittingly opened a “fine art gallery of decorating finishes,” says Bill Borman, the firm’s creative director (and co-owner, with Richard Thomas). The 2,500-square-foot West Loop space will display some 100 samples of finishes, from faux bois to murals to hand-painted wallpapers … Read more

Thankful in Lockport

PJ and Jaime Klacko have 10,000 reasons to be thankful this week—the $10,000 that the city of Lockport will kick in on the purchase of their newly built house, which should finish construction next March. They are among the first dozen buyers to take advantage of an incentive…

Men's Boutique in Lake View

Men’s Room
Within the past year, the Lake View locations of Kulhman Company and Jake shuttered, leaving Southport Avenue with few clothing and accessory options for men. Mel Nelson, owner of M2 Boutique (3527 N. Southport Ave., 773-248-9866; 121 S. Washington St., Naperville, 630-548-9955; mboutiquechicago.com), thinks that guys in the neighborhood still need…