I had a Kilim carpet bag which needed repair. It wasn't in an obvious spot (under the main flap)…read morebut I knew it would worsen and denigrate the bag over time if not addressed. I went to Tribal Looms for advice and perspective remedies. The elderly man who seems to run the shop was honest. He stated that he most likely could not replicate the weave but could stop further damage.That was my goal. I agreed to the price and left my bag. I was told that it should be ready about a week after our evaluation and discussion. Approximately 3 days later I received a voicemail from a woman "concerning my bag". I called back (assuming it was regarding the fact that they couldn't repair my bag-- due to the timeline of the response.) The next day I received a message from the same woman urging me to pick up my bag because the work had been completed. I called for a week-- trying to arrange a pick-up time. We finally connected and met again in person. This appears to be a small, specialized, family business. Hours are general and vary upon workload or appointment. Upon arranging and picking up my bag, the work and craftsmanship was AMAZING. Although my expectation after our discussion was a basic stop gap (can't replicate the weave but can prevent further damage)-- he went above and beyond to replicate the pattern and prevent further harm. His craftsman shift was spectacular! I would FULLY give this 5 stars if it wasn't for the ambiguous hours and lack of response.

My wife and I bought this amazing antique rug from Tribal Looms…read more The owners are professional, hard-working, and honest. The rug was old and needed a little fixing- which was done w expert care! Highly recommend. See picture w Christmas tree

Great team to work with. They were able to take my space and make it functional and unique.read more

Small, cute home goods shop. (They also do interior design) I've discovered several good finds…read morehere. Some for myself (jewelry), some gifts for others (antique pitcher / glass set). I found the prices for things I was looking at to be reasonable, and always received friendly help from staff. They do have some larger, more expensive pieces here (reupholstered chairs, tables) and lots of other knick-knacks and antiques. I'd definitely return when looking for something homey and unique...

Wonderful, honest, helpful, and a great collection. If you want to learn, Mo will gladly share his…read morebday knowledge with you. Great for repair and proper, old world style cleaning. This is a very safe place to shop.

Connoisseur Rugs is in a shabby building who interior reminds one of an middle east bazar with rugs…read moreon the walls, stacked, and casualty layered on top of each but the owner Moe knows what he has and patiently explains his old and new hand woven gems, in all price range. He insist on not overpricing his rugs and then "discounting", as a sales technique, or playing the discount game as many rugs store. Having shopped in person and on the internet his prices are appropriate as the quality padding and rug cleaning service. He has lots of old, new stock he bought decades ago so much to offer.

I couldn't be happier with my experience working Lugbill Designs on my Streeterville condo. From…read morethe very beginning, their team demonstrated an exceptional ability to translate ideas into a cohesive, livable vision--and then execute on it. What truly set them apart was how seamlessly they managed every aspect of the renovation. Navigating building regulations, freight logistics, and coordination with property management was handled it all with professionalism and precision. I never had to worry about the process. The design itself is exceptional. The custom millwork was a particular sophisticated and warm touch. Every detail feels intentional, from the sculptural lighting to the curated furnishings and textures. Their ability to integrate architecture, design, and styling into one seamless outcome is remarkable. This was a full-service experience in the best sense--creative, organized, and deeply attentive to how we actually live in our space. The end result is not just beautiful, but functional and timeless. Highly recommend.

I wanted to take a moment to provide a review. We bought a fairly traditional home in Winnetka and…read morehad about 4 months to plan our move in . We were very keen on transforming our spaces into a more transitional decor and feel. After talking to several design teams we had Jessica share her ideas. Right from choosing our wooden floor stain to wall colors she was involved in every decision. We had some very strong opinions of our own and Jessica and her team were exceptional at incorporating those but also pushing back where they felt it was not appropriate. We also loved the fact that right upfront she pulled together a very detailed view by room of the potential budget with options helping us make the right tradeoffs on where to go really high end and where we could tradeoff. We have received a ton of compliments on all aspects of our new home including the decor, the furniture pieces, at the art pieces, the accents and the rugs. We also loved the fact that she insisted on addressing the little details like changing our cabinet handles and faucets with the right colors and styles to fit the contemporary vibe we were looking for. We recommend Jessica and her team wholeheartedly and will work with her again in a heartbeat.

I checked out Jean Alan Inc after hearing she would be attending the Randolph Street Market…read moreFestival in August. On first glace, I wanted the entire window display of lamps ranging from Art Deco geometric blocks to crystal bases with stunning shades. I browsed the client photographs and was amazed at her previous projects. I will check her out at the show this weekend and will be sure to bring my credit card!

I've worked for Jean and Ruthie Alan for years now painting and decorative painting walls and…read morefurniture. They have such great taste in everything they do and are very easy to work with. If you're looking for designers with great tastes and a easy to work with, then Jean and Ruthie Alan are who you need.

Paul really cares about his clients and pairs the design process with interior design.read more

We hired Paul to remodel our 1910 condo, budgeted at $150,000. Initially, he appeared professional,…read moreresponsive, and creative. However, working with Paul turned out to be a horrible experience. He repeatedly missed promised deadlines, delayed meetings, gave endless excuses (seven by text alone), and blamed us for problems resulting from his poor management of the project. All along, his work contained numerous errors and oversights, and he offered few constructive or creative solutions. We tried to be flexible and accommodating, and Paul several times apologized for the delays and communication issues, blaming personnel issues (he soon thereafter fired a new employee) and family issues (new school year, etc.), which we could certainly appreciate. Unfortunately, it only got worse. Nearly two months after his proposed design deadline, he largely stopped responding to my e-mails (four e-mails over two weeks) and kept postponing phone conversations. We asked him to complete the design work by a new deadline. Instead of completing the design or asking for another extension, he said that our project "caught him at a bad time" and that we would be "best served going elsewhere." Because he chose to quit four months into the project, he waived our final payment (he had tried to collect it before the work was finished). If you hire Paul, do not pay the final invoice until the work is complete to your satisfaction--but even that cannot guarantee completion. Overall, we were left pretty unimpressed with his design skills. Good design requires a commitment to both the big picture and the fine details. Paul repeatedly promised but never actually attempted to pull all of the details together, which probably resulted in more revisions than necessary. The selection of tiles, paint colors, moldings, light fixtures, electrical design, etc. was promised, but never delivered. One hires a designer to think through how all of those details, colors, and materials interact: how a paint color looks next to certain materials and fixtures in the actual room. In reality, Paul basically just told us to research faucets online ourselves and directed us to a few tile manufacturer websites (he pulled some selections together on pintrest, but they were hardly helpful--mainly because they were not envisioned as part of a larger whole). This was his standard MO, and ultimately we felt that Paul's work lacked both vision and execution. Paul frequently complained that we were being unreasonable or costing him money. He complained that we had sent him 138 e-mails over six months: Really, it was 121 emails, including scheduling exchanges, brief messages of approval (e.g., "sounds great!"), e-mails to follow up on promises and deadlines unmet by Paul and his team, e-mails requesting updates after weeks of silence, and--of course--ideas and feedback on the designs, some of which had to be revised or returned to earlier ideas: anyone in design knows that is just part of the process and, again, many of the revisions were due to initial errors or oversights. + Design process was delayed almost two months and never completed. + Numerous (at least twelve) initial mis-measurements in crucial places. + Designs contained amateurish errors and oversights: cabinet doors that would hit each other when opened; a shower that would drench the user when turning the valve on; a custom vanity (35% upcharge) with a sink specified that would have been 2" too large to fit. Paul would complain when we brought them to his attention. + Revisions of designs were often delayed by weeks and often incomplete. + Paul would commit to doing tasks by a certain date and fail to do so. +Meetings were frequently rescheduled with little regard to client's time; too many excuses given; we actively had to request updates. + Prices are inflated: his demolition bid was over $9,000 while other contractors bid it at $4,000; his plumbing bid was $13,000 per bathroom, other plumbers consistently bid each bathroom around $2,000-$3,000. + Lighting and electrical design was largely absent and thoughtless. + Drawings were incomplete and amateurish. Every architect, contractor, and designer who has seen Paul's drawings for our project has pointed out numerous problems with them. Paul does not have architectural skills, so when you show his drawings to a contractor/plumber/electrician/cabinetmaker, they do not have enough clear information to work from. The drawings project an air of accuracy (e.g., measurements to an impractical 1/16"), but actually contain numerous larger more meaningful errors. If you compare Paul's drawings to a professional's drawings you will immediately see the difference. + Generally inconsistent communication: sometimes Paul would respond quickly and thoroughly, other times there would be no responses whatsoever. + It took four weeks and four e-mails for him to finally return our house keys! Stay Away!

Do vintage rugs really cost $7,000? I would say this was the average price. Maybe I missed…read moresomething here but the old man asked me to pay up or box him for a rug. This place is also quite unorganized. Seems like it used to do well from reviews about 10 years ago. Interesting business model, best of luck!

Purchased 2 rugs and they are amazing in quality. They look amazing in our living and bed rooms. He…read morewas really patient with us as we looked through multiple styles of rugs. Took time opening each one up and let us examine them up close. Also gave us a discount at checkout. Will be coming back for sure!

Reza was incredibly patient and helpful. He helped us find the perfect rug for our space.read more

I've been back to Exotic Rugs many times since my first visit a year ago, and each time I've…read moremanaged to find something beautiful and one of a kind to take home. We now have five rugs from this store, each one bringing something a little different. The prices are as good as any I've seen, the selection is amazing, and the owner Reza is an absolute pleasure to talk to. I've been to well over a dozen rug stores in the Chicago-Evanston area and in my view Reza's remains the best, hands down.