Project Description:

Located in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago, this 3 bedroom, 2 bath townhome built in the 90’s was begging for some updates.  The kitchen had great appliances and was fairly new but, the euro-modern, glossy cabinets and stainless steel hood didn’t fit the design aesthetic of the customer or the home. The space was ill-used, with a strange open area.  It was time for a change.

Inspiration:

A feminine aesthetic showcasing material richness and tonal subtlety. Directly adjoining the entryway, the kitchen was long and narrow with minimal natural light. It was a gloomy first impression. We knew that we wanted to brighten the space and draw the eye up towards the tall ceilings, showcasing the height and welcoming guests to the home.

What We Did:

We created a kitchen design that took advantage of every square inch within the existing kitchen footprint, even the angled area over the stairs.  Not only did we focus on selecting beautiful cabinetry, finishes, and lighting, we put the time in to create an elegant functional solution that offered various storage options, multiple food preparation areas, and an integrated desk.

Highlights:

• Tall antique-white painted cabinets with inset doors open up the space and help reflect the natural sunlight from the windows on the opposite wall.
• The upper cabinets with glass panes and halogen lighting minimize the dark space that commonly falls between the cabinetry and the falloff from the recessed can lighting.
• Deep, dark limestone countertop provide a contrast to the light cabinetry.
• A writing desk nestled into the corner of the kitchen not only takes advantage of the previously underutilized corner, but it also offers a place for the daily delivery of mail and other paperwork.
• Linen pendants soften the natural break between the edge of the kitchen and the stairwell to the garage,  situated below.
• A large, dramatic giclee canvas fills the space with a splash of contrast and coordinates with the dark limestone countertops.

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Recently, the Chicago Redeye local newspaper interviewed Bill Cherne, the owner and one of the lead designers at Design Inside for an article about the stresses of moving.  Bill was interviewed along with 3 other professionals in the Chicago area and a local woman who has moved 15 times in the past 10 years.  Click here to read the full article at Chicago Redeye, or click here to download the PDF copy of the article.

During our Fall 2011 trip to Singapore and Bangkok, our first stop was at our hotel in Singapore. Hotel 1929 is a great little boutique hotel at a great price, however one strange thing about the room is that they combined the walk-in shower and toilet to save on space.  Having yet to see an actual residence in Singapore it’s hard to tell if this is an exception to interior design or if this is the norm for smaller studio apartments.

I thought about the Pros and Cons to this design, however I am still undecided if this is a good idea, or a bad idea. What are tour thoughts?

Pros

Cons

The Shower/Toilet Gallery

For a project we are currently working on in the Chicago South Loop neighborhood, the client asked for our assistance with decorating their daughters bedroom. Abigail, one of our talented designers, took on this task and designed a beautiful layout with decals and butterflies spread throughout the little girls bedroom. The result is a beautiful array of color, texture and movement that really turns this ordinary bedroom into a energizing room for our client’s daughter.

Video Walkthrough

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwP4zfqTQm4

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Today is a great day, Design Inside is listed as the top interior design firm in Chicago on Yelp!  Thanks to all of our great customers who took the time to write us a review and help us get to this spot.

My husband and I needed some decorating/design help, but were hesitant to consult a professional, as we only needed help in a few areas. We were having a tough time selecting backsplash tile & paint colors. But our biggest problem was designing an attractive & functional furniture layout in the living room/dining room (great room) of our lincoln square condo.

Kathryn and her team were outstanding. They listened to our needs, set realistic expectations, and helped us through every step. For each project, Kathryn gave tips to do it ourselves as well as provided vendor options, if we preferred to hire someone. They worked around our schedules, including an early morning paint consultation and an evening trip to Tile Outlet (great place that Kathryn suggested!). They always kept budget in mind – we couldn’t have been more pleased with the results. They are truly talented.

I will continue to consult with Kathryn and the entire Design Inside team for any project, no matter how big or small!

This couple that lives in a beautiful contemporary home in Ukrainian Village neighborhood of Chicago initially hired us to stop by for a few hours and pick paint colors and to provide some assistance with selecting a couch for their living room. After picking paint colors, they realized that they wanted more of our help with designing the rest of their living room and other rooms of their house.

For the living room we focused on creating a clean design with warm and natural elements and bold artwork.

• A clean sofa with a tufted back anchors the room while still being comfortable to sit on.
• The nested coffee table is built with a rustic steel base and a table top made from reclaimed wood.
• Matching black leather Barcelona Chair’s add additional seating without weighing down the end of the room that overlooks the basement family room and the floor to ceiling windows.
• A thick shag rug made from 100% New Zealand Felted Wool is extremely soft under foot, and helps cut down reflective noises common in large open spaces like this.
• A large set of canvas prints add a bold touch of color and style.
• Grey mirror mounted over the fireplace with metal offsets create the feeling of a mantle without taking away from the clean lines of the fireplace.
• A large dining table with leather wrapped chairs create a space for entertaining up to 8 guests.

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Video Walk-Through

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKH1iLRNGvU

This couple that lives in a beautiful contemporary home in Ukrainian Village neighborhood of Chicago initially hired us to stop by for a few hours and pick paint colors and to provide some assistance with selecting a couch for their living room. After picking paint colors, they realized that they wanted more of our help with decorating their master bedroom and other rooms of their house.

For this room we focused on:

Image Gallery

Video Walk-Through

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZ8B5-WBdU4

Design Inside was brought on to this project to help redesign a dated Kitchen and Bathroom in this Andersonville condo. When we arrived on site for the initial consultation, the bathroom was functional but out of date. The existing cabinets were in a dated Oak door style, and the plastic shell shaped sink didn’t help the look. The client’s main goal was to have us design a beautiful bathroom that would allow them to correct the main issues previously listed all before their newborn baby arrived in 6 months. We were up to the challenge.

The new bathroom features the following:

Photo Gallery

Video Walk-through

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vvrqw8AUzG0

No longer will there be any confusion as to where to find something. With this reclaimed wood dresser from from Anthropologie, it will give your bedroom a unique look while clearly labeling the drawers to avoid the household debate as to which drawer is the sock drawer.  Great style, happy households, what’s not to love?