One of the reasons homeowners look to design professionals, be they decorators, architects or showroom owners, is for the resources they’ve come to depend on day after day. These are some of the country’s best craftspeople and manufacturers in their fields. Although some designers are a bit reluctant to reveal their sources, for fear that their finds will get bogged down with too much work and be unable to serve them properly, many are quite obliging. We asked some of Chicago’s design leaders to share with us their favorite sources for products and services. Some are available only to those in the trade, so be sure to ask in advance.
PAUL FLORIAN, Florian Architects, Chicago.
SOURCE: Counter Culture Inc., division of Soup Can, 1500 S. Western Ave., 312-243-6928, www.soupcan.com, primarily open to the kitchen and bath industry. “The company makes unusual countertops from concrete, zinc and other materials.”
JOHN WILTGEN, John Robert Wiltgen Design, Chicago.
SOURCE: Finishes by Bruno Inc., 792 County Line Rd., Bensenville, 630-350-7822, by appointment only. “They can take a piece of cardboard and make it look like a million. They can restore antique furniture, faux-finish pieces to resemble crackle, goatskin, marble, wood.”
SANDRA SALTZMAN, Sandra Saltzman Interiors, Chicago.
SOURCE: Zirlin Interiors Inc., 5540 N. Broadway, 773-334-5530, open to the trade only. “It’s one of the foremost drapery workrooms I have worked with for more than 20 years, which is capable of doing any kind of treatment. It’s also a true family business.”
NATE BERKUS, Nate Berkus Associates Inc., Chicago, designers.
SOURCE: O’Baran Inc., custom cabinet builders and furniture makers, 743 Circle Ave., Forest Park, 708-524-8296. “Their capacity for building custom cabinetry and furniture is boundless. They do modern, minimalist pieces or arts and crafts and Georgian reproductions and are comfortable working with exotic materials. They’re also a mom-and-pop shop run by an honest, likable couple.”
JOEY FAILLA, owner, Something’s Cookin’, Chicago, kitchen appliances.
SOURCE: Waterware Luxury Plumbing, 1829 S. State St., 312-225-6969. “They have a beautiful showroom and offer a large variety of sinks, faucets, plumbing supplies from different manufacturers in different price ranges.”
BONITA LEVIN, Bonita Levin Interior Design, Chicago.
SOURCE: Richard Higby Custom Cabinetmaker, 1579 N. Milwaukee Ave., 773-342-7015. “They can fulfill any requirement-tables, cabinets–and are terribly creative, but because they started as an aircraft designer, they’re also technically very good.”
ALLAN J. GRANT, Allan J. Grant & Associates, Chicago, architects.
SOURCE: H3 Glass, 191 Waukegan Rd., Northfield, 847-579-8000, by appointment only. “The owner, Howard Harris, is very talented and can work both in traditional and contemporary glass design. I’ve used him for panels in French doors, skylight lenses where we don’t want to see an entire shaft, and etching on mirrors.”
SCOTT YERKEY, Portnoy, Yerkey Interiors, Chicago.
SOURCE 1: Danlin Furniture Conservators, 5919 N. Ravenswood Ave., 773-271-6311. “It is a refinishing, restoration and upholstery shop that redoes 18th and 19th Century furniture. If a leg is broken, they can match that leg exactly or if carving or fretwork needs fixing, they can redo that too. They’re wonderful with classic contemporary finishes-lacquer and faux tortoiseshell, for example.”
SOURCE 2: The Antiquarians Building/Asian House of Chicago, 159 W. Kinzie St., 312-527-4848. “There’s a great fusion of styles there, with about 20 dealers to select merchandise from. They are wonderful to the trade and to the public. Some of the objects I’ve found are fabulous French Art Deco fixtures and wonderful palace vases.”
JAN BROMBEREK, franchise owner/decorator with Decorating Den, Naperville.
SOURCE: NB Industries Inc., 12816-B W. 65th Way, Unit B, Arvada, Colo. 80004, 303-420-4924. “They produce a heavy-duty wallhanger–a piece of metal that you poke into the wall and which makes only the smallest hole. It curves into the wall and allows you to hang any picture or object, up to 200 pounds. You don’t have to put a big toggle bolt into the wall. Also, it’s cheap.”
TERRI WEINSTEIN, Terri Weinstein Design Inc., Chicago.
SOURCE: Parisian and country French flea markets. “Everything is a big surprise. I’ve found a watchmaker’s chest for a fireplace, Lalique lamps, a primitive plant stand. People all the time say, ‘Where did you find this?’ “
EVA QUATEMAN, Eva Quateman Interiors Ltd. Chicago.
SOURCE: Northern Lights, 894 Green Bay Rd., Winnetka, 847-446-4224. “The owner makes wonderful lamps out of anything, including from Chinese export jars, figurines, foo dogs. She also makes custom lampshades from any fabric or paper.”
DENISE ANTONUCCI AND JERRY SANFILIPPO, ASI Interiors Inc., Chicago.
SOURCE 1: Precision Custom Audio and Video, 6666 N. Western Ave., 773-973-3256. “The company does custom audio and video installations, satellite systems, home theater and multi-room systems. You deal directly with the owner and his partner; it’s a small company. As a result, they’re very attentive, fast and thorough.”
SOURCE 2: Patrick Meyers Clock Restorations, 442 W. Miller Ct., Lake Geneva, Wis. 800-243-2498. “Owner Patrick Meyers finds things at old estates, many in the suburbs and on the East Coast or even abroad in London and Paris. Also, if you need any clock repairs, he’s a wonderful adviser, knowledgeable and can repair things well.”
PEG CALLARD, Callard & Osgood Ltd., Merchandise Mart.
SOURCE 1: Eli-Wyn Upholstery/Quinlans, 2211 N. Elston Ave., 773-276-4441. “It’s an upholsterer that does wonderful work; makes house calls for estimates, has a creative eye and can upholster sofas, chairs, window seats, ottomans, anything!”
Source 2: In A Pinch, 2124 N. Winchester, 773-395-1121. “Owner Richard Misch (a former accountant) will do anything for you. Clean your house before the real estate agents arrive, clean your bathroom, kitchen, basement, deliver furniture, move furniture, do your banking, grocery shopping, take out your pets, do plumbing repairs, pack, move. He’s a man of infinite skills.” He charges $35 an hour.
GARY FREUND, Gary Freund Interior Design Ltd., Chicago.
SOURCE: William Switzer & Associates Ltd., Merchandise Mart, 312-832-0044, open only to the trade. “Mr. Switzer has spent his lifetime collecting European antique furniture and he reproduces those items beautifully. I like his eye for what’s attractive, the quality is wonderful and from a design standpoint he offers 30 finishes and numerous options. Also, you don’t have to wait any longer for a finished item than for most other custom designs. Because the company produces in multiples, it’s not a total custom design; it’s not going back to the drawing board and starting from scratch. Instead you have options. I have a lot of furniture from this source in my own house.”
MEGON HILL-WASHINGTON, showroom manager, Pranich & Associates, Merchandise Mart.
SOURCE: Kennicott Brothers Co., 452 N. Ashland Ave., 312-492-8200, open to the trade only. “They make big beautiful faux green apples, which everyone comments about in the showroom.”
SHERRY KOPPEL, Sherry Koppel/Fine Threads, designer.
SOURCE: Odegard Inc., Merchandise Mart, 312-644-9638, open to the trade only. “They offer contemporary Tibetan rugs that are absolutely beautiful. They lend themselves to a very contemporary cool look. The colors and patterns are rich and extremely expressive in a very hip way.”
JORDAN MOZER, Jordan Mozer & Associates Ltd., Chicago, designer.
SOURCE: McMaster-Carr Supply Co., plant location, 600 County Line Rd., Elmhurst, 630-833-0300, www.mcmaster.com. “It’s an interesting industrial catalog from which we get screws, nuts, bolts and pressure gauges, but they also have industrial-grade light fixtures, cabinets and ceiling fans, which I’ve seen popping back up in New York, industrial ceiling fans. Some look rather retro and ’30s or ’40s, Machine Age.”
GARY EDMOND PETERSON, Studio Group Ltd., Chicago, designer.
SOURCE: Frameway Studios Inc., 831 N. Lessing St., 312-751-1660. “They can do any kind of frame, whether for artwork or a mirror, so they’re a one-stop resource. They’re very good in custom work, know what’s the best frame for the piece, and have access to modern or traditional designs.”
LAUREN SEAMAN ENSLIN, Lauren Enslin Design, Chicago.
SOURCE: Merwitz Textiles, 415 W. Huron St., 312-664-0662, open to the trade only. “It’s a third-generation family business that does tiebacks, fringes, tassels and welting, and have their own hand loom so they can dye threads and yarns to match your fabrics. It’s like going into another century, with customized and personalized service.”
MARGARET HARRIS, Margaret Harris ASID Inc., Chicago, designer.
SOURCE: Broken Art Porcelain Restoration, 1841 W. Chicago Ave., 312-226-8200. “They do exceptional work, repairing smashed ceramics and china, broken stone items, reglazing. Afterward, you never know it’s been repaired since it’s made beautiful all over again. It’s not done fast, but when things come back they’re perfect.”
JOAN FRANKEN, merchandise manager and buyer, Toms-Price Home Furnishings, Wheaton.
SOURCE: Eileen Dunne Henning, designer/faux painter, 1001 N. Grove Ave., Oak Park, 708-524-1770. “She’s a faux painter who is so creative and fun to work with. You can give her a wallpaper to copy or ask for something. My husband loves wine, so I asked, ‘What can you come up with?’ In one corner, she painted vines, clusters of grapes and leaves, so it’s a touch of Tuscany and not too feminine. She works by hand completely.”
JANIE PETKUS, Janie Petkus Interiors, Hinsdale.
SOURCE: Antiques on Old Plank Road, 233 W. Ogden Ave., Westmont, 630-971-0500. “It’s a large shop that carries everything from garden implements and accessories to light fixtures, armoires and secretaries in a variety of styles such as Italian, English and French and periods, from the mostly 18th and 19th Centuries but earlier and later. Pieces are interesting; I’ve found quirky things like a Mickey Mouse folding screen from the ’30s, but many also have a purpose and a lot are very reasonably priced.”
KATHERINE GARLAND AND MAXINE GOULIE, GII Design Group, Glencoe.
SOURCE: Diamond Foam and Fabric, 611 S. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles, Calif., 323-931-8148. “It’s the most fabulous fabric resource. You see stuff you don’t see elsewhere, such as mohair and leathers. It’s instant gratification for us; you can take it right then and there or call up. We go there a couple of times a year, fill a bag with swatches, put them in our resource box and whenever we want to use one, we cut a sample, staple and mail it to the resource, and they let us know the price, then mail orders back.”
GORDON SEGAL, chief executive officer, Crate & Barrel, Northbrook.
SOURCE: Al Marzorini, 915 Constitution Ave. NE, Washington, D.C., 202-547-7414. “It’s a great source for quirky, charming, American folk art and antiques for our Wisconsin home. For example, we’ve found some old advertising signs and a tin baseball scorecard which reads ‘Visitors and Gordon.’ “
LAURA BARNETT, Laura Barnett Designs, Chicago.
SOURCE: Bernacki & Associates, 424 N. Oakley Blvd., 312-243-5669, for restoration to the public and trade; for custom work to the trade only. “You can trust them with your finest antiques. They do a wonderful French polish on a table. They’ll tell you when it’s worth doing certain work and when it’s not because it’s too costly. They also do wonderful reproduction work. The best work they’ve ever done for me was to match a finish on a tabletop, and it looked better when done than the original, yet it didn’t lose its original feeling.” Other businesses at the same address design at-home movie theaters, and consign antiques; Oakley Interiors upholsters furniture.
DOUGLAS HOERR, principal, Douglas Hoerr Landscape Architecture, Evanston.
SOURCE: Rich’s Foxwillow Pines, 11618 McConnell Rd., Woodstock, 815-338-7442, www.richsfoxwillowpines.com. “Whenever we’re looking for a ‘piece’ to finish off a garden, we invariably fall back on a dwarf conifer from this nursery. A dwarf conifer is like a piece of outdoor sculpture and can make a garden. We also find unusual beeches and ginkgoes there as well.”
DAVID KAUFMAN AND TOM SEGAL, Kaufman Segal Design, Chicago.
SOURCE: Roman Marble Import Co., 120 W. Kinzie St., 312-337-2217. “They’re like a small, family-run business and very attentive to your specific needs. They fabricate and install stone, marble and granite tabletops, fireplace surrounds, kitchen counters, bathroom floors and walls, and do specialty detailing such as pedestals and chair railings.”
HOLLY HUNT, owner, Holly Hunt Ltd., Merchandise Mart.
SOURCE: Takashimaya, a retail store, 693 5th Ave., New York, N.Y., 212-350-0100. “Always something to love-flowers to a 19th Century primitive Japanese accessory to a French table. Everything is simple, tasteful with style.”
MICHAEL KERLEY, regional manager of interior design for Marshall Field’s, Chicago.
SOURCE: Thomas O’Brien Collection, Hickory Chair, a division of The Lane Co., P.O. Box 2147, Hickory, N.C., 828-328-1801, to the trade or through retailers. “It’s probably one of the freshest, most exciting, innovative collections of furnishings of good quality. It’s a combination of soft, contemporary styling with traditional forms, melded together beautifully for a less formal lifestyle.”
ANNE KAPLAN, Insight Environmental Designs, Highland Park.
SOURCE: Rouzati Oriental Rugs, 1907 Central St., Evanston, 847-328-0000. “They have an unusually large selection of antique and new rugs and the owner charges the fairest prices. If he doesn’t have an antique, he’ll find something comparable that works, and it’s open to the public.”
LORRAINE GRAVES SIMPSON, Interiors, an interior accessory designer.
SOURCE 1: The Cheap Store, with locations for furniture at 6840 S. Stony Island Ave., 773-493-2000, and at 5853 S. Halsted St., 773-783-3100. “You can get really good deals at these secondhand shops. The owner also has a moving company so things that don’t get picked up from that company are placed in the store for sale.”
SOURCE 2: Unique Thrift, a secondhand shop with locations throughout the city. “You’d be surprised what people give away because they don’t know it’s valuable. I also like the yard sales at the homes in Beverly, which tend to be old, and it’s good to see and buy things there before they get to the stores. I also like a fabric store that offers discounts called Century Fabrics, 6700 N. Lincoln Ave. in Lincolnwood, 847-673-6435.”
