This Week at . . . Room Service

We, the good citizens of Andersonville, have been blessed with a bounty of design stores that deliver the goods, including Scout, Urbanest and White Attic. Adding to our riches last week is Room Service, which carries an interesting selection of vintage furniture, lighting, accessories and garden elements. Room Service is independently owned, affordable and eclectic, qualities which make it my favorite kind of store and a near-perfect fit in its new Clark Street location.

Within moments of entering the well-designed space, I discovered the perfect chair for my new writing desk. Attempting to thwart my impulsive nature, I decided to sleep on it but then spent the next 24 hours doing just the opposite, as I franticly stressed that the chrome and leather beauty would be snatched away by well . . . you. (Better luck next time!)

Continued after photos . . .





Don't worry - Room Service offers many items I covet and which give you the means to settle the score. I'll even give you a hand; my wish list includes antique milk jugs, seltzer bottles, antlers and a fabulous pair of mint-condition maple chairs. Budget permitting, these items will soon be mine. But we know that all is fair in love and shopping, so you should take advantage of my financial doldrums, show me who calls the shots in this relationship and support the new game in town.

Room Service is located at 5428 North Clark Street in Chicago's Andersonville neighborhood. For questions, call 773-878-5438 or email info@roomservice-chicago.com.


I love these


I love these


I love these














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This Week at White Attic . . . Build-a-Lamp (Lamp Bar)

And speaking of lamps, White Attic in Chicago's Andersonville, has unveiled a lamp bar concept. Simply pick a ceramic base and then go wild with 30 color choices and 67 shade fabrics. It's a lot like a salad bar without the "All You Can Eat" option or the prospect of salmonella.

Here are the specifics:

$185 - $255
6 week turn-around
$25 shipping (they conveniently arrive at your doorstep)

Domino's New Issue . . . Andersonville Gets Props

Domino's giving Chicago lots of props this month with a big event this weekend and ample coverage in the June/July issue (currently on newsstands). It was nice to see my beloved Andersonville gettings some much deserved recognition. I must confess that I've never been to the Swedish American Museum; it's interesting how a fresh set of eyes can serve as perceptual Lasik. So I have a new destination to check out - one I've passed by a million times.


Revival - Domino June/July 2008

On the whole, Domino did a good job, singling out a number of my favorites (Scout, Revival,
and Pavilion,) among others.

I like to think that my finger's on the pulse of the Chicago design scene, but Domino turned me on to a few places I've never had the pleasure to visit, namely Elements, Ikram and Caste.

Don't forget about Domino's 2008 Design District in Lincoln Park this weekend.


The James Hotel - Domino June/July 2008


Domino June/July 2008


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Things that make you go hmm . . . New Andersonville Store Coming

Color me intrigued.





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This Week at . . . Paper Trail Andersonville

I dropped into the Paper Trail, a neat little card shop in Andersonville, last week, and I was quite taken with the lovely assortment of wrapping papers available. It occurred to me that in addition to making a gift just a little more special, the paper can be used to decoupage the backs of bookshelves, the interiors of drawers or as a fix for a boring or damaged piece of furniture. With the right frame or applied directly to a canvas, they could even be used as art.

On the other hand, all uses seem a bit crafts-y, which I abhor. So I ask you, is this something you've attempted before? And how did it turn out? What are the pros and cons of using this vs. going with wallpaper?

If you get the chance, stop in at Paper Trail; in addition to wrapping paper, it has an excellent selection of cards and small gifts. Paper Trail is located at 5309 N. Clark.

And to read my reviews of other Andersonville businesses, click here.

This Week at . . . Broadway Antique Market

It's located just north Hollywood on Broadway, which all sounds very glamorous, but really it's just an antique mall in Chicago, right? Edgewater? That doesn't sound like a very star-studded locale.

But Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson bought a dining room set there. And John Malkovich bought vintage clothing. Joan Cusack and Billy Corgan and Cindy Sherman and David Copperfield and Nate Berkus have all graced the 20,000 square foot Broadway Antique Market.

The space, a massive 20,000 square foot facility, has been visited by notables in the world of art, music, design and cinema. And every day it's visited by (just as) notable folks like you or me, by kids just out of college and furnishing their first apartment, by doctors looking for the perfect mid-century credenza, by costume designers and artistic directors looking to recreate the 60's or by people who just want to reject design cloning, shear their Dolly fur and create a space that reflects their unique DNA.

(continued after photos)





The Broadway Antique Mall (BAM) rocks. It's easy to get sucked in. Don't stop if you only have a few minutes; give yourself an hour or two. It's like the Smithsonian . . . .with price tags. And it's so damn close for we lucky Chicagoans. You New Yorkers are also close as BAM just added a location there.

Here's my recommendation (please learn from my mistakes). When you need a desk or a chair or anything really, give yourself some time . . . breath with it a little bit, slow down . . . take a couple of hours and find what inspires you - avoid ubiquity. When you buy vintage, if you find out that one of your neighbors has the same thing, you'll get excited (a kindred spirit!) instead of annoyed. And your place will be cool and rare and truly "green", the design equivalent of the moss living on the shaded trunk of a giant Redwood.

The Broadway Antique Mart is located at 6130 North Broadway in Chicago. For questions, call 773-743-5444 or email antiques@bamchicago.com. You can also visit their websites:

Www.BAMchicago.com
www.BAMnewyork.com

For thumbnails, click here.
For a slide show, click here.







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This Week at . . . Scout

Writing this piece was a bit tricky for me, as I'm in no way impartial; I've been making weekly (sometimes daily) trecks to Scout since Larry Vodak opened his urban antique shop four years ago. To make it even more tricky, I'm a contrarian by nature, always seeking to stir things up, sometimes as an intellectual exercise but often because I simply see things in a different way. By nature, I get suspicious when things get too popular, when ideas or memes gain a foothold among the masses.

So loving Scout (and I really do love Scout) is a different experience for me. Scout stands for everything that only a few of us are supposed to "get" - finding beauty in the old, making the world a more interesting place, going against the grain . . . but there's one problem with this particular "supposed to" - I'm in no way alone; my voice is part of a chorus (which hasn't begun to reach its crescendo). Scout somehow strikes a chord in everybody without watering down (or dumbing down) its offer.



On several occasions, I've had the pleasure to be on-the-scene when Larry receives a new shipment, his cadence quickening, his arms gesturing as he darts from discovery to treasured discovery. His passion is infectious, and it's usually not long before I'm just as excited as he is (and standing at the register waiting for my receipt). Unlike many of the shops I adore, Scout's affordable, and as a result, the goods (which are oh so good) turn over quickly, making even my weekly trips more distinct than yearly trips to other stores.

Perhaps most importantly for me, Scout helped me rediscover myself. At some point, I forgot how much I loved antiques and vintage "stuff"; I dipped a toe into consumer culture (just to test the water, just because I could) and before I knew it, the undercurrent had me and I was drowning in an ever faster stream of Pottery Barn and Crate and Barrel and Target goods. Larry threw me a life preserver (a vintage one, of course) by helping me rediscover my love for objects with a little history, a little soul.

And that's why my Scout review tops off this week, which will focus on the best places to buy vintage - places like Scout, the Broadway Antique Market and more. Where do you go to find secret treasures?

For all my Scout thumbnails, click here.
For a Flickr slide show, click here.

Scout's located at 5221 N. Clark Street. For questions, call 773-275-5700

This Week At . . . Andersonville Galleria

I've written a bit before about Andersonville's transformation into Stroller-ville - babies and gay folk slowly replacing all the Swedes (Hej då, I miss you already, but maybe I'll see you shopping for antiques from the old country at the wonderful Svenska Mobler).

I'm very conflicted about gentrification, and my strange, quirky and utterly fantastic mix of friends from all walks of life and with a wide range of opinions, doesn't help matters much. But the explosion of design shops on North Clark has made the loss of parking, Cafe Boost and the Delwood Pickle (I know I'm a broken record) almost worth it.


Subliminal . . . I like it.

A recent addition to the formerly sleepy strip, the Andersonville Galleria, provides a gorgeous two level space which spotlights local artists, artisans, designers, toffee-makers (which you've got to try now) and resale shops. The first time I visited, I was underwhelmed, but the space was new and there was enough potential there for me to give it another chance. And I'm glad I did; they've definitely kicked it up a notch.

Check out the vintage lamp shop (which is as impressive as Lightology but vintage, rarer and cooler), Terry's Toffee, the and the awesome plant boutique. Those are my favorites, but there's something for everybody, one-of-a-kind t-shirts, artwork, photography and jewelry.

Check it out and tell us what you think. For thumbnails, click here.
Or, for a slide show, click here.

This Week at . . . Haus

This lamp is unbelievably beautiful in person. Please excuse the poor quality of this photo, and do check it out in person.


I bought one solitary piece of this pottery (the cup) and now I can't get the set out of my head. I think having just one cup would be so sad so its function has changed. Read the full post for Exciting Details!




These vases are beautiful and icy, hard yet fragile (like my mom. Just kidding mom; it's no fun you're so well-adjusted and supremely cool.)

Many of the emails I get question how one creates a unique space in an era of big box blandness. So here's the answer; shop at Haus, an independently owned shop in Andersonville that works exclusively with local potters, artisans and small furniture companies.

I stopped in for a look and wound up with an ultra-cool and unique piece of pottery for well under $20. It's a small piece, but it coordinates well with the white pottery theme in my home and it's being used as this elegant and somewhat unexpected pencil holder. Greg Steffens, the owner, suggested using it as a tooth brush holder, that it would be an unexpected and beautiful surprise when opening the medicine cabinet. Let's face it, it's an ugly world sometimes, and I can't speak for you, but I need as much beauty in my life as possible.

In addition to carrying pottery, vases, jewelry and custom lighting, Haus is one of the only stores in Chicago that carries furniture made by Blue Dot, a small Minneapolis company with innovative design that is stylish, trend transcendent and suitably utilitarian. Check out the ultra modern take on the McCobb classic Origami chair for under $100.

Haus is located at 5405 N. Clark Street. 773-769-4000. Or here.




The Origami-inspired chair. Read full post for more information. Also, please do leave your comments about this chair.

This Week At . . . White Attic

I've been a fan of White Attic since they first opened on North Clark a few years ago. The owner, Terry Ledford, sees beauty in furniture that other people might find too beat up; he looks into its soul, sees what's behind the scratches and dirt and then coaxes it out; he's a furniture whisperer. Terry seems to favor mid-century pieces but it's not uncommon to find a more traditional piece in the store.

In addition to vintage furniture, White Attic carries a selection of new accessories: candles, tableware and Haeger pottery, which is made from a local company whose bricks basically rebuilt Chicago after the great fire (fire? don't worry, it's on Wikipedia). Haeger's work is striking, modern and affordable, a combination that suits me well.



For those of you who care about the world and who are trying to reduce your carbon footprint, consider buying something local and/or recycled, both can be found in abundance at White Attic. I don't have kids, and I just need the world to sustain us another fifty to sixty years, so I'm more concerned with aesthetics, and I shop there for the design (saving the world is a happy accident.) The point is, in this case, you don't have to make a sacrifice; White Attic lets you have it all, just like you deserve.

Also, here's a secret for Strange Closets readers, there is something very very very cool in the store that I wasn't allowed to photograph, because it's not perfect yet (yep, he's that kind of guy - a perfectionist [and it shows in his work]). But I'll post about it as soon as I'm allowed. It's a fantastic idea that's taking shape in the back right hand part of the store. Take a look for yourself. White Attic is located at 5225 N. Clark. For questions, call 773-907-9800.

Feast for the Eyes . . . Great Lake

The Menu. Click to enlarge and then call to order. They're open tonight.

Everything about Great Lake is a bit strange and wonderful, like a David Lynch film filtered through a sieve and mixed up with some Andersonville goodness. I discovered them quite by accident just a week after they opened.


Great Lake also have a limited grocery selection with jellies, jams, coffee, cards and other misc. items. One gets the impression that this will change periodically.


Designed primarily for takeout, Great Lake does have a large dining table for those that want to eat in the kitchen.

It was Saturday morning, and my usual breakfast place, Taste of Heaven, was busy; I was starving, so as much as it pained me to forgo my fried egg sandwich, I listened to my stomach and decided to try something else.

Across the street on Balmoral, I saw a sign in the window of what had previously been an abandoned storefront. "Great Lake," it said, somewhat mysteriously, almost daring me to come over and learn more.

Other than a gauzy white curtain, there was nothing else in the window (they've since added some food and pizza items). As I tried to solve the mystery of Great Lake, the door swung up and a woman came out and offered me a menu; it was enticing - only 4 pizzas! This must be serious, I thought.


Couture? Top/Left. A plain white box hand-stamped and hand-folded.
Bottom/Right. Hand-written re-heat instructions. My ma doesn't even do this!

I know this is a design blog, but if you will, please allow me a few words about the food; Nick and Lydia do all the work, and they are serious about their pizza. I could see it as they worked, advising me that they'd just made some minor adjustments to the pizza I ordered. I had the #4, creme fraiche, bacon, onion and rosemary; it was chewy and salty and crispy, the rosemary and onion balancing each other against the creme fraiche. At first, I was telling everybody (to spread the word), but then I realized, it won't be long before I have to wait too long for my pizza, and I don't want that either . . . oh, the dilemma.

I've been advised that the #2 is also delicious. I'm sure they all are. I hesitate to write about them; I want them to stay in business, but I just know they're going to be busy all the time. They'll forget about me and revel in their newfound adulation. Get in there quick while there's still time.

Wait, the design, I almost forgot about the design. It's great, simple, deliberately scaled down, elegant in its utility, the focus where it belongs. This is a place for food and for memories. They also have a little shop with jams and jellies and cards and little seemingly random items, which is charming and wonderful.


They will take your order on this rad vintage phone.

This Week At . . . Urbanest

Decorative platter an eye popper. "Fantasy Plate" available at $149.

Chicago's Andersonville neighborhood has quickly become a shopping destination with a growing number of reliably quirky home decor stores, each offering quickly-changing inventory and a unique aesthetic (unique from each other, and more importantly, unique from the likes of Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware and other slightly up-market, mass-market retail chains).

Urbanest offers furniture, lighting, rugs and home accessories. They also have a wonderful selection of lampshades, which can be difficult to find. The store feels warm, elegant and lodgy at the same time which is a tricky combination to pull off.


The Oxford cabinet is stunning . $1499.

Urbanest was selling earth friendly and sustainable furniture before it was cool. Their website professes to be "All About Our Community," "All About Our World," and "All About You." And in my experience, it hasn't been hyperbole.

Urbanest stocks eco-friendly items and boasts one of the nicest staffs in Chicago. When a chair I bought needed work (for a debateable issue after nearly a year), they impressed me by quickly deploying a contractor to repair the problem.

Check out Urbanest at 5228 N. Clark or at their website. If you have questions, call Tina at 773-271-1000. Tell them you saw them on Strange Closets.


These are hand-made in Honduras with local materials. Different sizes are available at Urbanest for $25 - $40.


A sophisticated and rustic deconstruction of the typically kitsch "hand" chairs. $525.


Who would have thought that twigs could look so good? Twig Pedestal available for $299.

Destination Shopping . . . Andersonville

Scout, the best resale shop in the entire world.

If you haven't noticed already, there's a new design destination in Chicago's Andersonville neighborhood. That's right, the sleepy little Swedish neighborhood of Andersonville boasts a number of great furniture and design spots within a 4 block area. Unlike the boom that other neighborhoods experienced (Wicker Park/Bucktown, for example), Andersonville's sort of crept up on us; it's only been the past couple of years that things have noticeably changed.


Urbanest in Andersonville offers a unique selection of furniture. Check out the end tables made of reclaimed wood.

Now it's all gays and strollers, restaurants and furniture stores. I have mixed feelings quite honestly.

I miss parking spaces; they're always taken. I miss taverns, especially the one on the corner of Clark and Balmoral (where Taste of Heaven now serves up delectable desserts). I miss the Dellwood Pickle (where La Tache resides). I miss Cafe Boost. I miss the Swedes (they're my peeps).


Cassona has several stores in the Chicago-area, proving the independent owner can thrive with the right vision.

But no one person gets to draw the gentrification line; it's a collective process, an evolving piece of music. Like an ancient tribe, hitting drums and clapping and hooping and hollering, neighborhoods evolve by a million choices. Sometimes when people get together to make music, you get the Beatles "White Album," and sometimes you get Glass Tiger's "Thin Red Line." (Hey, I liked it too at the time, but I was 12.)

I'm still trying to figure out which album we're making on North Clark. But there's usually a hit song on every album, right? And in Andersonville, the home stores are most definitely the chart topper. I'll spotlight them individually in the coming weeks, but here's a look for now. Check out Andersonville and support these guys - I promise that Schaumburg will still be there when you get back.

What's your favorite place in Andersonville? What's the best design neighborhood for design in Chicago? The U.S.? The world?


White Attic re-imagines furniture using paint, hardware and imagination.

The World is Flat

Above: Maps as window shades from Oprah at Home's Spring 2008 issue.
A vintage U.S. map at 4-Sided's Andersonville location.

Maps are everywhere and all of a sudden. In Chicago, the trend has reached critical mass. Maps are prominently displayed in the window of ultra-cool frame store, 4-Sided, spotlighted in Oprah Home's spring issue (as window treatments no less) and have been spotted in some form or fashion at Room and Board, Patina and Pottery Barn (where they are printed on file folders, journals and office accessories).




Four-sided gets it right. Above, a framed world map, a cool double globe and a hint about other store bits and pieces.

Globes are part and parcel of this trend, but in an election year where voting for change is the rage, both are back in old-school Americana-style, vintage in fact or design suggestion. Where's the ironic take, the lucite, the white lacquer, the political statements? Are the design gods priming the pump for Senator John McCain?

But I digress, two weeks ago (when I bought a large, vintage Africa map at Patina), I was all over maps; now I'm just over them. As my grandpa said when he waxed poetic about design trends, "I'll be damned if I'm going to be the last one on the block hanging my map".

How do design trends impact how you feel about your new purchases or treasured pieces? Do you pack up your formerly unique artifacts when you see them in the new Ballard Design's catalog? Or are you content to ignore the Joneses altogether? How much value does design currency carry?


Pottery Barn File Folder