Illinois hides one of the Midwest’s best design-hunting secrets: a surprisingly rich trail of mid-century modern furniture, vintage decor, and retro collectibles tucked into river towns, old downtowns, and unassuming antique districts.
One wrong turn can lead to a 1960s-style lounge chair, an atomic-age lamp, or a piece of teak furniture that makes the entire trip feel worth it.
After too many weekends spent packing my car with treasures I definitely did not need, I started noticing a pattern. The best finds were not clustered in one famous shopping district…