UPSCALE LIVING IN THE WINDY CITY: bespoke cabinetry and luxury design in chicago

For more than four decades, Clive Christian has defined the art of bespoke cabinetry, bringing British luxury furniture and handcrafted design to some of the world’s most distinguished homes. In Chicago’s River North, the city’s most celebrated district for fine art and luxury interior design, that tradition finds a remarkable expression. The Chicago Luxury Furniture Centre is home to one of the most extraordinary luxury showroom experiences in America, and at its heart is Jim Denos, one of the brand’s most dedicated and longest-serving advocates.

Jim Denos, owner of the extraordinary Chicago showroom and design consultancy, shares his vision for the epitome of upscale living.

Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, Jim Denos has furniture, design, and retail in his blood, joining his father’s kitchen and bath remodelling company straight out of college. Following a brand recommendation, Jim has been presenting, designing and retailing Clive Christian Furniture Co. product to his notable clients for over 25 years.

As well as being the owner, principal sales and design director at Clive Christian Furniture Co. in SoHo, NYC, Jim opened his revolutionary showroom experience, The Clive Christian Furniture Co. lifestyle apartment, in his hometown of Chicago in 2017.

We asked Jim to share his vision of upscale living, Chicago style.

WHAT MADE YOU CHOOSE THIS LOCATION?

Chicago’s River North neighbourhood is the city’s most vibrant area for retail, dining and nightlife. It’s also the go-to district for those who appreciate fine art and design; a natural home for luxury interior design in Chicago at its finest. Back in 2013, I purchased a building in the area with the vision of launching an exceptional boutique Design Centre. My vision was to provide the city’s interior design community and the public with a ‘turn-key’ opportunity to shop in one building where there is nothing but the finest. We trade as the Chicago Luxury Furniture Centre.

WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO LAUNCH A ‘LIFESTYLE APARTMENT’ RATHER THAN A ‘TYPICAL’ FURNITURE SHOWROOM?

We carry the products of many distinguished brands – Dorya, Christopher Guy and Baccarat, to name but a few. Christopher Guy is internationally renowned for sculptural, hand-carved furniture that transcends traditional and contemporary boundaries, a sensibility that sits beautifully alongside Clive Christian’s own commitment to artistry and craftsmanship. I felt that if I created an exceptional lifestyle experience that presented all the brands and products I carry in an actual living environment, the client looking for a luxury lifestyle could easily imagine how their home could be transformed.

The apartment is situated across the fifth floor and covers 6,000 square feet, making it one of the most well-appointed penthouses in America, and presents our clients with the epitome of upscale living; the very essence of luxury living Chicago affords.

WHAT SETS THE CHICAGO SHOWROOM AND SERVICES apart FROM OTHERS?

It’s certainly not your everyday showroom. The apartment is designed to be fully liveable and boasts thirteen exquisitely finished rooms, complemented by Crestron Home Automation, the very finest draperies and carpets including Pierre Frey, elaborate ornamental plaster ceilings, handcrafted walnut flooring, Rohl Home luxury plumbing fixtures, Dorya fine furnishings and Baccarat luxury lighting and glassware. This is a truly unique luxury showroom experience, a place to visit that allows clients to immerse themselves in the very finest contemporary luxury interior design.

Clive Christian is very present throughout. Wood brings a warmth to a room, be it classic or modern, and the apartment features over 2.5 million dollars of British handcrafted cabinetry. We combined contemporary and classical design with Metro Deco and Alpha Deco elements for an opulent, all-encompassing living experience that is considered on every level. The individual rooms are connected using hand-crafted panelling that aids flow while adding warmth and grandeur.

What I love most about working with Clive Christian is that it is timeless, even when we are doing contemporary schemes and spaces. The craftsmanship that we apply to our products gives you a sense there is nothing ‘trendy’ about what we do, it lasts. Today’s trends tend to be very clean-lined and unfussy, however there is a large group of clientele that still enjoys elaborate and so-called ‘traditional’ furnishings, whether we are talking about kitchens, living rooms, bathrooms or dressing rooms. It’s the quality of design, materials and manufacture that gives it staying power.

YOU HAVE A LARGE AMOUNT OF PERSONALISATION IN THE SHOWROOM – IS THIS SOMETHING THAT APPEALS TO YOUR clients?

Marquetry, the art of crafting intricate pictorial or decorative designs from carefully selected and fitted wood veneers, is one of the most distinctive expressions of Clive Christian’s cabinetry craftsmanship. It is a centuries-old technique, demanding exceptional skill and patience, and in the hands of Clive Christian’s artisans it becomes something altogether extraordinary: bespoke cabinetry transformed into works of art, unique to each client and each home. Nowhere is this more evident than in the Chicago lifestyle apartment.

Yes. The apartment features many unique elements, but most notable is the level of personalised marquetry detailing. People enjoy personalising their home to reflect who they are and what they enjoy in life, so I’ve demonstrated what we can achieve using my personal touches across the apartment.

The Sommeliers’ Tasting Room features a playful cabinetry feel; with contrasting panels of Cool Walnut set within a Black Walnut framework, the space feels entirely unique. From the bespoke wine display furniture to the vibrant marquetry vineyard murals, this interior truly pushes the boundaries of cabinetry customization, and it’s a testament to what bespoke custom cabinetry design can achieve.

The impressive pair of marquetry murals represents a scene from a Californian winery, complete with indigenous bluebirds darting among the grape and vine. The bluebirds are represented in a heavily figured, custom-tinted Birds Eye Maple, the depth of which creates a fantastic feeling of rich plumage. The leaves have been matched in a herringbone fashion to create vein detailing, while an exotic figured bloodwood highlights the plump, sun-ripened grapes.

The Study and Library both contain exquisite bespoke marquetry furniture, inspired by the detailing on a pocket watch, a family heirloom belonging to my grandfather. The monogram sits within an oval of Burr Walnut and is represented in three contrasting veneers: Movingui, Sycamore and Oak. I’d lost and mislaid this watch on numerous occasions, yet luckily it kept being returned to me, so I thought it deserved being immortalised as a piece of art, something I can pass down to my own children.

— Jim Denos

The marital monogram in the library, also set into a Burr Walnut panel, consists of a central ‘family’ initial cut from Lemon Satin Wood, entwined with the ‘fore’ characters crafted from Birds Eye Maple.

Fitted with the sharp lines of Metro Deco inlay cabinetry, the master suites have a more contemporary feel than the rest of the space. Cool Walnut fronts are detailed with a contrasting maple banding, a material which is picked up in yet another exquisite monogrammed insignia.

WHAT SHOULD A client EXPECT FROM A CONSULTATION?

For those seeking a truly bespoke interior design experience in Chicago, a consultation at the Chicago Luxury Furniture Centre is unlike any other. My favourite part of the job is meeting some of the most interesting people in the world and being such an important part of transforming their home – after all, your home is a direct representation of who you are.

Our consultations are not about the style of cabinets or furnishings they are going to use, they are about recreating the bones of the space and making it the very best it can be.

We deliver a one-in-a-million design scheme, tailored to each individual’s tastes and space. Only then do we begin to introduce the finest cabinetry and furnishings we have to offer.

It’s a highly personalised, best-in-class service that we have the privilege to offer our distinguished clientele.

— Jim Denos

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVOURITE PROJECT?

I can’t pick just one. All the people and projects we work on are exciting and equally fulfilling.

We collaborate with some of the finest designers in the country. Our celebrity clientele as well as our professional clientele allows us to do some truly phenomenal work, but due to privacy considerations I cannot elaborate.

Most of my clients are wildly successful and I am inspired by how they handle their success and the people that work for them. In turn, I am very proud of the people I work with, both here in the States and in England. Everybody involved cares a great deal about our clients and is driven to provide perfection at every stage.

DOWNTIME?

This is going to sound ironic, but outside of work I really enjoy real estate. I’ve always got a side project going on – buying apartments and rehabbing them or building a spec home from the ground up. Somehow, it’s very therapeutic for me to create something on my own.

SHOW US ‘YOUR’ CITY?

If I’d only got 24hrs to spend in Chicago I’d take an architectural boat tour down the river – we are the home of the skyscraper and famous for our architecture so the boats trip is a must. The restaurants on Randolph Street are some the best in the country and as for shopping, Oak Street and Michigan Avenue have the best of the best – unless you’re looking to renovate your home – then you come to me.

visit our luxury showroom

The Clive Christian Furniture Lifestyle Apartment is open Monday to Saturday, with Sunday and evening appointments available on request. Whether you are gathering ideas or ready to begin your project, we would be delighted to welcome you.

We welcome you to visit one of our showrooms or contact our design team today.

The Chicago Luxury Furniture Centre, 371 W Ontario St, Chicago IL 60654, Tel: 312 755 1075 
[email protected]

Frequently Asked Questions

The following questions are answered to help those exploring luxury interior design, bespoke cabinetry and the Clive Christian showroom experience in Chicago.

What is marquetry and how is it used in luxury cabinetry?

Marquetry is the art of assembling carefully cut wood veneers into intricate decorative patterns or pictorial scenes, which are then inlaid into cabinetry surfaces. It is one of the most demanding disciplines in fine cabinet-making, requiring both technical mastery and an artist’s eye. At Clive Christian, marquetry is used to create truly bespoke cabinetry, from personalised monograms and family crests to sweeping landscape murals, each one unique to the client and the home. The Chicago lifestyle apartment showcases some of the most extraordinary examples of marquetry furniture in the world, including the celebrated Californian winery mural in the Sommeliers’ Tasting Room.

Where can I see Clive Christian furniture in Chicago?

Clive Christian bespoke cabinetry and interiors can be experienced at the Chicago Luxury Furniture Centre, one of the finest luxury furniture stores Chicago has to offer, located at 371 W Ontario Street in River North. As the city’s premier destination for luxury furniture and interior design, the showroom takes the form of a fully liveable 6,000 square foot lifestyle apartment, offering an immersive encounter with the very best of British handcrafted luxury. The showroom is open Monday to Saturday, with Sunday and evening appointments available on request.

Which luxury furniture brands are available at the Chicago Luxury Furniture Centre?

The Chicago Luxury Furniture Centre brings together a curated selection of the world’s most distinguished luxury furniture brands. Alongside Clive Christian’s bespoke cabinetry, the showroom features Christopher Guy, whose hand-carved, sculptural furniture is celebrated globally for its artistry, as well as Dorya fine furnishings and Baccarat crystal lighting and glassware. Together, these brands create an interior environment of exceptional refinement, allowing clients to experience how each element might work in harmony within their own home.

What should I expect from a luxury interior design consultation in Chicago?

A luxury home design consultation at the Chicago Luxury Furniture Centre is a deeply personal and unhurried experience. Rather than beginning with product selection, the process starts with understanding the architecture of your space and the way you live within it. From there, a bespoke interior design scheme is developed around your individual tastes, only then are cabinetry, furnishings and finishes introduced. It is a one-to-one design journey, and one that reflects the same commitment to craftsmanship and considered detail that defines every Clive Christian interior.

What makes the Chicago showroom different from a typical furniture showroom?

The Chicago lifestyle apartment is unlike any conventional furniture showroom Chicago has to offer. Spanning 6,000 square feet across the fifth floor of the Chicago Luxury Furniture Centre, it is designed to be fully liveable. It features thirteen exquisitely finished rooms, each showcasing contemporary luxury interior design at its most considered. Rather than presenting products in isolation, the apartment allows clients to experience how bespoke cabinetry, fine furnishings and luxury accessories come together in a real living environment, making it far easier to envisage the possibilities for their own home.

Is Clive Christian cabinetry available in contemporary as well as traditional styles?

Clive Christian offers bespoke cabinetry across a wide range of styles, from the grandeur of traditional collections to the refined precision of contemporary design. The Chicago apartment showcases this breadth beautifully; Metro Deco and Alpha Deco elements sit alongside more classical schemes, united by the same commitment to British handcrafted quality. Whether your home calls for timeless elegance or clean-lined modernity, every piece of luxury kitchen cabinetry, bedroom furniture or dressing room cabinetry is made to measure and crafted to endure.