“Caribbean warmth and hospitality meet the mystique of the Middle East, softened through a midcentury lens,” reads the press release.
But then you see the pictures, and it all makes sense.
The new Adornment & Theory store is an eclectic-yet-clean space that feels modern and homey at the same time, reflecting both the growth of the store and its owner.
Langhoff said when she first opened her store in 2017, her color scheme was white, gold, and black, with the goal of the store presenting as a sleek, gallery-like space.
Fast-forward eight years, and she said she has gained more confidence in her designs, her store’s momentum, and what her brand is about: hospitality.
“I feel like [in our last location], people were walking into a welcoming art gallery. Now it feels like a home.”
Walnut wood privacy screens cut into midcentury shapes create small areas where consultations on custom pieces—now a “huge chunk” of Adornment & Theory’s business, Langhoff said—can take place.
At each custom station, there are coconut shells filled with crystals, a nod to Langhoff’s Puerto Rican heritage that also serve to elevate people’s concept of the Caribbean.
The new store has a bar that serves as both the staff’s kitchen and a gathering place for in-store events while a showcase at the cash wrap area is filled with Polaroid pictures of the store’s clients.
This showcase, like the privacy screen to the right, is walnut. Langhoff said the woodworkers used a CNC router to create pyramid shapes, which are a nod to pre-Columbian art and civilizations. (Photo credit: Meaghan Shuptar)
“I really love those,” Langhoff said of the walnut privacy screens used to create areas for custom consultations. (Photo credit: Meaghan Shuptar)
The store also has what Langhoff describes as a “live Pinterest board,” an area where she and staff members put up pictures, artwork, and personal sketches they are currently feeling inspired by. (Photo credit: Meaghan Shuptar)
The store’s palm tree wallpaper is both a modern touch—wallpaper is back in a big way—and a nod to Langhoff’s Caribbean heritage. She is a native of Puerto Rico, though she now has spent more than half her life in Chicago. (Photo credit: Meaghan Shuptar)
The store has multiple mirrors, including this full-length one, useful for allowing clients to see how jewelry works with their entire outfit. (Photo credit: Meaghan Shuptar)
The new Adornment & Theory’s store is in West Town, a neighborhood just outside downtown Chicago that is more affluent than its previous neighborhood, Logan Square.
“The demographic hits our demographic. I didn’t even think I was going to be able to afford [to buy] in this area,” Langhoff said.
It all started in the spring of 2025. Langhoff knew her lease was up the following spring and through conversations with other jewelers, she knew she wanted to buy.
Langhoff said when going to peers for advice, she would ask: What is something you would have done in year one of your business, year five, and year 10?
“The through-line I got from all of them was, ‘I wish I would have bought my building, or I wish I would have bought the property.’”
But she also was expecting her first child and didn’t want to go through the process of buying property at the same time she was navigating life as a new mom.
She asked her landlord for a one-year extension, a request he denied.
So, in spring 2025, at 7 ½ months pregnant, Langhoff found herself waddling through numerous properties before she found the West Town building.
It was way above her budget, but she went for it anyway, writing a letter to the owners explaining who she is, what her business is about, and offering the most she could afford.
On the same day her water broke, she received an email from the owners stating that they connected with her letter and wanted to make a deal with her.
“So, I started negotiating the price of this building during my labor,” Langhoff said.
They landed on a price that worked for both parties and right after she gave birth to her daughter, instead of maternity leave, there was escrow, inspection, and closing.
Langhoff said she gave herself a month off, then started working on the design and build out, sourcing all the materials on a tight budget with the goal of beginning construction in January 2026 and opening by April.
She summed up this period of her life with a concise review: “Insane, do not recommend.”
Adornment & Theory’s new store is 1,200 square feet, the same as its last location, but with one big bonus that will make any Chicagoan or New Yorker green with envy—it has outdoor space, 1,000 square feet of it to be exact.
Langhoff’s vision is build a “gorgeous” bar in the backyard and rent out the space for special events, like small weddings. She plans to hold events for her customers as well, like a summer series with bartenders from around the city.
For now, though, she’s concentrating on the interior, exhausted but happy.
“I’m thrilled,” Langhoff said. “I feel such a sense of personal pride, and relief, and joy.”
Adornment & Theory is located at 1433 W. Chicago Ave.
The store held its soft opening in April. The grand opening is scheduled for May 28.
