Check out What's New and Coming Soon!

Room 363 now has a fun new way to show off your creative side. Check out the new Jewelry Bar! Pick from a selection of chains and charms and make it your own! A visit to the Jewelry Bar would make for a fun outing with your girlfriends.  Come in and express yourselves!

Mark just returned from AmericasMart Atlanta (wholesale marketplace located in Atlanta) where he shopped for new items to showcase in Room 363. While there, he sent great pictures for me to share on the blog.  Some of these items you'll be seeing in the store, some were inspiration shots that caught Mark's attention.

My favorite item has to be those amazing tufted headboards!  Did you notice the legs on the patchwork bench at the end of the bed that's headboard looks like a sofa? I've never seen one where every leg was a different style/shape. 

I don't have pictures to share yet, but Mark also ordered linen drapes that will be carried in the store. He'll have sample panels on display and the drapes will be shipped upon purchase. As soon as the samples arrive, I'll share pictures on the blog.  

He did take plenty of lighting pictures from the show to inspire:

Here's a closer look at the three lamps from above. Notice the industrial elements?  I've never seen anything like them - so cool!

Coming this Spring, you'll find adorable pieces for those sweet little girls in your life.  These clothes would make for jaw-dropping Easter outfits or would be perfect for family portraits. We'll update you as soon as they arrive.

More Swan Creek candles arrived this week in both the pottery container Room 363 carried over the holidays and a glass jar version. Also new is the vintage-inspired bar soap by Boîte a Savon.

See something you like but don't live near Naperville?  Call the store and Room 363 will ship it to you!

New items from Mark's Atlanta excursion will be arriving weekly.  Make sure you follow him on Facebook to keep tabs on new arrivals!  

Don't wait to long to visit the Jewelry Bar! I have a feeling it's going to be quite popular.

Enjoy the rest of your week!
-Maria

Spring has Sprung at Room 363

The holidays have come and gone and the cold, grey winter that Chicagoans endure is in full swing.  How tempting it is to stay in your pajamas, wrapped up in a blanket next to a cozy fire working your way through OnDemand - watching back-to-back episodes of all those shows you never had time to watch.  I managed to make it through Seasons 1 and 2 of Homeland this winter break, peeking out from under a pile of wool and fleece. The cozy fire part wasn't as successful since my husband forgot to open the flue and instead of roasting chestnuts on an open fire, I was opening all the doors and windows and evacuating the kids to another part of the house.  Upside is we got to practice the fire emergency drills the kids learned at school. 

I did manage to make it out of the house one of the days to see how things had changed at Room 363 since the New Year. I knew Mark was eager to rid the store of glittered holiday decor and was curious to see how he'd transformed the shop.

Here's a shot of what you'd see walking in the front door:

The store definitely has a feeling of Spring in the air.  For just a little bit, you can forget about the bitter cold outside and lose yourself in thoughts of the warmer days to come. (Can you tell I'm not a fan of Winter?)

You'll find fresh plants, fun mossy rocks, lanterns, butterflies, birds - everything to bring that refreshing Spring feel to your home.

You'll notice when you come into the store, Mark has the creative ability to use items in different ways.  He's constantly moving the store around and showing how you can use one piece in several different ways. You can make your house feel newly decorated just by repurposing something you already have.  It's not always about buying everything new, it's about being creative in using what you already have and supplementing with the new here and there. For instance, in the Fall Mark had this mirror made out of a recycled tire on the wall. Now, he's using it as a fun table centerpiece:

Think about ways you can change up your home just by reconfiguring what's already there. It'll keep you from getting bored in your space.  Have you ever read fashion magazine's that show you 5 different ways to wear one shirt?  It's the same theory. Buy timeless pieces you can accessorize and throw in pops of trendy every once in a while. 

For those of you who visited us at {theNOOK} Holiday Pop-Up, I wanted to share a picture of the transformation that has happened to that space in the last few weeks.  Alicia's Photography was kind enough to let us borrow her space before she moved her studio from 5th Avenue Station to 32 W. Chicago, Naperville. Here's how her studio looks now:

Can you believe it's the same place?  She did a great job of make it feel warm and inviting. 

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday!

-Maria

Gift Ideas from Room 363

Only 3 more shopping days until Christmas!  That means only 3 more days to figure out what you're going to wear.  Both of these dresses would be perfect for a holiday party and are on sale starting today. The dress on the left is now $65, originally $94.  The dress on the right is $55, originally $79.

Room 363 has a large selection of well-priced scarves.  These make great gifts for any woman in your life.   Keep one on-hand as an emergency gift for those awkward situations where you didn't realize you were exchanging gifts with a friend until they brought a present to lunch.

Mark also has a new display by the check-out counter of vintage-inspired Ella E. jewelry.  There's a stunning collection of earrings, necklaces and cuffs.  The cuffs are made from recycled leather belts!  These make for a fun conversation piece.

There are great gift ideas in the kid's room, so be sure to make your way to the back of the store.  There are handmade pillows, dresses, bibs, hair bows, hats, and lots, lots more!  The flower clips would look adorable dressing up a wrapped gift or clipped on a gift bag. Use them afterwards as a pretty addition to any little girl's outfit.

One of my favorite items for little girls are these handmade cuffs by Hazel Brown Designs.  There are several in the store if you're looking for stocking stuffers, but you can also visit Hazel Brown's website for personalized requests.  How about as a cute favor for a little girl's birthday party?

In the front of the store, you'll find a great selection of men's items.  The beanies, gloves, button-down hooded shirt-jackets and long-sleeve crews would be perfect for that teenage boy on your list. How about a fedora or cap for your brother, husband or boyfriend? Room 363 has those, too!  The boots are now only $80.  They're a great neutral color and are extremely comfortable. Mark has road tested them to be sure!

On December 26th, Room 363 will mark all holiday ornaments and decorations down 50%.  This would be a great time to stock up on ornaments for next year!  Also, the mercury glass and silver ornaments would look great in an apothecary jar or bowl as a New Year's Eve party decoration.  All men's items will be 20% off that day as well.

Stay safe this weekend and enjoy celebrating with friends and family.  We hope to see you in the store!

{theNOOK} Recap and Moving Day!

Thank you to everyone who visited the holiday pop-up shop, {theNOOK}, in downtown Naperville last weekend.  It was fun to see people shopping, mingling and lingering to have conversations with friends and neighbors. We plan to continue this new tradition next year, adding more booths and making minor tweaks to continue to grow the shop and improve the experience.  A huge thank you to Alicia's Photography for allowing us to use her studio space, to Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory for the truffles and hot chocolate and to Flour Power Cookies and Confections for the delicious cookies Friday evening.

I had planned to post some fun pictures of {theNOOK} in full swing, but the unexpected swim my iPhone took in the toilet Saturday morning threw a wrench in those plans.  It spent the remainder of the weekend nestled in a large bag of rice. In case you're wondering, the rice treatment on wet phones does work. Mostly. My home button doesn't work and my camera light stays on at all times, giving my purse a nice green glow, but I can make calls!

Through this process of setting up the holiday pop-up shop and writing his blog, I've become friends with Mark. I've found that one of the most endearing aspects of his personality is that he truly doesn't want his customers to spend unnecessary money. I often visit Room 363 and make comments about wanting an amazing new piece he's found.  His immediate response is always, "Where are you going to put it?"  If he doesn't like my answer, he won't sell me the item.  This is because he's seen my house and knows what will and won't work.    The piece might be great, but that doesn't mean it's right for my space. He encourages his customers to make thoughtful purchases. I spent a good portion of my time at {theNOOK} going through this "I want that" / "Where you going to put it" routine with him.  Finally, on the last day, he said he'd found something I should buy.  He got as far as saying, "I think you should buy. . . " and I was shouting "Yes! I'll take it".  I had no idea what he was recommending, I was just happy to be walking out of there with something Mark-approved.

So, this is it.  This is my $24 red stool that ended up never making it past my front porch.  

Mark arranged my front porch to be used as backdrop for our family pictures, incorporating the vintage red stool.  My favorite part is the screen door with the wreath hanging from it. It was a great way to bring some height and interest to a blank area of the porch, behind my love seat.

Mark designed the family photo "set" using materials we had decorating the outside of {theNOOK}.  He left me with a wreath to hang on the front door, instructing me to buy a Command brand hook and hang it.  Which I did.  He stopped by the next day to drop off a rug and the first words out of his mouth were, "You hung your wreath upside down."  Seriously?  I get one job and I can't even get that right.  I like it upside down though, so I'm keeping it.

Never one to sit still long, as soon as we closed {theNOOK}, Mark immediately began moving from his townhouse in St. Charles to a home in Naperville.  He sent me these shots of the chaos.  

Now that he's been in the house for a couple days, he sent me a small sneak peek of his favorite cabinet to share.

I promise to get more pictures after he's settled and has had a chance to decorate and paint.

Welcome to Naperville, Mark!

-Maria

Introducing: The Nook

Room 363 had an AMAZING Thanksgiving weekend!  We weren't sure what to expect, as this was our first Black Friday and Small Business Saturday in Naperville, but the turnout and support from our customers was incredible. Thank you to everyone who shopped and to those who are spreading the word about what we have to offer.

Naperville's Hometown Holidays 2012 continues this weekend with the Little Friends Parade of Lights on Saturday, December 1 at 4:30pm.  In coordination with this event, Room 363 is hosting a vintage and handmade cooperative, {theNOOK}. {theNOOK} is an opportunity for local creatives and downtown Naperville retail owners to market vintage finds, unique holiday gift ideas and holiday decorations.

Our **GRAND OPENING** is Friday, November 30, from 5-9pm.  Stop in to warm up with hot chocolate, generously provided by Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, and fill your bags with goodies from our complimentary wine and sweets bar.

{theNOOK} is open for 3 DAYS ONLY, November 30 through December 2, in the future home of Alicia's Photography at 32 W. Chicago Avenue, Naperville.  If you planned on shopping at Room 363 this weekend, make sure you visit us in both locations.

We spent the first part of this week preparing the space for setup, sweeping, mopping and hanging beautiful vintage chandeliers to give the space a homey feel. Vendors began setting up their booths today and watching the transformation has been exciting.  

Here's a few sneak-peek pictures:

This Saturday, December 1 from 1-4pm, there will be a *FREE* Holly Trolley shuttling customers throughout the downtown area.  One of the pick-up/drop-off locations, at Main and Chicago Streets, is right next to {theNOOK}.  The trolley will be a fun way to shop and explore your way through town.

Thank you again for your support and we hope to see you this weekend at both Room 363 and {theNOOK}. 

Black Friday Savings

We are knee-deep into the holiday season here at Room 363.  The store has been a revolving door of holiday decorations.  As soon as something new is displayed, it's carried out the door with a lucky new owner.  Which is great, because it means the store will look different every time you visit.  The courtyard has also been transformed to match the festive atmosphere of downtown Naperville after last weekend's illumination of over 300,000 lights!

We have our own illumination going on at Room 363.

This week we got in a great selection of candles in reusable mercury glass and vintage pottery containers.  These candles are extremely fragrant and with scents like Red Currant, Mistletoe and Warm Cinnamon Buns, your house will smell incredible all season long.  Pick one up as a hostess gift or keep it on hand as a last minute emergency gift. 

It's unbelievable that Thanksgiving is just a few days away!  We will be closed Thanksgiving Day, but will reopen Friday, November 23, at 9am to partake in the Black Friday madness.  For those of you braving the crowds Friday, Room 363 is offering 10% off the ENTIRE STORE (including furniture) and 20% off items in the kid's room (furniture in the kid's room is 10% off).

May you have a safe and delicious Thanksgiving surrounded by those you love.  Hope to see you all on Friday!

Whats New? Holiday and Kids!

There is no shortage of glitter, sparkles, bows and garland in Room 363 in preparation for the holiday season.  In fact, I don't think I've seen Mark once in the last two weeks when he didn't have at least a small amount of glitter stuck to his face.  It's all been worth it though, because he's created quite the winter wonderland!

A favorite item in the shop for customers is the vintage (or vintage-like) sleighs Mark transforms with burlap ribbon, ornaments, sprigs of greenery and ice skates.  If you have your own sleigh at home, bring it in and let Mark make it spectacular! They are beautiful displayed by a front door or fireplace.

Browse the store to get great ideas for decorating your tree this year.  You'll find the trees tend to lean toward the monochromatic with varied shapes and textures to keep it interesting. Don't forget to throw in those handmade ornaments from your kids that make your tree unique to your family. 

Weave your way through the holiday decor and you'll find yourself in a new and growing section within Room 363;  which is, the adorable kids room! You'll find furniture pieces that fit perfectly in a child's space, picture frames, artwork, blankets, clothing, accessories and unique gift ideas. 

Room 363 focuses on supporting and promoting local small business owners who make well-crafted, handmade products.  The items in the kids room are no exception. Local children's clothing designer, Hazel Brown Designs, is a perfect match with the vintage feel of her clothes and a focus on detail and quality.  Her clothing is beautiful enough for family photos and holiday celebrations, without sacrificing comfort.  As any parent knows, it doesn't matter how beautiful something is on the hanger, if it's not comfortable it'll remain on the hanger.

If you have a baby shower, child's birthday or are looking to add something special to an existing room for your child, come in and talk to Mark. He always has ideas on how to turn the ordinary into something extraordinary.

We'll keep you updated as more holiday decorations and children's items arrive in the store in the coming weeks.  Check the Room 363 Facebook page for frequent updates.

When you stop into the store, be sure to sneak a peek behind the counter and say "Hello!" to sweet Ella!  A big THANK YOU! to Alicia from Alicia's Photography for the beautiful pictures!