Nesting Newbie fan, Kristen, sent us this message about one of her favorite hot spots in Chicago…

“Just passing along some Chicago buzz. There’s a new furniture boutique in the Lakeview neighborhood in the Windy City. Chic Antique sells really amazing, refinished antique furniture. You can also bring in pieces of your own to have them refinished by the owner Crystal (who’s also an interior designer). They do free local delivery which is a plus, and nothing in the store (that I’ve seen) is over $500. Really unique stuff that you won’t find anywhere else. Cute kitschy accessories too!”

This caught our attention, so we pinged Crystal to find out more, and she sent over these images of what’s inside Chic Antique right now…

Crystal modernizes old pieces through bold colors, materials, and hardware to give them fresh face lifts that will fit into the chic modern homes of today’s generation. Hmmm…that turquoise trefoil side table with the white marble top is talking to us…let’s check out more.

Ooooh…that white chair with green graphic cushion, oh, and that black chest of drawers with the gold detailing and cool hardware…okay, we’re seeing where she’s going with this!

More turquoise (a favorite color!)…and lots of great finds.

But is Kristen right about the prices? Crystal says that prices range from $4 for vintage jewelry to $475 antique dressers. Most chest of drawers and dressers range from $250-$475. That’s really affordable for one-of-a-kind!

We asked Crystal to take us through a piece’s transformation…

“I found the mid-century chest of drawers at a flea market in the suburbs of Chicago, and decided to give it some pizazz with a white and fuchsia high gloss split finish. (I made half the dresser white and the other side fuchsia.) Then, I replaced the wicker door inserts with funky zebra printed cotton fabric. I added some mid-century vintage knobs and..ta-da!”

“It sold pretty quickly and, since then, I make sure that I always have a statement piece in the store to show how creative I am with older outdated-and-you-want-to-pass-by pieces. I also try to remake things into a variety of decor styles, so there’s something for every preference…whether that’s shabby chic, contemporary, traditional or super glam (my personal favorite:).”

Crystal takes great care to find well-made pieces constructed of solid wood with dovetail joinery. So, for interesting, affordable and quality furnishings and accessories for your home…seek out this very HOT SPOT!

Chic Antique
Lakeview East: 3435 N. Broadway
Chicago, IL. 60657
chicantiquechicago.com
773.857.2695

In Nesting Newbies Magazine (Issue 4), Catharine Clark, owner of the Catharine Clark Gallery, shares her advice and encouragement for newbie art collectors.

Here she shares some online resources and suggested reading:

BOOKS

The Intrepid Art Collector: The Beginner’s Guide to Finding, Buying, and Appreciating Art on a Budget by Lisa Hunter

The Art of Buying Art by Alan Bamberger

The Art of Buying Art: An Insider’s Guide to Collecting Contemporary Art by Paige West

Seven Days in the Art World by Sarah Thornton

Collecting Contemporary by Adam Lindemann

The $12 Million Stuffed Shark: The Curious Economics of Contemporary Art by Donald N. Thompson

Patronizing the Arts by Marjorie Garber

Interview between actor (and collector) Dennis Hopper and Terry Gross (WHYY)

WEBSITES

artnet

The Art Newspaper (also available as a newspaper subscription)

Art-Collecting.com – Art Collecting Resource and Online Gallery Guide

ArtBusiness.com

ARTnews (also a magazine)

ARTFORUM (also a magazine)

Art in America (also a magazine)

Read Catharine’s informative article on “The Role of the Gallerist.”

In Nesting Newbies Magazine (Issue 4), Catharine Clark, owner of the Catharine Clark Gallery, shares her advice and encouragement for newbie art collectors.

Here she discusses the role of the gallerist:

If you want to begin collecting in a gallery setting, consider the gallery’s staff as an invaluable resource that is employed to assist you and help educate you about the process or the concepts an artist used in his or her work. It is likely this person will ultimately become a friend. Buying artwork over time generally means you become part of a community of people with shared interests, values, and world views. Collectors often develop into more than just another person purchasing a painting—they become part of a network of people who value patronage of the arts, want to support artists and galleries, and become involved with the wider community of museums and nonprofits that in turn provide artists with opportunities to exhibit work and visitors the chance to learn from it. While a gallery’s staff can appear inaccessible or too busy to assist you, the truth is, they are generally working for the artists their gallery represents—and this is no small job. Hopefully, they are working to support the artists whose work you will ultimately be collecting. The gallery’s investment in an artist’s career can be the reason an artist continues to make work over the long term.

Galleries manage artists’ careers in much the same way that agents manage actors’ careers. For example, in addition to selling artists’ works, the gallery tracks all the comings and goings of their pieces in exhibitions at museums, nonprofits, and other galleries, and gallerists often manage the contracts and loan agreements between the artists and the borrowing institutions. The gallery advises their artists and helps create career opportunities in the form of inclusion in exhibits within and outside of the gallery’s purview—which may mean facilitating studio visits and meetings with curators and writers and assisting with press releases and marketing in order to provide greater visibility for the artists’ pieces. In order for galleries to survive and for artists to become self-sustaining, in addition to contacting the people who enter the gallery space, staff must be on the phone reaching out to collectors around the globe. Whatever the myriad of responsibilities that galleries manage on behalf of their artists, they are generally delighted to break from what they are doing and interact with anyone who wants to discuss the works in the gallery’s program, whether or not the individual is someone who intends to purchase. Interruption is encouraged, and conversation is embraced!

That said, there are some pitfalls that the public occasionally falls into, rendering interactions frustrating or insulting for the gallery staff. Asking a gallerist repeatedly about whether a work is a good investment is generally frowned upon. Asking about what the artwork means or how it is made or functions is invited. Of course, for more expensive work, a gallerist should be able to provide a history of sales and should be able to identify museums that have acquired the artist’s work in order to support the prices the gallery is asking for the piece. To insult the artist or the work or to comment negatively while not being open to the information a gallerist is providing about an artwork is disrespectful. Whether you like the work or not, chances are the gallery director does, or it would not be exhibited in his or her space; and to comment negatively is to insult the person who selected the work. However, a thoughtful, yet critical discussion, is generally welcomed.

To ask for a significant discount is usually discouraged. Artists and gallerists are professionals and have priced their works based on economic principals, like supply and demand, as well as considerations, such as sales history, material costs, time, size, career level, etc. The best way to not be offered the opportunity to purchase a desirable piece by an artist whose work you want to own is to ask for an excessive discount. The next time a good work by that artist becomes available, the gallerist will approach another collector.

One Artist: Huge Price Range

People new to collecting are often surprised to learn that there’s artwork in what appears to be upscale galleries that is accessibly priced. For example, at the gallery that I own and direct, Catharine Clark Gallery in San Francisco, artwork is available for sale from $60 to $350,000. This means that there is truly something for every budget! The artist whose work is priced at $350,000 also has works available for $750. The more expensive works are unique; and the less-costly ones are multiples (like etchings or lithographs). And because this artist has work priced as high as $350,000, he has a career that reflects this market level: His work is represented in more than 50 major international museum collections; he sells his work consistently; he has been working for more than 40 years; he has critical reviews, monographs, and auction records that support the pricing of his work. The artist whose work is priced at $60 is also—perhaps a surprise to some—a serious artist, and his video work has been included in the Whitney Biennial, in a solo presentation at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, in major museum collections, and he has had many significant critical reviews of his work in established art publications, like Artforum. So, in spite of the accessible price tag, if you like a work, there is really nothing to fear about the artist not having a professional career or a committed studio practice.

Read Catharine’s suggested reading for more on collecting art.

What a day! The folks at Thomas Fogarty Winery & Vineyards gave us exclusive all-day, all-evening access of their estate for our magazine. We took full advantage and staged “Casbah Cool,” one of our entertainment features, and “Midsummer Mediterranean Grill,” our main cooking story. Ellie Platis, one of Fogarty’s event managers, was such a doll. Her positive energy and pitch-in attitude helped us feel welcome and the experience enjoyable, even though for us it was quite a work day. (Image by Natalie Wi)

The entire estate…just for us! (Image by Natalie Wi)

We parked by the lily pond with the resident turtle on his floating island! (Image by Natalie Wi)

Jeannie Fraise and Allie Bruch from Lotus Bleu work on styling a modern Moroccan table with a nesting theme. James Burkart is filming their work-in-progress for the video bite in the magazine. (Images by Natalie Wi)

A close up of the table shows the chick vases by Kanick Chung (available through Lotus Bleu) and the flowers by Amy Burke. Don’t the flowers look like whimsical bonnets? One of Thomas Fogarty’s Pinot Noirs is ready to be uncorked. (Image by Natalie Wi)

We walked the grounds, and photographed our blogger “models” throughout the estate. (Images by Natalie Wi)

Inside, the culinary team works on our post-shoot dinner…preparing the recipes that are featured in Midsummer Mediterranean Grill. (Images by James Burkart)

Our models enjoy a glass of wine while awaiting dinner. (Image by Natalie Wi)

The evening concluded with special gifts for everyone! Take a peek at the gifts galore…(Image by Rio Constantini)

A taste of Thomas Fogarty Winery and Vineyards to take home…A bottle of their 2006 Estate Chardonnay (Santa Cruz Mountains).

Brick Monkey, known for their curious and distinctive furniture and accessories, gave everyone a chic ceramic pineapple-leaf candle holder with votive wrapped in their signature packaging.

Diane Phillips of DK Designs made beautiful paperweights…She handcrafted single white gardenias and attached them to antique blue glass made from mason jars by Midwest Finds. (Image by Diane Phillips)

Pamplemousse Patisserie et Cafe shared their French macarons…the best we’ve EVER tasted! (Image by Justin Miel)

SkinSpirit Skincare Clinic & Spa gifted their signature “Bochox,” a box of delicious dark chocolate! (Image by Natalie Wi)

There were not one but two delicious cupcakes to take home from Bebecakes Cupcakery–VaVa Voom (chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting and chocolate chip/cream cheese filling), and Miss Scarlett (red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting).

Lotus Bleu included sweet felt pouch by the French company, Muskhane. The pouches are eco-friendly, naturally dyed, and made by hand in Nepal.

What a surprise…A Pinkies Nail Salons’ gift card means manis for everyone! (Image by Natalie Wi)

Now, meet the bloggers!

A new issue, a new contest! Announcing the Issue No. 4 2010 Bluebird Bag contest! Win cool stuff for your coop valued at $2,226…Hurry and enter because this bird will fly on October 13, 2010.

Winner takes all…

Handcrafted Flower*Pendant
(Made for Issue 3 front cover)
$1,500
dkdesignshawaii.com

Malibu Wave Quilt (Twin)
(Appears on Issue 4 front cover)
$270
pineconehill.com

Handmade Ling Blue Lucite Ice Bucket
$78
iomoi.com

Five European Pillow Shams
$115
saffronmarigold.com

How to Grill: The Complete Illustrated Book of Barbecue Techniques
by Steven Raichlen
$21
amazon.com

The Green Home: A Sunset Design Guide
by Bridget Biscotti Bradley
$25
amazon.com

Palmetto Pouch
$30
blisslivinghome.com

One Dozen Sweet Sticks™
$22
tastyclouds.com

$100 Gift Certificate
$100
erincondren.com

Wisteria Glass Cup & Carrier
$24
wisteria.com

Chilewich® Basketweave Table Runner
$41
surlatable.com

Check out Nesting Newbies Magazine, Issue No. 4.

Meet the bloggers who spent the afternoon with us at Thomas Fogarty Winery & Vineyards. They helped us out by participating in our photo shoots for Nesting Newbies Magazine, Issue 4. For many, this was the first time meeting face-to-face.

Julia Walsh
CasaSugar

Carleigh Lowe
Remodelista

Lily Gahagan
California Home + Design
7 x 7 Magazine

Jeanine Hays
AphroChic
AphroChicShop

Karen Olivia
Alkemie

Kathryn Hill
Apartment Therapy | The Kitchn

Melissa Davis
Ruby Press

Anne Sage
The City Sage

Emily Goligoski
The San Franista

Jennifer Jones
Niche Interiors

Erin Feher
California Home + Design

Lynn Goldfinger
Paris Hotel Boutique

Rebecca Orlov
loving.living.small
Sweetline Agency
Blog Out Loud

See behind the scenes from our Thomas Fogarty Winery & Vineyards photo shoots.

In my opinion, this is one of the best stainless steel flatware sets I have ever found for everyday entertaining use. I picked up the basic 45-piece Ginko International Lafayette flatware set at Bloomingdale’s about 6 years ago. I have been using it everyday every since, and it still has its original luster…and I put my kitchen tools, including my flatware, to Xtreme use!

I love the modern hammered look! This flatware won’t get lost on the table, it feels good in the hand, and it goes with every style–traditional, modern, bistro…

One of the best things about the Ginkgo International Lafayette line is that you can keep adding to your collection. I now have a complete setting for 12, a few dozen demitasse spoons for party menus involving lots of sauces, a dozen or so butter spreader knives for cheese tasting platters, a few cocktail forks for the olive tray, and now I just placed my order for ice tea spoons and sauce ladles!

Sweetheart.

That’s what the weather was called.

Sweetheart weather, the prettiest day of the year.
And that’s when it started.

On a day so pure and steady trees preened.
Standing in the middle of a concrete slab,
scared for their lives, they preened.

Silly, yes, but it was that kind of day.

Douglas Dolezal, a designer (and very creative) friend of mine shared this Toni Morrison piece with me. Doug loves the fall…he says it’s when the clock falls back and you can begin again. So poetic. (He’s that kind of guy).

I know there are plenty of days left in August…but I’m getting anxious for autumn. It’s my absolute favorite season, and in California, it’s so fleeting. But that’s one of the things I like about it…it forces me to pay attention…to be present, and enjoy a last hurrah before winter sets in. There is something about the leaves changing that makes me want to nest! I ferociously clear out my accumulated clutter and start a makeover project or two. Sometimes that means a big undertaking…but most of the time, it’s a small gesture that satisfies my need for something new and different.

I know something’s stirring inside me as I’ve been bookmarking websites and tearing out magazine pages at an increasing rate…perhaps, like autumn’s trees, I am preparing to preen. : )

Here are a few of the things that have made my inspiration files…I can see picking a piece (or two), or I think everything here would look great in a room together.

The Florica Collection by Clarke & Clarke is refreshingly bold, and I particularly like Arabella in chocolate/aqua and could see making them into curtains similar to the room shown above.

One of The Rug Company’s newest designs by Paul Smith caught my eye…Carnival is hand-knotted Tibetan wool, and the ribbons of color remind me of streamers one might throw at the New Orleans’ mardis gras or Brazilian “Carnaval.”

Ilan Dei has created a contrasting collection between well crafted contemporary furniture and urban graffiti. Unnoticeable at first glance the graffiti is like a seedy underbelly of the furniture that you can only experience from certain angles and interactions. The Namibia Ripples Console, made from FSC walnut, was inspired by Ilan’s travels to Namibia, and the subtle graffiti is inspired by the street art around the Venice Beach Studio. It’s functional art and I love that!

Romina Bacci is a photographer and graphic designer by trade, so she has an eye for composition. She sells her prints (framed or unframed) on Miles of Light, her etsy store. I am drawn to her “Marina, The Sea Collection.” The graphic impact of all nine images would be striking, and quite doable because they are so affordable.

Our obsession with pillows, pillows and MORE PILLOWS continues and we are just so happy to see that Hammocks & High Tea is putting their “modern Caribbean” aesthetic into the mix this season. Their Autumn/Winter Collection includes their popular placements, napkins, tea towels, perfume boxes, cloth sachets, and drawer liners…and introduces 24-inch pillows in 100% certified organic cotton. Could we be any happier?

Take a look at our favorite patterns and colors on parade:

saree: sea blue
(available online soon)

janya: dune

ikat chevron: gold

maya: plum

ikat chevron: grey

linden: turquoise

The pillows are $160 each, and many styles come in other colorways. Check out their new 100% Certified Organic Room Sprays, too. All Hammocks & High Tea products can be found at various boutiques across the country as well as online at hammocksandhightea.com.

Lea McIntosh wears many hats at Nesting Newbies: co-founder, creative director, director of culinary content, food stylist…and now we can add fashion designer to the list! A traditional white chef coat just doesn’t fit Lea’s colorful personality, so she set out to find an alternative. Of course, chef coats are now available in a wide range of colors, and that’s a start in the right direction…but Lea’s right brain inspiration puts the chef coat into a haute couture category : )

Lea’s brainchild? A custom chef coat with removable and interchangeable cuffs! An idea we’ve never seen done before. Her first design is a burgundy coat with cuffs made from an Ashberry Transitional Print Cotton Sateen fabric by Duralee (#20836-561 Green Tea). She designed it for her appearance on ABC’s View from the Bay. New cuffs are in the works as is another coat in turquoise with its own set of interchangeable cuffs. Through her own innovation, Lea is building an epicurean wardrobe befitting her vibrant personality.