Resale Values
Chicagoan Karen Peterson was sick of shelling out storage fees to house the overflow of antiques, furniture, artwork, and home and garden accessories she loves to collect but had yet to find a place to use. Rather than start her own U-Stor-It facility, she’s opened Stuff, a home store in Lincoln Park where she sells her own finds and quality, quirky, gently used items on consignment basis from other collectors in the same boat. Peterson has been a top-producing real estate agent specializing in Northside neighborhoods since 1986, and her talents for marketing and staging are evident from clicking around Stuff’s cheeky website and poking around the artfully arranged merchandise in the welcoming shop, located at 955 West Webster Avenue. If your space is getting stuffed and you have no patience for classified ads, eBay, or yard sales, contact Stuff to discuss a consignment arrangement—they accept items daily, and can provide pickup and delivery services.
Sweet Dreams
Chicago Luxury Beds has just introduced its revamped River North showroom, and man, is it dreamy. Shop for and test out the best of the best beds and sleep products from Hästens, VI-Spring, Sferra, and other aspirational brands in the 3,000-square-foot storefront at 440 North Wells Street, set up in vignettes accessorized by The Golden Triangle, Isberian Rugs, and other luxe local retailers. Beds start at $3,500, and top off at an eye-opening $90,570 for a king-size Hästens Vividus model—just the thing to bling out your new vacation home on the Diamond Planet, perhaps? “We spend a third of our lives in bed,” says owner Mary Pat Wallace. “Investing in your kitchen may increase the value of your home, but investing in your bed adds value to your life.”
La Dolce Target
The next time you run out to Target for dog treats and boxed wine, don’t adjust your dial when you see wavy lines all over the store. The retailer hit a bull’s eye when it partnered with the Italian design empire Missoni to introduce a limited-time designer collection of more than 400 home and fashion items, available September 13 through October 22 at all stores and online. Tai and Rosita Missoni started making their distinctive zigzag knitwear in 1953, and the couple became design darlings for their colorful patterns and body-hugging bathing suits. The current pazzo pairing has resulted in everything from chunky sweaters, women’s floppy 1960s hats, men’s textured stripy socks, etched glassware, candles, bedding, luggage, and even a $400 bicycle. Great price points too—these ceramic serving trays are only $20 to $25. Say ciao if you see me waiting on line to grab some (and a few pairs of those socks) when my Target opens on the 13th.
Find a Penny, Stick It Up
The clever window displays at the Michigan Avenue Cole Haan store always put a spring in my step, even when we’re nowhere near the holiday shopping season. Right now (in order to convince me I need a new pair, I’m sure of it) they’re pushing loafers, and a team of Rhoda Morgensterns have created shimmery copper wall treatments by gluing up thousands of pennies. It would be a fun idea to use on a small surface at home, like a backsplash, accent wall in a guest bath, or door. Or how about a change-ing room? Makes perfect cents to me.
Jayson Weeds Garden
The fall catalog for Jayson Home (they’ve dropped the “& Garden” from their name but still have an urban garden area and will continue making floral arrangements) showed up in the mail last week. It’s feeling very True Blood: snakes, ravens, spiders, crumbling wallpaper, and skulls accent the new products and vintage finds. Get your own creepy copy right here.
One for Three
It has already been a year for Brandon Nelson’s funky Trilogy vintage shop in Three Oaks, Michigan, so if you’re up enjoying the long weekend in Harbor Country, stop by Saturday for an anniversary celebration and 10-percent-off sale (everything in the store, provided you use cash or check), and congratulate the yearling. The party starts at six, and Trilogy is at 19 South Elm Street, in Three Oaks. One town over in Buchanan, which keeps adding more home shops to its main street, celebrates Nonpareil all day til 10 p.m. Saturday, with music, wine, and open houses at most local businesses.