Koehler Design Build

On a recent Chicago trip, I fell in love with Michael Koehler's bench in cool lifestyle boutique Hejfina. Intricate branches are deeply etched into the side of the bench with a romantic and slightly gothic vibe. Koehler is a Chicagoan who designs and builds sleek furniture and shelving, eschewing of-the-moment trends for classic materials and designs inspired by mid-century modernists like Louis Kahn and Florence Knoll. Turns out he's the brain and the brawn behind many of Chicago's chicest spaces, like Avec restaurant and p.45 boutique. His website says he'll soon launch a lower-priced line... be on the lookout!