Lisa Skolnik

Necessity was the "mother of invention" for Cindy Simes, who capitalized on a personal longing for a crown. But she was searching for the type to crest a bed rather...

Building an airy, spacious home is difficult enough these days, but when circumstances are less than ideal, the task can be daunting. To Chicago architect Reginald B. Wilson, who designed...

There may be nothing more important to Chicago sculptor Evan Lewis than a breath of fresh air. For that's all it takes to bring the soaring constructions he crafts out...

Fallen angels never had it so good. Gargoyles crafted in the Middle Ages were thought to embody such spirits, who had to "redeem" themselves by guarding the soaring Gothic structures...

If "Newt" and "Bill" are indicators, the gargoyle is getting a new lease on life. In the Middle Ages, these fantastic creatures were thought to be fallen angels and only...

The best thing a dinner guest can give Elisa Racelis Boughner is an empty old wine bottle or two, and if they still have the corks, she'll be ecstatic. Even...

There is more than one Ed Paschke making fascinating images these days. Check out the "eggheads" for sale at Ancient Echoes. The 3-inch-tall wooden heads are carved to resemble an...

The chicken clearly came first for Finnish master glassmaker Oiva Toikka. World-renowned for his tabletop designs for the Scandinavian companies iittala, Arabia and Rorstrand, he has been known for his...

Soaring castle walls. Pinnacles and vaults. Pointed arches and flying buttresses. Gargoyles and crockets. Now that's Gothic. Today the rich elements that characterize Gothic style are showing up in everything...

How is a piece of furniture guaranteed its "future"? Longevity is tricky to predict, but most of the furnishings that make it are not only serviceable but also embody great...