Category: Designer’s Eye

One of the beautiful things about living and working in the design world in Chicago is that it is sincerely a group effort. Call it part of the second city syndrome or heartland effect or whatever you want, but there is not the hard edge competitive feel you get elsewhere. When we started our company in 2006 we moved into a business incubator (we are still there in fact) and our neighbors upstairs were making a beautiful line of hardwood furniture (they still are but in a new space, Room 406). Troscan Design had started many years before us and have laid the ground for manufacturing modern furniture in Chicago back in 1999, back when Robert and I were just starting out and moved to Finland to work for Marimekko. Their founders, also a husband and wife team, Deirdre Jordan and Bob Robinson have a very interesting story of their own.

We recently shot our holiday collection at their new location, Room 406, a sturdy old building here in West Town, which Bob and Deirdre bought and rehabbed into a gorgeous showroom and next door factory called the Makers Guild. All of the furniture is designed by Bob with Deirdre at the creative helm of the whole company. Deirdre has also curated the showroom with a line of luxury home accessories from cashmere blankets to ceramic vases and paintings by local artists. They are open for interior designers and the public to view and shop Monday – Thursday 9-PM and by appointment on Fridays.

Here are some shots taken by Lyra Jakabhazy of the craftsmen and craftswomen of the Makers Guild.

Susan Dwyer of Up In The Air Somewhere, is one of our favorites. A local designer who creates elegant ceramics inspired by the positive and negative spaces around her. After graduating from the Art Institute of Chicago where she studied sculpture, Dwyer focused primarily on ceramics and papier-mâché vessels inspired by the clean, minimal lines found in industrial architecture. These took off without a hitch and got attention from the likes of The New York Times, Design Sponge, Food+Wine, Real Simple and Chicago Social, just to name a few.

Last year, our production assistant, Sarah, stumbled upon Dwyer’s newest work at a pop-up design market called Big Big City: Chicago.  She loved them so much and thought Unison’s owner and designer, Robert, would love them too. Good thing it was his birthday the following week. We got him a Cutaway vase and the rest is history! Not to take all the credit, Robert had seen her work before and already owned a vase. Now we are thrilled to carry Up In The Air ceramics in the Studio+Store and unisonhome.com!