The air is beginning to chill. The leaves turn amber and gold and blanket the frosty ground. Time to turn our attention to home and harvest; to creating a warm and welcoming environment in which to share winter with our loved ones. Here are some tips to point you in the right direction.
Beginning its 3rd year of business, Asian Essence has become a proud fixture of the Wicker Park, Bucktown community. Always striving to exceed his customer's expectations, owner Douglas Stein has continued his commitment tp hand picking each piece featured in the 3000-square-foot gallery.
His buying trips verge on exhausting, as he hunts treasures from Korea to Tibet, from Northern and Southern China to the Hill Tribes of Thailand and from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam. Always searching for the unusual, the unique and the beautiful, he is relentless when it comes to picking the pieces he features at Asian Essence.
If you're looking for a unique gift idea for the holidays, Stein assures us that he just brought back hundreds of great gift pieces for every budget. Asian Essence is located in the heart of Wicker Park at 2025 W. North Ave. See www.asianessence.com .
Last November, Stein opened a new boutique in the upscale mall of Northbrook Court in Northbrook. Zenbu is an eclectic mix of home décor and fashion accessories, featuring the art and crafts of Vietnam, Thailand and China.
The Chicago Design Show brings the best of contemporary design for the home to one location in an easy-to-buy, interactive and educational environment at The Merchandise Mart, Nov. 7-9. The show is a lifestyle event that attracts trade professionals and consumers with seminars presented by industry leaders, new product launches from diverse lifestyle companies, interactive exhibits and individual design consultations.
Luxehome, the world's largest collection of luxury boutique items for home, buildings and renovations, teamed up with Chicago Design Show to present several ideas for the curious shopper. One feature is the seminar 'Finding Balance: The Art of Personalized Kitchen Design' Saturday, Nov. 8 at 11 a.m. RSVP to (312) 527-7885 and meet Mick de Giulio, who will be hosting the seminar.
Juicy & Co.'s urban design showroom in the West Loop has opened its designer doors to the public. Access to this Loop showroom was previously by appointment only, but now the striking furniture designs and exclusive fabrics will be available to the public on Thursdays and Fridays, noon-6 p.m. The combination of original upholstered designs, select time-worn furniture and rare Italian fabrics has sparked an overwhelming interest from the public. Designer and founder Jessie Davidson presents Juicy and Co. as the only furniture designer in the midwest to carry the sought-after Busatti Italian textiles, creating a buzz around the city that resulted in Davidson's decision to open the doors a little bit wider. Juicy & Co. has affordably priced furniture with distinct character and patina; 1528 W. Adams St. Call (312) 850-3831 or log on to www.juicyandco.com .
Local stores can also assist in changing a room's decor. Lakeview Art at 3359 Lincoln has many ideas in framing existing or new pieces to match your walls. Call Theresa for assistance at (773) 296-6696.
And now for the floors. Manico Flooring has a fantastic array of choices, from marble to hard wood, specializing in design and image. Call Peter at (847) 274-6413.
For larger accent pieces and to really change a room's appearance, stop by Cassona at one of their two locations. Find them at 1509 Chicago Ave., in Evanston, (847) 328-0995 or at 5241 N. Clark, Chicago, (773) 506-7883. David or Alma will be happy to discuss ideas or share the story of how they were voted Best Home Furnishing Store 2003 Chicago by CitySearch.com . Visit www.cassona.com for great shopping ideas.
A great and sensible one-stop shop for the holidays is the WareHouse Outlet, 4245 North Knox Ave. WareHouse is Chicago's premier distributor of a broad range of brand-name houseware products including toasters, juice extractors, bread makers, waffle makers, rice cookers, and cappuccino and coffee machines. They also have an amazing selection of tabletop products (china and crystal), lighting, care and wellness products.
Their clientele is consistently amazed by the breadth and diversity of their product offerings. Due to the fact they are in a warehouse environment they are able to pass through amazing savings to their customers. Their prices across all branded product lines average about 30% to 70% off manufactured suggested retail price. Their inventory turns every three weeks, but they maintain the same product quality, diversity and great prices. They are now open to the public on Thursday through Sunday and can be reached at (773) 777-3336.
Happy harvesting!!!
