Distinctive style with a sense of humor is how we'd describe Jonathan Adler and his Chicago shop.
Super successful but not overly serious, he seems to be enjoying his ride as a celebrity designer, and it shows in his work. It feels unapologetic in its embrace of the things he likes, as he picks and chooses reference points from throughout the last fifty (or so) years of high design and popular culture.
We think the Chicago outpost in his growing retail empire is worth a visit.
A great location is a good start, nestled in by DWR, POSH, Room and Board and the Bloomingdales Home Store; this strip of River North makes for a fun hour or two of interiors grazing.
We like the store design as well, the collection of mini-rooms gives the impression of visiting an apartment of an eccentric friend who did the look from head to toe (or more accurately - from floor to ceiling).
We just shot a house tour this weekend which featured a Jonathan Adler piece in the dining room.
The Channing Buffet looked gorgeous mixed with a more rustic table and opened our eyes to the flexibility of many of Adler's pieces. Together they are BIG style, but using a piece or two in a less theatrical space brings just enough of the glamour and retro style to make a nice impact.
Impressed by how wonderful the piece looked, we were reminded to finally get the shop into our Guide and inspired to visit again soon.
Copyright © 2008 Apartment Therapy
