Chicago Design Blog | Material Girls | Chicago Interior Design

I am looking really forward to my upcoming trip to the Big Apple this next week.  Traveling for design inspiration and for the latest things that rate for all that is design.

Although it will not quite be a relaxing vacation, it will be an exciting experience nonetheless.  I will be in NYC to attend the 8th annual BoD (Business of Design) Conference from August 30- September 2.  The theme this year is “Designing Happiness”…I’m interested to see how they will bring this concept to life as it feels right for how my design firm is navigated.

The conference, with a national roll call of high- end residential Interior Designer Firms,  will be my second year of membership. The conference will feature world renowned speakers, insight into innovative business strategies, extensive networking opportunities, and much more. We have been known to have a bit of fun alongside the biz work. Staying at The Peninsula Hotel isn’t exactly torture.

The conference is designed for Interior Design Firms (from 1-20 employees) with an emphasis on attention to client satisfaction and design excellence. After 8 years, it is now attended by an elite one hundred members within the  Interior Design world in the United States and Canada.  I will be there representing my firm, Buckingham Interiors + Design.

I am thrilled to have been invited to attend an alternative addition to this conference and to join 19 of my esteemed colleagues for a luxury experience with Steve Nobel. The LEO (Luxury Experience Option) will allow me to engage and meet:

• Thomas Jayne, Author, “The Finest Rooms in America”
• Judith Gura, NYSID Faculty, “Designers Through the Ages – an inspiring look at design influence”
• Newell Turner, Editor, House Beautiful
• Michael Calman, former chief marketing officer, Bergdorf Goodman
• Nancye Green, co-author of “Home and Interior Design Among the Affluent”
• Alan Siegel, Esq. Attorney to many Distinguished Interior Designers

With speakers who range from graphic designers, magazine editors, economists, psychologists and to interior designers themselves, I can’t wait to attend this bound to be enlightening conference.  Also looking forward to seeing my old friends from whom I find great inspiration on a daily basis.

Heading straight from NYC to Boston to move our son into his apartment in Brookline for his next year at BU.  He will have some groovy new stuff fer sure. All in CAD

Stay tuned for feedback from the conference!

{A montage of Peter Gluck projects}

Almost everyday I drive by one of the last remaining vacant lots left along the lake on the North Shore.  However, it will not remain undeveloped for long, as the lot was purchased last year and construction has begun on the home.  I was curious as to who would win the coveted  commission of architect of this amazing building project, and it seems like Peter Gluck and Partners has won the lucky prize (I spied his sign posted on the construction fencing).

I posted not long ago about another lakefront home that Peter Gluck and Partners built on Chicago’s North Shore.  His signature ultra-modern, “glass box” construction is undoubtedly unique and only fitting for certain tastes, yet for those who desire a one-of-a-kind home that is more like a piece of art than merely a house, commissioning this New York based architect is certainly worth it.

Check out some of Gluck’s other unbelievable works…can’t wait to see what my new neighbors have in store for the street!

House I previously featured…another Gluck home (called Cascade House) on Lake Michigan outside of Chicago.

New York City Townhouse

Blue Ridge Mountains, North Carolina

Floating Box House, Austin Texas

Possibly the coolest pool I have ever seen!

I am hooked on basically anything on Bravo, and their latest show is no exception.  “Million Dollar Decorators” chronicles the highs (and yes, the lows) of 4 well-known Los Angeles based interior designers.  Mary McDonald, Nathan Turner, Jeffrey Alan Marks, Kathryn Ireland and Martyn Lawrence Bullard are all big names in the design world, but getting to peek behind the scenes in the running of their successful businesses is very entertaining. Being an interior designer isn’t glitz and glamour all the time, it’s extremely stressful, very hard work, and the attention to detail keeps me up at night-all days of the week.

My  job requires lots of patience and many texts, emails and real-time conversations day and night.  I wouldn’t trade any of it as the rewards are bountiful and the relationships that are made last forever. Plus, it is a huge amount of fun.

“Million Dollar Decorators” shows also how ultimately rewarding/frustrating this fantastic job can be. The show can be pretty wild sometimes….

Check out these projects featured in the first few episodes.

Kathryn Ireland overhauls Shannon Factor’s home (her husband is the grandson of Max Factor, makeup extraordinaire).

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Mary McDonald: client guest house

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Martyn Lawrence Bullard redoes Sharon Osbourne’s apartment

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Jonathan Adler really is doing something right, because not only is he an interior designer, he also has a collection of office goods, creator of all things home decor (vases, pillows, china, candles…the list is endless), and designer of some pretty great furniture pieces, he now is the proud designer of beach totes and umbrellas.  So whether you are hitting la playa or get caught in a midsummer shower, you will be well prepared with these goods by Adler.

I have to say they are very fun, as is most everything created by Adler’s golden touch.  These items will no doubt be a big hit.  What do you think?  I’d be happy to sport one of these totes around town!

All totes are $198 and umbrellas $25.  Available at Shopbop. I just snagged one of the umbrella’s for my upcoming holiday in Tokyo.  Guess which one?

{My Buckingham Interiors + Design Showroom at 1820 W. Grand Ave. in Chicago}

Finally, my belated addition to our MG stream of how we became Interior Design addicted practicing Interior Designer’s.

This is the story of a Chicago Material Girl…..

I can’t remember a time when I didn’t love beautiful surroundings or crave to have things “just right” in the world around me.  I know that this sounds quasi-ethereal but for those of you who love interior design and fashion, I think that you will understand.  The desire to pick up a simple accessory and change it’s perspective- from one table to another- can be a pretty strong impulse sometimes.  Likewise in a fashion sense, the perfect pair of black boots can just “seal the deal” on an outfit when those brown sandals just don’t feel right.

The quest for more information and experience to craft and hone this interest in fashion and design had begun…….

After graduating from the University of Arizona with a degree in Fashion and Apparel Merchandising, I set off for a long string of interviews to become a Management Trainee for either Bullock’s, Robinson’s, or The May Company in Southern California.  I couldn’t decide which company to begin my career with….and, as fate would have it, I decided to move back to my hometown of Chicago to begin a career with Neiman Marcus – and with a very special bonus, the man of my dreams as my fiancé! (Who, if you can believe it, was a kindergarten classmate of mine!!)

{My husband John and I in the same kindergarten class in Wilmette, Illinois. Can you spot me? Third row second from the  right.  Edels was the tallest boy in the class and he is in the fourth row second from left}

After several years with Neiman Marcus on Michigan Avenue and Ann Taylor on Oak Street, all the while living in a tiny Gold Coast apartment, where we had red and gray tool chests from Ace Hardware as side tables, my husband and I transferred to the Lincoln Park neighborhood. This is where we welcomed our first daughter.  The brownstone  walk-up condo was my first interior design project.  I can still remember that stunning black leather sofa  (LOL) and the built-in buffet shelf that seemed ingenious as we didn’t have enough space to hold a piece of furniture in it’s stead.  Anxious to own a piece of real “property” we moved to the North Shore of Chicago and our  son arrived soon thereafter. Funny how that happens

Our children in front of our second house.  Caroline, Alex and Madi

This first house was the most design fun that I had ever had!  I began collecting furnishings and accessories during all of our family travels and scoured any and all antiques markets for goodies whenever I had a free moment.  Soon enough, friends started requesting me to help find pieces for them.  What a blast!

Some interior shots from the various homes I have lived in- These first images were of my first Traditional Home publication…..

Another daughter, and yet another new house, allowed me to tackle my first gut rehab, along with DIY interior painting and a total redesign. It was an amazing experience and solidified my love for this thing called design. I couldn’t stop searching for another project- and my travels spent accumulating antique treasures and artifacts turned into entire House Sales, where I borrowed friend’s homes, removed all of their existing furniture and replaced it with collections from my world travels. Each room was staged and I sold entire “vignettes” and rooms.  People would ask me to place their new purchases into their homes- and guess what? My first design clients were acquired.

…and yet some MORE photos from the many homes I’ve  renovated and lived in.

Yet another new home in a neighboring suburb on the North Shore of Chicago- which was another entire gut/rehab project, was closely followed by a relocation to Cincinnati. This was at first a devastating event but ultimately turned out to be a wonderful twist to my dabbling in antiques and the world of interior design. Not long into my time there, I was approached by the three owners of an antiques store – one which I had become quite obsessed with and visited often (perhaps a little too often) – to join them as a partner.  Could I do this?  Did I have the knack for filling the store with things that people would purchase on a daily basis?  Would I be able to find markets and little spots to fill the space?  All of my doubt quickly disappeared as I entered the wonderfully crazy world of antiques and got to know the many dealers with and from whom I purchased glorious pieces from all over the country-all to this day.  My spaces were filled and sometimes people would ask to shop my Suburban when I picked my kiddos up from school. You can just imagine how much my children liked that!  A business entrepreneur must start somewhere and things were just beginning for me… I began several client projects for my shop regulars and my interior design passion was reaching a new level.  Then, with bittersweet emotions, we moved back to Chicago and onto my house renovation #5.

Antiquing with Eddie Ross

Gut rehab #5 was complete, and shortly thereafter a family dropped by with their realtor one afternoon and asked us if we would sell.  “Yes” was the answer and we moved around the corner to gut rehab #6. Phew! I was getting lots of great experience and my antiques and interiors work was gaining momentum. I took the HUGE plunge of opening design offices and a showroom in the city. I was also exhibiting my antiques, art, and artifacts at several big shows in Chicago and New York. My design projects were getting bigger and publicity started coming in via word of mouth and some great press.

{Another one of my own homes on Chicago’s North Shore- photo courtesy of Traditional Home}

In 2008, I was a guest blogger on Material Girls, and shortly thereafter, invited to join as a permanent member of their team – what a thrill! I still love planning and writing the blog and have met so many amazing people through it – it has opened up creative doors that I never knew existed. From the Material Girls themselves, to other design bloggers, to the readers, and to the many clients that have found me through my posts, each one of you continually inspires me.

My current house circa 1910

{My current house now in Wilmette, IL}

Fast-forward to house #7- (an 1870’s Queen Anne), which is a home that I have wanted to inhabit since I was a little girl- 5 blocks away on the same street as my childhood home and 8 blocks from Edels childhood home.  Note the nod to our eldest daughter’s alma mater, the University of  Southern California-  I cannot live at home without acknowledging the Boston University of our son and our alma mater (Yay!) that our youngest daughter has decided to attend in the Fall, University of Arizona. Flag photo’s do exist here but due to short content cannot be included .

Almost a year ago, I opened another design office and Showroom, now in the West Town neighborhood of the city. And this year as thrilled to be invited to participate in two amazing Chicago Interior Design coveted venues  – DreamHome at the Merchandise Mart, and the 2011 Lake Forest Showhouse & Gardens – I have truly reached a place in my career that makes me take pause. I will always remember my first projects, contacts and clients fondly as they have all been a part of my “dream” business journey.

{Buckingham ID Foyer at the Chicago Merchandise Mart DreamHome}

{Buckingham ID Grand Entrance at the Lake Forest Showhouse}

What a fantastically convoluted journey this has been! I feel so thankful to have reached this point in my career – as you can see, there are a number of ways to “become” an Interior Designer, many of which are non-traditional. How lucky I am to be working in a field that embraces the different and unique, as well as encourages people to create their own paths. I can’t wait to see how the next chapter in my book will read. The best part is that I have my family and my Buckingham ID Team along for the ride.  Couldn’t do it without you all…John,Caroline, Alex, Madi my beloved Fam- Nancy, Paulina, Colette, Shannon, Whitney, Amy, Marla, Christa and Rachel my beloved BID team. And of course to my beloved clients that have shared their homes and families- you are my real inspiration. We have had an amazing ride!

If I had the means to aquire a fully furnished chateau in France, I’d take it!  Well, I guess I’d have to think of the logistics first.  A 16th century manor home filled with dusty old furnishings would require a lot of TLC, but this British entrepreneur was up to the challenge, as documented in Architectural Digest.  Having owned a weekend home for many years in the English countryside, the Brit was ready for a move to the agricultural region of La Beauce in France, 70 miles from Paris.  Although the wealthy, art-collecting owner has many homes throughout the world, including Ibiza and Paris, this home became a particularly special project.  Chateau de Fontenay was a moated dream castle, and its location in a quiet village provided anonymity and removal from the owner’s social scene.

The owner and friend/principal of prominent design firm Mlinaric, Henry & Zervudachi, Tino Zervudachi, went to work overhauling the grand home.  Notably, the extensive taxidermy throughout the house had to go, as the owner explains that it was inappropriate as his daughter was an avid vegetarian.  They set out to redecorate the home, keeping old pieces yet updating the manor with many new pieces.  ”It was meant to feel like an amalgamation of over generations,” notes the homeowner.

Image captions courtesy of Architectural Digest.

Zervudachi converted the rustic library into a billiard room. On the walls are paintings by, from left, Hurvin Anderson, Anke Weyer, and Alejandra Icaza. The curtains are made of Algiers silk by Robert Kime, and Claremont’s Toile Chevron stripe covers chairs and a bench; the kilim is from Galerie Triff.

In the television room, the overstuffed armchair and the Louis XV–style bergère are upholstered in a Charles Burger print and a Georges Le Manach chenille, respectively.

Framed herbarium pages bring nature into the entrance hall.

A Claremont fabric covers matching sofas in the paneled living room. The curtains are of Ashoka linen by Robert Kime; slipcovered ottomans serve as cocktail tables.

The kitchen’s neo-Gothic millwork was installed by the previous owners.

A corridor is paved with encaustic tiles.

The pool is hidden behind hedges and flower beds.

An inventively rustic veranda stretches across the rear of the house—its columns are made of tree trunks set on stone bases.

A breakfast table on the gravel-covered veranda.

A guest bedroom’s curtains are made of Concini cotton by Georges Le Manach.

A carved-wood chandelier adds an element of fantasy to a guest bath. The chair, upholstered in needlepoint, is Victorian.

An old-fashioned hot-water tank serves a claw-foot tub; the wallpaper, added by the previous owners, depicts neoclassical urns and statues.

Antique Zuber wallpaper hangs in the Chambre aux Oiseaux.

The Chambre Indienne is enlivened by a Madeleine Castaing print by Edmond Petit, available at Clarence House.

A lit à la polonaise is the focal point of one bedroom.

Bergères are pulled up to a fireplace.

{In Style}

Then you’ll LOVE her home!  Designer Tory Burch has taken the fashion world by storm in recent years with her bold prints, fresh take on classic styles and cornering a niche of chic day to day wear.  Burch’s Upper East Side apartment is featured in the March issue of In Style magazine, and I must say I am really feeling the vibe she has going in her pad!  Gotta admire a fellow orange devotee   And this is no mere Manhattan fourth floor walk up…Burch’s 9,000 square foot apartment is comprised of 3 apartments remodeled into one in the Pierre Hotel.  Modern day Eloise, right?  Burch fills her home not only with orange, but with a variety of other statement colors as well (color schemes not all that much different than those found in her clothing line).  Her eclectic mix of furnishings, art work and accessories creates the perfect balance between luxury and comfort (Burch has 3 boys, after all, so ease of living is paramount!)

{In Style}

Check out these images from the In Style article (was unable to find the images on the magazine’s website, so pulled these off of Tory’s fabulous blog!), and also images from her Spring 2010 fashion shoot that took place in her apartment (courtesy of The Well Appointed House) and an article from Elle magazine.

{In Style}

{In Style}

{In Style}

{Elle}

{Elle}

{The Well Appointed House}

{The Well Appointed House}

{The Well Appointed House}

{The Well Appointed House}

{The Well Appointed House}

{The Well Appointed House}

After having done a recent post on the most enticing warm weather destinations featured in the Travel and Leisure 500 Best Hotels of 2011 issue, I came across this remarkable Moroccan home in Elle Decor that I would be more than happy to visit and soak up some rays.  As the home of fashion designer Liza Bruce and artist Nicholas Alvis Vega, the home was destined to be remarkable from the start.  The home is brimming with color and light…a perfect combination of antique, honoring the home’s Moroccan heritage, and modern touches.  Check out the kitchen…who would have thought that a tree trunk would work in a space!?  In such an exotic locale, bending the rules of convention may be permitted.  While the home may be in Marrakech rather than Casablanca, I couldn’t help but dream of Humphrey Bogart  whispering “we’ll always have Paris” to Ingrid Bergman in this sensual abode.

As I passed by the Chicago showroom of Roche Bobois the other day, I decided to check out what this uber chic Parisian home outfitter is up to.  I discovered their Jean Paul Gaultier home collection, which is fashioned in the same style as the designer’s couture creations.  Avant garde, opulent and oh so glamorous, I must admit that this collection isn’t particularly my style, but in the words of one of my most favorite taste makers, Carrie Bradshaw, it is undeniable that it is just “fabulous.”  This sophisticated and very unique line of furniture and accessories is so distinctive that it would take a bold designer and willing client to fashion a room out of this collection.  Perhaps a few pieces here and there might produce a more manageable effect.  What are your thoughts?  Hate it, love it, or somewhere in between?

{Jean Paul Gaultier Fall Winter 2010/2011}

{Jean Paul Gaultier Fall Winter 2010/2011}

{Jean Paul Gaultier Fall Winter 2010/2011}

{The Painted Lady}

I featured a post a few weeks ago about Chicago Home + Garden’s latest issue, “Best of the New in 2011,” and I am so excited to say that the Grand Avenue (West Town) district of Chicago has been deemed the “Best New Design District” in the city!  Grand Avenue is not only home to my own showroom, but it also is the most up and coming area for many designers, showrooms and shops, both those new on the scene and those looking to relocate to this latest design hub.  In fact, my friends at Scentimental Gardens opened up a second shop (their first is in Geneva, IL)-SG Grand- right next to me!  We even have our very own website touting the neighborhood and alerting all to upcoming events and happenings.  Nice to have such fantastic neighbors

{West Town neighborhood with featured Grand Ave. design shops/showrooms}

{SG Grand}

{SG Grand}

Check out the magazine feature below, and feel free to stop by the Buckingham Interiors + Design showroom at 1820 W. Grand Ave. Chicago, if you’re in the neighborhood!

All locations/contact information provided at the end of the post.

{Buckingham Interiors + Design}

{Buckingham Interiors + Design}

{Post 27}

{Post 27}

{Post 27}

{Urban Remains}

{Urban Remains}

{Urban Remains}

Locations

Buckingham Interiors & Design
1820 W. Grand Ave.
312-243-9975
buckinghamid.com

European Furniture Warehouse
2145 W. Grand Ave.
800-243-1955
eurofurniture.com

Grand Street Gardens
2200 W. Grand Ave.
312-829-8200
grandstreetgardens.com

MCM Grand
2219 W. Grand Ave.
312-666-3376
mcmgrand.net

Modern Times
2100 W. Grand Ave.
312-243-5706
moderntimeschicago.com

The Painted Lady
1818 W. Grand Ave.
312-226-0155
thepaintedladychicago.com

Post 27
1819 W. Grand Ave.
312-829-6122
post27store.com

Salvage One
1840 W. Hubbard St.
312-733-0098
salvageone.com

SG Grand
1822 W. Grand Ave.
312-226-6654
sggrand.com

State Street Salvage
2248 W. Grand Ave.
630-863-9941
statestreetsalvage.com

Urban Remains
1819 W. Grand Ave.
312-492-6254
urbanremainschicago.com

Wright
1440 W. Hubbard St.
312-563-0020
wright20.com

Design Inc.
1359 W. Grand Ave.
312-243-4333
designinchicago.com