Tag Archives: interior decorating

3:15 pm - November 30, 2019 - gooollysandra

A marriage between art and design

JennyMain

Chicago Gallery News

There’s something about designer Jenny Brown’s story that resonates with me so much, as I also share a love for art history and design and have felt a bit torn between the two. I studied Art History in grad school and then did an internship at the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust, which focused on planning their annual housewalk in Oak Park featuring ten or so houses and buildings designed or inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright. I really enjoyed the internship, having the opportunity to go to Frank Lloyd Wright’s home and studio every day, and interact with people interested in the architecture. At the end of the internship I was a point where I could a make a decision to either keep pursuing a more full time, permanent position in the arts, or explore another longstanding interest of mine – interior design. Although I love art and spent my time in grad school wanting to work in the arts after grad school, I couldn’t shake the desire to pursue a more creative outlet, so I did an internship with an interior designer. Since then I’ve been working at a kitchen and bath showroom. Not having a degree in design, working in sales and helping people envision their kitchen or bathroom and guiding them through the selection process fulfills the creative pursuit I was yearning for.

Collecting things as I see them is also a practice I started when I was in high school. My mom and I discovered a fair trade store called Ten Thousand Villages when I was a teenager and I fell in love with all of the unique home decor pieces they have from all over the world. I also loved the fair trade approach and hearing the stories about the artisans who crafted the pieces. We went there what seemed like almost weekly and I started buying things for my future grown-up apartment. The things I bought ended up in boxes and trunks in our attic (many of which are still there because I’m still looking for places to put them). My parents have always liked going to antique shops, auctions, and estate sales, and while I hated them when I was younger because I thought they were SO boring, I began to appreciate them as I got older and now I actually think they’re fun! The idea of finding unique things, both old and new, became an exciting adventure and proved to be a relatively inexpensive way to add to my collection. While buying things as I see them and storing them until I need them might not seem very practical, I wouldn’t have it any other way. The thought of going to a furniture store or a Home Goods to get something generic when I need it just doesn’t appeal to my treasure-hunting, collector’s heart.

I admire how Jenny has drawn upon all of her life experiences, from working at an auction house, to an art gallery, and with a top Chicago interior designer to eventually give life to her own firm, Jenny Brown Designs. I was always frustrated both in college and post-college when I had to choose one thing to study or pursue as a career, but Jenny proves that you don’t have to choose just one. You can have multiple passions that overlap and converge into a multifaceted career. I look forward to forging a path that combines my love for art and interiors in a way where the two draw from one another and influence the other.

Categories: Art, Interior Design Tags: Antiquing, Art, art history, Chicago Gallery News, collecting, fair trade, Frank Lloyd Wright, interior decorating, interior design, Jenny Brown, Jenny Brown Designs, Oak Park, Ten Thousand Villages, treasure hunting

5:24 pm - November 21, 2019 - gooollysandra

Hut philosophy

hut2017_mainimg02

Muji Hut, Japan

As a Philosophy major in college and a lover of anything to do with one’s home/intimate space, I was intrigued by this article about a class at UChicago called A Curating Case-Study: The Hut taught by Dieter Roelstraete. In conjunction with an exhibition at the Neubauer Colle gium for Culture and Society last spring, Hutopia, both explored three philosophers and their construction of their huts, real and figurative. Wittgenstein and Heidegger had physical huts where they liked to retreat to think and write, but Adorno did not and instead a sculpture was made by artist Hamilton Finlay to represent his hut.

The idea of using a place as inspiration, whether for creative or intellectual endeavors, is alive in anyone who cares about the physical space around them – their room, apartment, house, hut, cabin, etc. It doesn’t have to be a faraway remote place that you escape to, although perhaps part of the inspiration lies in the escaping; it is something you can construct wherever you are.

It’s exciting and freeing to think that we can make choices about our space that can affect not only how we feel, but also potentially our productivity. If you were to build yourself a hut, what would it look and feel like? Would the colors on the walls be light or dark? Or would you have patterned wallpaper? Would you want light streaming in through the windows or dark curtains blocking it out? Would you put art or other decorative pieces on the walls, or do blank walls allow you to stay more focused? How about adding some plants for visual interest and air purification, or a cozy rug to feel beneath your toes. Where will you place things like a sofa or chair or writing desk so that it has a good view of the room or out the window? What kind of lamps/lights will you choose and where will you put them to create an ambiance that feels perfectly cozy and balanced? In other words, how will you strive for the hygge that will allow your thoughts and feelings to do what they need to do?

When trying to picture my hut, I can think of a million countless possibilities. It’s hard to even attempt to define one vignette before thinking of another that feels just a little bit better. While this can be frustrating because it seems like nothing will ever be quite right, it’s also part of the beauty of creating our hut – that it can constantly evolve along with our desires.

Categories: Interior Design, Philosophy Tags: Adorno, Dieter Roelstraete, exhibition, Heidegger, hut, hygge, interior decorating, interior design, Neubauer Collegium, Neubauer Collegium for Culture and Society, UChicago, University of Chicago, WIttgenstein

5:09 pm - April 25, 2019 - gooollysandra

Vintage Chicago Apartment

Looking for an apartment in Chicago is not easy. I looked for about a year before I found my current place in Andersonville. The city can be affordable if you have roommates, but by yourself, not so much. There are so many factors that go into finding the right place – cost is obviously a big one, neighborhood feel, commute to work, and simply a space that is somewhat updated and doesn’t feel like it’s about to fall apart (I’ve seen some bad ones…). Each neighborhood in Chicago feels so different from the next, so for me finding that right neighborhood feel was one of the most important factors. I’m not sure I’ve found it, but I do like the apartment itself a lot. It’s a one bedroom with a fireplace in the living room, separate dining room, and a dishwasher in the kitchen! What it doesn’t have – in-unit laundry (it’s int he basement which is creepy!), air conditioning, or an elevator (but I’m just on the second floor). It’s also not dog-friendly.

It does have amazing windows with lots of light streaming in! Compared to my previous apartment, which was in the basement, this feels like heaven. My new cat loves running around and looking out the windows. It has radiators and heat is included, which is nice, and there is no pet fee, which is unusual for the city. So I got lucky there! The kitchen was renovated right before I moved in and it doesn’t have granite countertops or stainless steel appliances, but it’s still pretty nice. The bathroom was also updated and while small, it feels new and clean.

I moved in December, hence my little Charlie Brown Christmas tree.The sofa is from Market Square, a second-hand store here in Chicago that sells gently-used high-quality designer furniture and decor. The coffee table is from West Elm. The pillows are also from West Elm. And the art is by a local Chicago artist, Kate Bush. Love her work!

Category: Interior Design Tags: Andersonville, Andersonville Chicago, apartment, apartment therapy, Chicago apartment, interior decorating, interior design, Kate Bush art, Market Square, Market Square Chicago, vintage apartment, West Elm

11:01 am - April 16, 2017 - gooollysandra

The importance of the space around us

This might not be true for everyone, but I have noticed that the space around me has a direct correlation to my mood, general attitude, perception, and approach to life. This has been true ever since I was little, and my earliest recollection of having an interest in the space around me is from when I was in grade school. A friend and I carpooled a couple times a week after school, spending one afternoon at my house and one afternoon at hers, and our favorite past time was rearranging each other’s rooms. I loved exploring the various possibilities of the use of our space not only for functionality by moving the bed here or the dresser there, but also for the feel and charm of different ways things could be decorated and arranged. I remember our parents getting mad that we were moving such heavy furniture at a young age, and perhaps someday in the future I’ll pay for those childhood play dates, but I reflect back on them with fondness.

csc_3988

My bedroom in Massachusetts in the house that I renovated

It’s important for me to create a space for myself that I can truly feel inspired in. And what I mean by feel inspired in is just that feeling of home and of yourself – I think our space is an extension of ourselves and when it clearly and cohesively reflects who we are, it is most comfortable. This can be achieved in the smallest details that when put together result in an amalgamation of all the little moments and pieces and feelings that make up who we are. These can be things like small plants on the windowsill, your favorite blanket on your bed that you like to curl up in and read a book or watch Netflix, a light fixture that creates the perfect ambience, your most influential books stacked on your desk, pictures of your favorite memories in your bookcase, that childhood stuffed animal that you can’t bear to part with sitting on your nightstand, your most-worn necklaces draped on your dresser, etc. I mean the list could go on, and you can always rearrange and replace things as they no longer do anything for you.

My desk area in the apartment I lived in during graduate school

My current apartment

I have loved decorating and redecorating my childhood bedroom at home, the numerous dorm rooms I’ve lived in, and the various houses and apartments I’ve lived in since college. It’s a continual process for me that’s never complete, and it’s also something I look forward to working on in my spare time; whether it’s going to cute boutiques on the hunt for the perfect pillows to finish off a space, or going to tile and granite stores to pick out samples for larger projects, it’s my favorite past time that never ceases to inspire me.

Category: Interior Design Tags: decorating, interior decorating, interior design, space, surroundings

6:12 pm - January 5, 2016 - gooollysandra

Christmas 2015

Not unlike others, Christmas is one of my favorite holidays – not because of all the presents, but because of the opportunity to decorate the house with cherished decorations – both ones that have been in the family for generations, as well as new ones picked up every year to add to the collection. Let’s not forget the scent of fir trees that permeates the house, from the actual tree and candles prominently placed in every room. These are just some of my favorite decorations from this year, because Christmas doesn’t have to be over quite yet!

Categories: Interior Design, Photography Tags: Christmas, interior decorating, photography

1:40 pm - October 15, 2015 - gooollysandra

Kitchen renovation

While living in my grandparents’ home last year, I had a lot of fun working on some renovation projects. The kitchen was by far the biggest (and most expensive) of the projects, but also the one that has been the most rewarding. It’s definitely a pleasure to cook in this kitchen now!

Before

During the renovation process

After

Categories: Interior Design, Photography Tags: backsplash, cabinets, granite, interior decorating, interior design, kitchen, renovation, tile

5:15 pm - September 25, 2015 - gooollysandra

Apartment living on a student budget

Who said you can’t have a cute apartment while living on a student budget? As I’m very interested in Interiors, I care about creating cute, inspiring spaces for myself. However, I have also been a student this past year and knew that I couldn’t spend a lot of money decorating my first apartment. But, by combining vintage family pieces and buying low-cost pieces, I was able to create a comfortable, uplifting space.