November 15, 2001
By Jae-Ha Kim
Chicago Sun-Times
Do you want to sleep on the
same sheets as the Chicago cast members of "The Real World"? How about
using their kitchen appliances? Or maybe you want to nab the awesome fish
tank that'll be inescapable when the new season airs in January.
Or would you enjoy just
taking a peek inside the tricked-out, two-story building at 1934 W. North
where the cast lived until earlier this month?
No matter. If you've got
the cash, you're all invited.
MTV is selling all the household
furniture, kitchenware and fixtures used by the Chicago cast in a pair
of auctions at the house. Smaller items will be available for purchase
from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, and the furniture and high-end pieces will
be auctioned off from 7 to 9 p.m. Monday. Admission is $15 Sunday, $25
Monday or $35 for both.
Admission proceeds will
benefit the Hearts Foundation, a not-for-profit organization providing
funding for five Chicago area AIDS/HIV service providers. Most of the sale
proceeds will be divided evenly between all the past and present cast members
of the MTV series, which seems only fair considering the pittance MTV pays
them for their services.
So what's for sale? Everything
that can be lifted, unnailed and carried out. They range from Calvin Klein
sheets and gray sound panels lining the walls (prices vary) to a gorgeous
set of Martel lights that retails for $9,000 (proceeds from the lights
will benefit the Hearts Foundation--not the "Real World" cast).
Other interesting items
available for purchase include six quirky linoleum rugs (opening bid $600
each). And while most of the beds were slapped together by the production
crew, one cast member got to sleep on a specially made bed by Jasper Morrison.
With an opening bid of $2,350, we're betting the bed can fetch more if
it's learned that Chris or Kyle slept on it at least once.
If you have at least $1,800
to spare, bid on the three pedestal sinks in the unisex bathroom. They
don't seem any worse for the wear and would look perfect as a set in a
slick condo or loft.
The bedrooms are on the
first floor and the kitchen and pool room are upstairs. The rooms are decorated
with Pucci-style prints and streamlined, functional furniture--much of
which was either designed or commissioned by interior designer Suhail (no
last name, thanks very much).
Suhail's bold approach gives
the set a funky pop-art vibe. Eschewing generic pieces from Ikea, which
offered free merchandise, he opted for the eye-catching and the unusual.
For instance, the kitchen schools utilize the same technology that hospitals
use for their patients. Sitting on one is like perching on a giant silicone
breast.
"It was a challenge, because
MTV approached me to do the project about three weeks before they hired
me," says the Chicago-based production designer. "Then I had less than
eight weeks to build the house from scratch. There was nothing in here
when we started. Except panic."
For more information, call
(773) 435-1250.
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