By J.P. Anderson By J.P. Anderson | February 7, 2024 | Home & Real Estate,
From the best showrooms to the top tastemakers, these 52 people and places are shaping the design scene in Chicago.
This Lincoln Park home was transformed by En Masse Architecture and Design.
LANDSCAPING LEGEND
MARIANI LANDSCAPE, MARIANILANDSCAPE.COM
A sylvan setting in Lakeview designed by Mariani Landscape.
BEST ITALIAN FURNITURE
LUCA LANZETTA GROUP, LUCALANZETTA.COM
BACKYARD DREAM MAKER
SCHMECHTIG LANDSCAPES, SCHMECHTIGLANDSCAPES.COM
INSIDER TIP
Jessica Lagrange
“JLI is very fortunate to be located in Chicago with an amazing array of local vendors and artisans. Although many favorites, there is certainly one that stands out to us: G Decorating. Giro Milatovic, the owner, has partnered with JLI on countless projects throughout the years. He offers painting, wall covering installation, faux finishing and Venetian plaster. He has an incredible sense of attention to detail and advocates for perfection. He excels at dependability and reliability. You can always count on Giro to get it done, and get it done right.” —Jessica Lagrange
This kitchen by ABLAZE Design Group from the Lake Forest Showhouse received an ASID Excellence in Design Award.
BEST LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT
HOERR SCHAUDT HOERRSCHAUDT.COM
BEST ALL-ENCOMPASSING DESIGN RESOURCE
210 DESIGN HOUSE 210DESIGNHOUSE.COM
BEST VINTAGE FURNITURE RESOURCE
SOUTH LOOP LOFT THESOUTHLOOPLOFT.COM
BEST APPLIANCES
GRAND APPLIANCE AND TV GRANDAPPLIANCE.COM
DYNAMIC DUO
MIKE SHIVELY & LUCAS GOLDBACH, EN MASSE ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN, DESIGNENMASSE.COM
DOYENNE OF DESIGN
JOAN CRAIG, CRAIG & COMPANY CRAIGANDCO.COM
O’Brien Harris cabinetry stars in the kitchen of this Hinsdale home designed by McCroskey Interiors and built by J. Jordan Homes.
BEST OUTDOOR RESOURCE
CHALET LANDSCAPE, NURSERY AND GARDEN CENTER, CHALETNURSERY.COM
BEST REBRAND
ABLAZE DESIGN GROUP, ABLAZEDESIGNGROUP.COM
BEST ART GALLERY
ALMA ART AND INTERIORS, ALMAARTANDINTERIORS.COM
BEST BATH RESOURCE
STUDIO41. SHOPSTUDIO41.COM
Alma Art and Interiors seamlessly blends the worlds of visual art and home design.
BEST CARPET
TAI PING CARPETS, TAIPINGCARPETS.COM
BEST CONTEMPORARY ART
GRUEN GALLERIES, GRUENGALLERIES.COM
BEST CUSTOM CABINETRY
O’BRIEN HARRIS, OBRIENHARRIS.COM
BEST CUSTOM DOORS
GLENVIEW HAUS, GLENVIEWHAUS.COM
Broken Shore, a textile collab between Edward Fields and artist Fernando Mastrangelo, available at Tai Ping Carpets.
BEST CUSTOM FURNITURE
BARRON CUSTOM FURNITURE, BARRONCUSTOMFURNITURE.COM
BEST CUSTOM HOME BUILDER
LG CONSTRUCTION, LG-GROUP.COM/CONSTRUCTION
BEST DESIGN DISTRICT/SUBURBS
HIGHWOOD DESIGN DISTRICT, HIGHWOODCHAMBER.COM/DESIGN-DISTRICT
Design star Tom Stringer
“Not only in Chicago but for projects across the country, some of my favorite sources are Pagoda Red and The Golden Triangle; they carry one-of-a-kind furniture and accessories with style and a back story. The Fine Line is our go-to resource for great tile coupled with amazing customer service. And we trust Daniel Kinkade Fine Art (@danielkinkadefineart) and Laura at Lester Fine Art to help our clients develop the art collections that beautify our spaces.” —Tom Stringer, Tom Stringer Design Partners
Proximity to theMART as well as dozens of world-class resources make the River North Design District an essential stop for Chicago interiors professionals and aficionados alike.
BEST DESIGN DISTRICT/CITY
RIVER NORTH DESIGN DISTRICT, RIVERNORTHDESIGNDISTRICT.COM
BEST TO-THE-TRADE WINDOW TREATMENTS
SKYLINE WINDOW COVERINGS, SKYLINEWINDOWCOVERINGS.COM
BEST TO-THE-TRADE FABRIC RESOURCE
SOLID + PATTERN, SOLIDANDPATTERN.COM
Skyline Window Coverings’ Winnetka showroom puts Hunter Douglas window treatments on full display.
BEST FABRIC RESOURCE
KRAVET, KRAVET.COM
BEST FLOORING
DIVINE FLOORING, DIVINEFLOOR.COM
BEST MODERN FURNITURE
WPA CHICAGO B&B ITALIA STORE, WPACHICAGO.COM
The WPA Chicago B&B Italia store is a premier destination for modern furniture.
BEST LUXURY FURNISHINGS
LIGNE ROSET, LIGNE-ROSET.COM
BEST GARAGE DOORS
ROBERT’S GARAGE DOOR PROFESSIONALS OF CHICAGO, ROBERTSGARAGEDOORS.COM
BEST HANDMADE RESOURCE
STUDIO HERRON, STUDIOHERRON.COM
The store’s exterior on Superior Street
BEST SMART HOME RESOURCE
SMRTER HOME, SMRTERHOME.COM
BEST MILLWORK SHOP
NEW STYLE CABINETS, NEWSTYLECABINETS.COM
BEST KITCHEN RESOURCE
BOFFI, BOFFICHICAGO.COM
Ligne Roset’s showroom in River North
Interior designer Frank Ponterio
“We’ve worked with Paul Zirlin of Zirlin Interiors for 30 years on everything from window treatments to custom bedding. Paul’s studio is third-generation, and we consider him an extension of our team. He always brings his A-game, works with our designs and integrates cutting-edge technology when a project warrants it. Paul is a joy to work with and there is no one better in the industry as far as I’m concerned.” —Frank Ponterio
BEST NATURAL STONE
CALIA STONE BOUTIQUE, CALIASTONE.COM
Roche Bobois is a residential essential
BEST OUTDOOR FURNITURE
DEDON, DEDON.DE
BEST RENOVATION RESOURCE
NEW EXPLODE CONSTRUCTION, NECCHICAGO.COM
Star designer Summer Thornton
“Lori from Primo Interiors, the drapery workroom we work with, is one of my favorite go-to local specialists. They’re so good we fly them all over the country and even to Mexico. I love this local team who knows everything there is to know about drapery. It’s an entire category unto itself and can be incredibly complicated when trying to get not only the right look, but also exactly the right function for particular clients. This team never shies away from a challenge and is always innovative and professional all the way through installation. They make my life easier and I’m grateful.” —Summer Thornton, Summer Thornton Design, Inc.
DEDON’s showroom at theMART showcases their premium outdoor furniture
BEST TO-THE-TRADE FURNISHINGS
ARMAZEM.DESIGN, ARMAZEM.DESIGN
BEST RESIDENTIAL RESOURCE
ROCHE BOBOIS, ROCHE-BOBOIS.COM
California Closets goes maximalist in this project from designer Isabel Ladd.
BEST CLOSET RESOURCE
CALIFORNIA CLOSETS, CALIFORNIACLOSETS.COM
BEST SPECIALTY TILE
VIRGINIA TILE COMPANY, VIRGINIATILE.COM
BEST TILE RESOURCE
RENAISSANCE TILE, RENAISSANCETILEANDBATH.COM
Cosentino’s stunning showroom is an inspo-filled showcase for its expansive surface offerings.
BEST SURFACE SHOWROOM
COSENTINO, COSENTINO.COM
BEST TILE SELECTION
THE FINE LINE, FINELINETILE.COM
BEST WALLCOVERINGS
HOLLY HUNT WALLS, HOLLYHUNT.COM
Fab and frame-worthy tile at The Fine Line
BEST SHOWROOM REBRAND
ASSEMBLED WORKS, ASSEMBLEDWORKS.COM
BEST NEW SHOWROOM
ELM SURFACES, ELMSURFACES.COM
BEST TRANSITIIONAL DESIGN
KAUFMAN SEGAL DESIGN, KAUFMANSEGAL.COM
Holly Hunt Walls’ soothing, stylish Tufa wallcovering from the brand’s Assemblage Euclid collection.
ONE TO WATCH
NAVYBLACK STUDIO, NAVYBLACKSTUDIO.COM
BEST DESIGN STUDIO
GEMMA PARKER DESIGN, GEMMAPARKERDESIGN.COM
Elm Surfaces’ new showroom is a stunner.
MOST ANTICIPATED NEW SHOWROOM
CITY HAUS CHICAGO, CITYHAUSINTERIORS.COM
BEST CUSTOM KITCHENS
EGGERSMANN, EGGERSMANNUSA.COM
A luxe Lincoln Park living room by Moderne Living.
James Dolenc, principal of James Thomas Interiors
“We love the opportunity to partner with Danya Elbaridi from Studio Lunaris for custom painting, murals or other specialty finishes and applications. Danya and her team are true old-world-style craftspeople and gifted artists whose work elevates our designs. We recently had Studio Lunaris hand-paint the domed ceiling in a clients’ home in Michigan. They spent two weeks painstakingly painting every detail while on scaffolding 15 feet off the ground. The results are breathtaking.” —James Dolenc, James Thomas Interiors
A chic renovation in Lake Bluff by Morgante Wilson Architects
BEST ALL-IN-ONE RESOURCE
MODERNE LIVING, MODERNELIVING.COM
BEST ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN
MORGANTE WILSON ARCHITECTS, MORGANTEWILSON.COM
James Thomas Interiors owner Tom Riker
“We absolutely love working with the team at The Fine Line when selecting tile. Rachel Abramowitz is our go-to superstar—she is incredibly knowledgeable and easy to work with. She really becomes a partner with us when we bring clients in to select tile. The Fine Line offers a breadth of tile options—from well-priced porcelain to one-of-a-kind bespoke mosaics using interesting materials like metal and recycled glass.” —Tom Riker, James Thomas Interiors
Photography by: FROM TOP: PHOTO BY AIMÉE MAZZENGA; PHOTO COURTESY OF MARIANI LANDSCAPE; PHOTO BY: T. HARRISON HILLMAN; PHOTO BY: RYAN MCDONALD; PHOTO BY: NATE SHEETS; PHOTO BY: TRAVIS ROOZEE; PHOTO COURTESY OF BRANDS; PHOTO COURTESY OF BRANDS; PHOTO COURTESY OF BRANDS; PHOTO BY ROBERTO LOPEZ; PHOTO COURTESY OF BRANDS; PHOTO COURTESY OF BRAND; PHOTO COURTESY OF BRAND; PHOTO: BY LACOUR IMAGES; PHOTO: COURTESY OF BRAND; PHOTO COURTESY OF BRANDS; PHOTO COURTESY OF BRANDS; PHOTO BY: JOE U PHOTO; PHOTO BY: MARTA XOCHILT PEREZ; PHOTO COURTESY OF BRANDS; PHOTO COURTESY OF BRANDS; PHOTO COURTESY OF BRANDS; PHOTO BY JEFFREY JOHNSON; PHOTO COURTESY OF BRANDS; PHOTO COURTESY OF BRANDS; PHOTO: BY MIKE SCHWARTZ; PHOTO: COURTESY OF BRAND