DreamHome at the Merchandise Mart yesterday and saw lots of trends and tricks we loved, including:
• accessorizing with personal objects that feel “collected over time,” a buzz phrase we’ve been hearing a lot lately that really rings true, especially in Summer Thornton’s foyer, a charming ode to “Alice in Wonderland”;
• layering patterns over patterns (Tony Stavish certainly did this, with his flowerly Thomas Paul for Duralee drapes and graphic rug from Hokanson in the home office);
• big dramatic chandeliers (the Luceplan glittering beauty in the dining room was a knock-out—in fact so was the entire moody, 1930s-jazz-starlet-inspired space, created by Simeone Deary Design Group);
• the cozy-chic coral-and-gray color scheme in the bedroom, by Jeannie Balsam; and
• the concealed toilet in Kohler Store designer William Collins’ bathroom (a hidden door in the curved undulating glass-tile wall behind the tub leads to it—a surprising and chic Sherlock Homesian touch).
Each room had great ideas! Check them all out April 16 to December 10 at the north lobby of the Merchandise Mart.
—GINA BAZER
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DreamHome at the Merchandise Mart yesterday and saw lots of trends and tricks we loved, including:
• accessorizing with personal objects that feel “collected over time,” a buzz phrase we’ve been hearing a lot lately that really rings true, especially in Summer Thornton’s foyer, a charming ode to “Alice in Wonderland”;
• layering patterns over patterns (Tony Stavish certainly did this, with his flowerly Thomas Paul for Duralee drapes and graphic rug from Hokanson in the home office);
• big dramatic chandeliers (the Luceplan glittering beauty in the dining room was a knock-out—in fact so was the entire moody, 1930s-jazz-starlet-inspired space, created by Simeone Deary Design Group);
• the cozy-chic coral-and-gray color scheme in the bedroom, by Jeannie Balsam; and
• the concealed toilet in Kohler Store designer William Collins’ bathroom (a hidden door in the curved undulating glass-tile wall behind the tub leads to it—a surprising and chic Sherlock Homesian touch).
Each room had great ideas! Check them all out April 16 to December 10 at the north lobby of the Merchandise Mart.
—GINA BAZER
" />
DreamHome at the Merchandise Mart yesterday and saw lots of trends and tricks we loved, including:
• accessorizing with personal objects that feel “collected over time,” a buzz phrase we’ve been hearing a lot lately that really rings true, especially in Summer Thornton’s foyer, a charming ode to “Alice in Wonderland”;
• layering patterns over patterns (Tony Stavish certainly did this, with his flowerly Thomas Paul for Duralee drapes and graphic rug from Hokanson in the home office);
• big dramatic chandeliers (the Luceplan glittering beauty in the dining room was a knock-out—in fact so was the entire moody, 1930s-jazz-starlet-inspired space, created by Simeone Deary Design Group);
• the cozy-chic coral-and-gray color scheme in the bedroom, by Jeannie Balsam; and
• the concealed toilet in Kohler Store designer William Collins’ bathroom (a hidden door in the curved undulating glass-tile wall behind the tub leads to it—a surprising and chic Sherlock Homesian touch).
Each room had great ideas! Check them all out April 16 to December 10 at the north lobby of the Merchandise Mart.
We checked out a preview of DreamHome at the Merchandise Mart yesterday and saw lots of trends and tricks we loved, including:
• accessorizing with personal objects that feel “collected over time,” a buzz phrase we’ve been hearing a lot lately that really rings true, especially in Summer Thornton’s foyer, a charming ode to “Alice in Wonderland”;
• layering patterns over patterns (Tony Stavish certainly did this, with his flowerly Thomas Paul for Duralee drapes and graphic rug from Hokanson in the home office);
• big dramatic chandeliers (the Luceplan glittering beauty in the dining room was a knock-out—in fact so was the entire moody, 1930s-jazz-starlet-inspired space, created by Simeone Deary Design Group);
• the cozy-chic coral-and-gray color scheme in the bedroom, by Jeannie Balsam; and
• the concealed toilet in Kohler Store designer William Collins’ bathroom (a hidden door in the curved undulating glass-tile wall behind the tub leads to it—a surprising and chic Sherlock Homesian touch).
Each room had great ideas! Check them all out April 16 to December 10 at the north lobby of the Merchandise Mart.
We spend more hours in our bedroom than in any other room. Surely the place we start and end each day deserves attention—here are some inviting chambers that easily caught ours.
Attendees at Art Chicago 2009; a circa-1960s Tiffany brooch from New York jeweler Camilla Dietz Bergeron, at the International Antiques Fair The Merchandise Mart blooms with activity at this time of year. First off, DreamHome opens for an eight-month run under the theme “Cool Elegance” with a preview party April 15, followed by general viewing … Read more
The cement tile collection at Tile Gallery makes me want to redo my powder room immediately. But even if I could drop everything right now and move forward on the project, I don’t think I would ever be able to decide which of these fun, colorful patterns I would choose for the floor (I’m thinking simple white or gray subway tiles on the wall, and this pop of energy on the floor; it’s both modern and vintage at once!). Here is some interesting background about this type of tile from the company: “Cement tiles were developed in France in the mid-1800s and quickly spread around the world. Unlike ceramic tiles, which are usually glazed and fired, decorative cement tiles are made by pouring a mixture of cement and color pigment into separate compartments in a metal mold that looks similar to an oversized cookie cutter. Once set, the tiles are compressed under 3,000 pounds of pressure. The tile is left to cure making it remarkably strong and lustrous.” The price is around $18 to $23 per square foot. Also great for an entryway or foyer.
Ever wish you could shop the Mart’s International Antiques Fair with a professional consultant to give you the lay of the land or help you decide before you buy? The American Society of Interior Designers-Illinois Chaper is offering a “Designers-on-Call” service for attendees looking for personal tours of the floor or a advice on a purchase. Make an appointment ($10) before the fair (it’s April 30-May 3) and you’ll be registered to win two tickets to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Walk-in consultation requests are also possible, pending availability. To check out the ASID members you can choose from and to reserve a spot, click here.
When I was at the Lalique opening party at the Mart a few weeks ago, I heard an amusing anecdote about how fashion maven Karl Lagerfeld always travels with his own set of Lalique’s Langeais glasses. He simply doesn’t like drinking out of anything else. (Sort of makes you wonder—does he drag plates and silverware along as well? Or perhaps the obsessively calorie-counting Karl only consumes liquids these days?) Today, a colleague sent me a link to a Los Angeles Times blog about the new bottle Lagerfeld designed for Coca Cola Light (it features his svelte silhouette on the label). Naturally, the low-cal beverage is also shown in his drinking glass of choice.
Lynne McDaniel, the ebullient owner of the Chicago Lawn antique furniture and vintage art store An Orange Moon (we told you all about it in the July/August issue, remember?), has an ambitious side biz running estate sales…
Bring on the nostalgia! Last fall, it was these porcelain ice cream cones. Now, I’m falling for these darling sturdy-bone-china farmer’s market baskets, available at Jayson Home & Garden. They remind me of summer and deliciousness. Prices range from $20 to $38.
Attention, Prairie School aficionados! If you’ve ever dreamed of owning a Frank Lloyd Wright home or tending a Jens Jensen-designed garden, scoop up Cathy Jean Maloney’s new book, The Gardener’s Cottage in Riverside, Illinois: Living in a “Small Masterpiece” by Frank Lloyd Wright, Jens Jensen, and Frederick Law Olmsted. Maloney writes lovingly of her historic Riverside home, which was designed by this trio of architectural superstars in the early 1900s. The charming volume—part personal essay and part history lesson—is like a scrapbook overflowing with antique photos, vintage blueprints, and the author’s own homegrown snapshots. The book debuts April 15. Find it in most local bookstores.
