Some Like It Haute
While I lean more toward the vintage, flea-market look in my home, here’s something that’s making me consider adding a touch of contemporary to the mix: Haute Living, the modern design mecca in River North, is offering 20 percent off all new, made-to-order items for the first ten days of August. That means a discount on modern and contemporary furniture (by the likes of Fritz Hansen and Vladimir Kagan), custom kitchens, closet systems, flooring, lighting, and more. It’s a great chance for the design-savvy to score high quality, beautifully crafted items without paying full price—or for someone like me to dip a toe in the waters of modernism. —Alice Oglethorpe
Vase Forward
One of the city’s most imaginative florists, Mike Hines, needs to make room in his shop for new inventory, which is good news for us because it means he’s selling off props he has used in some of his artful installations. Expect to see all sorts of interesting containers and vases but also furniture and accessories, including lamps, metal bowls inlaid with mother of pearl, wicker lounge chairs, terrariums, and modern sculptures. Prices top out at $300; credit is accepted but cash is preferred. The sale runs today through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Epoch floral studio, 1700 W. Hubbard St. —AO
Framed!
The time has come for you to finally rid your home of all those blank walls (really, it has). You can do it without spending a fortune by visiting Frame Factory’s annual parking lot sale at its Avondale location. The store is selling off overstocks, mis-sized, returned, and scratched or dented frames as well as clearance items and older inventory going back almost 30 years. Everything is at least half off (and some things are as much as 90 percent off!). While you’re there, head inside for art to fill those frames. There’s a special sale of items from a Chicago gallery that had to close, including signed, limited-edition prints and original oils and watercolors. For many of the pieces, if you spring for a custom frame, you’ll get the art for free. Find it all at 3400 N. Pulaski Rd. on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (If it rains, they’ll postpone till the following weekend.) —AO
The Chain Gang
There are good sales this month in some of the bigger chain stores. Design Within Reach’s Living Room Sale runs today through the end of the month, with rugs, lamps, and furniture like sofas and armchairs up to 15 percent off. Once you get the perfect pieces, move on to conquering clutter. Through September 3, get all the help you need to bring order to your closet, office, and kitchen on the cheap at The Container Store’s Happy Organized Home Sale. And if all of that organizing makes you tired, turn your attention to your bedroom by swinging by Anthropologie, which is taking 25 percent off full-priced in-store and online bedding, including luscious Lanna bedding, shown here. It’s a limited-time sale, so don’t, um, sleep on it. —AO
Golden Oldies
In the market for some real-deal antiques and vintage pieces? Then plan to hit the Chicago O’Hare Summer Antique Show & Sale August 17–19. You’ll get to browse goods from 75 dealers from across the U.S. and Canada. While we don’t know the exact inventory, you’ll definitely find antiques and fine art, including jewelry, paintings, tableware (like this butterfly pitcher, being sold by Philip Chasen Antiques of Oyster Bay, New York), art glass, lamps, rugs, quilts, books, and garden ornaments. The show is held at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont; admission is $10. —AO