Check it out
For those thinking of remodeling or renovating a home, one of the first hurdles is the question of an architect. Do you need one? How do you find one? What should you expect from this person and the entire design/construction process? The Chicago chapter of the American Institute of Architects hopes to demystify that process with “Working With an Architect,” a free two-hour seminar that’s been held every spring since 1994. A number of sessions will be held throughout the city and suburbs in the coming months; the first takes place from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday [April 5] at the Hyde Park Art Center, 5020 S. Cornell Ave.; the entire schedule of seminars will be posted online as they are set. All seminars will be conducted by a licensed architect. Registration is required.
Visit aiachicago.org or call 312-670-7770.
— Karen Klages
Attend it
It’s called Fashion Plates. And it’s a weekend-long celebration of style at the recently expanded Tabula Tua, a Lincoln Park tabletop shop known for its sense of chic. From 6 to 8 p.m. April 11, Grace Tsao-Wu, owner of Tabula Tua, and Chicago fashion designer Maria Pinto will co-host a soiree/benefit at Tabula featuring fine wine and food; music by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s Lincoln String Quartet; a backdrop of glorious dinnerware; and Pinto presenting her spring evening wear collection. Tickets for the Friday affair cost $125 apiece; proceeds benefit the Illinois Education Foundation, which provides college scholarships and academic services to low-income, high-potential Illinois students. Advance tickets to the Friday event are required; call 773-525-6590 by Tuesday [April 1].
And then from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday [April 12], Tabula will host an open house that includes champagne, sweets and informal modeling of Pinto’s evening wear line.
1015 W. Armitage Ave., tabulatua.com
— K.K.
Attend it
A few of them are functional, most of them are just funky, but all are inspired by that household vessel of steam and scream, the teapot. Thirty-five teapots, selected from a juried competition of 315, will be on display at this year’s Teapot Show — Tuesday through May 13 — at Chiaroscuro Gallery. It’s the 19th consecutive year for the show, plenty of time for the event to earn many loyal collectors. “We get collectors from all over the world coming to this show,” says curator Joan Houlehen. See works of wood, pewter, pottery and pine needles made by American, Japanese and Israeli artists.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays; 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays. Chiaroscuro Gallery, Water Tower Place, 835 N. Michigan Ave.,2nd level, 312-988-9253.
— Shaila Wunderlich
Shop it
Meijer has gone greener. Last year, the Midwest chain of superstores added its own line of organic foods to store shelves. And now, the bedding and bath area is getting an eco adjustment as well. At Home With Meijer Organics, a new line of eco-friendly towels and bed linens, recently rolled out at all 181 Meijer stores throughout Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Kentucky. The new line is made with 100 percent organically grown cotton. Towels come in four earthy colors and in stripes. Bath towels cost $8.99 apiece; hand towels, $6.99; washcloths, $5.99. A 275-thread count twin sheet set sells for $29.99.
For store locations visit meijer.com.
— K.K.
Heard it
Congratulations to Geneva-based interior designer Madeline Roth of Pariscope Design and her sister/fellow decorator, Ellen Ward Scarborough of Connecticut. The two are one of 21 designers/design teams participating in the prestigious Kips Bay Decorator Show House in Manhattan. (In the design world, Kips Bay is arguably the most coveted showhouse credential in the U.S.)
Previously held in private mansions in Manhattan, this year’s showhouse (the 36th annual running of Kips Bay) will unfold in four apartments and two penthouse units at Manhattan House, an International Style gem built in the 1950s on the Upper East Side. It’s currently being converted into condos.
The showhouse, which benefits the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club in the Bronx, opens to the public on April 24. But Roth tosses out a few teasers now about their room-in-progress:
“The room is a lady’s bedroom,” she tells us via e-mail. “Colors are turquoise and white. It’s got a 1960s feel to it and it’s very fun. We titled it ‘The Jewel Box.'”
For more information, see kipsbay.org/showhouse .html.
— K.K.
Read it
If you are thinking about redesigning a garden this spring, first browse through “Patios & Walkways Idea Book” by Peter Jeswald (Taunton Press, 186 pages, $19.95). From the publishers of Fine Gardening and Fine Homebuilding magazines, it has those publications’ thoughtful, penetrating tone. The many inspirational photos of different styles and designs — from tiny city patios and front sidewalks to pool decks and outdoor kitchens — are illuminated by text and captions that point out the problems solved in each situation. Diagrams explain simple projects, such as a sandbox or fire pit. This book would be an excellent investment to build your design and construction vocabulary before calling a landscape contractor.
— Beth Botts
———-
kklages@tribune.com; swunderlich@tribune.com; ebotts@tribune.com
