Chicago Contractors and Companies that Made Our House a Home

This is a master list of all of the individuals and companies in Chicago that worked on our home. The builder-grade townhome was a blank slate when we moved in, and I spent five years adding character and personality to make it feel like home.

I am so happy to spread the word about these people and companies. We had a wonderful experience with everyone!

Before I share the list, let me share a before photo so you can fully understand the transformation.

Chicago Design Services:

Melissa Mahoney Design Studio

We brought Melissa in to consult with us on the vision for our final home projects. I love how her style embraces color and texture. Before the in-home consultation, I gathered ideas and questions. When Melissa came we were able to discuss our ideas and Melissa offered her expertise on everything from wall colors to add antique doors.

After the consult, we finally felt like we had a direction! It gave us the confidence to finally finish all of the projects on our list. The consultation included two months of emailing with Melissa, which was a great comfort. She was always there when I had questions - and she helped us decide on the light blue limewash for the living room and kitchen.

Her website has some great design resources, too.

The Finish

We worked with designers from The Finish on Charles's Office and the Pub-Inspired TV Lounge. The designers took empty spaces and turned them into stunning spaces.

Chicago Painters:

Molson Painting and Wallpaper

Our first impression of this Chicago painting company was telling Ray, the manager on the project, that the front door didn't close well. He immediately pulled out a screwdriver and fixed it. The Molson team was so nice, helpful, and professional. They painted the doors, hallways, bedrooms, and stairwells.

Laurel Waldo and Susan Williams

This two-woman team came in to give the living room and kitchen a faux-limewash finish. They worked so quickly that they finished the project in just two days! I love the finished product! (Contact info: susanywilliams@gmail.com and laurely.nkw@gmail.com).

Carolina Cabinet Coloring

It's hard to find someone who specializes in cabinets, and Carolina was lovely! She took on the complicated project of sourcing new doors for the cabinets in the Pub-Inspired TV Lounge, adding wainscoting, and painting it all. I have since referred her to a friend who also raved about Carolina's work.

Handyman Projects and Carpentry:

Brendan Sullivan

Brendan completed a long list of tricky projects, including adding crown molding, re-framing doorways and installing antique doors, framing windows, and adding molding to doors. For his contact info, DM me.

Wallpaper:

Spoonflower

Nearly all of our wallpaper is Morris & Co. designs printed by Spoonflower. I learned a lot about peel and stick wallpaper and after trying several brands, Spoonflower was the easiest to install.

Custom Furniture:

Roger & Chris

We are Roger & Chris's biggest fans! The large couch with a chaise in our living room was purchased for our old home. We loved it so much that we bought a sectional, a pull-out sofa, and this green chair for our current home. Everything is custom, so it fits the space perfectly, and the quality is fantastic. I cannot say enough good things about this company!

Closets:

Inspired Closets

Surprise! When you buy a new construction home, it might not include finished closets. Luckily, I was able to team up with Inspired Closets. They completely customised closets in every bedroom, the pantry, the linen closet, and the entryway. When we needed more storage for toys and items like the vacuum, they came back and turned an empty nook into a storage built-in. Most recently, they helped us completely transform the garage. Many of my neighbors have also used Inspired Closets and everyone has had a great experience.

Epoxy Coating for the Garage Floor:

Encore Concrete Coatings

The garage floor always looked dirty, and it was developing a crack. When we decided to have Inspired Closets installed in the garage, we had the crack repaired and the floor coated with epoxy. The project took one day, and after five days, cars could drive on it.

Balcony Furniture and Supplies:

Joss & Main and Wayfair

I purchased everything, including the composite wood tiles, trellises, and furniture for the balcony, from Joss & Main and Wayfair. Read all about the Chicago Balcony Project here. My next-door neighbor loved the outcome so much that she has since installed the same trellises and tiles on her balcony.

Antique Doors:

Salvage One

We found a pair of beautiful carved wood doors that we used to replace plain flat panel doors on the pantry and bathroom off the living room. The pantry door is the first thing you see when you walk into the main living space, and this door makes such a statement! The hardware is from Charleston Hardware.