As we have seen an uptick in couples starting home projects and rehabs during COVID we wanted to share a couple tips from Dina Gachman and other interior designers when making design decisions with your partner. Dina believes hiring an interior designer could save you from couples counseling later on. Here are some tips she shares:

Tips:

• Avoid put-downs: Don’t call your partner’s style “hoarder-esque” or “slobby.” It won’t lead to a productive discussion.

• Don’t expect miracles: Your partner might not transform dramatically. Accept baby steps.

• Share the experience: Tempting as it is to just take over, sit down, and find images that you both like, create a Pinterest board of shared looks, and allow both sides to have a say (also not easy).

• Rotate: If there’s a painting or object that one person adores and the other hates, try rotating it seasonally, or putting it out (or away) on a trial basis. Who knows, maybe they’ll forget about it.

Sultan's Market opens their 3rd location in Chicago of the extremely popular Middle Eastern restaurant in Logan Square. Anthony says his beloved sopes might have a little competition!

Heng House by Goy Zhenru and Goy Architects is an "imaginative house in Singapore" designed for a yoga instructor and her parents where she is able to host yoga classes and her father can host large and small groups for his work with former inmates.

Bars that do not serve food are set to open tomorrow with a 25% capacity or 50 person cap and indoor capacity for restaurants, gyms, retail shops will go from 25% to 40% with a 50 person cap.

Chicago launched the Winter Design Challenge last week with the goal of finding a solution for outdoor dining once the weather changes in the city. Three winners will receive $5,000.

Just opened in Noble Square, Lawn, a Ukrainian owned restaurant will offer a BYOB burger & Philly cheesesteak menu. Lawn features homemade tables made by the owner using wood from the Chopin Theatre with real plants and grass in the center.

3 Uptown mansions designed by acclaimed architect George Maher for sale on Hutchinson St. The 3 mansions are of the priciest real estate in Uptown.

Now on @ The Market, @properties’ Summer 2020 Report revisits previous Chicago-area real estate predictions and makes a few more.

Renovating a home can be very stressful, especially during a pandemic. We've seen longer timelines and increased reno costs due to the limit on people in a space and materials being hard to access during COVID. Asher Lipman, a NYC renovation coach, shares how he guides his clients through the process during the pandemic.

Whether you're a first time home buyer, looking to move from the city to the suburbs, or interested in a fixer upper and/or investment property this article has it all. Check out what our very own Luke Blahnik has to say about the "best places to live."

COMING SOON! We cannot wait to share this incredible design with you. Our clients, Kwong Von Glinow Design, have completed their first house project, the Ardmore House. Ardmore is located in Edgewater on an alleyway in which required our clients to consider privacy in a different way. They flipped the traditional domestic living model by putting the kitchen and living space on the second floor with a flood of natural light coming through a wall of windows that still allow plenty of privacy from the alleyway. Check out the link for a tour of the Ardmore House. We promise you will not be disappointed!

Kwong Von Glinow acted as both Developer & Architect.

The Chicago City Council passed a municipal code amendment (Fair Notice measure) last Wednesday raising the notification period from 30 up to 120 days that landlords must give tenants if they choose not to renew their lease.

Some Alderman fear this could harm the "mom-and-pop" landlords with investment properties and ultimately force them into foreclosure. "I understand the administration is trying to avoid a housing crisis for renters. But what concerns me and what has continued to concern me … is that we are shifting the burden on individuals who are in no position to afford carrying a greater burden when their renters cannot meet their obligations,” said Ald. Raymond Lopez (15th).

This could be a temporary fix to relieve stress on renters during the pandemic or we might see this stick around for some time. For those of you who own investment properties we would be interested in hearing your thoughts on this.

A USPS delivery van turned into a mobile classroom for young people to learn new design skills. This 108 square foot classroom features a gallery, tool shed, and design studio. The roving "makerspace" is handing out art kits in Chicago to kids that can be completed on their own to reduce contact.

The city plans to install protected bike lanes on Milwaukee Ave from Western to California this summer. This stretch has been considered a high crash corridor especially for cyclists. The goal with this plan is to make Milwaukee Ave one of the more popular bike routes in the city, safer for cyclists, pedestrians, and drivers.

A new bus boarding island and crosswalks are expected later this year or early 2021.

In the 1910s and 1920s bungalow courts were built to house newcomers to Cali. They featured 1-3 bedrooms and were built in architectural styles embraced and refined by SoCal architects. The bungalows offered a sense of community and camaraderie among its residents with gardens, open communal space, and a shared neighborhood feeling. There are only 350 that remain in the L.A. area and some have argued that more should be revived as a solution to L.A.'s shortage of affordable housing.

The Cubs are set to report to training camp as early as Wednesday to start preparing for a 60 game season. We can expect Opening Day to take place either July 23rd or 24th in an empty stadium.

Wrigley will be closed to fans, however they plan to have Wrigley Rooftops open and fully operational starting Opening Day.

All of this staying at home has us finding any excuse to be outside lately, and with some cool evenings still it makes a fire pit a wonderful amenity. There is nothing more relaxing than a cozy fire in your backyard or on a rooftop deck. Here are 35 different affordable fire pit options, including safer options for rooftop/wood decks. 

Necessary & Sufficient is a grab-n-go coffee shop in Logan Square and one of the smaller businesses that is thriving during this pandemic. Located in a dense residential area of Logan the grab-n-go shop has been a hit. Selling coffee, treats, and boxes of produce goods all while other competing business have had to shut down. The owner of N&S has been able to pay off loans way ahead of schedule and provide her employees with benefits all due to the booming support of this local business during the pandemic.

Keep supporting the small businesses in your neighborhood!

Now this is how you do tile right. Casa Hoyos, a newly opened hotel in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico really honed in on Mexico's artistic and cultural offerings and the Hoyos family's history with this design. Obsessed.

The ordinance to re-legalize coach houses and other types of accessory dwelling units (ADUs) was introduced to City Council on Wednesday, May 20, 2020.

What’s being legalized? The ordinance would allow one or more dwelling units to be added as a coach house or to an existing residential building without requiring a zoning change. The ordinance divides ADUs into two types:

1. coach houses, which are the small buildings in the rear of a lot with or without a garage (common across Chicago), with one dwelling unit

2. conversion units, which are the other types of dwelling units, via additions and renovations in existing buildings 20 years or older. Only units built according to this code would be considered conversion units; units that exist on or before July 31, 2020, that seem like conversion units are not considered conversion units.

As the world gets used to working from home, new routines and norms are being formed, and with the Illinois Shelter in Place getting extended another 5 weeks, it's normal to feel overwhelmed and stressed. We have found that it is very helpful to find ways to create a healthy work/life balance from your home. If you're looking for inspiration and solutions for creating a balance these designers specialize in transforming small spaces and have provided ideas for daily routines and flexible work spaces. 

Ordering takeout from the restaurants in your neighborhood is one of the best ways you can support their businesses. It has truly been incredible to hear about people reaching out and doing their part to help keep local businesses afloat.  Another way you can support them is by purchasing their cookbooks and cocktail books and taking a whirl at making some of your favorite dishes and drinks from the comfort of your own home. 

We love a design that draws natural light to the space. This unique design was meant to reflect the industrial touch of Danish farms while preserving the smells, sounds, and atmosphere of a traditional mountain cabin. 

"As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of Earth Day in a social-distanced world, it's still possible to make a difference in the fight against climate change with individual actions that start at home." 

Now is the time to learn how we can be a part of fighting climate change by switching up how we would typically do our laundry, clean our countertops, getting our veggies, etc. 

With all of the changes taking place recently, many events around the U.S. have had to cancel or reschedule and weddings were among these. However, three couples chose to move forward with their ceremonies while foregoing their guest lists, receptions, and honeymoons. One couple married on their front porch in Ukrainian Village while another couple still had their ceremony at the church they originally planned on, simultaneously live streaming to their guests. The couples expressed that through this pandemic they realized it wasn't all about the parties and the details, but ultimately about their marriage itself. 

Showing Avondale Bowl some more love while spotlighting Range Design & Architecture, one of the teams that was a part of bringing AVB back to life. Check out this interview with Architectural Digest Pro and the Range team to read the behind the scenes on how this design came together. 

Does this circular shaped desk remind you of the one from The Grand Budapest Hotel? Well that is because it was inspired by the popular Wes Anderson Film. Take a look at this historic Detroit charter school whose design was inspired by Wes Anderson, vintage art, and the original character of the school. 

Homeowners this is a MUST read/listen! If you have been affected financially by the coronavirus outbreak you may be eligible for mortgage relief or forbearance for up to 12 months. Contact your server/lender to work out a payment plan. You can verbally testify that you are in financial distress and the paperwork will come later as your lender needs to provide relief quickly. 

Please note this is NOT a forgiveness of debt or free money. Do not stop paying your loan without first reaching out to your lender to work out a plan, whether that is reduced payments or a complete pause.

**If you have any questions on this please reach out to us.**

"When it comes to the renovation itself, know that washing dishes in the bathtub gets old really fast, renovations are extremely stressful, and everything will cost more and take longer than you plan for. Here are 10 lessons my experience yielded:" -Stephanie Krikorian

Logan Square's Cards Against Humanity board game cafe and event space is now open. The cafe offers more than 300 games, 7 games on a rotating tap, and 2 escape rooms. Visit their website for menus and reservations.

Cafe hours: 4PM-12AM (daily)
Cuisine: Vietnamese & Spanish