Elevated interiors, tailored for Chicago’s finest
AWARD-WINNING INTERIOR DESIGNER
Meet Anthony Michael
Anthony is regularly named as one of the top interior designers in Chicago and various metropolitan areas such as San Francisco, NYC, Naples, New Buffalo, Scottsdale, Miami, Los Angeles, Belair, Nassau Bahamas and more in addition to numerous other projects in Chicago and the suburbs.
With offices in Chicago and Los Angeles, he works with bicoastal clients. His work has been featured in LUXE as a LUXE Gold Designer, House Beautiful, Traditional Home, The Wall Street Journal, Architectural Digest, Modern Luxury and more.
With over 35 years of experience, Anthony Michael is to interior design what Sir Alec Guinness was to acting— able to handle radically different roles, his talent comfortably manifesting itself behind many faces. While hard to typecast, he dares to cross the lines of convention to try what is visually bold and dramatic , but never jarring.
FEATURED PROJECTS
Buckingham Place
Breathtaking colors of our planet
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Sheffield
Portraits of people from around the globe
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Greenview
Stark beauty of desolate dunes
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FEATURED PRESS
FROM THE BLOG
Browsing for inspiration for your dream home is exciting, but a tight budget may limit your options. Fortunately, a successful remodel isn’t about having unlimited funds. It’s about knowing where to splurge and save. Invest in elements that provide long-term value and determine the decorative items that you can update without breaking the bank. It is also beneficial to identify top-tier yet affordable service providers to implement your updates. Prioritize Foundational Elements With Long-Term Impact Splurge on the “bones” of your home. These are the core components that affect its structure, safety and efficiency, such as the windows and flooring. Updating them can be highly disruptive, expensive and labor-intensive, which means a mistake or a cheap-out here may cost more down the line. Foundational elements are a worthwhile investment. For example, high-performance windows can enhance energy efficiency and lower utility bills. For homeowners with unique architecture, sourcing custom-built options is crucial. Companies like Asher Lasting Exteriors in the Onalaska area specialize in these types of tailored installations. The price of affordable window replacements varies based on the material, window type and region’s labor rates. Replacing your front door is another project that offers a high estimated resale cost recovery. You can potentially recoup up to 100% of the up-front cost of a new steel door and 80% of the cost of a new fiberglass door. Refresh Key Rooms With Cost-Effective Updates Updating high-traffic rooms, such as kitchens and bathrooms, often offers the best return on investment and the greatest impact on your daily life. You don’t need to take down walls or do major renovations to give these spaces a new look. Focus on compelling cosmetic and functional upgrades that keep the existing layout on budget. Consider refacing your kitchen’s cabinets to give a fresh new look for less. Companies like Kitchen Tune-Up specialize in affordable alternatives that fit various budgets and timelines. If you have beautiful wood cabinets that have been worn down by time and use, you can have them reconditioned to restore the color and finish. The cost of the refacing depends on your kitchen’s size, the materials of the new fronts and the condition of the existing cabinets. Aside from cabinets, you can also replace dated countertops or install a new backsplash. Swapping out old faucets, cabinet pulls and drawer handles is another quick and budget-friendly way to modernize the space. Transform Your Space With Low-Cost Decorative Changes Your home’s decorative layer is the easiest and most affordable to change. It’s where you can experiment with trends and inject personality into your space without a major financial commitment. These visual updates can give you instant gratification and build momentum for a larger project. A quick paint job can change a room’s mood, light and perceived size. It’s a fast way to refresh a space. To maximize your budget, consider professional painting that can also handle related tasks, such as cabinet refinishing and color consultations, in a single project. Companies like CertaPro Painters® offer bundled services that let you update rooms without replacing anything. Professional painting costs typically vary based on the paint, room size and the amount of prep work necessary. Additionally, thoughtful lighting choices, such as replacing a dated chandelier, can instantly modernize a space. You can also get creative with textiles. Use vibrant curtains, a stylish area rug or unique throw pillows to add color, texture and softness to a room. There are many decor options to suit your personal style and price point. Establish Your Budget Before Starting Any Work Your budget is a roadmap that prevents overspending, project stalls and decision fatigue. Make a complete wish list of everything you’d like to do, then categorize each item as a “must-have” or a “nice-to-have.” Set aside a portion of your total estimated cost for a contingency fund to cover unexpected expenses. Consider creating a spreadsheet listing each desired project and its estimated labor and material costs. For example, while classic subway tiles cost less than $10 per square foot , their prices may vary depending on quality and supplier. Accounting for their average price range is key to building a budget without surprise costs. Ask providers for the exact labor cost during consultations. Creating a Home You Love on a Budget A beautiful remodel is about strategic planning, not unlimited funds. Invest in foundational elements with long-term impact, such as affordable window replacement services, and get creative with affordable, decorative updates. Make informed choices and work with trusted professionals to refresh your home without breaking the bank.
Modern home design is about creating a personal sanctuary that feels as good as it looks. Acoustics are a crucial part of that feeling, as unwanted noise can disrupt peace and comfort. Fortunately, the right design choices can create stylish yet serene spaces. Consider these three home upgrades and decor strategies that can help you manage your home’s sound without sacrificing style. 1. Invest in Quiet Garage Door Openers The most disruptive noises are often the ones you’ve accepted as part of your daily life. For instance, the low-frequency rumble and vibrations from a traditional chain-drive don’t stay in the garage. They travel through the home’s structure, often manifesting as a shudder or hum in adjacent rooms or even in bedrooms directly above. Strategically picking a garage door opener that is quiet is an easy way to fix this issue without making any serious changes to the look of your home. Quiet garage door openers from LiftMaster can help you reclaim your daily peace. The LiftMaster 1-1/4 HP belt drive opener is powered by a quiet DC motor and a reinforced belt. It ensures smooth, quiet garage door operation. You’ll enjoy better rest in bedrooms located above the garage and fewer disruptions during dinner if someone gets home late. 2. Turn Your Walls Into Functional Art Large, bare walls act like sound mirrors, bouncing noise around a room and creating an echo. Adding soft, absorptive surfaces can soften reverberation while also adding texture, color and personality to the space. Consider getting solutions from a design-driven, sound-focused brand like Audimute , which offers a suite of customizable acoustic products made from eco-friendly materials. With its acoustic image panels, you can print a cherished family photo or a favorite vacation landscape to create a personalized art piece that also absorbs sound. Other options include pre-made kits that create abstract wall art. 3. Layer Your Decor With Sound-Absorbing Textiles Soft things absorb sound, while hard things reflect it. This means the more soft surfaces you can layer into a room, the quieter and more comfortable it will feel. A bare hardwood or tile floor is like a trampoline for sound waves, but you can easily use rugs designed for maximum softness and sound absorption. Ruggable offers plush all-in-one rugs crafted as a single, integrated piece with a dense, cushiony pile. These textiles are perfect for high-traffic areas, providing a luxurious feel underfoot while absorbing footfalls and echoes. You can also reinforce the sound-dampening effect by building a thick barrier between you and noise sources. For example, if you live in a townhouse, you can place a plush, fabric-covered sofa against thin walls to reduce what you can hear from your neighbors. Add soft pillows and thick covers to increase its noise-absorbing capabilities. Designing Your Perfect Sanctuary Sound management is a crucial yet often overlooked element when creating a true sanctuary. Tackle major noise sources with technical upgrades, such as a quieter garage door opener, then refine a room’s acoustics by layering sound-absorbing decor. Think of your home’s soundscape as a vital part of your personal style and well-being.
Though a neutral color palette is timeless, classy and chic, the whites, grays and browns may make a space feel a little flat. Revitalize your home by adding the secret to a lively, interesting and creative design — a pop of color. Discover the best places to add just a touch of color to your home, keeping it looking and feeling fresh without going overboard. Why a Pop of Color Is a Designer’s Secret Weapon Home designers use color deliberately to reflect a home’s character, make it comfortable for the homeowners and inspire visual interest to draw attention to a focal point. Working with neutrals, the pop of color adds personality without overwhelming the space, creating just the right amount of visual appeal to add an intentional, unique flair. Color has a profound effect on people’s psyche, and designers can use this to curate the perfect vibe for every part of your home. For example, warm colors like red can elicit positive emotions and even higher energy in the context of a warm and inviting space. Softer tones can create a soothing response for a more relaxed area. Balanced with neutrals, a pop of color can create an atmosphere perfect for every part of your home. 7 Areas to Add Color, Inside and Out Whether you’re painting one room or renovating your entire home, these seven ideas for adding a pop of color can refresh and energize your space. Add an Unexpected Accent Wall Accent walls are a simple and strong way to add color in just about any room. By painting or adding a unique color to one of the four walls — or to the ceiling or floor, the “fifth” and “sixth” walls, respectively — you immediately draw visual interest to a unique area of the room. This wall can then feature display pieces that your eye naturally gravitates toward. Feature Bold Furniture or Statement Pieces If the rest of the room features a cohesive, neutral palette, adding one piece of furniture or a statement art piece can become the visual draw. Think a contrasting colored couch, an orange chair in a blue room or a gold chandelier glistening against darker hues. The piece draws the room's focus while anchoring the color scheme around it. Drape Colorful Blankets, Pillows and Curtains Adding textiles for color is a simple and easily adjustable enhancement. Throw pillows, blankets, curtains and rugs are impermanent features of a room and can be swapped out as needed if a different color trend or vibe catches your eye. Pick striking, uniform shades like saturated jewel tones or add interesting patterns. Upgrade Unassuming Fixtures Fixtures in your home that often go unnoticed can be an unexpected way to add creative flair and interest. Paint your light switch covers, or upgrade your door handles to striking metals or even crystal. Add patterns to baseboards or swap out your vent covers for a simple but noticeable upgrade. Highlight Your Front Doors and Shutters Colorful front doors and shutters can transform a house into a home from the exterior. Pinks and pastels add a sweet, cozy cottage feeling, while bright, vibrant hues can feel modern and artistic. Coordinated shutters frame the home beautifully, and a colorful front door stands out as an inviting, personalized touch. Customize Your Gutters Every home has gutters, but these can be more than just a necessary fixture. Painting them is a cost-effective way to revamp your exterior and even offer corrosion and weather protection , keeping your house looking fresh longer. This simple change can add more visual appeal to your home that increases your curb appeal. Liven Outdoor Spaces You can add plants to patios, decks or balconies to refresh the outside of your home with pops of green and vibrant, colorful flowers. In greener spaces like gardens, contrast the natural hues with red planters, yellow umbrellas or purple deck chairs. How to Balance Color With Neutrals Adding a touch of color to a space requires balancing it with neutrals so the pop is effective. Many designers follow the 60-30-10 rule, in which a space uses 60% for a main color , 30% for a similar secondary hue for variety, and 10% for a colorful accent. This rule keeps a space balanced, following a “golden ratio” for tried and true harmony. Neutral shades serve as necessary visual breaks, allowing the pops of color to stand out. Homeowners should choose a whole-home palette, with consistent neutrals as a base to ensure cohesive flow from room to room. The accents will stand out even more, drawing attention and interest to your focal points intentionally. Hue Got This Refreshing your house can be as simple as a one-wall paint job or adding new throw pillows, or as impactful as repainting exterior elements for a whole-home colorful reset. Balanced with neutrals, adding a pop of color can revitalize your space with personality and a creative touch.
