Design Hunter's Journal

My husband and I moved to the Northwest suburbs of Chicago almost a year ago, and we are still exploring the area, searching out the local artisans, galleries, and art shows that look promising. With this post, I am launching a series about the best artisan galleries of the Northwest suburbs.

Coquelicot Gallery & Cafe

Over the weekend I made a delightful discovery: the Coquelicot Gallery & Cafe in Palatine! Located on Euclid Ave., this gallery may rank as one of the great hidden secrets of the area.

Coquelicot serves gourmet food, desserts, and a selection of organic coffees and teas. Visitors can enjoy their coffee and macarons surrounded by fine artisan decor and paintings. In fact, just walking in the door is like being transported to a chic artisan gallery located in River North or Lincoln Park.

“We love the artisan hubs you can find in the city,” Nana Takahashi said. Along with her mother, jewelry designer Hisami, she is co-owner of Coquelicot. “I wanted that kind of experience in the suburbs – to create a space that is a cultural oasis or getaway, where people can come to explore without having to go that far,” she said.

Lounging at a table, enjoying a cup of Coquelicot’s pour-over coffee, I savored the feeling of stepping out of the ordinary. From my table, I could see trays and baskets full of handmade jewelry as well as ceramic art objects, vases, and artfully draped scarves.

For years, jewelry designer Hisami Takahashi and her daughter Nana had their own home-based jewelry studio. “I have made jewelry for many years, starting when I was four years old,” Hisami said. The two were inspired to take the homegrown studio to the next level after visiting other boutiques, cafes, and art galleries during their travels.

“We wanted a place to call our own, a space where people could come and see our work,” Nana said. The mother-daughter team opened Coquelicot Gallery & Cafe on Valentine’s Day, 2018.

Coquelicot is the name of an orange-red color, often seen in the works of Monet and other impressionists. “I wanted the name of the gallery to focus on color in art,” Nana explained. Together, they have created a gallery cafe where visitors can shop for exquisite natural stone jewelry, as well as home decor and paintings sourced from artisans around the world.

It is a space where every time you turn around, there is something delightful waiting to be discovered. I found this intriguing sea creature perching on a shelf:

Resembling a cross between a sea urchin and a small dessert cake, this fanciful sculpture was made by artist Sikiu Perez, who draws inspiration from the undersea creatures that populate coral reefs. Similar colorful ceramic creatures of indeterminate species dot the walls of Coquelicot, showing that these small sculptures can also be used as wall decor.

“I’m such a sucker for small ceramic art,” Nana told me. I spotted a couple of small ceramic dinosaurs with bemused expressions on a high glass shelf nearby.

And to the right, a couple of white ceramic foxes:

I would recognize those faces anywhere. Nana confirmed that they are indeed the ceramic animals of Barruntando Ceramics in Spain.

What a coincidence! I have been wanting to feature the animal figurines of Barruntando on this blog for a while now. I love their Etsy shop, and never dreamed I would find these charming ceramics at an area gallery!

Thamon Wallets & Portfolios

Nana draws my attention to a small wallet that looks like it is made from leather. In fact, the case is made out of rainforest leaves, treated with an environmentally friendly polymer. These elegant cases and portfolios, made in England by Thamon, still retain the outlines and vein patterns of the leaves they are made from:

The leaves are specially treated to make them more durable. “After use, the wallets get softer and more weathered looking,” Nana explained.

Selling items made of eco-friendly materials is important to the mother-daughter team of Coquelicot, as is animal welfare. “We don’t use leather here,” Nana said.

A selection of artisan jewelry, decor, and eco-accessories is available at the Coquelicot Online Shop. Coquelicot also offers jewelry-making classes for individuals and groups.

Coquelicot Gallery is located at 4880 Euclid Ave., Palatine, IL 60067.