The River North Design District (RNDD) is excited to welcome Chicago interior design firm, Relic Design to our organization.
Relic Design is a boutique firm that specializes in residential interior design, serving both the Chicagoland area and beyond. Formed in 2014, they create cohesive and thoughtfully designed spaces filled with personality.
Sophisticated and Inspired Interior Design
Terese Poulos is the Founder and Principal Designer at Relic Design. With over a decade of experience and a background in fine art and interiors, Terese’s artful eye and distinct point of view go hand-in-hand with her attention to detail, expert coordination, and project management skills. She founded Relic Design with the mission to bring sophistication and cohesion to her clients’ homes, and has been serving clients since 2014.
Terese’s experience spans commercial photography styling, furniture showrooms, and luxury interior design firms. Layered designs with personality are Terese’s specialty. She combines her love for textiles, patterns, and textures with beautiful furnishings and finishes to create homes that are artful, functional, and unique.
“I’m fascinated by the juxtaposition of objects old and new.I love how all objects, even newly created ones, have a history and meaning. I’m passionate about layering these into my clients’ homes so that each design tells a story.”
— Terese Poulos, Principal Designer
Interior Design Services Offered
At Relic Design, each design is based on tapping into each client’s personality and providing a sophisticated vision for your home. They provide a strong point of view on what will make your home look the most luxurious and cohesive. Services provided include:
Full Service Design
Object Curation
Design Consulting
Remote Design
Get Expert Design Help, Near or Far
With everyone living and working differently this year, perhaps their most unique service is their Remote Design option. Whether you live near or far, you can work with a talented and experienced interior designer virtually. Just provide them with your space measurements and Relic Design will provide you with their artful eye and sophisticated taste through a scaled space plan, style boards and links to recommended furnishings and finishes. Get started here.
Welcome to RNDD
Please help us welcome Relic Design to our River North, Chicago design community. You can visit their website here to learn more about their work and services provided.
The River North Design District (RNDD) is proud to welcome interior designer firm Alissa Johnson Interiors as a new member of our design community. We pride ourselves on connecting you with the best and most talented Chicago interiors designers and Alissa fits that profile. Her work features a range of luxury residential and commercial interiors and we are excited to introduce her firm to you.
Interior Design that Enhances Peoples Lives
Alissa Johnson Interiors (AJI) is a full-service interior design firm based in Chicago, IL with a concentration in residential & boutique commercial design. Led by principal Alissa Johnson, her firm believes that interior design truly enhances our lives and our homes. She is committed to creating sophisticated spaces that are reflective of each client’s style and identity. When you work with Alissa, you know you are going to end up with a design that is uniquely yours.
“I create timeless, beautiful and functional interiors inspired by each client’s unique personality and lifestyle.”
Alissa Johnson
Every project and every client is unique. With engagement in every detail from conception to completion, AJI takes a unique approach to each client and space. From new builds to a simple quick makeover, AJI is dedicated to designing elevated yet approachable interiors that will expertly reflect your personal taste and style.
Meet Alissa Johnson
Alissa Johnson is the Founder and Principal Designer of Alissa Johnson Interiors. Alissa is a firm believer that interior design enhances peoples lives and there is a big difference between a house and a home. Her most important objective is to create spaces that are elevated, yet warm and functional. No matter the style, she creates the unexpected while maintaining a sense of timelessness.
Prior to launching her firm, Alissa worked for award-winning design firms based in San Diego/Los Angeles and Chicago. Her previous experience at those firms allowed her to develop and incorporate a range of styles from a laid back California aesthetic to contemporary design. Most recently, Alissa was the Chief Operating Officer and Lead Designer at RDID where she led all operations and design projects while playing an integral role in the rapid growth and success of the business.
After spending a year at home, we all know by now what works and what doesn’t work in our homes. And we are ready to fix it, starting with the room we’ve spent the most time in this past year: the Kitchen.
The kitchen has become the room for everything, work, homework, zoom happy hours, cooking, eating, and more. We talked with Chicago interior designers and Chicago design showrooms to see what they expect to be some of the biggest kitchen design trends of 2021. And there is definitely a common thread: making our kitchens more functional and more beautiful.
Retractable Doors
Kitchens need to be dynamic, well planned, versatile, functional and of course have lots of storage. With this in mind, ARMAZEM.design expects to see retractable doors become more of a kitchen design trend in 2021. Retractable doors offer a multi-purpose area; in some cases, they are used to create an extra working surface, in other cases to seamlessly incorporate a coffee/breakfast station or even to add a discreet small appliance hub. Retractable doors facilitate a successful balance of function and a visual pleasing blueprint, hidden in plain sight.
With so many people working from home, the kitchen is the new destination for “water cooler talk”, where family members and roommates are catching up during their work day. It is truly the heart of the home. Additionally, with the lacking options to safely dine out, meals are being picked up and brought home, if not increasingly cooked from scratch. Centaur Interiors and their clients are loving the design of a kitchen island and dining table integration, which gives many opportunities for a unique design of materials, volumes, lighting and furniture to complete the hub of the home.
Hidden range ventilation is a thing of the past! Sarah Jacquelyn Interiors and other designers are taking advantage of this feature to make a statement in the kitchen. By adding a beautiful range hood as a decorative focal point in the kitchen, you create a little piece of eye candy for the viewers to indulge in. Below are a few of Sarah’s favorite examples of this kitchen trend from fellow RNDD Members O’Brien Harris, eggersmann and 210 Design House.
Perhaps the easiest 2021 kitchen design trend to implement into your own home today is that of adding splashes of color to your kitchen with artwork. Casa Bella suggests beautiful and bold original wall decor from Celadon Art, available through Casa Bella.
Pantone announced not one, but two colors as the color of the year for 2021: PANTONE 17-5104 Ultimate Gray, a soft pebble-like gray and PANTONE 13-0647 Illuminating, a bright and cheerful yellow. The two colors together convey a message of calm, resilience and hope for a brighter 2021.
“A marriage of color conveying a message of strength and hopefulness that is both enduring and uplifting.”
— Pantone
Ultimate Gray and Illuminating make a beautiful color combination for any room in the home from your living room to your kitchen to your bedroom. We brought in our RNDD Designers and Showrooms to provide us with some design tips on how you can incorporate these colors into your own home interior design.
Add Yellow and Gray Accents with Tile
Warm and optimistic are the greatest attributes that sum up Pantone’s choice for color of the year. PANTONE 17-5104 Ultimate Gray + PANTONE 13-0647 Illuminating together create a color palette that brings hope and innovation into the new year. The two colors mix beautifully to create a space that feels warm like sunshine and optimistic like new beginnings. Daltile offers many tile styles in both colors as well as some styles that combine the two colors. Choose from a softer sophisticated gray tiles or bold and bright yellow.
In honor of the Pantone Colors of the Year for 2021, Ultimate Gray and Illuminating, this project from Donna Mondi Interior Design captures the essence of both colors beautifully. The challenge was to seamlessly incorporate this custom wall mounted yellow console into the living room design. Bringing in the graphic bold rug with hints of gray, the stunning blue chairs, and commissioned art by Pamela Staker, adds all the right touches of color and bold decisions to keep this living room space functional and fun at the same time.
This year’s Pantone colors of the year are easy to incorporate into your home interiors. The sunny Illuminating yellow brings cheeriness and fun, while the Ultimate Gray fits… well, anywhere! Ligne Roset recommends to make one color stand out, select a central piece in the room to draw the eye and then balance it with other neutral or complementary hues throughout the rest of the space. Most of all, make sure you love the color you’re working with – colors of the year come and go but your furniture should last much longer, a lifetime in many cases.
Centaur Interiors (CI) is no stranger to a modern color combination like this quiet gray and sunny yellow chosen as the 2021 Pantone color of the year. CI was inspired by Pantone’s sleek pairing – particularly by the meaning behind it. “Illuminating” is a soothing, soft, and positive yellow, while “Ultimate Gray” is a dependable shade of gray – just what we all need going into the new year. CI envisions a beautiful gray sofa in a textured fabric with an assortment of yellow accent pillows. Or to really transform a room, paint the walls grey and add a pop of color with a statement yellow lounge chair like the ones CI used in this project below.
Ultimate Gray (Pantone: 17-5104) is soft and tranquil and Illuminating (Pantone 13-0647) is a playful punch of yellow that can bring your interior design to life. Together, they create a fun and energizing combination that keeps viewers on their toes. Sarah Jacquelyn Interiors created this palette featuring yellow accents with Grey Lilac Marble from Calia Stone Boutique and soft grey textiles from Room and Board. The result is a fresh yet sophisticated design that you can use in any room in the home.
Casa Bella suggests the best way to bring the bold color of Illuminating into your home decor, is through original wall decor from Celadon Art.
Solstice Study incorporates the Pantone Colors of the Year for 2021 with other bold colors and neutrals on a clean white background. Created by artist Sheryn Bullis exclusively for Celadon Art and available through casabellaonline.com.
Fly into the new year with whimsical bedroom linens in soft gray and bright yellow that uplift your spirit. Available through Chicago Luxury Beds.
Christian Fischbacher Linens in Mimosa. Plenty of white space allows the attention detail lavished on every single plant to be appreciated. The resulting effect is light and airy. MIMOSA is the perfect choice to brighten the mood. This botanical print on high-quality, long-staple cotton complements the trend for natural interiors.
Christian Fischbacher Linens in Hana. Both traditional and trendy, HANA boasts a lavish floral design with echoes of the baroque. Pastel hints and subtle contrasts create a soothing, stylish design which will enrich your home, whatever the season.
One of the biggest design trends we have seen emerge over the years is home automation. Everything from home security to lighting to temperature control in the home is getting smarter and smarter every year.
But it’s often difficult to know where to start when it comes to home automation. The process of finding and vetting home automation professionals is extremely time-consuming. Once you do get a proposal, it’s too technical to decipher or too vague to understand what is actually included. What you need is someone with insider knowledge of the process and equipment to help bring transparency and parity to the process—which is why we are excited to introduce you to the newest member of the River North Design District (RNDD), Jason Lehnhardt Consulting.
Jason Lehnhardt Consulting (JLC) is a technology consulting firm servicing luxury residential, light commercial, and hospitality projects. Founded by Jason Lehnhardt, who has been in the industry for nearly 20 years, JLC provides expert and independent design and consulting services to owners and design/build professionals to help them navigate the often complex and confusing world of home automation and technology integration.
What is a Technology Consultant?
A technology consultant is an independent advisor who provides systems design, education and advocacy on all low voltage, automation, and general technology elements of a project. As your technology consultant, JLC is independent and not beholden to any particular group of manufacturers or suppliers. This independence allows JLC to design systems and make recommendations based solely on the best interests of the client, not on increasing the size of the sale or meeting manufacturer sales goals.
Who Can Use a Technology Consultant?
Homeowners: JLC can become your trusted advisor in all technology-related aspects in your home or office and will be there to help advise you every step of the way without any sales pressure.
Architects & Designers: Have a true collaborative partner in creating unforgettable spaces and experiences for your clients that offer the latest in technology, while maintaining the integrity of your design with the support of JLC.
Builders: Let JLC manage the low voltage contractors on your projects to ensure your clients’ interests are protected and your schedule and budget are maintained.
Meet Jason Lehnhardt
JLC was founded by Jason Lehnhardt. Jason is an Avixa-accredited Certified Technology Specialist with a concentration in Design (CTS-D). He spent the formative years of his career with one of the top residential integration firms in the country. For 16 years he designed and consulted on elaborate projects for prominent families in business, finance, sports, and entertainment across the United States.
After his years in the residential integration world, Jason transitioned to CannonDesign, one of the country’s largest and most respected architecture and engineering firms. As part of Cannon’s technology consulting team he worked on large healthcare, K-12, higher education, science and technology, and corporate commercial projects.
While at Cannon Jason saw that the processes, documentation, professionalism, and client advocacy that was common and required in the commercial space was totally lacking in the high-end residential market. Jason decided to take his knowledge gained from the commercial experience and offer his clients the same expertise and advocacy that—until now–had been completely absent from the residential market.
He now operates out of the Chicago suburbs, though JLC is available to work on projects across the globe.
Complimentary Consultation
To help celebrate their addition to the RNDD community, JLC is offering all members a complimentary consultation. Jason will come to your home or office and review your systems and offer suggestions on how things may be improved or help resolve some long-standing issues you might have.
Welcome to RNDD!
Please join us in welcoming Jason Lehnhardt Consulting to the RNDD Community! To learn more about JLC, or to schedule a consultation, visit his website here: https://jltechconsulting.com/index.php/contact/
With every new year comes new interior design trends. We asked our River North Design District (RNDD) members to share with us some of their favorite interior design trends that are on the rise for 2021.
Sarah Jacquelyn Interiors: Imperfect Tiles
The team at Sarah Jacquelyn Interiors is seeing a trend already this year towards imperfect finishes, specifically with tiles. Gone are the perfectly smooth, rectified tiles and in their place are more artisanal handmade tiles. Homeowners are starting to embrace this more relaxed, imperfect look which truly adds character to a space through their unique, one-of-a-kind look and individuality.
Sarah is fully on board with this trend, appreciating the flaws of these materials and recalling vibes of Wabi-Sabi. Wabi-sabi is the view or thought of finding beauty in every aspect of imperfection in nature. It is about the aesthetic of things in existence, that are “imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete.”
We asked Sarah to share a few of her favorite imperfect tiles. She recommends the Ceramic and Terracotta collections from Renaissance Tile & Bath.
Casa Bella: Organic Materials
One design trend Casa Bella has seen arise this year through the brands they represent is the warm, engaging feel of natural, organic materials. The Modern Playa collection from Arteriors Home a utilizes natural materials and organic shapes as shown here in the Eleanor Lounge Chair.
The Natural Fiber Rugs from Jaipur Living are pure and textural. These plant-based fiber rugs are woven of organic materials like jute, sisal, sea-grass, and hemp.
And finally, the Newfound Woods from Noir. Further elevating this trend is the Meiko Chest from Noir shown here in Bali Teak. Exotic in nature, translated into modern shapes for the home. All products shown here are available through Casa Bella.
Barrett’s Technology Solutions: Lighting Control
Your home tends to be a reflection of your personality and sense of aesthetics. Finishes, furnishings, color choices, and artwork all form a mosaic of your sense of style and what matters to you. The way your eyes see it every day can change with the way light reflects off of these objects. With tunable fixtures and lighting control, you can enhance the beauty of your carefully curated home every day. For this reason, Barrett’s Technology Solutions is hoping to see more of this lighting control trend in our homes in 2021.
Staci Munic Interiors hopes to see more Integrated Trough Sinks in Primary Bath Suites. Not only are they a statement piece, but they are modern and feel lighter than your normal double vanity. The advantages to using trough sinks in the bathroom aren’t just easier plumbing, they’re a great solution to making smaller bathrooms feel larger while offering the same functionality of dual sinks. When drafting bath projects, Staci Munic always rely on the trusted expertise of Cambria, as she finds their Quartz to be the strongest and most sophisticated in the industry. Their offerings are abundant and appealing and their fabrication is flawless. You can rest assured that there will be no issues when designing with Cambria as their products carry a transferable Full Lifetime Warranty and never have a need for sealing, polishing, or reconditioning – ever! Also, Integrated Trough Sinks can actually be a more hygienic option than an undermount or single bowl as there are no seams, making them less susceptible to bacterial build up.
“Cambria’s product is constantly changing and evolving in tandem with the design industry. They offer a plethora of designs, slab sizes, polished and matte finish, and 1, 2, 3 CM thicknesses. And in 2020 they revolutionized the world of Quartz and added 6MM to their portfolio allowing for a clean, streamlined aesthetic, and changing the game when it comes to Quartz only being thought of as a kitchen countertop. The 6MM material can be used anywhere including: Yacht & Aviation, cabinet fronts, integrated sinks/troughs, moldings, ceiling, wall cladding and more!” – Ryan Morris, Regional Director of Design.
This beautiful bathroom was designed and built by Beautiful Space Co. using Cambria’s Torquay, polished. Photo by dinotonn.
ARMAZEM.design: One-of-a-Kind Furnishings
As we continue to spend most of our time in our homes, ARMAZEM.design believes in 2021 people will continue to focus on making their home their oasis, a space that is inviting, warm and unique. They expect designers and clients to look for one-of-a-kind pieces with organic lines and earthy materials. Once again, ARMAZEM.design has scouted for the best of Brazilian design to bring such pieces to the US market. Here is a sneak preview of their new 2021 curated collection. Unique, relevant, warm and organic.
The latest trend in design is a direct result of people being sequestered in their homes for long periods of time. With children homeschooling and adults working from home, people have come to appreciate all the ways their environment works for them and all the ways it is deficient. Orizzonti has received feedback from projects just completed that shows an appreciation of how much more efficient and convenient their kitchen and bath spaces are. Some have expressed that it was just in the nick of time. Now that they spend most of their waking time in their kitchen/family room they don’t know how they could have survived it without the improvements. Those that are actively planning projects are much more attuned to personalizing their space for lifestyle changes that mean the multi-use home/school/work needs are met. More meals are prepared with multiple cooks. Many more meals are consumed in the home, which means people’s repertoire of recipes have had to expand. Entertainment is with a select bubble of friends and relatives. Form follows function designers are in their heyday. A space that you spend long hours in needs to be warm, calming and inviting. Surfaces needs to be beautiful with an ease of maintenance.
In this mid-century modern home, Orizzonti took a very under-used formal living room and made it the kitchen/sitting area, maximizing efficiency and comfort.
Jason Lehnhardt Consulting: Architecturally discreet home technology
One of the biggest objections to home technology by architects and interior designers is the visual impact it takes on the aesthetics of the home. At Jason Lehnhardt Consulting (JLC), they often see big black TVs, in-wall touch panels, large round in-ceiling speakers next to small square lighting fixtures etc. Most of this disruption can be avoided with careful planning early in the design and by using technology elements specifically designed to blend into the architecture. Devices such as TVs that look like paintings, flush mount devices that can be painted, small aperture in-ceiling speakers that can be sized to perfectly match the trim on the light fixtures, and distribution technology that allows you to hide all those black boxes in the basement. High performance home technology and top-level design no longer have to be mutually exclusive. Contact JLC to learn more.
Centaur Interiors: Outdoor Oasis and Sustainability
As we spend more time at home and will most likely entertain in more intimate gatherings at home in 2021, Centaur Interiors (CI) has seen the use of outdoor space become a major design trend in 2020 and one they hope to see more of 2021. They have designed beautiful and functional outdoor spaces for everything from entertaining to a kids playground.
Another trend CI hopes to see more of in the new year is sustainability in design and more green design options. Less waste and products that can be reused or broken down when a renovation happens are a big focus for their team. Designers and general contractors are also responsible for our carbon footprint and renovations produce a lot of waste and debris that moves to a landfill.
CI recommends you consider these two products when designing a home to be green and wellness conscious:
Use paints without VOCs or toxins like Yolo Colorhouse Paint or Benjamin Moore Natura
Use reclaimed wood in the architectural design, like cabinetry, doors, ceiling beams, and flooring
Chicago Luxury Beds: Mix and Match Bedding
Mixing and matching bedding is one of Chicago Luxury Beds’ favorite ways to add depth to the room. These patterns in particular by Christian Fischbacher are fun yet mature and offer a great selection of topics and colors. With so many of us working from home and even working from bed, make the bedroom your haven of creative comfort in 2021. See more here.
Überflieger: Take to the skies with this light and airy summer design. A background of fluffy clouds lends this aeronautical design a dream-like softness. The various flying machines were lovingly drawn at Christian Fischbacher’s in-house studio.
Nautik: The in-house studio was inspired by the Fischbacher family’s long tradition of travel and sailing. Nautical themes and watery motifs were drawn with great attention to detail. NAUTIK, printed on swiss+cotton fabric, displays a summery design invoking a desire for adventure and holidays.
Alissa Johnson Interiors: Bold Colors in the Home
In 2021, interior design Alissa Johnson of Alissa Johnson Interiors hopes to say goodbye to white and gray interiors and hello to more bold and colorful homes with lots texture and patterns. With everyone spending so much time at home, people are craving to create more interest, warmth and happiness in their spaces. Instead of taking a safer route with neutrals, Alissa thinks we’ll see a lot more people willing to take the leap with warmer, bolder colors such as rusts, deep blues, reds and greens. These rich colors can be incorporated on walls/ceilings or be a pop of color on a sofa. She also anticipates colorful wallpaper with large scale patterns will continue to be on the rise in 2021.
Here’s a few projects Alissa recommends as inspiration for punching up your own home with bold color. The red interior is from Studio Shamshiri, the teal interior is from S.R. Gambrel, and the large scale wallpaper is from one of Alissa’s favorite wallpaper vendors, Porter Teleo.
Komandor Chicago: Preserving Natural Light
One design trend Komandor Chicago hopes to see more of in 2021 is preserving natural interior lighting through the use of beautiful glass doors such as LUMI.
LUMI is a customizable, Parisian-inspired system of functional and decorative internal glazing, designed to perpetuate the flow of natural light throughout interiors. ‘Glass and steel’ interior doors and partitions are highly desirable, yet financially out-of-reach for many. However, LUMI utilizes powder-coated aluminum to maintain the durability and timeless look of steel sliding and hinged partitions, at an affordable price-point. Divided by characteristic vertical and/or horizontal true-dividing mullions, the aluminum frame ensures doors are both durable and lightweight. LUMI is as impressive in traditional homes as it is in modern interiors and industrial lofts. The matte-black frame creates a bold contrast with surroundings, while the transparent glass maintains a feeling of spaciousness, even when dividing rooms into zones.
Decorative glass and custom finish options available as well through Komandor. See more here.
eggersmann: Powder Rooms
Powder room – a deceivingly pretty name for a very important room. We don’t given much thought to how powder rooms came to be beyond as a convenience for guests. However, in this unexpected moment of déjà vu, sparked by the pandemic, its design importance has surged back into focus. The added twist, it is being revisited with modern technological advancements.
It’s not about maximalism, it’s not about minimalism, it’s all about individualism. Everyone has their own style and if we’ve learned anything over the past year, it’s to lean into what makes us happy as individuals and invest in key pieces for the home that will get us there. Physical comfort is a big part of that. For lounging areas, this could be all foam furniture that molds to the body; for home office spaces, it’s chairs and desks that are as beautiful as they are practical. Color, texture, and shape also play a key role in creating interiors that make us smile and feel at ease when we walk into a room. in 2021, Ligne Roset hopes to see Chicagoans continuing to make their homes a place they enjoy spending time, whatever that means to them. See more here.
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2020 was an incredibly trying year for the River North Design District (RNDD) and our Members, as it was for the rest of the world. We experienced a pandemic and a social injustice movement. Our neighborhood showrooms were vandalized and damaged and had to rebuild. We had to cancel all of our in person events and meetings and learned to operate in a new way. And many of our members are feeling the strain of being a small business in our world today.
Yet we are pushing through.
Thank you to our members for sticking by us and thank you to everyone who supported small businesses this year. Your support did not go unnoticed. It’s been a difficult year, but we look forward to what 2021 has in store, including the resurgence of our Fall Gallery Walk!
Join us as we look back on some of the moments that made 2020 a memorable year for RNDD and we wish you nothing but health and happiness in the New Year!
When the pandemic took hold in March, we had to shut down our in person events including our member meetings, panel discussions and our beloved events such as Dreaming of Design and the Fall Gallery Walk.
We had to pivot to a digital platform as a way to engage our Members and continue to provide them with valuable information. We held bi-monthly Zoom meetings as a way to connect with one another and we held our first ever webinar on how to market your creative business during uncertain times. You can view the recap of that webinar here.
We also announced a new partnership with Intersect Chicago, a virtual event held in November 2020. RNDD hosted DESIGN DAY during the event complete with digital panel discussions, virtual studio tours from local artists and an online viewing room where 14 of our designers members selected their favorite pieces on exhibit at Intersect Chicago.
We Persevered
The River North Design District is comprised of 70 businesses, 17 which are storefront showrooms. COVID-19 affected our showrooms greatly this year, some businesses in the area may never recover. The May 30th devastation in the area, as a result of the citywide riots, further brought on significant hardships for our businesses. We are so proud of our showrooms and the way they have rebuilt themselves and persevered through incredibly trying situations this year. Thank you to all of you who supported our businesses through donations or shopping local this year. We appreciate you!
Thank you to everyone who supported The River North Design District and our members this year and thank you to our dedicated members for sticking with us. It’s because of you that we continue to grow year after year.
Be sure to check out our events page to see what we have in store for the new year or follow us on Facebook and Instagram to make sure you don’t miss out. Cheers to a healthy and successful 2021!
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Tis the season for gift giving! This year more than ever, we encourage you to shop local for everyone on your list. The River North Design District (RNDD) showrooms carry everything from rugs to lighting to design accessories. We’ve compiled a list of gift ideas for the luxury lovers and design enthusiasts on your list to help with your holiday shopping.
For the Hygge Lover: The Cent Pour Cent Throw Blanket from Ligne Roset
It’s been a long and stressful year for everyone and we could all use an extra dose of cozy in our lives. That’s why the Cent Pour Cent throw blanket from Ligne Roset is the perfect gift for the Hygge Lover on your list. This soft and luxurious blanket has beautiful cover stitch detailing. Available in 3 colors, Chic Grey, Curry, and Pearl Grey. Shop it online here.
For the Design Aficionado: The Exo Tray from ARMAZEM.design
Looking for a unique Holiday gift? Look no further, ARMAZEM.design has the perfect gift, even for that one person who has everything, the Exo tray! This flexible tray fits on most sofas and armchairs, offering a functional flat surface that can be used to place a drink or hold an object. Inspired by insects’ exoskeletons, the Exo Tray is composed by an initial layer of leather and then fitted with wooden diamonds. With six finishes to choose from, a great gift for $295. Learn more here.
For the Cocktail Lover: Fiona Decanters from Casa Bella
The Arteriors Home, Fiona Decanters, available through Casa Bella are the perfect gift for the cocktail lover on your list. Whether it’s whiskey or wine, embrace your love for spirits with this set of 3 decanters. The free-form, organic shapes of the smoked glass bodies are offset with a simple antique brass stopper that caps its spout. A great set to deliver a little luster to your home or office. Watertight and food safe. MSRP $520.00. Learn more here.
For the Snugglebug: Camden Throw from Room & Board
Room & Board brings it when it comes to great gifts. The Camden Throw is made of fine merino wool for exceptional softness, our throw blankets bring a layer of luxury and warmth to your home. Camden’s rich colors and intricate design bridges traditional and modern.
For the Homeowner: Luxury Furniture from Theodore Alexander
Theodore Alexander makes gift giving easy and thoughtful. With coordinating pieces from their TA Studio Brand, you can make your loved one really feel special. All items pictured are in-stock and ready for immediate shipment. Get ahead of the gift giving game and get them something they’ll never forget! Start shopping here.
Another idea- the Josep Accent Drinks Table, in stock and ready to ship just in time for the holidays. We love this perfectly scaled drinks table with it’s warm polished brass inset cubed top and subtle brown finish on its quartered oak pierced pyramid supports. It is sculptural, functional, and really a thing of beauty. Now available at the Theodore Alexander Chicago Showroom at 371 W Ontario Street, 3rd Floor.
For the Person Who Has Everything: A Unique Piece of Art from Samuel Lynne Galleries
A piece of art makes for an excellent holiday gift. It shows thought, effort and is definitely unique. This fine art piece by Brandon Boyd, available through Samuel Lynne Galleries, is an abstract painting that will go well in any room. Boyd is famously recognized as the vocalist and front man of Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum selling rock band, Incubus. This piece is signed by the artist which makes the gift to that special person even more amazing. View more of his works here.
Gossamer, 2019 Acrylic & Mixed Media on Canvas, 36 × 36 in
For the Person Who Has Had a Tough Year: Luxurious Faux Fur Throw Blankets from Chicago Luxury Beds
Experience the soothing warmth of a fur that exudes comfort, peace, and tranquility. Understandably Chicago Luxury Beds‘ best-selling throws thanks to a whisper-soft touch, Ivory Mink has a fluid, supple hand as well. An effortless way to add luxurious ambiance and create a cozy spot near the fireplace! The perfect balance of luxury AND function, these luxurious throws are velvet-lined and conveniently machine wash/line dry. $349 for a 60” x 72” blanket. Shop online here.
For the Hostess: The Drink’Tray from Ligne Roset
The Ligne Roset Drink’Tray designed by Martino D’Esposito is the perfect way to serve at every family gathering or social event. A non-traditional drink tray designed to stop spillages and make anybody the perfect host. Molded-in 100% PPC. Available in 4 colors, White, Terra Cotta, Forest Green, and Black. Shop it here.
It’s starting to seem like we will be spending more time in our homes this Winter than in previous years. So let’s embrace this time at home and start getting into that hygge state of mind. Now is the time to give your home a bit of a design facelift to make it warmer and cozier for the cold months ahead.
With the help of Chicago’s best interior designers and design showrooms, we have eight simple ways you can warm up your home for the Winter using textiles. So grab a cup of hot tea and some cozy slippers settle in for some textile inspiration that will help you turn your home into a place so relaxing, you won’t mind hibernating all Winter long.
Customize Your Upholstery For the Season
Theodore Alexander always gives you the look you want with their Custom Made to Measure Upholstery Program, but now with their new Quick Ship Fabric Program you have the ability to get custom upholstery in just 4-5 weeks! Just in time to add a bit of warmth & color as fall ends and winter begins!
Contact David Hatfield, Theodore Alexander Chicago Showroom Manager for more details – (312) 877-5834 dhatfield@theodorealexander.com
Pair Unexpected Textiles
While this Highland Park Client opted for cooler tones in her home, it’s the deliberate application of textiles that undeniably warmed this cozy sitting room. Designed by Staci Munic Interiors, the vision was to create a serene, coastal-feeling space, one where the client could relax and feel as if they were away on vacation, yet still convey their bold sense of personality through pops of color and added elements. Staci and her team were immediately attracted to this rich and sumptuous Peacock colored cotton velvet and decided to anchor the room with this oversized tufted ottoman. To convey the ultimate cozy and relaxed feel it was paired with a charcoal slip-covered linen-blend skirted sofa. A pair of lively custom charcoal and white flame stitch chairs flanked the ottoman to add a pop of unexpected fun, and also a nod to the past.
While the majority of the details in this room are noticeably apparent, there were many conscious textile choices made in layering this room that may be hidden upon first glance. Mainly, adding a Metallic Sateen Drapery helped bring a whimsical glow to the window and accentuate the richness and depth of the quiet woven wall-covering. Then, softening the room with elements like fur, sequins and oversized throw pillows helped connect each piece to the gorgeous Satin Brass Chandelier and side tables while not competing with the natural sisal rug.
These elements combined allowed us to allude a coastal atmosphere and tell a story unique to our client and give her a truly charming and refined sanctuary. See more here.
Switch Up Your Throw Pillows
The easiest way to make any space in your home better for lounging? Add some throw pillows. Rich cotton velvet pillows from Jaipur Living help create an inviting space. Soft and structured, their Nouveau collection blends Art Deco details and texture-building embroidery that is easy to mix and match with any style. Add geometric textures and earthy colors to create warmth.
The Nouveau Collection available through Casa Bella. MSRP is $89.00 – $127.00 in your choice of cozy down filled or non-allergenic polyfill.
Bring In Luxurious Textures Everywhere
This living space designed by Centaur Interiors (CI) is full of amazing textures from the floor to the ceiling.
The custom hair-on-hide rug brings a unique pattern, color and texture to add warmth and bridge the cool greys with the warm taupe tones in the room. Blue Velvet swivel arm chairs to bring softness and sheen to the room with added color. Large, custom-made terra-cotta pillows in various colors and textures tie everything together and allow for added color.
The neutral ripple-fold wool gaberdine curtains soften the window mullions and help with acoustics. A fur throw blanket draped over the ottoman invites you to cozy up on the sofa. CI brought in more texture in the lamp shades, with cream-colored silk. See more here.
Dress Your Bed in Layers
What’s most important about linens is the way they feel to you — light and crisp or soft and luxuriously weighty. The right choice comes down to your personal preference – never mind thread count.
Dress your bed like you dress yourself. Layers are your friend. Dressing in lightweight, high quality layers allows you ultimate flexibility to adjust your temperature to suit the environment. The same approach applies to your bed; layering a just-right mix of sheets, blankets and comforter allows you complete control over your temperature as you sleep.
Just let your sense of touch lead the way as you try linens from around the world at Chicago Luxury Beds including the brands Sferra, Hästens, Christian Fischbacher, Amalia and Mari Ann Silk. Start shopping here.
Hästens Satin Pure Shown in Beige and White
Mix Color and Pattern
This historic home on Chicago’s north shore was in need of all new furnishings. Sarah Montgomery of Sarah Montgomery Design used patterns and colors in textiles to add layers and warmth and to mix styles. It was important that this home reflected some of its history, while mixing in modern functionality. Textiles help to bring these elements together for a space that feels collected over time rather than furnished from scratch over the course of a year. You can see how Sarah treated both the formal living room and family room differently, but they both have that mix of color and pattern that goes well with the mix of new and old. See more here.
Photo by Margaret RajicPhoto by Margaret Rajic
Throw Down Some Tartan
Designed by Constance Frapolli for Ligne Roset, the Fergus Rug and Throw instantly adds warmth and texture to any room through it’s Autumn color palette and tartan pattern. “Fergus” references the popular Scottish clan name Ferguson. The Ferguson clan is known for helping to popularize tartan. Tartan is described as a wool-based material with a pattern of crisscrossed horizontal and vertical lines in a range of colors.
Created by acclaimed Brazilian designer Rejane Leite, and inspired by an equestrian saddle, The Jockey Armchair is inviting, comfortable and boasts personality. The leather not only adds warmth and texture, but it’s also part of the chair’s structure. For $2,700, choose from 3 different wood options and 5 leather options to make it your own. Add some warmth and texture to your home, brought to you by ARMAZEM.design. Visit their website here to learn more.
Ligne Roset Chicago has been a part of the River North Design District (RNDD) for many years now, but this year they have made some exciting changes.
The high-end French furniture and lifestyle brand announced this year that their Chicago location is now under new corporate ownership as the second Flagship location in the USA.
“We look forward to welcoming the Chicago design community to our strengthened store. Our commitment is to provide our customers with the highest level of service and to positively impact Chicagoland’s rich history of beautiful design.”
— Simone Vingerhoets-Ziesman, Managing Director Americas
Visit the New Flagship Store in the River North Design District
You can visit the Chicago store at 440 N. Wells Street (the corner of Wells and Hubbard), Monday – Saturday from 10am to 6pm and on Sundays from noon to 5pm. They are also offering home visits and virtual consultations right now. The Ligne Roset Chicago team can be reached by email at lignerosetchicago@rosetusa.com or by phone at 312-846-1080. They are excited to work with you on your next project!
About Ligne Roset
Known for its artful collaboration with both established and up-and-coming talents in contemporary design, Ligne Roset offers clients an entire lifestyle in which to live both boldly and beautifully via its furniture collections and complimentary decorative accessories, lighting, rugs, textiles and occasional items. ligne-roset.com
