SHOP IT: Chicago now has its own Alessi flagship store, in company with New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Atlanta. The Italian giant of designer housewares (trophy teakettles, corkscrews that look like pieces of Pop Art, chic plastic fly swatters) closed its 591-square-foot boutique in the lower level of Macy’s State Street store earlier this summer and has moved into its own freestanding shop farther north on State Street in Tree Studios.
Although the official opening happens at the end of the month, the store is open for business. And although Alessi is about designer goods, prices can be rather democratic — the Philippe Starck fly swatter is $12, corkscrews by Italian design great Alessandro Mendini can be had for as little as $39.
“We are very successful with the stores we opened so far,” says Jan Vingerhoets, executive vice president of Alessi USA. “We just find this experience of [shoppers] going to a store and really experiencing the whole Alessi vibe, Alessi atmosphere is very important.”
Some 1,200 Alessi products (about one-third of the collection) are on display at the store, which was designed by Mendini and features lavender, lilac, coral and lime walls painted in an exaggerated leaf pattern.
The highlight, though, arrives later this month: one of the new Alessi kitchens, designed by Mendini and introduced in Milan in 2006. The Chicago Alessi shop will be the first Alessi store worldwide to have one of these kitchens on its sales floor. The store is throwing itself a grand opening party Oct. 18, and it’s a by-invitation-only event. To get one of those invites, stop by the store or call and request one.
611 N. State St., 312-274-6500.
— Karen Klages
SHOP IT: Domicile on Diversey Parkway is losing its lease at the end of November, which means it’s mark-down time for all furnishings at that location. Get 10 percent to 50 percent off on all floor samples through Nov. 30. After that, the store will operate out of its flagship Lincolnwood location, in addition to maintaining its weekends-only clearance center in Evanston. 670 W. Diversey Pkwy. 773-404-8440.
domicilefurniture.com.
— Shaila Wunderlich
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SHOP IT: Magazine behemoth Better Homes and Gardens has put its years of home expertise to use with the launch of a new furniture collection. Manufactured by Universal Furniture according to the guidance of the magazine’s editors, the collection was introduced at the spring furniture market in High Point, N.C., and features three lines: the casual and feminine Cottage View; the more traditional Classics Today; and the simple and clean-lined Modern Outlook. See selected pieces at Darvin Furniture and Carson’s Furniture Gallery stores. To preview the furniture, visit bhgfurniture.com.
Darvin Furniture, 15400 LaGrange Rd.,Orland.Park, 800-232-7846. Carson’s Furniture Gallery stores; for locations, visit carsons.com.
— S.W.
BUY IT: If it’s James Bond-worthy home theater and home electronics ideas you’re looking for, check out the Electronic Lifestyles Designer Awards Book, published by the Custom Electronic Design & Installation Association (CEDIA). The book features photos and details on all submissions (including 45 just-announced winners) for CEDIA’s prestigious annual competition for home electronics designers. Winning projects range from $40,000 single-room projects to whole-house integration systems with price tags topping $3 million.
Cost: $15 at www.cedia.org/store beginning Sept. 17.
— Cindy Dampier
GREEN IT: Looking for an old-fashioned, T-post clothesline? A dog collar made from recycled soda pop tops? Organic cotton blue jeans? Check out the revamped Eco-Friendly Marketplace link at www.swancc.org . That stands for the Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County, an intergovernmental agency (and non-profit) made up of 23 communities in northern Cook County (Arlington Heights, Evanston, Glenview, Park Ridge and Mt. Prospect among them). SWANCC’s mission is to help promote recycling and waste reduction. The Web site includes information concerning recycling events and household hazardous waste collections. The Eco-Friendly Marketplace is open to all, with listings of sources for energy-efficient appliances, eco-friendly clothing, cleaning products, pet care and fair trade goods, among other categories.
— K.K.
READ IT: The August-October issue of Organic gardening magazine has a fine article on cover crops, such as rye and buckwheat, to sow over the vegetable garden in the fall. They will block weeds, and next spring, you turn the dead foliage into the soil to improve its texture and fertility. Or, here’s a bright idea: Sow oats. Frost will kill them before they set seed, but the dead stalks will form a nice straw mulch. In spring, simply poke a hole to plant your vegetables without tilling at all. The oat straw mulch will help block weeds and hold in moisture.
— Beth Botts
ATTEND IT: Those looking for more information on crystal (as it relates to chandeliers) might want to check out “The History and Innovative Applications of STRASS and Swarovski Crystals.” The free, hourlong seminar begins at 5 p.m. Sept. 26 at New Metal Crafts, a lighting design, manufacturing and restoration company at 812 N. Wells St. Two representatives from Swarovski, the renowned Austrian crystal company, will discuss all things crystal. A wine reception follows the seminar. Reservations are requested; call 312-787-6991 or see www.newmetalcrafts.com .
— K.K.
T his could holdok etm in generalok etmok etm For a taste of volunteer activities, see the Chicago Master Gardener blog ( web.extension.uiuc.edu/cook/blogs/eb6/index.html ).ok etmok etmmore information, on ok etmAlthough there is no guarantee that Macy’s will produce any of the designs, “one of the goals is to recognize and maybe even discover the talent that is right here in our back yard,” says Marisa Reeves, a Macy’s spokeswoman. “Ideally, one of these designs would be one we could purchase.” Precedent for discovering local talent comes from the fashion world. Six years ago, Marshall Field’s started an open call for local fashion designers (an event that continues annually). Work by several local designers now is carried by Macy’s in Chicago.
Viewers have been voting online up until last Wednesday.
— S.W.
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