We are World Travelers
One month you might find us on a ferry to Corsica in search of beautiful French ceramics. Another month, we're in a muddy field outside Paris at 7:00am, eagerly awaiting vendors to unveil their treasures from their trucks. Some weeks, we are on adventures through the quaint markets of rural Denmark or the Sunday markets tucked away in the Italian Piedmont Mountains. Our journeys have led us to discover the vibrant Hmong fabrics in Thailand, drink tea with rug proprietors in Marrakesh and northeast Afghanistan, navigate the narrow antiques district of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and immerse ourselves in the art markets of Mexico City. Wherever we go, you can be sure we're sharing our experiences with you on Instagram. Feel free to join us in some travel talk whenever you visit our showroom - we almost always have recommendations for an off the beaten path gem.
We are Lifelong Learners
Fueled by boundless curiosity, we delve into the worlds of artisans, unraveling the intricate narratives woven into each creation. We travel off the beaten path throughout Europe and beyond on a search for beautiful objects that evoke emotion and emerging artists and families of artisans who are preserving time honored crafts.
The magic is in the details and we are on a journey of becoming experts behind the materials, makers and craftsmanship behind our collection. We’ve immersed ourselves in studio visits, feeling the heat of the kilns, the chill of the marble quarries of Italy, the dust of the plaster artist and carpenter. We’ve spent hours and days in studio visits, conversations, and travel in a constant effort to become connoisseurs of our crafts. Our passion is translating this into an immersive experience for our clients.
We are Dreamers
Dreamers of the unexplored, the unfound and the possibilities. We are realizers of the beautiful, the handmade, and the soulful objects that bring history and depth to an environment. Our philosophy is to never stop pursuing new ideas. We are constantly evolving as a result. Each vintage object represents a story - a story of a designer, of someone with a vision. Each item we curate, we seek to relay that original vision and show our clients how to incorporate that gravitas into their homes and life style.
We are Curators
Commerce transcends mere transactions for us. We are not just shop owners, we are logisticians, currency traders, catalogers, linguists, cultural explorers and more. Our process involves weeks of immersive traveling, searching, purchasing, shipping, researching, restoration, photography, marketing, and styling. We take no shortcuts in our effort to curate collectible design that evokes emotion as much as it serves a practical purpose. We watch trends, predict trends and dismiss trends. We listen to, learn from and observe our talented design community in an effort to anticipate needs and provide selections that will empower your projects. While unearthing these treasures is neither fast, easy or convenient - we wholeheartedly embrace it as our calling.
We are Human Beings
We’ve spent dedicated time as volunteers in Guatemala, China, Afghanistan, the rural US, and most recently, Ethiopia. Our vision is much bigger than what resides on our showroom floor. Proceeds of our sales have contributed to support economic and community health opportunities for marginalized communities in Soddo Ethiopia, advocacy for children in foster care in Chicago and access to mentorship programming for young Chicagoans.
South Loop Loft was founded in 2014 when founder, Beth Berke, made a significant transition from her previous career as Social Worker + Humanitarian Aid Worker.
Having previously dedicated her time to engaging in aid work in Afghanistan, shifts in the political climate prompted a return to the US. For the next 5 years, Beth served in Child Welfare, offering support to women in crisis as Adoption Counselor, Foster Care Counselor + Adoption Reunion specialist. A move to San Francisco prompted her to explore the estate sales around Northern California as she made a new home for herself.
Upon returning to Chicago, Beth settled into a historic loft in the South Loop neighborhood; where she began refinishing vintage furniture in her apartment, sourced by hand from around the US. Growing up, she spent hours in her German grandfathers and fathers wood working studio; under the influence of a carpenter and an engineer, the vocabulary of craftsmanship was part of her childhood. Now, applying those lessons Beth learned to build, repair + refinish vintage furniture; which quickly evolved into more.
South Loop Loft gained recognition easily, as we expanded partnerships online, worked our way from a warehouse to a loft showroom and then into our now showroom, spanning two stories and 6,000 square feet.
Beth’s trained eye for the decorative, unique and evocative combined with her passion for travel and culture result in a truly eclectic collection that has proved to become one of the design community’s most trusted resources in Chicago and nationwide.
The current showroom is a two story retail space in the heart of Chicago’s River West neighborhood. It features a constantly evolving collection of furniture, decorative arts, rugs and textiles, lighting, accessories and local artwork.
For the past 5 years, Beth has spearheaded the creative direction, purchasing, marketing, restoration, photography and styling of the Chicago showroom. Her work has been recognized by Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, Luxe Interiors, Domino Magazine, Monocle, AD Pro, Sophisticated Living and more. She now leads South Loop Loft’s small but growing team into new and exciting adventures.
RECOGNIZED BY
ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST
"15 of the Best Decor Shops in Chicago, According to Designers"
Elle Decor
"The Beginner's Guide to Buying Home Decor on Instagram"
House Beautiful
"The Best Home Stores in America”
Architectural Digest
"The Best Home Decor Stores in the Midwest"
MODERN LUXURY CS
"Interiors Chicago's Best Of Design 2024 Winners"
DC Modern Luxury
“Explore This Reimagined Chevy Chase Home”
Time Out Chicago
"The Best Furniture Stores in Chicago"
Sight Unseen
"This Chicago Showroom is an Under-the-Radar Gem for Sourcing High-End Vintage Furniture Finds"
Design Folio
"Introducing Furniture Brands That May Be New to You, But Are Sure to Become Favorites"
CNN
"The Essentials List: Designer Christian Siriano shares his party hosting essentials"
Modern Luxury NS
"The 8 Best Vintage & Antique Shops In Chicago"
International Roundup by Elle Decor
+13 Design Stores To Inspire You With Unique Home Decor"
CHAIRISH
"Sourcing The Very Best With South Loop Loft"
"South Loop Loft is hands down my favorite place to shop in Chicago. A hidden gem in the river west neighborhood, Beth and her team have curated the most exciting vintage finds from all over Europe. She not only has amazing pieces of furniture to punctuate or even kick off a design but we always do a swoop for great original accessories when it comes time to install our projects, no matter where they are in the country. I love Beth's eye and her staff is committed to helping designers with the utmost attention and professionalism."
"South Loop Loft is the kind of spot where you can easily find the star of the show for any given space…. as well as all the supporting actors. Unique pieces with oodles of character, smashing good art and all the dreamy accessories. It’s a treasure trove."
"South Loop Loft truly sets the standard for vintage; not only for the quality and selection of their collection but also because their expert staff truly serves as a design partner in this process; anticipating your needs, providing selections and always offering a sneak peek of what's on the next container. The team's responsiveness, passion for what they do, and overall demeanor makes you feel you're shopping with a friend ....with impeccable taste. They scour the world to bring us a coveted collection that feels...effortless and they take no shortcuts in their curation or relationships."
"South Loop Loft is an absolute treasure trove of vintage finds! Beth's huntress eye for vintage brings a mega dose of fierce + soul to my residential designs. SLL treasures are sprinkled throughout my portfolio and in my own home. The showroom is stunningly curated and Erica, the showroom manager and team, are a real force and support in the design process. Keep shining bright!"
"We're always treated so well, whether we're buying something large or small. We are happy to return soon. Thank you Beth, Jon, Carmen, Erica and the rest of the team."
"Love the selection and commitment to care. We just got our first art piece for our home from an artist I couldn't stop thinking about. We love the aesthetic, - vintage, contemporary, modern but not too trendy. I want our pieces in our home to be lifelong pieces."
"Close your eyes and think of the perfect mix of style, top quality, gorgeous artistic lines, expert finishes, the best, most luxurious woods and you'll see South Loop Loft. A beautiful dream is to have Beth Berke and her talented staff to design my house furnishings throughout. That's what I would do if I were to win the lottery! For those of us who haven't, their prices are fair and commensurate with their quality."
"We live in Princeton, NJ and recently purchased a set of 8 Louis XVI dining chairs on-line. The items were just as described on the site and the transaction was very easy. When the chairs arrived we were thrilled with the quality and style - the chairs were tastefully restored and fit perfectly in our dining room. Beth was extremely responsive to all of our questions as I was a little nervous about buying the chairs without actually having seen them. The shipping company Beth selected was also excellent and delivered our chairs on Thanksgiving day - true white glove service. I recommend South Loop Loft to anyone looking for that perfect, eclectic item."
