A Barrel of Fun!
Written: Jul 03 '02 (Updated Jul 03 '02)
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Looking for that perfect something to accessorize your home? A bamboo steamer? A leather sofa? How about brightly-colored flower shaped candles? What about a wedding gift for your friend Julie who's marrying the oily bohunk?
You can find all of these and more at Crate and Barrel.
Crate and Barrel was the brainchild of Gordon and Carole Segal, a Chicago couple who devised the concept one evening while washing dishes. They figured that others out there would be into the simple, classic pieces they were finding in their world travels, and decided to open their own store. The first Crate and Barrel opened in Chicago's Old Town neighborhood in 1962. Because they did not have the cash for ritzy displays or a fu-fu address down on Lakeshore, they used old crating nailed up on the walls and old barrels overflowing with merchandise to display their wares. The rest, as they say, is history!
Say the words Crate and Barrel, and usually women around you begin to swoon. C&B are the true purveyors of the simplistic style that is so popular right now: clean simple furniture lines, blonde woods, Eurpoean style bathroom accessories, gourmet kitchen ware like Calphalon and Henckels, elegant glassware, and brightly colored and themed accessories that change with the seasons.
Walking into Crate and Barrel is letting your imagination go wild with new ideas in domesticity. It is one of the first stops for many prospective brides-to-be (myself included), who utilize their handy computerized registry services. Many a weekend will see couples with clipboards cruising the aisles checking out the perfect set of china or the best set of pilsner glasses. After the clipboarding phase, they hand their choices off to a salesperson, who will add their choices into the extensive Crate and Barrel database.
I can speak from experience that the registry worked well for us. I was married two years ago, and although some of our guests were out of town, they had no trouble using the online registry feature at crateandbarrel.com. One of the items shipped to me was a place setting of my pattern (Staccato-- always a classic), and it arrived in great shape, no chips, breakage or headaches on either of our parts.
And I SO love my china. Crate and Barrel does have a great selection of patterns in china AND flatware. Most are stalwart standbys. However, some do get replaced faster than others. I would advise you to get a salesperson's advice if you cannot afford to get your whole set at once. They could discontinue the pattern before you get around to amassing your whole collection. (I'm still saving for my soup tureen). However, they did send me a small informational card when one of the items on my registry was discontinued. I thought that was a nice courtesy.
Keep in mind that while I have had the best of luck with my pattern, our friends, who married only a few months before us, ordered the Cobalt Blue pattern, and were regretting the decision only a month or 2 after the wedding. The blue paint evidently chipped constantly. I don't know if the firing was done incorrectly or what, but I would not recommend the colored patterns. Ours is basic white with raised dots around the rims. Very simple, but I can dress it up with napkins and rings, colored glassware for the holidays-- any number of combinations.
The catalog is fun to flip through as well. Now in addition to carrying grown-up items, they also have one offshoot called Crate and Barrel Kids, and another called CB2, sort of a Z Gallerie/IKEA model, more modern and funky in flavor.
Crate and Barrel now has stores in Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and Washington DC.
They also have outlet stores in several of these states. Just keep in mind that you cannot access registry information at the outlet stores. However, they are great for picking up discontinued merchandise before it goes bye-bye forever.
I'll admit, the stuff can be pricey. $1400 for a bed is a little rich for my blood. And there is no way my husband will let me spend $2000 for a couch. But for kitchen doodads, flavored wok oils, outdoor umbrellas, margarita fixings for an outdoor party, nifty Marimekko linens for the guest room, and a stylin' set of brandy snifters, you really can't go wrong!
Look them up at crateandbarrel.com to see where your nearest location is.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
miselainis
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Member: Laini
Location: Rowlett, Texas, USA
Reviews written: 60
Trusted by: 15 members
About Me:
"Chagrinned and Bewildered"
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