In the book, Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell speaks about working 10,000 hours in one's craft, in order…read moreto be deemed an expert. Some folks are disputing this but think about it, do you want the pilot of your plane on your trans-Pacific flight with 100 hours of flight experience?? Or do you want the person with 10,000 hours?? Speaking of pilots, the pilot light in my gas fireplace kept going out and it kept going out when outside temperatures went below 25F. That's right, it went out when you needed it most. So after firing up the pilot light manually for seemingly over two Winters, I said to myself, this is insanity. So I used Yelp to conduct a comparative analysis and called four fireplace companies. Here were the outcomes of those calls: - one company does not fix gas fireplaces. - the second company made me leave a message and it took the guy like 3 days to call back and he had an attitude like he was disgruntled from the get-go (meaning from the onset). - the third company wanted to charge a service call for diagnosing the problem and couldn't comment on the overall costs. - the fourth company was Hearth & Home and Pat (who turned out to be the owner) was a straight shooter (meaning forthcoming with details). Pat asked the year, make, model, serial number of my gas fireplace. He listened to me about my fireplace's symptoms and gave me a likely diagnosis and projected costs of the part and service. I had a very good feeling about his Integrity and thought the cost was reasonable. The appointment was booked and weeks later, Mike came as scheduled. Mike has 10 years experience and although he huffed and puffed here and there while fixing it, I had no doubt that with his expertise (10,000 hours) we would be up and running in no time. And that's what happened, my fireplace got fixed, within budget and right in time for me to make it to the Yelpies event last week!! Thank you Pat, Mike and H&H for this professional experience. Otherwise I would have missed that great event by Kesha and Celeste!!

The initial assessment of our need for a gas fireplace insert was explained well and installation…read morewas well done by experienced, knowledgeable field people. Their ongoing support has been outstanding. Highly recommended.

Gorgeous modern and contemporary furniture! Thank you Dallas for your help! Love a salesman whose…read morehelpful but not overly pushy! If you're looking for beautiful customizable furniture look no further !!

I bought a new bed and end tables from EQ3. We paid for "white glove" delivery service to have it…read moreassembled in our home. The delivery men left deep scratches in our wall, and they damaged our floors. When confronted about this, the delivery men turned aggressive, and they banged up the walls even more as they took the boxes out of the home. When I called EQ3, the were originally quite understanding, and they promised to take care of it. Later, they sent an email that required that I get **three** different repair quotes before they would "look into" covering the cost. That seems absurd - why would I call three different people to patch & paint dry wall? It's like talking to three vendors to change a flat tire. It seems like they're throwing up obstacles to avoid taking responsibility for their actions. So, in short, if you want you a new bad, a damaged wall, and a feeling of being unsafe in your new home. I strongly recommend them.

We have been working twice with both Jessie and Teo, very professional, passionate and creative…read moredesigners at Roche Bobois Chicago. We bought our new living room and could not be more happy about the satellite sofa we just received. Highly recommended. Francois

Quick notes on furniture shopping:…read more Beautiful, gorgeous, designer pieces - at high-end prices. Definitely visit for design inspiration and what surprised me most is that many of the good-looking sexy pieces were also very comfortable.

This furniture showroom is huge: three floors of sofas, chairs, tables and more…read more The challenge is finding something not too low and not too low-backed; we liked the Morrison and the Ryan sofas and the Louise chair. Staff member Sophia helped us out with information on what was pet-friendly fabric among their choices. We're still deciding but there were definitely great choices here!

Wow! Time to update my review. Customer Service exceeded my expectations. We had an issue and took…read morecare of it ourselves. We received a call follow up and then an email follow up. We didn't ask for anything but they went over and above our expectations. We'll be back.

If you, like me, have gotten a million ads for this store online but don't want to buy a couch…read morewithout sitting on it, rejoice! Joybird has a showroom in Chicago. It was definitely worth testing them out because some of the couches are very low. We ended up liking the Hopson and Wilder and the Amelia chair. Staff member John was friendly and helpful. Lots of colorful fabrics to choose from, some designated as "pet friendly."

I have officially had my Joybird couch for 1 year. It has been lived in and loved (for the most…read morepart). Things I love about my couch: - comfortable & spacious - beautiful color - very pet friendly (hides hair, easy to clean cat puke - iykyk) - easy to use pull out sleeper Things I don't love about my couch: - the cushions move WAY too much, specifically the chaise lounge cushion. The cushion sliding out has caused it to warp/bend (see photo). I have been adjusting the cushion DAILY to try to resolve the problem, but it persists.... - the two sections of the couch (the base with pull out couch & the chaise lounge) come apart DAILY and even when securely reattached, they do not stay together. Unsure if we just got a dud or if all of the couches do this. ^ these two problems drive me crazy. Because as comfortable and beautiful as my couch is, these two issues really make the couch look less put together. And for the price you pay, this shouldn't be the case.

Quality products, great new wave music and awesome staff. I've made multiple purchases and will…read morereturn

We were looking for a dining bench and found the perfect one from Blu Dot on Wayfair - the Chip…read moreBench. We weren't familiar with Blu Dot, but looked into them and found that they had a store in Chicago! The store is beautiful. The furniture is fun and well-designed. I really like their simple and modern furniture. Our dining room has a nordic vibe and this bench matches well. I'm really glad we were able to go to the store and see and sit on the bench in person. There's peace of mind when you know the chair will be comfortable and exactly what you want. Our only hesitation with buying the bench was the weight capacity. Since it's a bench, you can probably fit 2-3 people on it and we wanted to make sure it wouldn't collapse! Alexis was very helpful. She gave us some helpful specs on the bench, offered to get back to us on the weight capacity, and gave us some color swatches. The next day, Alexis emailed me with the additional information and we were able to place an order! The bench was backordered (on Wayfair and Blu Dot) and the estimated in stock date was March (3 months away)! So it was a pleasant surprise when we were notified that the bench would be delivered 2 months early! Alexis was saying that Blu Dot only gives Wayfair a limited supply of their items, so we'd be more likely to get the bench if we bought directly. It's so much better to buy direct than going through a middle-person anyway. The bench looks great in our dining room and it is very comfortable. It is sturdy and has a good weight to it. Highly recommend shopping at Blu Dot. The service and product quality are exceptional.

RH Chicago, The Gallery at the Three Arts Club is one of the most beautiful and memorable dining…read morespots in the city. The setting alone is stunning--elegant architecture, sparkling chandeliers, and lush greenery create a calm, upscale atmosphere that feels special from the moment you walk in. My wife and I came here for the first time, and it was fantastic. The food is consistently fresh and well-prepared, with classic dishes that are simple yet elevated. We went for the American Breakfast, a side of pancakes, the whole smashed avocado with an egg and two lattes. The service is attentive without being overbearing, and the staff makes you feel genuinely welcomed. Whether you're stopping in for brunch, lunch, or dinner, it's a place that turns any outing into an experience worth savoring.

Gorgeous venue but that's about it. I've tried many restoration hardware restaurants but don't…read moreremember the food being so mediocre. We loved our drinks though I think my chai latte was a little too spicy! The smash burger had barely any flavor, and the Chinese chicken salad was good but wayyyy too many wonton things!! Price was typical - around $75 for 2 drinks and 2 dishes

Hassle free experience, top quality materials, and excellent customer service. Highly recommend!read more

Went in person to purchase a couch--such a great experience…read more They were super helpful without being pushy. I got my couch delivered with two days and the delivery was super easy. I will definitely be back to buy more items. My couch looks great and at a great price!

I recently went to Jayson Home to pick up a small orchid. It took everything out of me to stay…read morefocused and not look around. It's one of those places where you pop in for a minute and can easily leave an hour later. This place is teeming with eclectic items for every room in the house. Even though the store is big, it has a feeling of being one of those small shops in a seaside town with great art objects and home decor. The kind of store you wished they had back home only it is back home in Chicago! My only quip about this store is the customers you run into during your visit. While Jayson's carries items for most people's budget, they do have items for those who have, let's say, extra, extra income. And for some reason the people I've come across in my path of perusing come off very snobby. That aside, I have found the service to be friendly and helpful.

We had to stay home for the first time for the holidays due to covid so this Christmas was looking…read morea little different for us. We'd never had a real tree and since we lived across the street from Jayson Home, we decided to pick out our first live tree to make the season a bit warmer. Their tree selection was perfection. All the trees were healthy and came in many shapes and sizes. The staff was super friendly and helpful. When we finally found 'the one' it was love at first sight. We just knew. The staff gently wrapped it up for us and we left it there to pick up the next day. When we arrived to take our tree home, we were surprised when a staff member offered to carry it across the busy street into our house! We were prepared to make the arduous journey alone, but this man was a saint. Once inside, we grounded our tree, released its casing, and stepped back. Wow. After a horrible year this was just what we needed. The aroma hit us like a million happy Christmas memories years before. Thank you Jayson Home for helping make this year a little brighter for us and for your helpful staff!

Dial M for Modern is a fun furniture and accessories store located on Milwaukee Ave. They scout out…read moreand sell vintage and mid century modern furniture. Many of the items displayed during my visit were unique and playful. The sales staff is friendly and allow some room for negotiation. The shop has two floors so make sure to go downstairs. I did not make a purchase during my visit but my niece is strongly considering a lovely expansion table with 12 chairs.

If you're a fan of mid-century modern furniture, decor and artwork, then you'd be doing yourself a…read morefavor by stopping in at this store when you're looking to furnish your new place. Prices are extremely reasonable and there's a wide selection across two floors with new pieces constantly rolling in (I find it best to follow the store on Instagram to see the latest). What I like about the store is that it's tastefully maintained to have more of a showroom feel that's well merchandised and arranged than a warehouse with stuff stacked randomly in every corner. It helps you get a better idea about how a piece might fit into your home and what other pieces may compliment it. I've bought a few smaller items -- end tables, art print, some ceramics -- and always thought the owner, Tim, has great taste. He's also super friendly and not pretentious unlike some other vintage dealers I've come across. The new location in Logan Square is great and is worth dropping in on if you're in the neighborhood. Even if you're not looking for furniture, there's some great pottery and candles, too.