Wednesday Journal Spring Homes 2014

Spring Home 2014

Juliska Spring, available at Careful Peach, Oak Park. Photo courtesy of Juliska.

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Contents

IT'S SPRING CLEANING TIME Forest Park’s Largest

Hardware Store

at

Cutest Store on the Street!

Schauer’ s Schauer’ s Hardware Hallmark Card Shop

Interior decorating

Get In, Get Out, Get It Done!

IItt’s alll abo out ut the he col o or orss .................. 4

Home furnishings

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Outdoor decorating

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ON THE COVER: Juliska Spring, available at Careful Peach, Oak Park. Photo courtesy of Juliska.

Spring Home 2014 Staff Editor Brad Spencer Shopping Editor Sarah Corbin Manager of Internet and Technology Graham Johnston Digital Editor Ashley Lisenby Staff Photographer David Pierini Editorial Design Manager Claire Innes Editorial Designers Jacquinete Baldwin, Sky Hatter Ad Design Manager Andrew Mead Ad Production Manager Philip Soell Advertising Designers Debbie Becker, Maggie Acker Display Advertising Manager Marc Stopeck

Display Advertising Sales Missy Laurell, Dawn Ferencak Display Advertising Coordinator Alicia Plomin Circulation Manager Kathy Hansen Distribution Coordinator Alan Majeski ■

Publisher Dan Haley VP/Director of Operations Andrew Johnston ■

Published by Wednesday Journal, Inc., 141 S. Oak Park Ave. Oak Park, IL 60302 // 708-524-8300

Schauer’s Schauer’s Hardware

7449 W. Madison St. Forest Park 708-366-1100

Hallmark

7443 W. Madison St., Forest Park 708-771-7761

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Bring the spring to you … indoors Designers suggest de-cluttering, switching out accessories, changing colors

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By LACEY SIKORA Contributing Reporter

he winter has been a doozy, and for the less-than-optimistic among us, it might seem like it will never end. No matter what the meteorologists say, the calendar tells us that spring will get here eventually. In the event that cold temperatures and lingering snow last well into March, some local interior designers are ready with tips to bring spring into your home—no shoveling required.

Decorating for spring can be as simple as making a few changes throughout your home, switching out accessories and smaller items, and re-thinking color. Any combination of the designers’ tips may be enough to raise the

temperature to a more tolerable level.

Spring clean Oak Park interior designer Kelly Cleveland approaches spring with a two-pronged effort by first addressing what is already in the home and then by bringing in new items.

“The first thing I like to do at home and with clients is to use this opportunity to clean out everything that collects dust,” she says. “If it doesn’t make you happy, get rid of it. We’ve got a lot of great local resources like the Brown Elephant and Divine Consign in Oak Park, and they are great places to take household items.”

Just because an item fills a particular space in your home isn’t justification for holding on to things you no longer enjoy or that no longer fill a need. Cleveland counsels looking at even large furniture items like sofas with a critical eye.

“Even if you don’t have something to fill that space yet, go ahead and get rid of an item that is not right for your house,” she suggests. “Emptying out a space can help you figure out what you really need.”

Amanda Miller, of Amanda Miller Design in Oak Park, echoes Cleveland’s call to clean up.

“A simple de-cluttering does wonders. If it hasn’t been done yet, clearing the house of any holiday-specific decorating can give you a good blank slate going into spring.”

After a thorough cleaning, Cleveland says that a whole house assessment can be a good idea. “Spring is a good time to evaluate what you want to spruce up this year. Go room by room so you don’t get overwhelmed by considering the whole house at once. Maybe it’s as simple as fresh paint, a new pillow or

These topiaries are an example of how plants, including starting plants that will eventually go in the garden, can breath Spring into home decor.

Photographed at Bee Home and Garden in Oak Park. Styling courtesy of Kelly Cleveland Interiors.

DAVID PIERINI/Staff Photographer

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upholstery. A couple of simple things will make your space feel fresh.”

Bring the outdoors in Spring is also the time to start bringing the outdoors into the home literally. Miller says bringing in living items is a quick way to bring spring to your home. She suggests bringing in fresh plants and branches. “You can begin this part of the process early by forcing bulbs or getting a hyacinth plant.”

Cleveland says she likes to accent indoor table-scapes with living items.

“Bring in something fresh cut like forsythia or cherry branches. They have great shapes even when they dry out. Succulents and mosses also make great long-lived arrangements. Moss, in Forest Park, designs arrangements that often have a second life and last much longer than cut flowers. Even something as simple as having a bowl

The kitchen can also provide a fresh palette for decorating. The print in the window is an anticipatory touch for Spring decorating. Photographed at Bee Home and Garden in Oak Park.

Styling courtesy of Kelly Cleveland Interiors.

DAVID PIERINI/Staff Photographer

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2 0 14 of lemons or limes in the kitchen brings in a pop of color.”

Cleveland collaborates with Colleen Maia of Oak Park’s Bee Home and Garden when searching for the perfect plant or accessory to brighten a home up. Maia’s home and garden store on Chicago Avenue offers both home décor and garden items that can be useful in adding a bit of spring to a home.

Beyond floors and windows, small accessories can lighten up a house.

Cleveland says that switching out pillows, throw blankets and even changing out art can reinvigorate the senses and mark the change of the season.

“Bedding is important as well, and heavier quilts and comforters can be switched out for lighter coverlets.”

It’s the small things

After months of a winter landscape of browns, whites and grays, spring is a great time to introduce some vibrant colors. Cleveland notes that it may be cliché to tie spring in with green, but says the color is huge this year.

“Anything from emerald to turquoise will brighten things up,” she suggests. “Pick one or two things that have that color and add them to your décor. If green won’t work with what you already have, try small doses of something like yellow of violet.”

Miller tends to use cooler colors in spring décor.

“I get inspired by the seasonal changes we see outdoors, and emphasize pinks and yellows and all shades of blue,” she says. “In my own house, I have a neutral base, and in the spring, I like to bring in an almost cherry tree theme, using pink glazed colors.”

Both Miller and Cleveland say it’s not necessary to break the bank to bring some spring into your home. Miller advises her clients to literally lighten up.

“In the winter, we have to pull our windows closed when it gets dark so early and when we want the added insulation of heavy curtains. In the spring, we’re done with that and want to lighten up. You can use sheers at your windows, possibly in a botanical print that will let the light shine through.”

Cleveland agrees that spring means it’s time to bring the light in.

“Throw open your window treatments and make the space feel more open visually,” she says. “If possible, you could roll up dark rugs and leave your floors bare or put down a sisal rug to lighten things up as well.”

Color schemes

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Divinely Inspired... ▲

Mercury Glass Jug $10.99

Redef your space, create Redefine a reading re nook, refresh any room this Spring.

Find Fi your spring home inspiration in at Divine Consign, Oak Park.

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French Antique Mirror $109.00

Vintage style lamp Vinta

Every nesting table needs a bird or two. $4.39 Nesting Tables Tables, set of two $142

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Wooden pedestal, $164.99

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Floral upholstered chair, merchandise mart All items from Divine Consign, prices indicated are first price listed.

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Artistically Spring Inspired...

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Jeanine Guncheon Studio, Forest Park, features original Sugarboo art. Bird and flower $295 36 x 24

Be your own inspiration, take a photo, learn calligraphy, frame your own work. Frames from CW Price, Roosevelt Road Forest Park. ▲

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The Artisans and Crafters boutique features local glass artists. If you run out of space on your walls, move on to your windows. $225

Anthony Abboreno, OPAL Artist Member, portrays movement in a unique color blocking style. Prices begin at $500. 72 X 30

A framed piece ▲ of the past from Frame Warehouse, Oak Park.

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Oak Park Antiques has poster prints to bring a bit of nostalgia to your wall. $15.

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Oak Park area artist, now on display at Frame House on Oak Park Avenue. Keep your eyes open for an official art opening soon. You can’t get too much of Poor Phil’s right?

Local mosaic artist Jen McNulty, Oak Park Art League Artist and Board Member, takes photos of you and yours and creates a glass Montage mosaic memory. Prices start at $350. (sizes vary)

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Searching for that timeless tile Tile can be both modern and classic … and warm

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By BRAD SPENCER Contributing Reporter

n ageless look, something that will stand the test of time, a neutral yet authentic appearance, these are all things that Kristina Patai was going for when her and her husband, Derek, hired Corna Kitchen, Bath and Tile to renovate the interior of their 1900s era home in the Gunderson District of Oak Park.

“We wanted a look to the tile we used specifically—not in regards to shape but size— that was as close to original to the home as possible but also didn’t look outdated, and we got that,” says Patai, whose renovations

wrapped up last May. “Selecting tile with that in mind can be stressful because you’re going to have to live with the choice, but we couldn’t be happier with the outcome.”

The Patai home is filled with subway tile, a popular product that got its name from the ceramic tile used on the walls of subway stations. The tile is especially popular in the Oak Park and River Forest market where older homes are prevalent, according to Sal Corna, owner of Corna Kitchen, Bath and Tile, a company out of Elmwood Park celebrating its 40th anniversary this year.

“The tile was plentiful way back in the day, and never gets old,” says Corna. “It’s like a stone tile, been around since the Roman days. A lot of people want to go back to originality when redoing a house, and most houses in Oak Park had a lot of the rectangle tiles. With that in mind, while we do stock subway tile we also have the ability to customize tile to make it look subway.”

Sheri Sauer, who recently expanded her Premier Design and Cabinetry company in LaGrange to include a tile boutique, agrees that subway tile is a sought after product especially for more traditional homes.

“It provides an age old, yet crisp and universal look,” she says. “I’d say the glass and the tiny mosaics aren’t the trend right now.”

Sauer says she’s been seeing quite a few orders for larger floor and wall tiles.

“I get the impression that people don’t want to see those grout lines,” says Sauer, who adds that different variations of purple seems to represent the color of choice right now. “It depends on the customer’s taste, but purple is a color that can add a subtle vibrancy to a room.”

The cost of subway tile, say at a measurement of three-by-six, averages just under $4 per square foot, says Corna. “It can go up from there to eight, ten and twelve dollars per

square foot.”

When it comes to floor tile, the design and color itself isn’t always the main feature.

Both Corna and Sauer say heated flooring under the tiles is becoming the norm when redoing an entire bathroom.

“It’s an added amenity that is quickly becoming the standard,” says Corna. “The system is based on radiant heat that provides a warm soothing feeling to bare feet. It’s not time consuming to install or too costly. It’s an added luxury. I know our customers are pleasantly pleased with this feature. Who wouldn’t be with the winter we’ve had?”

March 19, 2014

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Spring Sale

...on Select Cabinets, Woods and Finishes CUSTOM

Courtesy Cantata

After such a brutal winter, this spring might be the right time to hire a handyperson for those seasonal chores.

Get a helpinghand helping handd this spring Who wants to do those dirty, time consuming seasonal projects?

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By BRAD SPENCER Contributing Reporter

es, it’s been cold and the snow has been plentiful, but after all those missteps on the ice and those days of shoveling until the twinge in the lower back emerged again and again, maybe it’s time you rest your weary self this spring, enjoy the warm weather as much as possible, live a little.

How can you do that, you ask, when the outdoor furniture needs to be hauled out and cleaned, the gutters need to be cleared of debris, the storm door needs to be replaced, the windows are a mess of rot and grime?

It’s been a nasty winter and you suffered through it, the hard part is over. For all those other little but important chores that need to be taken care of to open the season perhaps it’s time to call a handyman or handywoman.

Mike Leganski, director of engineering for Cantata Adult Life Services who heads up Cantata’s Handyman Services out of Brookfield, says it’s vital to rid the gutters of debris after a hard winter.

“Those heavy spring rains can cause havoc if gutters aren’t properly cleared,” he says. “No one wants to get through a rough winter like the one we’ve had only to end up with a flooded basement.”

Cantata, formerly known as The British Home, has been providing seniors with

home maintenance support for decades.

“We’ll do everything from hauling out and cleaning outdoor furniture, inspecting air conditioning units and roofs, basement cleanup, and painting to checking and replacing smoke detectors, cleaning windows and hanging pictures and curtains. Pretty much anything a client needs done, we can and will do it.”

Leganski said the cost for the service is See HANDYMAN on page 11

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A Spring place setting...

Yearbook Studios designed vintage diner ware, makes for a whimsical fun party with dreams of vacations near and far.

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Refresh your plate palate with a vintage set, ▲ Forest Park Antiques.

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Belleek clovers and greenery are the perfect place setting for more than just corned beef at your spring gathering, Irish Shop Oak Park.

Vintage, antique, silver ware is beautiful with any dinner party. Jeanine Guncheon Studios, Forest Park.

Nothing says spring fiesta like Fiesta ware. You’ll find loads to choose from at Oak Park Vintage Market on Chicago Avenue, Oak Park.

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HANDYMAN

No job is too small from page 9 usually around $55 per hour not including materials or parts. “As soon as the weather breaks, we start getting calls for cleaning out garages,� he says. “That’s just a job that no one wants to do when the sun is shining and the weather is warm, and I can’t blame them. Why spend an afternoon in the garage when most of us have spent the entire winter inside?�

Fully licensed, insured and bonded, Cantata’s Handyman Services include basic home repair, minor carpentry repair and interior/exterior painting, gutter cleaning and replacing chimney caps, plumbing and new fixture installation, and flooring installation, among other things.

While Abby’s Handyman, a business headquartered in Oak Park since 2005, takes on similar small projects, the company’s owner and founder George Gross says springtime is usually when he receives a lot of calls to do deck restoration or remodeling. “Maintaining your deck isn’t always on a homeowners’ priority list, but it’s important,� says Gross, who recently built a new spacious deck and pergola for a client on the 600 block

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People don’t always realize that decks take the brunt of such harsh winters.�

Gross says his employees will work on small jobs to complete remodels. “Windows, doors, tile, tubs, cabinets, ceiling fans, countertops, kitchen and bath remodels, we do it all with multi-skilled craftsmen. Remodeling and rebuilding are our specialty, but due to the economy lately we’ve been doing a lot of maintaining.�

Abby’s Handyman charges $85 per hour, a competitive amount that hasn’t increased since the business first opened its doors nearly a decade ago, says Gross. “The economy has been hard on a lot of us, but our focus is on quality work at an affordable price,� he says.

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Sprucing up

that outdoor space Whether it’s a new patio, planting, or a tree trimming, be prepared come spring

By BRAD SPENCER Contributing Reporter

That sun is going to shine and that temperature is going to rise and that snow is going to melt and that outdoor space so cherished in the warmer months—whether it’s in the front or the backyard—is going to open for business, the business of leisure enjoyment alfresco-style.

Yes, that’s all going to happen, but when the snow and the cold finally do clear out that once prominent flower garden, that expansive patio, that towering elm tree, will likely form a desolate wasteland.

Spring is on the way and while indoor cleaning is usually a priority when the season arrives, the memory of this winter’s arctic blast is sure to draw the masses outside in a hurry. So, in order to make full use of the space and the time it’s available, it’s going to need to be tidied up—perhaps completely overhauled.

Aside from sweeping and picking up a few scraps of debris left over from the winter months there’s more to be done or more that can be done to your outdoor space. Patrick Jones, owner of The Yard Crew, a landscaping business headquartered in Forest Park, says that during the winter months he was already lining up jobs for when the ground thawed. “Spring, of course, as well as Fall are always our busiest times, but we started getting calls much earlier this year than in

year’s past for bigger projects, like patios and landscape designs. I think people are more anxious to utilize their outdoor space this season. A cold, snowy winter can have that effect.�

Along with a seasonal yard maintenance service that includes removing debris, aerating, edging, pruning and overseeding, among other things, Jones says it’s imperative to create functionality to an outdoor space. “Spring is a good time for updating, whether it’s in the backyard in the form of providing an additional or more comfortable living space or the front yard of your home to add more curb appeal.�

Jones adds that his landscape designs usually include plantings with four seasons of interest, such as serviceberry trees, knockout roses and endless summer hydrangeas, plantings, he says, that provide appeal in different forms every season. “Serviceberry trees bloom white flowers, grow edible berries and the leaves change vibrant colors in the Fall. Knockout roses and hydrangeas also carry lengthy appeal. It’s all about getting the most out of the space and the time during the warmer months.�

The Yard Crew is also an authorized Unilock contractor, specializing in pavers. “We do all kinds of creative designs such as patios, pavers, driveways, retaining walls, fireplaces and fire pits, and outdoor kitchens,� says Jones, who has been doing business in the area for over a decade. “Pa-

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tios are a great way to add an additional room to your living space and to do it cost effectively.”

For those yards with towering trees, local certified arborist Kevin Mabry of Davis Tree Care, a company in business in and around Forest Park since 1955, suggests property owners turn their eyes to the sky.

“Come springtime people should be on the lookout obviously for large and small deadwood and overhanging limbs, focus on that, as well as open and twisted branches.

It’s been a pretty harsh winter with a lot of wind so we’re likely to see cracking and stress in a lot more trees.”

The good news about the extreme cold over the winter, adds Mabry, is there shouldn’t be as many bug problems in trees. “But that doesn’t necessarily mean the problem has gone away,” he insists.

“It’s not a secret that the emerald ash borer has been the main concern in this area and throughout the country for a while now, ravaging trees. What I recommend to customers is to get as much information as possible from an expert in the field before making a decision and taking action. Make sure there is a definitive and well-explained reason behind the work. You want someone who isn’t just trying to push a product. You

want them to explain why the work is necessary.”

Mabry, who has been in the industry for years, says it’s important for people with trees on their property that may be diseased to hire someone who is passionate about what they are doing.

“I don’t consider myself a salesman when I go out to a potential customer’s property.

I’m there to educate. The more you know, the more you understand what does or doesn’t need to be done.”

As far as price ranges for servicing a large tree, the cost varies. Taking out small trees, explains Mabry, can sometimes cost more than the removal of a large one.

“There are quite a few variables involved, proximity to a home and the degree of work that needs to be done in preparation. Location and size of tree are factors, but what people need to realize is that some diseased trees can be saved with treatment. That’s why it’s important to have as much information as possible before making a decision.”

Like Jones, Mabry says he’s fielded more calls than usual due to the brutal winter.

“It’s apparent that people are anxious to spend time outdoors, and getting out into yards that are cleaned up and safe is always a good thing.”

March 19, 2014

15

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March 19, 2014

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