Asparagus Interiors Inc.

Today, my daughter and I visited a new store in Glen Ellyn, Gather & Collect.

Vintage finds, eclectic mix, great prices – I loved it!

Shop owners Jessica and Julie were fun and thrilled to have people visit their store and swap stories about design | vintage and the latest finds.  It’s worth a stop, note their hours are Thursdays, Friday’s & Saturdays.

My fav’s: Vintage clutches, pillows and frames… it’s all fun at Gather & Collect.

Intriguing… isn’t it. All the little nook, crannies, building and landscapes Chicago has to offer.

What’s Out There Weekend Chicago – June 11th, Hosted at Room and Board Chicago

The Chicago Cultural Landscape Foundation, is offering “a series of free guided tours, highlighting the City’s remarkable heritage of historic designed landscapes.”

There’s so  much to learn and see right out our back yard.  Take the kids, take a stroller, go for a walk, learn about a historic site and embrace an era and it’s preservation.

Yard-ifacts… man-made objects for your yard giving it a sense of humor and a pop of color.

This week I’ve been hunting down garden objects to bring in the summer season.  I searched high and low for color, texture, shape and oddity.

I found brightly colored trellis, textured pots and a mixture of pattern and glazes at The Growing Place in Naperville, IL.  They offer thousands of varieties of trees, plants, flowers and a large selection of garden objects, pots and containers.  The best part of the Naperville location is the “secret garden” setting you feel like you’re walking through a special place.

The oversized chicken and wire human-oid sculptures are the whimsy I was looking for.  Tuck them away as a screen or peering over a patch of flowers will give these guys a bit of humor that every garden needs… a pop of interest.  Also found in Naperville, in a small garden shop behind City Hall on Water Street just off of Main Street.

Chilewich, floor / table / bags & trays – all interesting and functional pieces for the summer. Quiet patterns, subtle textures and pops of color.  This functional, durable and breathable fabric allows you to enjoy the carefree and easy to clean material with the performance you need.  A minimal and simple style that brings me to lunch on the veranda, a bit of beach and a lot of ease.

Asparagus Interiors can now source Chilewich for you!

This past weekend we visited Holland MI for the Tulip Time Festival and a MI getaway.

Holland is full of bright colors this spring – tulips, art, beach and people.

We visited Veldheer’s tulip farm, Second Chance Design, Grand Haven Beach and downtown Holland.  Tulip Time runs though May 14th.

• Veldheer’s Tulip Farm
• Second Chance Design – Mid Century furniture and housewares – Great find!

FoundRe: is opening a new studio in Wicker Park, May 21st.

Chicago based FoundRe: incorporates locally sourced wood and materials to craft repurposed furniture and frames.  Green design from resource to application.

Their unique products are one of a kind, character pieces – adding texture and color to any style.  It’s shabby, modern and unique.

I have a frame and would highly recommend their pieces.

Community based art, Whale Project, Highlands Elementary School, Naperville, IL

This past week, I helped out artists Victoria and Debra, construct the Whale sculpture for the Highlands school.  Victoria and Debra are crafting the new Whale in two parts as well as including sea creatures completed by the 5th grade art classes.  I was happy to clip wire and wrap mesh to construct the body and tail of the whale.

I learned a thing or two about how the concrete will adhere and how the Whale is a win for the local community and the school!