DeKalb celeb Cindy Crawford inspires new furniture line

Most of us do not live like Cindy Crawford.

The charming thing about the supermodel from DeKalb is that she realizes this.

For example, she was a little confused when a retailer who had seen photos of Crawford's Malibu home with the killer views of the Pacific Ocean suggested someone with her sense of style should introduce a line of furniture.

Crawford didn't understand how a home put together with a designer's help and custom pieces priced at perhaps $10,000 could translate for you and me.

The answer, she said, is the economy of mass production.

And while that might be a little simplistic, the Cindy Crawford Home line has debuted at The RoomPlace. The Lombard-based company - formerly called Harlem Furniture - has shops throughout the suburbs.

The inspiration for the furniture recently appeared at one of the company's Chicago stores.

"I always loved creating my own environment because I travel so much that the place you come home to and let your hair down and take the makeup off is more important," she said.

So what is the Cindy Crawford style when she's trying to appeal to a broad audience?

Updated traditional and contemporary without being super modern.

"That's how I live," she said. "I don't want like doilies, but classic pieces you know will be in for a while."

While Crawford does not design the furniture, she does have input on how it looks. Then the participating chains in each region of the country buy what they think will work with their customers.

For example, The RoomPlace has not yet stocked one of Crawford's favorite suites, upholstered pieces with putty-colored denim slipcovers.

This mother of two young children thinks slipcovers are perfect for family rooms, but Valerie Berman, marketing manager for The RoomPlace, said denim does not sell in the Chicago area.

The RoomPlace stores do carry leather furniture from Crawford's line.

"I am a huge fan of leather," she said. "It is so great for kids. It looks smart and is durable and cleanable."

And she recommends red leather-like she has on her dining room chairs. The upholstery on her kitchen chairs is not leather, but it is flecked with red.

That's because her mom experience shows foods most likely to stain include strawberries, spaghetti sauce and Popsicles.

Talking her California husband and children into moving to Chicago would be tricky, said the 42-year-old model.

But Crawford does own a home in DeKalb not far from where her mother lives. She and her sisters and their seven children gather there for the Fourth of July.

"I love the Midwest Fourth," she said. "And so do my children, but they haven't experienced a winter here."

Her son enjoys biking around DeKalb because that's impossible when your driveway opens onto the Pacific Coast Highway.

Trips to Target help Crawford keep in mind what is and isn't affordable for ordinary folks. While people might notice the furniture because of Crawford's name, they aren't going to buy it unless it's comfortable, looks great and is a value, she said.

Some of the furniture is made in the United States, and Crawford is confident that the companies that make it in Asia have stringent controls over how workers are treated.

The collection is designed for women looking for style in furniture that is comfortable, warm and inviting, said Berman. It is higher priced than other lines the store carries, but the quality is reflected in the details and fabrics, she said.

"This is a great opportunity for me to combine my love of style and background in fashion with my love of decor," said Crawford.