The Golden Triangle in Chicago

"Your treasure house is in yourself, it contains all you need." -Hui Hai

I have been fond of beautiful objects and furnishings at The Golden Triangle since the North Clark Street location opened in 1989. The objects and furnishings were focused on items brought back from southeast Asia by two brilliant curators: Douglas Van Tress and Chauwarin Tuntisak.

I lived through the boom of Asian antique furnishings from the late 1980's to the 1990's. Every popular residential design magazine featured editorial with sparks of asian furnishings in almost every designers' projects. Seeing a tansu piece in someone's home usually brought a "wow" reaction back then.

We've come a long way from seeing Asian furnishing as exotic design installations. Now, they are a part of the norm. Places like The Golden Triangle were the pioneering galleries where interior designers shopped and brought in their clients to show and educate with stories behind each selected piece.

Since opening on North Clark Street location, the company has relocated and expanded into a giant new 23,000-square-foot location. Their inventory has not only increased but also they have diversified themselves beyond southeast Asian furnishings. While the calm atmosphere is their signature, surprises of eastern-european art-deco pieces are mixed into the Asian vignettes. My recent revisit to The Golden Triangle was both surprising and inspiring. While the place has grown, it never misplaced its consistent concept: an exotic trip to discover a zen style of living.

There are other inspiring places in Chicago when it comes to Asian arts and furnishings, but one should visit the Golden Triangle for one-stop shopping. It is conveniently located near the Merchandise Mart at a converted old traffic court facility on La Salle and the river, and the inventory is quite healthy for a simple browsing stroll, or for select shopping. I promise a calming inspirational experience at The Golden Triangle.