-
The Art of Incense with Cinnamon Projects
Continue ReadingA beautiful object creates a moment, whether it’s a sculpture that draws you into conversation or a Qing peachbloom vase filled with complementing peonies. Few objects, however, create the impact of an incense censer. Alone, a great censer, also known as a burner, is an objet d’art. But alight with fragrant, gentle incense, the censer transforms […]
-
PROjECT Interiors: Modern Contrast in the West Loop
Continue ReadingThe most stylish homes evolve and change — even when they’ve been designed beautifully from the beginning. Owners Melissa and Ken Erke were thrilled when PROjECT Interiors completed their West Loop home, full of modern lucite, marble, and metal details. Later, the finished space got an unexpected twist when PROjECT added PAGODA RED reclaimed beam […]
-
Tracy Boychuk: Tips for Artful & Sustainable Floral Design
Continue ReadingTracy Boychuk is turning sustainability into an art form, one Chicago rooftop at a time. As founder and creative director of The Roof Crop, Boychuk oversees its 13 rooftop gardens, an apiary and shop, and projects for clients across the city. Tracy does it all with an eye for design, whether she’s using a dynamic […]
-
Mark D. Sikes: Mastering Blue and White
Continue ReadingWe’ve long admired the work of interior designer Mark D. Sikes. Besides producing beautiful, timeless interiors, the prolific creative is an esteemed author and furniture designer, who recently launched his own fashion line of preppy, women’s sportswear. Mark is widely known for his masterful use of blue and white, and his love of the pairing […]
-
James Thomas’ Clever Approach to Details & Display
Continue Reading“We go from macro to micro,” says Thomas Riker, explaining the process that powers James Thomas, the Chicago-based firm he co-founded with James Dolenc, his partner in life and work. Known for the extra layer of finish they bring to their projects, James and Thomas are experts at helping clients highlight personal items to tell the […]
-
5 Steps to Styling a Bookshelf
Continue ReadingPAGODA RED’s resident design concierge Laurene Sutko is our go-to for styling bookshelves. Designers and architects often pull her in to add finishing touches, bringing the last ten percent of a project to completion. Here, she shares her top 5 tips for bringing soul, meaning and style to a bookshelf. 1. Make it monochromatic. Laurene […]
-
How to Renovate & Design with Antique Architectural Elements
Continue ReadingVintage architectural elements might not make the top of every renovation resource list, but for those who want their space to tell a story, they should. Antique materials bring a higher level of quality, craftsmanship and authenticity to a project. Plus, they’re already proven to weather well. Whether using a 19th century door for its original purpose, or tiling […]
-
Refurnishing & Revisiting the Farnsworth House
Continue ReadingNews Flash: The Farnsworth House was named one of the Most Significant Works of Postwar Architecture by the New York Times. Read the article here. Designed by Mies van der Rohe in the late 1940s, the Farnsworth House in Plano, Illinois distills Mies’ modernist ideals into a clear expression of uncluttered structure. Over the years, […]
-
Designer William Cullum Delights in Details
Continue ReadingNo two Jayne Design Studio projects look alike. Each, in its own surprising way, tells a story that weaves together the house, its location, and its owners. Founded in 1990 by Thomas Jayne, the studio prides itself on understanding the history of objects, creating rich and rewarding dialogues between them. “Every project is very personal […]
-
Susan Ferrier: Layering with Light
Continue ReadingOf all the tools in a designer’s kit, from color to texture, natural light is one of the most misunderstood. Often considered the province of architects, light in the hands of the right interior designer casts a spell over a room, transforming it from a space that is simply used and seen, to one that […]
