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Chicago
When 20th century Modernist innovators Mies van der Rohe and Laszlo Moholy-Nagy were looking for a more sympathetic home for their designs than their native Nazi Germany it wasn't New York or London they headed to but Chicago. The city, in the American state of Illinois, still enjoys a reputation for sound aesthetics and some local living rooms look as good as its famous skyline.
Designer names are popular and Stitch (1723 North Damen Avenue, tel: 773 782 1570; www.stitchchicago. com) is full of textiles garnished with Missoni's zigzags and stripes. Visitors will be especially taken by the monochromatic ottoman (US$390) finished with a leather strap.
Sprout Home (745 North Damen Avenue, tel: 312 226 5950; www.sprouthome.com) favours less well-known names and is a good choice for the eco-conscious. Natural materials are preferred and the shop has imaginative takes on recycling; for example, it stocks wooden shelves (from US$39.75) made from colonial-era Indian railroad sleepers, that would look good teamed with a wooden lamp (US$120) that resembles a Halloween pumpkin.
Saffron (2064 North Damen Avenue, tel: 773 486 7753; www.saffronchicago. com) carries accessories - many of which are sharp enough for Bauhaus lovers. Its marble-horned caviar spreader set (US$39) and ice-cream scoop (US$15) might not be the most practical additions to a kitchen but they will make it look good.
At Orange Skin (223 West Erie Street, tel: 312 335 1033; www.orangeskin.com) every room is catered for thanks to a huge range of modern furniture. The S-shaped bookcase (US$425) makes a welcome change from standard shelving. Another statement piece is its modular seating system (pictured; price on application), which is available in a range of fabrics - including one by Vivienne Westwood.
There's more upscale furniture at Modern Times (2100 West Grand Avenue, tel: 312 243 5706; www.moderntimeschicago.com) such as the coffee table (US$1,800) with circular legs. And for strong glass products there's the eclectic Virtu (2034 North Damen Avenue, tel: 773 235 3790; www.virtuchicago.com). Textiles feature heavily and the store stocks a large range of ceramics, such as the hand-cast earthenware tea set (US$200) in a zingy lime green.
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