Commissioned two pieces that turned out perfect. Chuck was very receptive to feedback and turned…read morethem around so quickly.

I hired Chuck and friends for a day at the middle school. The kids LOVED the caricatures. Check is…read moresuper talented. Highly recommend.

I have worked with Sargon, Matt, and Gaby for more than 10 years. To say they are incredible is an…read moreunderstatement. Not only does their customer service go above and beyond, but the quality of the work is unparalleled. Need help with design or layout? Check. Offset printing? Check. Digital job? Check. I've worked with them on so many jobs - newsletters to letterhead or business cards or large format posters. They always come through and saved me on numerous occasions when I was behind on my timelines. I am grateful to know them and have them as a printing partner.

Their service was great! They were very patient with me and the printing always has great quality…read more Definitely will be coming back!

I have been a fan of Wonder City Studio for some time. They provide home portraits by commission,…read moreand they are truly beautiful. The owners are moving to another state, and they're liquidating their current stock of prints and whatnot. Since they don't plan to reprint I knew I had to jump on it so I purchased two prints, one of Chicago two-flats because I lived in a two-flat when I first moved to Chicago, and one of Chicago home styles because I love the architecture (I especially love a Chicago bungalow). There were a few other ones I considered as well but if I'd purchased all the ones I wanted then I'd have just bought one of everything. They also have some prints of other cities, such as New Orleans. They have some non-home-related prints, mostly of Chicago. And I think that although they're closing their Chicago studio, they may still take commissions so you can contact them via their site.

Neighborhood gem! Large variety of plants, pots, decor, candles and more. Very friendly and…read morehelpful. Pricing is reasonable, great if your looking for a gift or something to make your home feel special

Damn, this is a great store. I wish I didn't like it so much because I can easily see myself…read morespending far too much money here. I heard of this store months ago, when I was looking up plant shops to visit. I've driven by a few times because it's only about a mile away from me. Finally, when I saw that Charlene H.'s review, I first added her as a friend and then decided I needed to get to H+T sometime soon. Serendipity would lead to me to be just a couple blocks from the shop today so I decided I should stop in. That was a mistake, because I spent a lot more money than I had intended to spend. This store is at its core a home decor store, so it's not specifically a plant shop. But they DO have an extensive collection of plants, both indoor houseplants and outdoor plants. They have starters and they have seeds as well. Of course they have just about everything you need to care for your plants too: pots, gloves, potting soil, pruning shears, and so on. They have a really nice collection of pots, by the way; in addition to some of the ones I've seen at just about every plant shop, I got a couple others that I haven't seen elsewhere and are quite beautiful. Their prices are not out of line with other plant shops in the area. But I didn't stop there, because they have a seriously beautiful collection of items to decorate your home. I restrained myself to some extent but I could have gotten a lot more. I bought a photo frame, a basket for the new ZZ plant I purchased, a raven ZZ, and the two pots. They have really beautiful picture frames here so now I need to identify photos that I want prints of so I can buy more frames. (Can we bring back film photography, please?) Clever and cute idea to put photos of Lizzo in all of the frames, I dig it. I really like my plant basket too, so I may need to buy more of them. They had some really nice side tables that I would probably use as plant stands since some of them are small... or if I had more fancy furniture in my home too, I suppose. This is a store that I would love to buy things from because they'd make my home look sophisticated. The staff were really friendly, welcoming, and happy to help me. They charged me twice for one of the pots, but I realized that before leaving and they fixed it straightaway. Then when I realized I had bought a 5x7 frame instead of a 4x6 frame, the return was easy. But they do have a more conservative return policy than a mass merchandiser would, so be sure that you understand the return policy before you purchase.

I decided to walk into Foursided on a whim and I'm so glad that I did! This is one of the cutest…read moreshops I've been to in a while. There is so much to look at and the whole store is curated beautifully, so it feels like a cohesive collection rather than clutter. I found a ton of things that I fell on love with. This is the perfect place to pick up a gift or some artwork. They had a ton of Chicago specific items, so it would be a great place to grab a souvenir. I'll be back here for sure. It is too cute to resist!

Loved this shop when we were visiting Chicago! So many awesome things. Great artwork, greeting…read morecards... definitely stop by if you're in the area

High quality craftsmanship, reliable, creative, fairly priced for the quality and artistry, and…read morehonest. We have been wanting a custom fireplace mantle for a while and have walked past Kyle's studio a number of times to admire his woodwork. We had some ideas going in, but working with Kyle helped us refine what we wanted, and we were able to see samples of comparable pieces to finalize the design and finishes. From start to end, Kyle was very responsive and kept to the schedule and price, even though the cost of materials did spike. He delivered a superbly crafted mantle and installed it perfectly, the final product looked like an intentionally designed and well executed finish to our fireplace. During the process, you are invited to help select the material and the finish options. Most importantly, when asked, Kyle will provide helpful recommendations and feedback. Highly recommended, this is more than supporting local and small businesses, it's about getting the extra care for the piece you're buying, from the sourcing of the materials to the custom finishes. Kyle's carpentry is impeccable, he's very pleasant to work with, and he brings a wealth of knowledge, artistry to his work.

My husband and I had found a DIY outdoor bench project but simply did not have the workshop space…read moreavailable to do the project ourselves, so I took to the interwebs and found Southern Oak Studios. I spoke with Kyle over the phone, sent the project to him (actually via Etsy - he has some cool stuff there you should check out) and we agreed on the price. The project was scoped as two kinda "simple" benches, one longer than the other, and purposed for outdoors so has to withstand the weather conditions here in Chicago. Kyle built them, they looked amazing. He stained them to withstand the elements (I was meh on the color, but all things considered still groovy), dropped them off at our door (SO NICE) and we had our benches. Here's where things get interesting. We decided to keep one bench inside, just based on preference when we saw the layout out back - kinda crowded for our small-ish patio - fine. The bench that went outside... within ~45-60 days pretty much disintegrated. I noticed the wood started to separate in weird ways, but honestly didn't want to even deal with it... finally when my in-laws were in town, my father-in-law was sitting on it and the whole leg kinda just flopped off. (This is funny, now). I reached back out to Kyle about it, and he was pretty darn awesome about the whole thing. Note: 5 star review. He came back over quickly, installed some metal hardware to the bottom/inside of the bench as a temporary fix, APOLOGIZED (!?!), and said he would come up with a new/better design for us. Then, he went back to the drawing board. He found a design that wouldn't allow for water to pool atop, built it with more weather-resistant materials than the prior had been built with, and again, dropped it off. It is beautiful. We don't demand perfection, never. But customer service yes and so often are disappointed. Not this time. Kyle, thank you for all of your hard work. We really appreciate it, and I'm guessing you'll never want to see another bench project in your lifetime but here's to hoping this one lasts a lifetime! Or at least, just a season. :)

Lillstreet Art Center is a magical place, it has a little bit of everything!…read more I've taken everything from pottery classes to jewelry workshops to textile classes here. They really have a wide selection and great time options in the evenings for those who work 9-5. 12 years later I still use the garlic grater I made in a sculpting class. Prices are expected, but reasonable for what you get. Teachers are awesome and work with you to help you learn, even if working with clay isn't your thing (I learned quickly it wasn't my thing). But it's still fun to try something new! In the heart of Ravenswood easily accessible by the el, and they do have parking if you drive. Definitely check out this gem if you haven't yet.

As described in the Lillstreet Art Center website, it was "founded in 1975, Lillstreet is a…read morecreative workspace for artists of all levels, from first-timers, to professionals. No matter how you define yourself, you belong here!" When Daughter told me that she had just registered for a "Beginning Wheelthrowing" class at Lillstreet, I did not know the art center. However, I had always been curious about wheelthrowing and wanted to finally learn about it, so I registered too! We both registered for a 10-week class that met once a week in the weekend. It had been a fun 10 weeks! Well, we had missed 2 classes for our unexpected trip to Europe, but we were fortunate that we could make up work by going to "open studios" that are available only to current students. Our teacher Jen FitzGerald has 25 years of experience in ceramics. Both Jen and the class assistant, Kim, are very kind, welcoming, and encouraging. Jen always has solutions to whatever problems that we might have. After she made a demonstration throwing on the wheel, she would go around the classroom to see how everybody was doing with her own work. It was especially helpful during the first couple of classes that Jen came by me and helped me one-on-one to overcome the hurdles that I had. After I "mastered" the techniques, wheelthrowing is relaxing and fun. Glazing pottery has been a lot of fun too! Looking for our fired glazed work on the common shelves is like Christmas! There have been nice surprises of how the glazed work turned out! Now both Daughter and I have made a bunch of cups, mugs, and bowls that we are proud of. Like a lot of the students at Lillstreet, our passion for ceramics have been ignited, this class won't be the last! Lillstreet Art Center not only offers a lot of different art classes for all levels, it also hosts private events like birthday parties, and one-time workshops that you can test the water and have some fun. There is a gallery/gift shop that features a lot of one-of-a-kind creations from teachers and students, most are really sophisticated and professional, and inspirational too! There is a small café that you can enjoy local baked goods. We had tried the almond croissants which were very good. Our teacher Jen is having a Lounge Show "Mudweaver Ceramics" in the cafe, from November 1 to 30, 2024. The show showcases some very amazing ceramic art that looks like woven baskets! Come see the show if you can! Closing reception is on Friday, November 29 at 6:00 PM.