A radiator finds new life as a chair; a side table is built around a vintage wine bottle.
Got some salvaged architectural columns, ceiling tin, wine crates, or other ephemera on your hands that you just can’t seem to part with (and yet don’t know what to do with)? Stop by Refined Rustic Studio & Gallery, recently opened in Old Irving Park by interior designer and artist Philip Sassano (who also has a studio in Harvard, Illinois). In addition to selling repurposed furniture made by his own design team, Sassano sells rustic pieces by others who are simpatico, and (this is where your salvaged columns come in) helps clients create unique, usable pieces of their own. Don’t worry if you’re finding it difficult to picture your chicken wire as a chandelier: Sassano and company will happily provide full-color, three-dimensional CAD renderings of your masterpiece before commencing with construction. Also watch for an imminent expansion of the space, including a workroom and section devoted to Sassano’s exclusive collection of fabric and wallcoverings from the British company Romo. 3924 N. Milwaukee Ave., 773-685-4670; philipsassanodesign.com