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Curated

HOW TO KNOW IF AN INTERIOR DESIGNER IS RIGHT FOR YOU

Choosing an interior designer is a bit like dating. Learn to sort decorators from full service design-build teams, weigh credentials like NCIDQ certification, and find the right match for your project.

Curated

CELEBRATING 19 YEARS OF INSPIRED INTERIORS

CELEBRATING 19 YEARS OF INSPIRED INTERIORSSeptember 27, 2022 At Inspired Interiors, we’ve accomplished so much over the last 19 years. Click to hear from Founder and Principal Designer Emily Mackie…

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5 MUST HAVES FOR A LUXURY CUSTOM HOME

From an AM to PM mixed bar that tucks the espresso setup away at cocktail hour to a value-boosting pool, five indulgent features worth building into a luxury custom home.

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A GUIDE TO MAKING YOUR RELOCATION DREAM A REALITY

Nearly 16 million Americans moved during the pandemic, and remote work has put dream destinations within reach. A practical plan for relocating to the place you have always imagined living.

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IMAGINATIVE INTERIOR DESIGN IDEAS THAT PUSH THE LIMITS

Emily Mackie grew up with a soda fountain in the kitchen and a parrot sanctuary in the dining room. That same whimsy now shapes projects like rooftop sprinkler parks and curlicue slides.

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HOW 3D VIRTUAL TOURS SAVE HOME BUILDERS AND BUYERS TIME AND MONEY

HOW 3D VIRTUAL TOURS SAVE HOME BUILDERS AND BUYERS TIME AND MONEYMay 21, 2021 Imagine, if you will, a world without naysayers. Where any project was possible because someone had a vision and the…

THE TOP 7 AMENITIES LUXURY HOME BUYERS WANT TODAY

Restaurant-level kitchens, kids' bedrooms sized for queen beds and en suites, and more than one well-appointed home office top the amenities today's luxury buyers expect.

SHATTERING THE GLASS CEILING: WOMEN IN REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT AND CONSTRUCTION

Women hold about 13 percent of construction jobs and just 3.4 percent of trades roles. A Women's History Month look at opening real estate development and building to more women.

5 REASONS TO VIRTUALLY RENDER YOUR HOME BEFORE YOU START CONSTRUCTION

5 REASONS TO VIRTUALLY RENDER YOUR HOME BEFORE YOU START CONSTRUCTIONMarch 17, 2021 Take it from us: The future of homebuilding is here. We started Inspired Luxury Homes, Inspired Interiors’ newly…

HOW TO BUCK TRENDS AND FIND YOUR UNIQUE DESIGN STYLE

Emily Mackie's formula for defining personal style blends your past, your present, and your future. Build a style board and skip the catalog look for a home that is genuinely yours.

TOP 4 MYTHS ABOUT DESIGN NETWORK TV SHOWS (HGTV & DIY NETWORK SECRETS)

A former ghost designer for HGTV and DIY Network shows reveals who really does the work, how long projects truly take, and what those tidy 60-minute renovations leave out.

WHY BIG BOX RETAILERS MIGHT NOT BE THE RIGHT FIT FOR YOUR HOME DESIGN

WHY BIG BOX RETAILERS MIGHT NOT BE THE RIGHT FIT FOR YOUR HOME DESIGNFebruary 2, 2021 We’ve all been browsing in a big box furniture retailer — think Restoration Hardware, Pottery Barn, West Elm,…

WHY COMMISSIONING FEMALE ARTISTS IS SO IMPORTANT

WHY COMMISSIONING FEMALE ARTISTS IS SO IMPORTANTJanuary 15, 2021 Demystifying the world of art is one of the most important services an interior designer can provide for their clients. For a…

THE TOP 5 SPACES EVERY WOMAN SHOULD HAVE IN THEIR HOME

From a bathtub styled as a wellness destination to a chaise lounge reading nook, five small, intentional spaces that give women a dedicated place for self care and quiet pleasure at home.

HOW TO MEANINGFULLY INCORPORATE PHILANTHROPY INTO YOUR BUSINESS

Emily Mackie shares how she weaves giving into Inspired Interiors, choosing causes tied to art, design and women's empowerment so philanthropy feels genuine rather than performative.

3 SIGNS THAT TELL YOU IT’S TIME TO UPDATE YOUR HOME

Rooms you never enter, spaces that leave you emotionally flat, and a pull to spend your best moments anywhere but home: three clear signs your surroundings are ready for a redesign.

CREATING EMOTIONAL CONNECTIONS TO OUR SPACES

Lighting, texture and daily rituals like that first morning espresso all shape how a room feels. Here is how designing around emotion creates spaces you genuinely love to live in.

HOW INTERIOR DESIGN CAN ELEVATE YOUR DAILY ROUTINES

Rethinking the rooms behind your rituals, from a bathtub given its own intentional space to a kitchen designed for morning gatherings, can turn everyday routines into daily luxuries.

TIME SPENT CREATING MEMORIES IN YOUR SPACE

Benjamin Franklin warned against squandering time, and your home can help you honor it. From backyard playgrounds to reimagined small spaces, design rooms that invite joy and togetherness now.

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THE FUTURE OF THE OFFICE

A Chicago real estate branding firm bought a residential building, moved in above the workspace and asked Inspired Interiors to design a flexible office employees genuinely look forward to.

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DESIGN CHALLENGE: AN ABUNDANCE OF BATHROOMS

Ten bathrooms in one home, all designed with a single Porcelanosa collection. How one product line became a creative advantage, from a soaking tub built for two to grandma's walk-in tub.

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HOW INTERIOR DESIGN GUIDES YOU TO #LIVEINSPIRED

Emily Mackie explains what it means to live inspired: spaces designed to prompt feeling and action through all five senses, from an inviting foyer to a productive and purposeful home office.

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5 TOP TIPS FOR PREPARING YOUR PATIO

Five ways to ready your patio for the season, from durable neutral furnishings dressed up with bold accessories to hanging plants, layered textures, and mood lighting that keeps the evening glowing after sunset.

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OUR INTERIORS HAVE TAKEN ON NEW MEANING

Emily Mackie shares why Inspired Interiors went fully remote, closing its River North studio and adding designers from New York to Mexico while serving clients anywhere through collaborative technology.

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STILL COUNTING: INSPIRED INTERIORS MARKS A MOVEMENT AT SOFA CHICAGO

At SOFA CHICAGO, Inspired Interiors presents Still Counting, works by 21 female artists honoring 100 years of women's suffrage, each shown in a firm-designed vignette alongside a panel of thought leaders.

FUN IS LUXURIOUS

Vintage arcade games, a Skee-Ball lane, epoxy floors ready for skating, even a home recording studio. Our Dare to Live series turns unused space into the most entertaining address in the neighborhood.

ANCHORING DESIGN TRENDS WITH CLASSIC PIECES

Classic pieces with clean lines keep trend-forward rooms grounded, from continuous bathroom tile and smoked dining room mirrors to graffiti art and the triumphant return of terrazzo.

TOP TIPS FOR CURATING AN ART COLLECTION

How to curate and display art that reveals who you are, from placing three-dimensional pieces and pairing bold works with vibrant wall colors to matching each artwork to the right room in the house.

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OUR TIPS FOR HOSTING AN UNFORGETTABLE PARTY

The best holiday hosts stage memory-making moments rather than perfect five-course meals. Five favorite tips for setting the scene, celebrating each guest, and letting the magic of the table unfold.

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BLENDING HISTORIC AND MODERN HOME DESIGN

Blending historic and modern design is easier than it looks. Colorful European front doors, a steel and glass staircase in a Tudor cottage, and bold furnishings that play off Prairie-style millwork show how.