We were thrilled to be featured in the September issue of Chicago Magazine! The River North Design District had our own special section within the issue, featuring details surrounding our 3rd Annual Fall Gallery Walk as well as advertisements from many of our Members.
Thank you to Chicago Magazine for including us! There’s still time to pick up your own copy of the issue this month to view the full section.
The River North Design District (RNND) is excited to welcome our newest Designer Member to our group, Robin Thomas Design.
Robin Thomas Design is a Chicago-based, boutique interior design firm with an in-studio gallery featuring a rare and exclusive collection of furnishings and textiles by local and international artisans.
With a design philosophy based on individuality, they believe their role is to capture the essence of your vision and elevate it with their unrivaled sourcing and design expertise.
This distinct philosophy begins with understanding the value of key elements from the past and integrating those important components into a new sensibility to create grounded, yet modern, individualized interiors. They welcome the opportunity to work on a broad range of projects, from complete homes to room-specific engagements.
In all aspects of their work, from design projects to featured offerings in the RTD gallery, they maintain extremely high standards in quality and design aesthetic, ensuring that their creative collaborations will be loved and enjoyed over time.
Exclusively available through the RTD Gallery is the exquisite French textile collection Maison Lévy – where art is brought to daily life in the imaginative fabrics, wallcoverings and decorative accessories of this artistically unique brand.
Please help us in welcoming them to the RNDD Community!
For more information on Robin Thomas Design, visit their website here: www.robinthomasdesign.com or contact them to set up an appointment Monday – Saturday info@robinthomasdesign.com.
Due to great success, the River North Design District (RNDD) Fall Gallery Walkwill return on Friday September 8th, 2017. The RNDD Fall Gallery Walk is open to the public and free with the exception of two special events (more information here).
Each participating showroom will be exhibiting designer vignettes from Chicago’s top designers as they showcase living settings with artwork created by some of the brightest stars in the art world today, curated by Daniel Kinkade Fine Art. Showrooms will have extended hours during the event until 9pm. The works will be exhibited until October 8th.
We have some really amazing partnerships in the works for this year and wanted to share a sneak peek with you.
225 West Hubbard Street Chicago, IL 60654
Visit the Studio41 showroom during the RNDD Gallery Walk to view a vignette designed by Candy Scott of MOOD | Design + Build featuring works by artist Robert Porazinski from 4-9pm.
Robert Porazinski: My work is inspired by natural and manufactured forms – the juxtaposition of gestural, painterly strokes and bold, defined compositions. The borders of the painting are the confines in which these forces are constantly being negotiated. The underlying painting is an accumulation of marks made from squeegees, trowels, sponges and brushes and in some cases, written text – all contributing to a visually rich surface. Shapes made from cut paper create the silhouettes that serve as a stencil for the composition. These forms give purpose and context to the underlying chaos. The fluctuation between abstraction and representation create ambiguities that invite a dialogue for interpretation. These characteristics are inherent in the work of early and mid 20th century artists for whom I have an affinity for and am continually referencing in my paintings.
Candy Scott, founder of MOOD | Design + Build, has 15 years of experience in the field of interior design including both residential, and commercial settings. As the lead senior designer and creative director of the team, she has a genuine desire to create special places reflecting the heart and soul of our clients. Candy graduated from Meredith college in Raleigh, NC with a Bachelor’s of Science in Interior Design. Through the years, she has won multiple awards working with large developer and corporate clients outfitting high rise condominium lobbies, clubrooms, and model show homes. In 2014 she founded MOOD | Design + Build, where she has continued to work with residential clients and small business owners on their homes, offices, and small scale commercial interiors.
120 W Kinzie St Chicago, IL 60654
Visit the Oscar Isberian showroom from 4-9pm on September 8th. Minneapolis based artist Greg Dickerson will be creating drawings onsite and objects from interior designer and globetrotter Michael Del Piero’s travels will be on display as well. Live raffle drawings throughout the evening. Win art, handwoven rugs and dining gift certificates. Light fare will be served & provided by Sayat Nova Armenian Restaurant. Also featuring live music. You won’t want to miss this event!
Fine artist, Greg Dickerson received his Master of Fine Arts Degree from Minneapolis College of Art and Design. Two decades of work has led Greg to focus on using tactile materials combined with paint on both canvas and wood panels. His vision is realized by working with the idea that immediacy allows for the conceptual process between elements and materials to interact. His work is best known for its’ playful abstraction and his exploration of color and form.
Michael Del Piero founded Michael Del Piero Good Design in 2007 based on three simple principals: Strive for balance. Create interiors as current as they are enduring, as sophisticated as they are approachable, and as unusual as they are beautiful. And take care of clients as if they are royalty, serving their needs and lifestyles above all else. A curious soul and a world traveler, Del Piero is known for her accomplished eye and uncommon knack for a serene and simple mix that bridges generations of style. Her distinct aesthetic fuses rough with luxurious and ancient with modern. Her fresh approach to “the mix” has garnered accolades from a worldwide and most discerning clientele.
320 N Clark St., Chicago, IL 60654
Visit The Rug Company showroom during the RNDD Gallery Walk from 4-9pm and enjoy complimentary drinks while viewing the amazing artworks by Anne Abueva!
Anne Abueva has worked in the visual arts and interior design for over 15 years. Her studio practice has steadily become a larger and larger part of her life, especially in the past 2 years. This collection of paintings is a visual expression of Anne’s life experiences, including grief and loss. Her process is unabashedly on display with layers of color, texture and an appreciation for the spontaneous and unexpected.
![anneabueva24x36-web[4]](https://rivernorthdesigndistrict.files.wordpress.com/2017/08/anneabueva24x36-web4.jpg?w=251&h=381 "anneabueva24x36-web[4]")
![anneabueva30x30-5web[1]](https://rivernorthdesigndistrict.files.wordpress.com/2017/08/anneabueva30x30-5web1.jpg?w=381&h=381&crop=1 "anneabueva30x30-5web[1]")
330 N. Clark St. Chicago, IL 60654
Artist Adam Siegel presents his new series Wabi-Sabi in collaboration with Vosges for the After-Party at The Golden Triangle. Adam Siegel takes guests through a special artistic journey of the senses with art, chocolate pairings and live music. The After Party will take place from 8-10pm during the Gallery Walk and Space is Limited! Get your tickets today!
Tickets for the After-Party are $25/ea, space is limited.
Chicago artist Adam Siegel is nationally recognized for his breadth of work as an abstract painter and photographer collaborating with museums and large-scale corporate installations. Fusing iconic forms with texturally rich color, Siegel constructs his large paintings and photographs in multiple layers that immerse the viewer into a meditative space. Inspired by his personal collections of 17th and 18thcentury works including Japanese kimono designs, natural history illustrations, and quixotic manuscripts he uses new technology alongside collected imagery. His works bridge new to old, high to low, reverie to the achingly simple.
Don’t forget to mark your calendars for the River North Design District (RNDD) Fall Gallery Walk on September 8th!
Below is a recent article written by River North Design District (RNDD) Member Candy Scott of MOOD | Design + Build. As the founder of MOOD | Design + Build, Candy has 15 years of experience in the field of interior design including both residential, and commercial settings. As the lead senior designer and creative director of the team, she has a genuine desire to create special places reflecting the heart and soul of their clients. Candy graduated from Meredith college in Raleigh, NC with a Bachelor’s of Science in Interior Design. Through the years, she has won multiple awards working with large developer and corporate clients outfitting high rise condominium lobbies, clubrooms, and model show homes. In 2014 she founded MOOD | Design + Build, where she has continued to work with residential clients and small business owners on their homes, offices, and small scale commercial interiors.
So you were lured into buying — or renting — a new construction apartment, condo, or single family home. That’s terrific, in some ways, but super boring in others. Especially if your home could pass as your neighbor’s.
New construction has its perks. It’s new for one. But the tendency for builders is to duplicate the same layouts, finishes, and colors over and over again.
If you want something new, can you still make it unique?
It’s all about interior styling. Think about that little black dress. Super basic, but the key is in how it fits your shape, the shoes you wear, and the fabulous accessories. (The same applies to the gents and their classic suits.)
If you want to turn your plain Jane home into a personalized oasis, here are 6 tips to get you started:
Lay out a floor plan.
You can either hire a professional (like myself, eh-hem) to draft your floor plan on CAD and space the furniture arrangement. You’ll want to maximize the space without over-furnishing but also stay mindful of empty gaps that could use something really interesting.
Jazz up your furniture.
If your surroundings are basic, you need interesting pieces. You can stick to classic sofas and sideboards but really get funky with side chairs and tables, coffee tables, headboards, benches, etc.
Paint your heart out.
We’ve all heard it’s the most inexpensive way to transform the MOOD of a space. Well, it’s true. Don’t be afraid to experiment with a little color. And while you’re at it, a fabulous wallpaper will do wonders for your boring dining room, office, or foyer.
Fill your walls with art.
Art has the potential to transform a space. I like to go to art museums to soak in the creative genius and inspiration from all the greats. Pretend your home is an art gallery, reflecting your life, feelings, and philosophy. Don’t just fill walls — let the walls speak.
Rugs, rugs, and more rugs.
Unless you have naughty pets (and sometimes children), take advantage of your floor space. A family room turns into a comfy oasis with a cream shag you can roll around on.
Light up your life.
I always say lighting is the jewelry of your home. Don’t be afraid to swap out fixtures everywhere. If you’re renting, you can take them with you. Just hire a local electrician to wire them. And while they are at it, have them install dimmer switches. These are an absolute MOOD must-have.
Accessorize.
Well-placed, meaningful objects are a treasure. Treat them as such. A pottery piece your child made can be an artistic gem if placed well. However, take caution to not overdo it. It can turn into that dreaded thing called clutter. It might take some fiddling around to get it right, but it’s well worth the effort. If you’re feeling stuck, check out Pinterest or images of spaces you love and try and mirror the interior.
Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day. Take your time to collect and curate. Focus on one room at a time and let yourself get creative. Before you know it, your cookie cutter home will be a coveted space by you and all of your friends and family!
Follow Candy and MOOD | Design + Build on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
Outdoor spaces are important in a home, not only for resale value, but for enhancing your lifestyle. We’ve compiled some of the most stunning outdoor spaces built by RNDD Member, BGD&C Custom Homes, and enlisted the help of RNDD Member and top producing broker, Janet Owen of Berkshire Hathaway KoenigRubloff, to describe these amazing outdoor spaces and why more people are starting to incorporate them into their city homes.
“As more and more people are choosing to move to the city when they become empty nesters, and more and more young families are choosing to stay in the city, outdoor spaces are now a “must have” and seem to be on everyone’s “wish list.” From the smallest balcony to the most expansive lawn, large enough for a game of croquet, these al fresco spaces are being lovingly transformed into charming and idyllic areas for living!”
– Janet Owen
Lincoln Park Venetian Home
“A few years ago, I had the pleasure of handling the re-sale of this breathtaking villa nestled behind the gates on Burling Street. It sold for the highest recorded resale of a single-family residence in the multiple listing service and the outdoor spaces certainly had a lot to do with breaking records! From the sports court and children’s play area, to the garage rooftop kitchen herb garden, the spaces had several areas in which to dine both formally (the stunning pergola above the stone dining table) or informally (the loggia just off the family room and kitchen). An inviting seating area surround a full-sized brick wood burning fireplace as well as an enchanting small court with a bubbling fountain off the atrium home office. The formal gardens featured an antique wishing well and three ornamental obelisks which also served as a light source over the indoor swimming pool below. There is even a rooftop terrace with one of the most outstanding views of the skyline imaginable. Truly outdoor living at its absolute best!” – Janet Owen
Hardscape by BGD&C.
Landscape design by Hoerr Schaudt Landscape Architects with install by Mariani.
Photo by Wayne Cable.
Lincoln Park Tuscan Home
“This magnificent residence is thoughtfully designed in a C-shape with the interior of the ‘C’ encompassing a lovely, shady loggia and an outdoor kitchen and barbeque area. There is also lots of open lawn for the young children to run and play all day. This beautiful residence also has the most stunning rooftop outdoor living room in the city! With another outdoor kitchen, an imported tiled swimming pool and an incredible unobstructed view of the Chicago skyline. I’ve been fortunate enough to attend the family’s annual Summer movie night where a large screen and several chaise lounges (and even a popcorn maker!) create the perfect place to watch a movie. An unsurpassed outdoor living room for the family and their friends to thoroughly enjoy!” – Janet Owen
Hardscape by BGD&C.
Landscape design by Scott Byron & Co.
Photos by Tony Soluri.
Lincoln Park Mediterranean Home
“One of BGD&C’s more recent residences, the owners, also with small children, wanted to scale back the size of their residence in order to accommodate more space for outdoor living. Their collaboration with BGD&C accomplished that goal perfectly! A series of 10’ double doors access the elegant wide stone terrace, which is truly an outdoor extension to the family great room. With retractable European awnings to shade the sun if desired, this terrace is truly a wonderful place to dine alfresco. A favorite past time is watching their sons play soccer with friends or even building snowmen during the winter months. The owners have European backgrounds and truly make living outdoors a priority and dining outdoors is an event. To be a guest in their home is pure heaven. There is a formal landscaped garden, with seating around a wishing well and a family millstone decoratively placed at one end of the garden. Tucked just near the back of the home is a kitchen garden for these avid chefs and a grilling area. With almost two thirds of their wide lot devoted to exterior spaces, this lovely home is unlike any other and gives a truly different perspective to outdoor living!” – Janet Owen
Hardscape by BGD&C.
Landscape design by Scott Byron & Co.
Photo by Tony Soluri.
About Janet Owen
Janet Owen has been the top producer for the last twenty consecutive years and is in the top one half of 1% in the entire city of Chicago every year. Her approach to sales is upscale, energetic, effective and results driven. She has chosen to sell as an individual broker rather than form a team in order to give her clients and their homes the individual service and attention they deserve. Owen specializes in the Gold Coast, Lincoln Park, DePaul and Michigan Avenue/Streeterville neighborhoods, and she has sold over $600 million in residential single family homes, condominiums and cooperatives. Owen has also recently broken two Chicago real estate records. She sold the highest Lincoln Park single family home ever recorded in the MLS with an asking price of $16.9 Million (breaking her own record of $8.5 Million) and sold the highest Gold Coast single family home since 2008 with an asking price of $7.85 Million (breaking her own record of $6.8 Million). http://janetowen.koenigrubloff.com/
About BGD&C Custom Homes
Founded in 1986, BGD&C is a full-service design/build firm specializing in well-crafted homes within Chicago’s Lincoln Park and Gold Coast neighborhoods. With over three decades of architectural design and construction expertise in both new and renovated residential properties, BGD&C has earned a reputation for its exceptional quality and unparalleled service. Headquartered in the iconic John Hancock Building, BGD&C’s focus is ‘distinctly Chicago’ and its historical love of architecture. Each project offers the opportunity to create a unique home that is as singular and remarkable as its clientele. As stewards of quality and craftsmanship, BGD&C produces homes with passion and precision. http://bgdchomes.com/
Due to great success, the River North Design District (RNDD) Fall Gallery Walkwill return on Friday September 8th, 2017. The RNDD Fall Gallery Walk is open to the public and free with the exception of two special events (more information here).
Each participating showroom will be exhibiting designer vignettes from Chicago’s top designers as they showcase living settings with artwork created by some of the brightest stars in the art world today, curated by Daniel Kinkade Fine Art. Showrooms will have extended hours during the event until 9pm. The works will be exhibited until October 8th.
We have some really amazing partnerships in the works for this year and wanted to share a sneak peek with you.
440 N. Wells St #100s, Chicago, IL 60654
Visit the newly re-opened Ligne Roset showroom during the RNDD Gallery Walk to view a vignette designed by Nicholas Moriarty of Nicholas Moriarty Interiors featuring works by artist Magdalena Krzak from 4-9pm.
Magdalena Krzak’s paintings present a unique combination of an abstract, figurative forms and drawing. She focuses mainly on human nature, woman nature in particular. Her pieces are created spontaneously; she is led by emotions and everyday observation. Images of women are subtle and feminine and her subjects are often nude and vulnerable. Created only with an outline, filled with colors and texture they blend with the background, yet they speak to us with incredible power. The combination of illustrative and abstract styles gives her work a dreamy quality and transports our imagination into a whole other world.
Since its inception in 2008, Nicholas Moriarty Interiors (NMI, LLC.) has quickly garnered an esteemed reputation as “one of the top emerging young design firms” in Chicago. Recognized as forward-thinking and client-focused, NMI strives to create unique environments that fundamentally change the way the client interacts with their space. By drawing on a passion for a variety of design styles, from traditional to the avant-garde, our work is consistently recognized for its depth of texture, personality, and warmth. Through our knowledge of art, fashion, and design, we take a multi-disciplinary approach to the design process that allows us to draw out as much personal information from each client as possible. Thus, we create an environment that reflects every client’s individual life experiences.
501 North Wells Street Chicago, IL 60654
Blutter Shiff Design Associates will be creating Haiku-themed vignettes featuring Pamela Staker’s work on exhibit at O’Brien Harris. Stop by between 4-9pm and enjoy small bites presented by Erling Wu-Bower, of Pacific Standard Time Restaurant, California-inspired Hearth Cuisine.
Pamela Staker: At their core, Pamela Staker’s paintings and works on paper are about a search for beauty and joy in process. They are a performance of sorts – spontaneously choreographed – playful and sensitive – free flowing within the bounds of carefully constructed compositions. Using landscape, nature, and architecture to underpin her imagery, Staker advances the work by allowing herself a great deal of freedom in her paint handling – applying her marks quickly and with a confidence that is intuitive and decidedly unfussy. Staker’s “Haiku Series” in particular has an urban/rural duality. These works are based on themes of nature –always within the context of her urban environment. She notices moments that are easily passed over and finds beauty in the unexpected.
Blutter Shiff Design Associates, has been demystifying the design field for clients and forging timeless, highly functional interiors since 1958. Today, they have a young staff, headed by Janet Blutter Shiff. They believe no job is off-limits or too trivial. They take on residential, contract and commercial jobs both large and small. Their firm can execute any or all facets of a project, from start to finish, be it purchasing and project management or space planning and construction. They also work in every style and vein, all over the United States, and are equally adept at dealing with new structures or renovations.
449 North Wells Street Chicago, IL 60654
Stop by the Farrow & Ball Chicago Showroom from 4-9pm during the Gallery Walk to see an amazing vignette designed by Linc Thelen incorporating his own artwork!
Linc Thelen has resided in Chicago for twenty years. He has an entrepreneurial spirit with a thirteen year celebrated career combining interior architecture, design-build and the visual arts. Referred to as a “triple threat” by writer Barri Leiner Grant in Modern Luxury’s Interiors Chicago, Linc seamlessly blends his talents in architecture and the arts to create a classic and unique design vision. Known for well-choreographed interiors, Linc masters the art of creating spaces that are timeless and eclectic, fusing a bit of the unexpected. Linc’s designs extend far beyond the composition of the room’s interior. Every choice is carefully considered, every detail weighed. His artistic vision and practical sense of space yield environments with a distinct architectural vernacular. Linc takes the “master builder” approach to his projects, one of the oldest forms of construction procedure. The end result is a turnkey project where Linc takes on the roles of artist, designer and general contractor and masters each with great proficiency.
401 N Wells #2, Chicago, IL 60654
Visit Montauk Sofa during the RNDD Gallery Walk from 4-9pm to enjoy music from a live band while viewing a vignette designed by the talented duo of Stone | Kent incorporating artwork from a surprise guest! You have to stop by the showroom to see this mystery celebrity artist revealed!
Jacque Kent: Jacque, one half of Stone | Kent, is a classically trained dancer that found her love of expression through art early in life. As the years progressed, a new artistic path took hold, curating interiors. She went on to study and work in San Francisco, London, and Chicago. Her keen eye and love of form, line, and sculpture are evident in the spaces she designs. Jacque holds a Bachelor of Science in Interior Design.
Angela Stone: Angela, the other half of Stone | Kent, was born into design. As the daughter of a developer, she was curiously studying floor plans as a toddler and sketching furniture layouts before elementary school. From the start, she loved the untold story of found objects. The more age, the more soulful. She found her place in design, and her love of imperfect beauty, working alongside an antique collector and designer while completing her Bachelor of Fine Art in Design.
401 North Wells St. Chicago, IL 60654
Join Organic Looms during the Gallery Walk for a LIVE and interactive weaving demonstration led by local textile designer and Organic Looms team member Sarah Geraci. Learn to weave and view a stunning vignette designed by Kenneth Walter of Gray | Walter featuring artwork from Rory Scott.
Rory Scott: My acute awareness of time, memories, space and the universe are at the core of my work. Examining the past and coming to terms with impermanence and letting go. Centered on personal diary entries made between 2010-2012, my work focuses on a period of significant personal growth and transition in my worldview. Confronting and reconciling the passage of time, by juxtaposing the old and the new, is a theme in both the style and presentation of the art. The nostalgia of the past is conjured up with a new digital reinterpretation of retro futurist designs. Visually inspired by the universe, retro sci-fi films, and my enduring love of glitter, I create art that combines computer graphics with a hint of handmade production.
Gray & Walter is a studio based in Chicago founded over two decades ago. The firm’s scope of work extends from ground-up construction and renovation to interior architecture, design and decoration for hotels, restaurants, private clubs, residential, corporate and other commercial spaces. Their aesthetic is characterized by diversity and unified by an essential clarity. Design evolves out of intimate dialogue: between the client and the designer, between the designer and the site. The results reflect clients’ needs and desires, their unique characters as filtered through our vision; and reveal a beautifully calibrated balance between form and function. This process renders a phenomenal end product regardless of overall style of the project.
Stay tuned for our next Gallery Walk preview and don’t forget to mark your calendars for September 8th!
Due to great success, the River North Design District (RNDD) Fall Gallery Walk will return on Friday September 8th, 2017. The RNDD Fall Gallery Walk is open to the public and free with the exception of two special events (more information here).
Each participating showroom will be exhibiting designer vignettes from Chicago’s top designers as they showcase living settings with artwork created by some of the brightest stars in the art world today, curated by Daniel Kinkade Fine Art. Showrooms will have extended hours during the event until 9pm. The works will be exhibited until October 8th.
We have some really amazing partnerships in the works for this year and wanted to share a sneak peek with you.
371 West Ontario Street.
Artist Doug Frohman will be exhibiting selected works from his “EQUATIONS” series at Christopher Guy at Chicago Luxury Furniture Centre. From 6PM on, stop by their showroom to view vignettes by Nora Schneider Interior Design and watch Doug paint live, demonstrating the unique genealogy of his approach – combining bold color, intuitively layered forms in ambient space which open an experiential dialogue with each viewer.
Utilizing the language of abstraction, Doug Frohman‘s work draws upon an amalgam of minimalism, color-field and aspects of architecture. He tends to work thematically drawing upon a series of concepts while engaging with different materials, surface and themes. Since 2007, he switched from painting with brushes to using cement trowels of different sizes, experimenting extensively with different mediums and painting on hard wood panels instead of stretched canvas.
Nora Schneider Interior Design (NSID) is a residential design firm based in Chicago. Through collaborations that combine the spirit of each client with the essence of their spaces, NSID creates uniquely distinct experiences. Nora works efficiently to produce exquisite design solutions. NSID specializes in the juxtaposition of ancient and modern influences, which result in a layered approach that ultimately reflects the lives and loves of those who inhabit each space.
555 North Franklin Chicago, IL 60654
Be sure to stop by The Tile Gallery during the Gallery Walk as they will have a LIVE ART class from 7-8pm. Artist Phillip Schalekamp will be leading an interactive drawing lesson.
Phillip Schalekamp is a Chicago-based artist and industrial designer. He earned a Bachelors of Fine Arts from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, during which time he founded his present-day business SPDI. Schalekamp weaves aesthetic elements into functional creations to achieve a level of surprise and unexpected beauty. Schalekamp’s unique cultural heritage (Dutch/Indonesian), his outdoor adventures in landscape, his fondness for mechanical devices combined with his training as an artist reveal his broad spectrum of perception and interpretation. His work has a precise yet loose quality and an inherent sense of depth and dimensionality.
500 North Wells Street Chicago, IL 60654
Visit the TOTO showroom for cocktails and appetizers while viewing vignettes designed by PROjECT. interiors featuring artwork from Jill King and Sheila Ganch and enter to
win an S350e Washlet and a Drake II toilet! Drawing will take place at 7:30pm.
Jill King’s sculptures take the viewer on a journey from the smallest elements of creation, such as a seed under a microscope and into vast galaxies light years away. Her artworks are constructed out of a wide range of materials such as soldered or welded steel, sewn fabrics impregnated with acrylic gel, LED lights and painted pigments. Formed by stretching an opaque fabric over a linear steel construction, her sculptures look like fantastical botanical drawings, flying kites or lit up celestial cloud formations that have come to life in three dimensions.
Sheila Ganch‘s sculptures deal with our relationship with the planet and our mission to connect. Our connections are vital. As a starting point, the sculptures are made of elements from the earth: clay, metal, stone, and pigments. The human form is her subject. Using form, emotion, abstraction, texture, and hue, she strives to show earth and humanity seeking common ground–as one–connections. The final connection in her process is with the viewer. The sculpture is viewed, inducing emotion and introspection; the response being an integral part of the artistic experience.
Each space conceived by PROjECT. interiors resonates with textural detail, organic influence and the art of visual surprise. Collaborating with a wide range of clients spanning residential, retail, hospitality and commercial, PROjECT. has created a new market for its signature style: an organic-glam-mash-up of texture, color and high-contrast concepts. Whether working in raw, rough-hewn materials or high-shimmer glitz, PROjECT. introduces meaningful, tactile design elements to create spaces that are meant to be experienced as well as admired.
440 N Wells St #100n Chicago, IL 60654
From 6:30–8pm during the Gallery Walk, Chicago Luxury Beds will host a panel of experts discussing the topic of art as an everyday part of your life and home. The panel will include: Interior designer Susan Brunstrum of Sweet Peas Design will discuss how to design your home to reflect your existing art and new art as you find it! Kyle Bretland of Armand Lee, an art installation, restoration, and storage expert will discuss the practical installation and handling of fine art. And, artist Casey Matthews will discuss her art and what inspires her and has influenced her.
Come listen to the panel and view vignettes designed by Sweet Peas Design featuring Casey Matthews on display.
Casey Matthews creates rich paintings with multi-media surfaces that are both visually intriguing and full of energy. They incorporate expressive color, fluid movement, and strong elements of design. The work combines emotional content, observation, technique, exploration, and reinvention. Casey has developed a series of gestures and marks that make up a unique visual language. It is a vague form of communication in an attempt to achieve balance and beauty. From a distance, her works impose a singular statement of color, composition and tone; viewed closely, they suggest a complex narrative that is multi-hued and textured.
Sweet Peas Design is an award-winning, full-service design studio serving residential clients in the North Shore, Chicago and beyond. They are known for their depth of experience and our LivableLuxe style – a signature look that is relaxed, elegant, comfortable and refined. They call it “the little black dress of interior design” because it works for any occasion. Their goal is always to create uniquely personal interiors that are fresh, engaging and truly yours.
Stay tuned for our next Gallery Walk preview!
Below is a recent article written by Kenneth Walter of Gray & Walter. Gray & Walter combines style, practicality and individuality in fine residential interiors, hospitality projects, private clubs and corporate facilities achieving the most beautiful interiors possible. Kenneth Walter provides classic design for modern living. His timeless and diverse interiors have graced the pages of both local and national shelter publications.
What would you say if someone asked how you are? Many of us wouldn’t tell the truth, but most of us are exhausted. I hear this quite often from many of my clients. We are all stressed out, pulled fifty different directions each day, many burning the candle at both ends. Can you relate? So many of us are not getting our Z’s, I imagine you might be one of them. There are many sleep studies done each year. The bottom line is most of us are not getting enough sleep each night. Our body as well as our brain requires good quality sleep nightly. Men on average need a little more sleep than women, I wonder why! The bottom line: we all need 8 solid hours of sleep each night. I know how much I want to feel human in the morning and function well throughout the day. Don’t you?
So what’s the problem? If we are all so tired why don’t we just give in? Many nights I am up reading emails on my tablet or smart phone that I didn’t get to during the day. I have woken up in the living room when the phone falls out of my hands. Many of us are acting like kids, staying up late each night, fighting sleep just to get one more thing done. If this is your case we should attempt to change our ways. I have been trying hard to keep a consistent bed time and believe me it’s not as easy as it sounds. However, the benefit of getting a good night’s rest is immeasurable. Someone once said, I’ll sleep when I’m dead, I think that’s an amusing statement. But the truth is, good sleeping habits actually increase our lives, poor sleeping habits decrease our lifespan.
If you are thinking of purchasing a new mattress I would look no further than Chicago Luxury Beds located in Chicago. I have taken clients there and can fully attest to how happy my clients are once they take the plunge. The above bed is from Hastens, a great mattress made in Sweden. They make a wide variety of beds in all sizes including baby mattresses for cribs. The quality is phenomenal. If you are the type of person who shops at the local department or mattress store you are sadly wasting your money. Many of the beds sold today are full of chemicals and materials that should not be allowed in our homes. Many of these materials consistently give us terrible headaches and can lead to severe health issues. I am not being an alarmist, these are the facts.
“When I traveled to Sweden and tried a Hastens Bed, it was a transformative experience. Ever since, my passion for beds brings our customers the best sleep products in the world. Everyone at Chicago Luxury Beds feels the same way. Each associate has taken the time to visit the Hastens and VI Spring factories to learn what makes a great bed and how to guide customers through different models and tensions to find the perfect bed.”
– Mary Pat Wallace, Founder of Chicago Luxury Beds
The above bed is by Vispring, these mattresses are made in the United Kingdom. These beds are equally phenomenal to the quality of Hastens. I find both brands to be excellent choices for my clients. Chicago Luxury Beds carries other brands as well, but these are two of my favorites. They have a wide selection to try, and of course you can and should lay down. This is the point after all. Feeling shy my little crocodile? No problem, they have a private sleeping room. They will be more than happy to move your preferred bed into the room, shut the doors and you can judge for yourself.
Financial planners always say when saving money to pay yourself first. This also applies to eating right, getting exercise etc. I would say this wisdom also applies to getting good sleep and investing in a quality bed. The health benefits cannot be calculated. There is no wisdom in purchasing a new mattress every 5-7 years. You end up spending more on these inferior mattresses than if you invested in a quality bed which is made to last a lifetime. The choice is always yours of course, but the pay off on your investment is one you won’t regret. This is the bed where you will sleep the majority of nights during the course of a year. I hope you will make the investment and pay yourself first, you won’t regret it. I’m happy I made the investment myself and I’m sleeping better for it. I’ll be seeing you in my dreams.
Follow Kenneth Walter’s blog online here. Learn more about Chicago Luxury Beds online or visit their River North Showroom at 440 N Wells.
Due to great success, the River North Design District (RNDD) Fall Gallery Walk will return on Friday September 8th, 2017. The RNDD Fall Gallery Walk is open to the public and free with the exception of two special events (more information here).
Each participating showroom will be exhibiting designer vignettes from Chicago’s top designers as they showcase living settings with artwork created by some of the brightest stars in the art world today. Showrooms will have extended hours during the event until 9pm. The works will be exhibited until October 8th.
We have some really amazing partnerships in the works for this year and wanted to share a sneak peek with you.
215 W. Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60654
This year’s line up begins with a VIP kickoff featuring new works by artist Rubem Robierb curated by Kasia Kay Art Projects at Lightology at 5:00pm. Tickets are $25/each, and space is limited, so get yours now!.
Rubem Robierb creates multi-media artworks that involve photography, silkscreen, painting and sculpture. This recent work explores the fragility of life by contrasting the innocence and beauty of butterflies and flowers with symbols of violence. This contrast serves as a metaphor on fragility of life, and at the same time invites criticism of war and destruction. His work has shown internationally in solo and group gallery exhibitions, as well as at various international art fairs, either with Kasia Kay Art Projects or his other dealers in Europe. Robierb is represented by Kasia Kay Art Projects.
230 W. Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60654
Working primarily with acrylic, Sebastian Domino emphasizes imaginative organic shapes. Born in Rzeszow, Poland, he studied linguistics at Cracow’s Jagiellonian University. As a part of scholarship, he spent a year in Budapest, Hungary, the most beautiful, decadent city full of artists. He currently lives and works in Chicago, Illinois.
Sebastian Domino’s paintings are primitive, energetic and violent pictures, the sheer force of his markings and scrapings creating an intense power on the canvas as if he’s exorcising his demons, seeking to express an uncontainable rage, a primordial force through which painting is a mere conduit, a release. These are immediate paintings, there is no room for quiet reflection or meditation rather they grab you and transfix you with their deep earthly colors and primitive motifs, his simple geometric shapes evoking cave wall paintings, sculptures of fertility gods from ancient civilizations, a message from an ancient alien life form that once visited our planet and predicated a future of perpetual war, revolt and discord.
Mitchell Channon Design is a residential interior design firm dedicated to elevating style to the level of art. Though they’ve adapted and grown as the world has changed, the award-winning quality of their work and the strength of their reputation remain consistent. They stand out not for a signature style, but for their range. Each design tells a different story — your story. They are as drawn to difference in their clients as they are to the stunning variations of nature.
745 N Wells St Chicago, IL 60654
Janet Trierweiler: The unfolding of this work records the intervals of both artistic and spiritual growth. It articulates a symbolic understanding and reflection on the relationship between material and immaterial. The process is initiated through a series of intentional steps. These steps maintain intense focus creating conscious awareness, thus the paintings are not depictions but rather physical manifestations of spiritual energy harnessed through practice and discipline within the realm of nature makes visible the moment, it’s many aspects and beautiful subtleties.
Since the beginning of her career in the design world in 2001, Randy Heller has been known for mixing classic design styles with contemporary elements in order to create unique and luxurious spaces for her clientele. After specializing in kitchen and bath design, Heller took a leap of faith and studied under celebrity designer, Kelly Hoppen, in the U.K to acquire a full scope of interior design and architecture principals.
520 West Erie St. Chicago, IL 60654
Matthew Lew: Painter, photographer, mixed media artist, Matthew Lew creates original artwork that is marked by bold individuality with subtle references to the fluidity of life. His diverse body of work suggests that art is life itself and ultimately contributes to one’s place in the world. Born and raised in Reno, Nevada, Lew completed his art education in San Sebastian, Spain and since has relocated to Chicago.
While his heart is rooted firmly in Chicago, Lew possesses a traveler’s spirit. He is inspired by influences from all corners of the globe and translates them into a mixed media approach that features photography, oil, acrylic and, at times, unique sources from around the world including water, wine and champagne – integrating these elements into his original work. Lew’s multifaceted visual language speaks to the constant change that he sees in an ever-evolving contemporary world. His diverse body of work supports his belief that art comes in many forms and should be accessible to all.
Stay tuned for our next Gallery Walk preview!
Throughout the Summer, The Rug Company will be featuring a new exhibition – The Art of Abstraction – in each of their US showrooms, including their River North showroom in Chicago, located at 320 N Clark.
The Rug Company‘s latest collection of abstract designs features alluring and expressive forms, painterly strokes and sinuous lines, all rendered in handknotted wool and silk. Drawing inspiration from abstract art, architecture and organic forms, the striking collection of 12 contemporary designs ranges from the bold to the subdued and confidently combines cutting edge design with exquisite materials.
Pictured above, the Brushstrokes design is an abstraction of painterly movements. Many subtle colors are at play in this design, gently merging together in shimmering silk yarns. The meticulous craftsmanship of The Rug Company‘s weavers ensures that each tone of the palette is perfectly matched in lustrous silk, and then carefully blended with its neighbors to give a subtle but highly decorative effect.
Other abstract designs include Wake a hand-painted design that draws inspiration from the fluidity and movement of water. the abstract Smoke design brings the intangible nature of smoke into the soft plane of a handknotted rug. Lastly, inspired by 50s terrazzo floors, the Terrazzo design has been given a modern update with a versatile palette of blues and greys on a cream background.
These versatile design pieces are available from stock and can also be made to any custom size, shape or color.
Stop by their Chicago showroom today to view the exhibition, or check it out online here.
 | kennethfawalter on Outdoor Spaces…The New “Living… |
