Our Mission
To be a Chicago Interior Design firm that encourages and supports creativity, positively contributes to our employee’s lives, and makes our clients happy they hired us.
Our Pledge to our Clients
We shall try to understand your interior design vision and remain true to it.
We shall treat your project with the same dedication and passion that we would as if it were our own home.
We shall value your opinions and never force our preferences on you.
We shall always be honest with you if we disagree on /disapprove of a design or selection.
We shall make the interior design process positive, supportive, manageable and enriching.
Our Design Process
Understanding the Client
As Chicago interior designers, our first task is to understand our client‘s design goals. For some clients, a particular room or a specific feature is essential – a baker’s kitchen, a contemporary fireplace and bookcase built-in. For others, the goal is the overall purpose of the space, such as designing the room to make entertaining easier.
But beyond goals, understanding how a client wants a space to feel is essential in creating custom interior designs that not only is aesthetically pleasing but an extension of the client’s personality and vision.
Aside from client’s design goals, we try to understand our clients’ expectations and working style. Some clients expect the interior designer to make all the decisions. Some clients are very hands-on and want limited assistance from an interior design firm. By taking the time to understand our clients at the beginning, the interior design process is smoother and more productive and enjoyable.
Because interior design is a creative and interactive process, as the clients consider their options, their vision expands and evolves. The client who just wanted an updated living room discovers she loves mid-century modern with a pinch of vintage flea-market finds. A kitchen backsplash becomes a Martha Steward Madison Avenue Kitchen complete with Haefela hardware. This is what it’s all about: Helping our clients discover what they really want.
A Manageable Plan
Once we’ve learned our client’s design preferences, we break the process of interior design into manageable steps which fit together to create a clear path to the endpoint.
For example, if a client has purchased a new condominium and wants a complete home renovation including kitchen and bathroom remodeling, our plan will include many of the following steps:
1. The creation of a floor plan and furniture space plan.
2. A design meeting to review and finalize above.
3, The creation of a design concept for the master bathroom design and kitchen.
4, A design meeting to review and finalize design concept.
5. The creation of a floor plan and specifications for all elements of the bathroom and kitchen as well as specifications and floor plans for all tile, paint colors, flooring and other materials needed in the renovation.
6. A preconstruction meeting with the renovation firm (if other than Stratagem Construction.) and additional meetings as necessary..
After construction is complete the client may want assistance with furnishing in which case the plan will include:
7. The creation of design concept for furnishings.
8. A design meeting to review and finalize the furnishing design concept.
9. The creation of 3-D renderings as needed.
10. The specification of all furniture, furnishings and window dressings,
11. Purchase services as need.
12. And Installation services as needed.
Understanding the process helps our clients make decision regarding budget and timing for their projects.
Understanding Cost
The cost structure of interior design is based on the amount of time needed to complete the design goals. In general, the more specific and complex the interior design needs, the longer they take to complete. For example, creating a contemporary entertainment-center takes less time than creating a similar built-in requiring a place for stereo equipment, a fold-out desk, office file cabinets, and additional storage.
Here are some approximations of the time required for specific tasks:
Kitchen interior design in Chicago....………………….5 to 15 hours
Fireplace design Chicago....…………………………... 3 to 7 hours
Fireplace built-in design Chicago...…………………... 5 to 15 hours
Entertainment Center built-in design in Chicago....…5 to 20 hours
Custom entertainment built-in design in Chicaogo....5 to 12 hours
Bathroom Design in Chicago……………………............3 to 12 hours
Custom Gun Rack Design..................................……….10 to 60 hours
Custom Buit-in Library Design...………………...............10 to 40 hours
Complete home renovation in Chicago...............…. 50 to 150 hours
While the design work for a complete home renovation may take 2 to 3 months, construction can often begin before work is complete.
From Concept to Completion
Since Habitar Design collaborates closely with Stratagem Construction, we can provide solutions to move you smoothly and efficiently from interior design to finished construction. Our in-house construction expertise helps Habitar Design make cost effective decisions and makes it possible to closely anticipate and work within a budget. Further, a design construction team often gets better results as they work together closely to solve problems that occur in the process of construction.
In addition, Habitar Design has deep experience in real estate development having developed floor plans and models for numerous developers throughout the City. This means that Habitar can advise clients who want to be sure their home renovation will add value to their home.
Our Service Area
We are your interior designers for Chicago, including neighborhoods of Hyde Park, Bronzeville, Old Town, Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Bucktown, Edgewater, Wicker Park, Andersonville, Uptown, DePaul, the Gold Coast, in the South Loop, in Downtown, in Streeterville. Northside Chicago or Southside Chicago. We also serve the suburbs in Highland Park, Evanston, Skokie, Niles, Arlington Heights, Northbrook, Glenview, Winnetka, Kenilworth, Barrington, Deerfield, Ridge, Morton Grove, & Wilmette to name a few.