Sheridan Road, March 2023

New Private Bank Office in Northbrook

Experience Transcendent

Enjoy

To

Interior: Summer Thornton Source: BrokerMetrics LLC, Closed Sales Volume, All Property Types; Northfield, Deerfield, Kenilworth, Lake Forest, Glenview, Lake Bluff, Highland Park, Evanston, Wilmette, Glencoe, Northbrook & Winnetka, 01/01/2022 – 12/31/2022

SPRING

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© 2023 Michael Bennett Homes LLC

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CONTENTS

MARCH 2023 FEATURES

PICTURE THIS

Armed with a keen eye and business savvy, art advisor Laura Lester helps clients form meaningful collections.

ART CENTRIC

Abby Pucker continues a family tradition of dedication to the arts and accessibility.

THE FRED AND KAY KREHBIEL COLLECTION

The highlight of Hindman’s Spring 2023 season is a suite of sales featuring exquisite items from the private collection of the late Fred. A. Krehbiel and his wife, Kay Krehbiel.

TAILORED TO PERFECTION

Emily Mackie, award-winning designer and founder of Inspired Interiors, creates a one-of-a-kind luxurious San Francisco bachelor pad for a special, repeat client.

LUXE LIVING

A North Shore guide to who’s who in interiors and architecture.

SELLING THE SHORE

A showcase of the North Shore’s top real estate agents.

DEPARTMENTS

EDITOR’S NOTE INSIDER AGENDA NEWSWORTHY SHORE VS CITY THE DO LIST STRATEGIC DIVORCE

FASHION & BEAUTY FASHION

Laura Lester of Lester Fine Art LLC wearing

UNDERCOVER Jun Takahashi yellow puffer coat, FROLOV tulle skirt, ikram. Lester was photographed in the home of an iconic collector who Lester met early in her career. The collector has been active for more than 50 years and is an inspiration both to Lester and her clients.

Photography by Maria Ponce, styling by Theresa DeMaria, hair & makeup by Leanna Ernest ON THIS PAGE

Laura Lester of Lester Fine Art LLC wearing JW Anderson cream asymmetrical skirt with cold shoulder top, Neiman Marcus

Photography by Maria Ponce, styling by Theresa DeMaria, hair & makeup by Leanna Ernest

Invitation to sell at auction

We are accepting jewelry consignments for our May auction. Contact us to receive an auction valuation on a single item or entire collection.

Diamond Brooch Sold for $21,250 Harry Winston, Jacques Timey, Colombian Emerald and Diamond Pendant/Brooch Sold for $43,750

an ESCAPIST’S PARADISE

Founder & Publisher Editor-in-Chief

Associate Publisher

Contributing Editors

Senior Fashion Editor

Style Editor

Contributing Writers Art Director

Production Manager/ Graphic Designer

Senior Graphic Designer

Graphic Designers

Social Media Director

Contributing Photographers

J.W. CONATSER

DUSTIN O’REGAN

JENNIFER STURGEON

MORGAN HOGERTY, KEMMIE RYAN, MEGAN WEISBERG

THERESA DEMARIA

ALLISON DUNCAN

THOMAS CONNORS, ALLISON DUNCAN, MITCHELL HURST, MONICA KASS ROGERS, ROCHELLE RUBINOFF, ANN MARIE SCHEIDLER, LAURA LAYFER TREITMAN

JORDAN WILLIAMS

LINDA LEWIS

AMIN QUTTEINEH

CHRIS GEIMER, SAM SUAREZ

REDDING WORTH

JAMES GUSTIN, MARIA PONCE, MONICA KASS ROGERS, LISA SCIASCIA, ROBIN SUBAR, KATRINA WITTKAMP

Administrative Assistant

Advertising Sales Advisory Council

CHEYANNE LENCIONI

GRETCHEN BARNARD

RAHEELA ANWAR, EILEEN BENNIN, RENEE CROWN, JEFFREY EISERMAN, MAUREEN GRINNELL, DANA HUGHES, JOYCE BRUCE JIARAS, JILL KATZ, LEXIE KNOX, YOANNA KULAS, ARTHUR MILLER, MEREDITH MITCHELL, SANDRA CASPARRIELLO, RONI MOORE NEUMANN, IBBY PINSKY, AND MONIQUE WATTS

How to reach Sheridan Road

ADVERTISING INQUIRIES: 847-370-6940 / JENNIFER@JWCMEDIA.COM

GENERAL INQUIRIES: 847-926-0911 / INFO@JWCMEDIA.COM

ON THE WEB: SHERIDANRD.COM

445 SHERIDAN ROAD, 3RD FLOOR / HIGHWOOD, ILLINOIS 60040

Sheridan Road is published 10 times annually by JWC Media.

JWC Media accepts freelance contributions; however, there is no guarantee that unsolicited manuscripts, photographs, or graphics will be returned. All rights to the contents of this magazine are owned in full by JWC Media. Sheridan Road may not be reproduced in whole or in part, including but not limited to advertisements and articles, without written permission from the publisher. Sheridan Road assumes no responsibility for statements made or opinions expressed by contributing writers, editors, or advertisers. However, comments or corrections or differing opinions are welcomed. The publisher reserves the right to edit and place all editorials and ads. © 2023 JWC Media

EDITOR’S NOTE

Spring is in the air, inspiring a search for fresh beginnings and transformations— especially in the spaces we call home. Searching for ideas? There is no better place to start than the interesting stories and stunning layouts featured in March’s Home & Design issue.

THIS MONTH I WILL BE

READING VISITING

Our cover feature introduces Art Advisor Laura Lester, who is assisting North Shore art enthusiasts to find just the right works to add to their walls and their collections. The photoshoot, set in the home of an important collector whom Laura met early in her career, is a masterpiece in its own right. Enjoy this visual feast accompanying the tale of Laura’s professional journey from her beginnings as a gallerist at the famed Gagosian Gallery to the founding of Lester Fine Art LLC.

Continuing our exploration of movers and shakers in the Chicago art scene, our second feature introduces Abby Pucker. Chicago’s culturally curious and its devotees of contemporary art can’t get enough of Pucker’s two new projects—“Gertie” and “Art in Common.”

Inspired Luxury Homes and Inspired Interiors transformed a client’s Bay Area property. The project’s show stopper? A 180-degree view of San Francisco. This “room with a view” was created when Mackie knocked out the entire living room wall and replaced it with floor-to-ceiling glass. Intrigued by Mackie’s vision and attention to detail? You won’t want to miss Inspired Luxury Homes’ interactive “The Art of Living Show Home” in April. Check the website for dates and times (inspiredluxuryhomes.com).

Our annual Home & Design issue also presents two additional features: Luxe Living showcasing local influencers in design and architecture and Selling the Shore highlighting the North Shore’s top sellers in real estate.

As there is so much beauty to savor, I will let you get to it! Enjoy the issue.

PACKING

Moving to the auction house, our third feature offers a sneak peek at the treasures in Hindman’s auction of the Fred and Kay Krehbiel Collection. The sale will dazzle buyers both in Chicago and Palm Beach from March 13 through March 15. Mark your calendars and have your bids ready if you hope to own a piece of this historic lot.

Heading to the West Coast, our fourth feature highlights award-winning designer and emerging developer Emily Mackie. The founder of

DUSTIN O’REGAN Editor-in-Chief dustin@jwcmedia.com

Follow Sheridan Road on Instagram: @sheridanrdmag

The DO List’s Cult Gaia Leslie lace-up sandals, modaoperandi.com

The Oberoi, Marrakech hotel highlighted in First Class

Laura Lester of Lester Fine Art LLC wearing Balenciaga black tulle sleeveless top and Comme des Garçons black pant with skirt overlay, Neiman Marcus. Laura is featured in Picture This.

Pasti & Ngoc Minh Ngo Oman

INSIDER

YOUR GUIDE to the latest on PEOPLE, PLACES, and THINGS on the North Shore

CHICAGO 2022. Image courtesy of EXPO CHICAGO. Photography by Justin Barbin

SAVE the DATE

Sheridan Road provides the North Shore’s comprehensive social calendar.

EDITED BY DUSTIN O’REGAN

MARCH 9

OPENING OF MOZART IMMERSIVE

WHERE: Lighthouse ArtSpace Chicago

The Lighthouse ArtSpace

Chicago takes the immersive medium in a new and exciting direction using the latest technology to amplify timeless music. The acclaimed Italian creative team behind Immersive Van Gogh returns with Mozart Immersive: The Soul of a Genius. mozartimmersive.com

MARCH 9 – APRIL 16

THE COMEDY OF ERRORS

WHERE: Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Chicago

In her final production as artistic director, Barbara Gaines revisits her signature interpretation of Shakespeare’s riotous comedy with newly rewritten scenes penned by Second City veteran Ron West. Over three decades with Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Gaines has directed 60 productions, including nearly all of Shakespeare’s 38 plays and six world premieres, and now imprints her legacy with this joyful comedy. chicagoshakes.com

MARCH 15 – 17

AUCTION OF KREHBIEL COLLECTION

WHERE: Hindman Auctions and online

Hindman announces a suite of sales featuring property from the Fred and Kay Krehbiel Collection as a highlight of the Spring 2023 auction season. The collection will be offered during three days of live and online sales in Chicago and Palm Beach. It includes fine English and Continental dec-

orative arts, important Sèvres and Vincennes porcelain, and a significant group of furniture attributed to Thomas Chippendale. hindmanauctions.com

APRIL TBD

THE ART OF LIVING SHOW HOME

WHERE: 1760 Washington Avenue, Wilmette

Inspired Luxury Homes and Emily Mackie, founder, award-winning designer, and emerging developer, present the first ever female-developed Show Home. Everything in this interactive residence is designed for exploration, and its stunning spaces feature new designs and product solutions crafted for optimal living in today’s modern world. The immersive spaces are sure to delight with imaginative details, surprising elements, and meaningful functions. Please check the website for the most up-

to-date information regarding dates and times. inspiredluxuryhomes.com

APRIL 13 – APRIL 16

EXPO CHICAGO

WHERE: Navy Pier Festival Hall

The International Exposition of Contemporary & Modern Art features leading international galleries alongside the highest quality platform for contemporary art and culture. This year EXPO CHICAGO will host more than 140 leading international exhibitors. The exposition draws upon the city’s rich history as a vibrant and international cultural destination while engaging the region’s contemporary art community and collector base. expochicago.com

APRIL 14 – APRIL 16

RAZNY WEDDING BAND WEEKEND

WHERE: Razny Jewelers, Highland Park

Razny Jewelers presents Chicagoland’s most anticipated bridal jewelry event of the season. Shop the area’s largest collection of women’s and men’s wedding bands from the bridal industry’s top designers. razny.com

APRIL 14

PAWS FOR A CAUSE

WHERE: Writers Theatre, Glencoe

Paws for Patrick hosts its first Spring Gala with an open bar, heavy hors d’oeuvres, and music from The Samples. During the event, you will have the opportunity to bid on both the live and silent auctions. Paws for Patrick is a nonprofit organization dedicated to connecting young people to emotional support animals and therapy dogs to aid them as they live with mental illness. pawsforpatrick.org

Mozart Immersive opening March 9. Photography by Kyle Flubacker

WELCOME TO THE OMEGA LIFE

Don’t miss this once in a lifetime opportunity to move to the front of the line with others who have waited years to take occupancy.

Contact your Luxury Real Estate Advisor, Dan Boyce with Premiere Plus Realty Co at (239) 443-4800 to schedule your private tour and secure your Omega Life today.

Soaring floor to ceiling windows provide harmonious light to this extraordinarily expansive 5,730 sq ft sky home with matchless views and sunsets overlooking centuriesold mangrove forests and one of Southwest Florida’s greatest stretches of waterfront. The vast and expansive private terraces provide an outdoor kitchen, bar, and gas grill that take condo living to the next level. Omega features a second-floor private two-car garage, a third-floor infinity-edge pool and pavilion with day beds, bar, fire pit terrace and spa, a putting lawn and dog run with a pet washing station, and a top-ofthe-line movie theater and fitness center complete with steam and massage rooms. The rooftop terrace, equipped with two bars and spas, is unparalleled for entertaining and sharing breathtaking sunsets with your loved ones.

WWW.BONITABAYOMEGA.COM

$4,199,000

4991 BONITA BAY BLVD #701 BONITA SPRINGS, FL 34134

ART SHOW

EXPO CHICAGO, The International Exposition of Contemporary & Modern Art presents its 10th-anniversary edition from April 13 to 16 at Navy Pier’s Festival Hall. Following its successful in-person return in 2022, EXPO CHICAGO 2023 will welcome more than 170 leading galleries representing 36 countries and 90 cities from around the world. Since its inception, EXPO CHICAGO has remained dedicated to supporting local and regional arts communities; a dedication reflected by the strong regional showing from the Greater Midwest and both U.S. coasts. The participation of artists from countries including Argentina, Bahamas, Ghana, Greece, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Nigeria, Norway, Singapore, South Africa, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and Zimbabwe is reflective of EXPO CHICAGO’s equally strong commitment to international arts communities. For more information, visit expochicago.com.

THIS QUIET DUST

Venezuela-born Dubhe Carreño is a Chicago artist, ceramics professor, and former gallerist who opened a new showroom and studio in Lake Forest this month. Carreño’s primary goal is to offer her clients a space where they can experience both a finished curated collection of art and design as well as a closer and intimate look at the creative process. THIS QUIET DUST CERAMICS SHOWROOM will regularly feature artists with the common goal of creating beautiful, hand-crafted, ethically-made objects that celebrate the importance of making your living space unique, functional, and beautiful. The name “This Quiet Dust” comes from an Emily Dickinson poem and serves as a metaphor for the human condition; we are impermanent in our physical form, yet our true self is transforming and everlasting. Likewise, Carreño notes “this clay can be transformed from dust to become that which holds our sustenance.” Visit This Quiet Dust to acquire the perfect little something and gain a special insight into creativity. For more information, visit thisquietdustceramics.com.

ART OBJECTIVE

Chicago native KATHY TASLITZ is a renowned artist and designer, creating art, museum-quality furniture, lighting, and decorative objects favored by architects, designers, and collectors. She entwines her worlds of art and design to explore humanity’s collective experience through the themes of pop culture, technology, and the natural world, often through a female lens. Her work ranges in media and scope, from largescale, site-specific sculptures to impeccably constructed small works. She has been featured in top publications such as Architectural Digest, Artnet, Los Angeles Times, Vogue, VICE, and now Sheridan Road For more information, visit kathytaslitz.com.

Photograph by Justin Barbin

©2023 Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker logos are trademarks of Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. The Coldwell Banker System and Dawn McKenna Group fully support the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. *Source: #1 Team in Illinois among all brokerages ranked by Wall Street Journal

The Thousand 2022.

Annie Royster Lenzke

Dawn McKenna

Katie Moor

SHORE CITY

MARY COLLINS splits her time between Chicago, Miami, and London, beautifying spaces as an interior designer for SKIN Interior Design. The boutique firm provides full-service project management specializing in highend residential design. Living on the design-savvy North Shore, Collins also encounters homeowners who want professional advice but prefer to purchase and install on their own. In response, Collins is launching Amelia James, a design consultancy practice focused on these smaller projects and named in honor of her late parents. Collins’ love of vintage, antique, classic, and the unexpected keeps her busy while she also enjoys her children’s theater performances, lacrosse games, and college visits. Collins puts down her fabric samples, plane tickets, and performance schedules to share her city and shore favorites with Sheridan Road

EDITED BY MORGAN HOGERTY PHOTOGRAPHY BY JAMES GUSTIN STYLING BY THERESA DEMARIA HAIR & MAKEUP BY LEANNA ERNEST

What’s on the horizon? Exciting travel to London and Miami with SKIN Interior Design. I’m also refining my new practice, Amelia James, for those smaller jobs that don’t typically hit the radar of larger firms Mantra? Keep doing the next right thing Best grooming tip? Keep a makeup kit in your car and apply at red lights Guilty pleasure? Homer’s Cappuccino Chip ice cream Favorite foods? Sushi Music you love? Whatever musical my daughter is currently performing in and whatever “tunes” my son is “bumping” Best advice ever given to you? From my father, “I’ve only regretted the things I didn’t do” Best advice you’ve given? Make good choices Earliest memory? Straightening the bedroom I shared with my little brother after

being inspired by the bedtime story The Big Tidy-Up When you wake up, you? Hit snooze. I am not a morning person, yet yearn to be one someday (coffee helps) Before bed, you? Try to read What’s on your bookshelf? Design, fashion, and photography books You can’t live without? My children Love to escape to? The mountains Advice you would give to your younger self? Don’t take yourself too seriously, instead take more risks

ON THE SHORE IN THE CITY

Your style is? Classic. Jeans and an oversized button down with of-the-moment sneakers Can’t leave the house without?

Lip gloss with just a touch of color Transportation? SUV

that once carried carpools and now hauls estate sale treasures

Driving music? NPR, except when my teenagers are in the car and then they get the AUX Place to eat? I love the chilaquiles at Fuel, the specialty hot coffee at Backlot, and the sushi at Akai Hana Shop? Nest Estate Sales Best thing about the Shore? The beautiful architecture, lake, and sense of community Worst thing about the Shore? Nothing The perfect day is? Morning yoga at YogaSix, walking my dog along the lakefront, having dinner with my kids, and then getting to bed early

Your style is? I gravitate toward a neutral monotone look. It makes me feel more polished and understatedly chic, which is my vibe for city attire Can’t leave the house without? My iPhone Transportation? Uber Driving music? Whatever the Uber driver is listening to Place to eat? Cindy’s Rooftop, Coda di Volpe Shop? Vintage stores in Andersonville, West Loop, and Lakeview Best thing about the City? The energy and diversity Worst thing about the City? Parking The perfect day is? Biking along the lake, perusing a pop-up art show, and dining on the rooftop with friends

Cindy’s Rooftop.

Photography by Nick Gerber

Akai Hana

SKIN Interior Design

Mary Collins wearing Armani Collection suit, Neiman Marcus Northbrook

HELP SECURE YOUR FUTURE

WITH PERSONALIZED WEALTH MANAGEMENT PLANNING

Our mission is to bring peace of mind and quality of life to each and every one of our clients. Backed with nearly six decades of wealth management experience through some of the most turbulent markets in history, we have the toolset to help bolster your peace of mind. We pair the resources from one of the largest financial institutions in the country (Wells Fargo) with a personalized touch to wealth management. Each client portfolio is personalized to their goals and risk tolerance, as we manage each account individually – not by a computer software program. Quality of life is how you define it! We love learning what quality of life means to you – your dreams, hopes, and aspirations for you and your family. Yellowstone Wealth Management believes individual management & true client discovery is the only way we can tailor a portfolio that is truly designed to help bring you peace of mind and quality of life.

EDITOR’S SELECTS

Loving these elegant items with architectural elements.

EDITED BY DUSTIN O’REGAN

SIGNATURE HOUSES: PRIVATE HOMES BY GREAT ITALIAN DESIGNERS text by Chiara

FRAN SILVESTRE ARCHITECTS text by Philip Jodidio rizzoliusa.com

FERNANDO JORGE GOLD FLAME EARRINGS modaoperandi.com

OSCAR DE LA RENTA BLACK ALIBI CUBE HANDBAG modaoperandi.com

CULT GAIA LESLIE LACE-UP SANDALS modaoperandi.com

Dal Canto, photography by Lorenzo Pennati, rizzoliusa.com

CULT GAIA WHITE ACRYLIC AND GOLD PLATED ALUMINUM BAG modaoperandi.com

MATICEVSKI PINK INSTRUMENTAL ASYMMETRIC GOWN modaoperandi.com

ALAIA BLACK LASER CUT LEATHER CORSET BELT modaoperandi.com

LIVING & GIVING

THE BREAKTHROUGH BALL

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROBIN SUBAR

In November, The Breakthrough Board, the group formerly known as the University of Chicago Cancer Research Foundation Women’s Board, hosted “Shining A Light Where Science Meets Creativity,” at the Four Seasons Hotel. A fun cocktail hour preceded dinner in a dazzling ballroom filled with colorful ambient light, symbolizing the creative minds of the cancer researchers at UChicago Medicine. The annual “Partner In Breakthroughs Award” was presented to the Duchossois Family for their longstanding philanthropic support of cancer research at the University of Chicago. Sotheby’s Gary Metzner led the evening’s live auction. Post-auction, the crowd hit the dance floor to music spun by DJ Madrid. Funds raised support cancer research at UChicago Medicine. cancerresearchfdn.org/thebreakthroughboard/

Zanna & Aram Nikitas

Linda Coleman

Karen McEniry, Cindy Chereskin, Liz Ryan, Beth Hughes, Elizabeth Cole, Robin Tebbe

McKay & Astrid McKinnon, Karen & Andrew Slimmon

Meredith Parrish, Heidi Carey

The Raffle Team: Giovanna Carneli, Alessandra Smith, Ava Bushonville, Ruthie Barlow, Sienna Prassas, Leighton Malec, Addie Schwalm, Macy Cruz

Cindy & Ben Chereskin

LIVING & GIVING

Rob & Mary Conrad

Anna Smith, Kayme Gianatasio, Erica Swansey, Angela Carneli

Back row: Jeffrey Smith, David Rhind.

Front row: Laurel Elzinga, Jillisa Brittan, Jennifer Rhind

Annemette Clausen, Annette Carroll, Jennifer Rhind, Karen Slimmon Elizabeth Luttig, Anne Hokin, Kristi Nuelle, Mary Conrad

Elizabeth & Michael Luttig

DJ Madrid

Ayo & Kunie Odunsi, M.D., Ph.D.

COLLEGE CONTRIBUTION

In Illinois, financial obligations for educational expenses differ for families of divorce.

WORDS BY MICHONE RIEWER AND ANN LEONE / PHOTOGRAPHY BY JAMES GUSTIN STYLING BY THERESA DEMARIA

In Illinois, divorcing parents’ obligations for a child’s financial support typically end after the child turns 18 or graduates from high school, whichever occurs last. However, there are two major exceptions to this rule.

First, parents may be ordered to pay child support for a non-minor child who is disabled. Second, parents may be ordered to pay a non-minor child’s educational expenses, defined as tuition, room and board, book fees, registration, application fees, and other university costs. The definition has been expanded to include the non-minor child’s living expenses while at school, their transportation costs, health costs, including insurance premiums for medical, dental, and vision, as well as any other expense the court at its discretion finds to be reasonable.

In this second scenario, the court has the discretion to determine the extent and allocation of the financial contribution of the parents to the non-minor child’s college costs. The court must find the costs to be “fair and reasonable” after considering the following factors: the financial resources of both parents; the standard of living the child would’ve enjoyed had the parents NOT divorced; the financial resources of the child; the child’s academic performance; and any other factor the court deems relevant.

Illinois statutory law provides certain limitations on a parent’s obligation to contribute to educational expenses for the non-minor child. The 2016 amendments to the statute limited the cost to in-state tuition at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Nonetheless, the court can deviate from this cost limitation if it finds that a parent has shown a “good cause.” For example, a parent’s obligation can be terminated if the non-minor child is no longer enrolled as a full-time student or is not in good standing with the school. This happens when the non-minor child’s GPA falls below a C average.

This aspect of Illinois divorce law is unique because it imposes a financial obligation on divorcing parents that does not exist for parents who are not divorced. While the constitutionality of this differentiation has been challenged on numerous fronts, the court has consistently held the obligation is consistent with the expanded role of the court in the lives of divorced families. Under this role, the court enforces obligations that parents in an “intact” family would have likely performed jointly.

Remember that if you are considering divorce, are in the process of becoming divorced, or have already obtained a divorce, you might be entitled to obtain financial support for your college-bound children.

Michone J. Riewer

Michone Riewer is an Advisory Board Member for the American Academy of Certified Financial Litigators and an attorney with Strategic Divorce in Lake Bluff, 847-234-4445, strategicdivorce.com.

Steven Esposito

EXPERIENCE MATTERS

WORDS BY MITCH HURST

The 2022 bond market had its worst year in history, and portfolios that had a mix of stocks and bonds meant there were few places for investors to hide.* Steven Esposito, President and Managing Partner of Yellowstone Wealth Management in Lake Forest, says.

“Normally stocks and bonds have an inverse relationship, however at this time, they all went down. It’s a very unique time in history,” Esposito says. “The Ukraine invasion by Russia is something not seen since World War II, historic labor shortages contributing to inflation, and unprecedented volatility in the stock, bond, and commodity markets are all creating havoc for investors.”

Add to that historic losses in 401k plans and the fact the Federal Reserve has raised interest rates at one of the fastest paces in history creating shock waves in the market. Not to mention the U.S. has gone on an unprecedented borrowing spree to keep up with a national debt approaching $32 trillion. There are also the global lockdowns in China affecting supply chains, global demand, and the cost of goods. How do investors process this largely negative environment?

Esposito can help you create a personalized plan and understands the complexities of the current financial landscape. Esposito developed a knack for investing while he was in high school and hasn’t looked back since.

“I had a teacher my sophomore year who got me interested in the financial markets. I asked my father to invest a little bit of money in a new company for me, and that was Wendy’s,” Esposito says. “I quadrupled my money in two years.”

Esposito entered the wealth management industry in 1983 and has both witnessed and lived dramatic changes in the industry, some of which he likes and much of which he doesn’t. “Our industry has become too mechanized, too impersonal; it’s all about scalability.”

Esposito would eventually establish Yellowstone Wealth Management to carry out his vision and values of providing individualized wealth management services for clients. A key aspect of his business model is utilizing the back-office support from Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network while maintaining the independence to serve his clients.

“This is the best of both worlds. Working independently, I can roll up my sleeves and give clients the personal attention they deserve,” Esposito says. “I’m one of those old-fashioned advisors who helps clients manage their portfolio personally. I sit down with the client and discuss what they want. For me, wealth management is all about achieving peace of mind and quality of life.”

Esposito’s clients include small business owners, CEOs as well as retirees. He says there’s one thing they all have in common. They don’t want “drive-through wealth management.” They want a “chef.”

When Esposito started his career there were only five mutual funds in existence. Now, there are more than 13,000. Understanding the volatility in the markets and the long-term implications is firmly in his wheelhouse.

“I’ve had to navigate nine stock market crashes, and in just the past three years we’ve had commodities crash, rise, and crash again,” he says. “It’s crazy how volatile the markets are. I believe people want to know that the advisor they talk to is actually managing their money.”

Esposito says the solution to the current market volatility is for investors to remain calm and focused and to renew their strategies as the markets play out. Investors have to be positioned based on their comfort and levels of risk.

“Most importantly, a financial advisor needs to think outside the box,” Esposito says.

With Esposito’s more than 40 years of investment experience, Esposito believes he and Yellowstone offer a breadth of expertise rarely found in the investment industry. The overall package is difficult to beat.

“Tell us what you need in order to not worry at night and our goal is to achieve that and more,” he says. “We understand and do not take lightly the incredible trust clients impart to Yellowstone. Many clients have their life savings with us, and that’s a responsibility we take seriously every day.”

Esposito says he thinks of Yellowstone as the equivalent of concierge medicine, like a physician who doesn’t have to answer to hospital administrators.

“They determine what their patients need,” he says. “I do the same with my clients. I listen to what makes them tick.”

Steven Esposito’s minimum account value starts at $1,000,000. Investment products and services are offered through Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, LLC (WFAFN), Member SIPC. Yellowstone Wealth Management is a separate entity from WFAFN.

Yellowstone Wealth Management is located at 100 N. Field Drive, Suite 120 in Lake Forest, 224-880-0850, yellowstonewm.com.

* https://www.cnbc.com/2023/01/07/2022-was-the-worst-everyear-for-us-bonds-how-to-position-for-2023.html

The current economy can pose difficult challenges for investors, which is why they need an experienced financial advisor like Steven Esposito and Yellowstone Wealth Management in Lake Forest to help guide them through 2023 and beyond.

FASHION & BEAUTY

A SPLASH OF SPRING COLOR

Christian Louboutin Neon Pink Heel, Christian Louboutin Chicago, 312-337-8200

WHERE MAGNIFICENCE BEGINS

All floor plans shown are for illustrative purposes only. Floor plans may not depict final design of units as constructed and may not be drawn to scale. All sketches, renderings, architectural models, materials, plans, specifications, terms, prices, conditions and statements, including estimated timeframes and dates, contained herein are proposed only and are not intended to constitute representations. Developer reserves the right to make modifications in its sole discretion and without prior notice. All photographs and renderings are merely intended as illustrations of the activities and concepts depicted therein as interpreted by the artists. Developer makes no representations regarding any view and/or exposure to light at any time including any existing or future construction by either owner or a third party. Square footage and ceiling heights are approximate and may be based on various measurement methodologies, subject to construction variances and tolerances, as well as redesign, and vary from unit to unit (and may vary from floor to floor). This brochure shall not constitute a valid offer in any jurisdiction where prior registration is required and not yet fulfilled. Where used, developer shall mean Tribune Tower West (Chicago) Owner, LLCand its affiliated entities and their respective managers, members, directors, shareholders, partners, agents, affiliates and employees.

Ted has proven success being a Top Broker* along the North Shore for more than 10 years. His team sales have exceeded $100 M the last 2 years alone.** Ted prides himself on giving personal attention to his clients. Current inventory is low and demand is high, Ted will guide you to success.

CULTURE & ARTS

THE NORTH SHORE’S MOST CREATIVE PURSUITS

WAX ON, WAX OFF

Artist & Artist feature Karen Ross’ Here’s The Story, encaustic on wood panel, 30 x 40 inches

LAYERED

North Shore artist Karen Ross uses an ancient technique to examine modern society.

WORDS BY ALLISON DUNCAN / PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY BY KATRINA WITTKAMP / ART PHOTOGRAPHY BY SARAH REHMER / STYLING BY THERESA DEMARIA / HAIR & MAKEUP BY LEANNA ERNEST

Artist Karen Ross

ART & ARTIST

Colorful, joyful, abstract, and thought-provoking are just a few words that describe artist Karen Ross’ body of work. Ross’ encaustic paintings, named for the ancient art form in which pigments are mixed with hot wax, ignite the senses and invite introspection. When viewing Ross’ works, one catches the faint aroma of beeswax while contemplating her insights on 21st-century life.

In her home studio, she utilizes multiple griddles to melt the wax for a project, then uses a blow torch to fuse it to the paint, layering the two in equal succession. “Every layer becomes melded together,” explains Ross. “People don’t realize that you’re looking at umpteen layers of wax painted over and over. The works are luminous and have an enormous amount of texture. You really need to see it in person, which is true for most art but especially for this particular medium. When you see it up close, it becomes a completely different experience.”

Ross is self-taught. When she and her family moved to Deerfield in 2005, she closed her psychotherapy practice in the city and started abstract painting simply to create art for the walls of her home. But when she couldn’t get the acrylic to perform the way she hoped it would, Ross turned to tutorials on YouTube. It was there she first discovered encaustic painting and it was love at first sight.

Since then, her work has been featured in prominent exhibitions spanning from Florida and California to Texas and Illinois. One of her first solo shows was at Air Studio + Gallery in Glencoe in 2020, and she’s collaborated frequently with The Art Center Highland Park. Ross is now represented by Highland Park’s Laughlin Gallery.

“The friendships and connections that have developed through these shows and representation are one of the highlights of my career,” says Ross. “The North Shore community has been so inclusive, nurturing, and supportive of my work.”

Ross began creating encaustic word paintings in 2021 when she started playing with stencils. The first, It’s Not That Serious, became the basis of an entire show at Air and later launched Ross’ word painting collection. Ross’ You Are My Person was so popular that Laughlin Gallery made the piece into a print (the original is still available) based on the public’s reaction.

Hanging in her own home is the largest piece Ross has created,

a word painting that says, “Please Look at Me” and “Why Are You Looking at Me” over and over.

“People do a lot of things to draw attention to themselves but then feel uncomfortable when they get that attention,” explains Ross. The inner therapist in Ross is intrigued by these conflicting feelings. “The work is a cheeky play on words. I have another painting called Imperfect, I’m Perfect. Just one apostrophe changes the entire meaning. Another is called I Think I’ll Take the Stares, meaning ‘accept being looked at.’”

Ross is also working on a series of rough nude sketches. They’re not her typical “bright” and “splashy” works but they’ve already been gaining traction on social media.

That’s the appeal of her work: she can shift gears depending on her mood. But whether soft and neutral or loud and exciting, Ross always “gets the itch” to create another of her signature stripe paintings.

Circles, Encaustic on Wood Panel, 36 x 36 inches

Ross describes her stripe paintings as “controlled chaos.” “Every stripe is its own mini painting with different colors and techniques inside each. I love the idea of wildness inside the controlled lines,” she observes.

In April, Ross will be part of a show at the Evanston Art Center, Artists Voice, with Art Makers North, a group of seasoned North Shore artists.

“There’s space for everyone,” says Ross. “Our work could all be saying something different but it’s cohesive when hung in a gallery together. I love hearing what speaks to people and why. Being an artist can be isolating, so I appreciate being able to meet other artists and talk about the challenges and opportunities with our work.”

Recently, Ross found inspiration for a piece from an artist friend. They’d been chatting for hours when Ross said, “I have so many questions.” Her friend’s response? “That should be your next painting.” Thus, Ross created a new work named I Have So Many Questions. Not surprisingly, Ross describes the painting’s buyer as “very inquisitive.” “It resonated with them for that reason,” she explains.

As Ross looks toward her artistic future, it is one in which she hopes to host more solo shows while continuing to work with interior designers on commissions for their clients and making an impact—however big or small—with her paintings while continuing to grow as an artist.

“One of the things I’ve learned through my work is the most beautiful works I’ve made are imperfect,” says Ross. “The imperfection is the beauty. We live in a society that’s very perfection-oriented, and there’s something comforting about striving for imperfection. I try to remember—with everything in life—that things will be more beautiful if I let go of needing them to be a certain way.”

For more information, visit karenrossart.com or follow her @karenross4. Ross’ works will be highlighted at Highland Park’s Laughlin Gallery on March 16 for the opening of “Perfect Match.” For more information about the opening event, visit laughlingallery.com.

All the Old Patterns, Encaustic on Wood Panel, 36 x 36 inches

Over a lifetime of building wealth, it is easy to accumulate many assets in many places. Do you know where everything is, what everything is worth? If you don’t, you should. And if you want to, you can. We have the tools and experience to help you organize everything in a clear picture of you.

TRENDING THE DUCHESS

For BROOKE MILTON, the proverbial notion that “everything has a place” has been a lifelong belief. In fact, Milton jokes that she could have started an organizing business when she was 4 years old. Now, she’s trying to declutter the world one closet at a time. Known around the North Shore as “The Duchess of Declutter,” and in her inner circles as “The Duchess,” Milton has an enormous appetite for eradicating clutter. She is also a creative trifecta as, along with her organizing services, Milton also offers interior design and custom woodworking services (via “made by jbm” with her firefighter husband). Here is how this organizer extraordinaire stays on trend between projects.

EDITED BY MORGAN HOGERTY

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KATRINA WITTKAMP

STYLING BY THERESA DEMARIA HAIR & MAKEUP BY LEANNA ERNEST

ON HER NIGHTSTAND

“The Pinkalicious series is currently on my nightstand. At the moment, I’m well-versed in literature aimed at the 7-yearold reader.”

ON HER MOBILE

“If I’m not ordering storage supplies for a project, I’m learning about paint colors. There are so many shades of white and gray, and each one is characteristically unique. I spend a lot of time on Benjamin Moore’s website educating myself about trends, color families, and lighting influences.”

IN HER EARBUDS

“I love rock with a good beat. Panic! At The Disco is at the top of my list. I love the energy and tempo of their songs. I don’t often turn on music when I’m working but when I do ‘Victorious’ and ‘Hallelujah’ are musts.”

Panic! At The Disco

Brooke Milton wearing ecru satin ALC jacket, alice + olivia blouse, vegan leather AS by DF pant, Neiman Marcus Northrbook

FUNCTIONAL DESIGN BECOMES COLLECTIBLE ART

Carpenters Workshop Gallery embraces the Midwest with a new focus on Chicago.

EDITED BY MORGAN HOGERTY PHOTOGRAPHY BY BENJAMIN BACCARANI, COURTESY OF CARPENTERS WORKSHOP GALLERY

Childhood friends Loïc Le Gaillard and Julien Lombrail founded Carpenters Workshop Gallery in 2006 when they noticed a gap in the market for art collectors. Realizing the quality of collectors’ furniture did not match that of the art on their walls, the friends decided to create a new category of art/design dubbing it “HAUT ARTISANAT SAVOIR FAIRE.” With galleries in Paris, New York, and Los Angeles, and a soon-to-open mega space at London’s Ladbroke Hall, Le Gaillard and Lombrail have now set their sights on the American Midwest market. The company will be participating in EXPO CHICAGO’s 10th-anniversary edition, and Chicago native and art advisor Betsy Beierle has joined Carpenters Workshop Gallery as a senior sales associate. Don’t miss their booth at EXPO—it is the place to see and be seen. carpentersworkshopgallery.com

The Who: Art and collectible design enthusiasts

The Where: EXPO CHICAGO located in the Festival Hall at historic Navy Pier

The Why: Carpenters Workshop Gallery, located at Booth 224, will feature contemporary artists from across its program—including DRIFT, Virgil Abloh, Ingrid Donat, and Steven Haulenbeek.

The When: April 13 to April 16

The Wearing: Art World Chic—all black and very comfortable footwear

Carpenters Workshop Gallery founders Loïc Le Gaillard and Julien Lombrail

THIS IS NOT YOUR KID’S BACKYARD TREE HOUSE.

Rare is the resort that can boast impeccable architectural design, unmatched privacy and world-class amenities. Rarer still, one that provides all this and a nonstop parade of Montana’s finest wildlife just beyond your window. But that’s the promise of each and every Haus at the green o. Exquisitely designed with floor-to-ceiling views and materials in perfect sync with your surroundings, you’ll discover out here, the line between where nature ends and luxury begins is very fine indeed. Please join us.

thegreeno.com I Greenough, Montana I 877-959-2848

FOOD & TRAVEL

FIRST CLASS DINING AND TRAVEL EXPERIENCES

DIVINE DESIGN

FROM SOPHIA STEAK’S HEARTY MENU TO THE MAGIC OF MARRAKECH, HERE IS A TASTE OF EXQUISITE CUISINE AND LUXURIOUS TRAVEL

View of The Oberoi, Marrakech grand canal

SOPHIA STEAK LAKE FOREST: GOOD HISTORY BEARS REPEATING

WORDS

AND PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY

BY MONICA KASS ROGERS INTERIORS AND FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF BALLYHOO HOSPITALITY

The paths restaurateurs follow as they create destinations for the dining public weave from city to suburb, township to village. But the aim is always the same: to shape places that draw and satisfy local clientele. That Ryan O’Donnell and Glenn Keefer’s path has led them to open not just one, but two Sophia Steak restaurants on the North Shore is lucky happenstance for everyone here.

First, some history: O’Donnell met his wife, Anna, when the two were working for Keefer at his fabled steakhouse, Keefer’s, in Chicago in the ‘00s. The O’Donnells went on to open their own Chicago restaurants (Gemini, Rustic House, and Coda di Volpe [with Billy Lawless]), before founding Ballyhoo Hospitality in 2018 and opening their first concept under that umbrella, Lincoln Park’s Old Pueblo Cantina, in 2019.

Illuminated Umbria quartz bar

“We always had steakhouses on our minds,” says O’Donnell. “And we felt there was a need for a great steakhouse on the North Shore where we live [Wilmette]. We started talking with Glenn, who also lives here [Northfield], about partnering on this a few years ago.”

Those conversations came to fruition with the May 2020 opening of Sophia Steak in Wilmette. When that restaurant met with success, the Keefer-O’Donnell team added the Lake Forest iteration last October.

Like Sophia Steak Wilmette, the ambiance at Sophia Steak Lake Forest is warm and the atmosphere convivial—upscale, without fine dining constraints. Visually, the deep shade of teal that cloaks much of Sophia’s main dining room glows, softly lit and brightened by an eclectic assemblage of artwork curated by Christina Keefer. Large cushioned booths, curled like tan seashells under an uplit cove of recessed lighting, anchor the restaurant’s dining room. But the real eye candy is the illuminated Umbria quartz bar back, visible from the restaurant through a floor-toceiling latticed wall of clear, wavy glass.

The easy-to-navigate menu has prime steaks up top. There’s a 32-ounce Porterhouse or 34-ounce Tomahawk ribeye dry aged for 45 days. Each of these options serves two (a la carte or as a fixedprice full-meal with a $45 upcharge.) Wet-aged steaks range from the 8-ounce Black Angus filet to the 16-ounce prime Cowgirl ribeye. Known as sticklers for quality (Keefer developed an industry reputation for checking and weighing each steak before accepting a delivery), the culinary team keeps the bar high. That extends to affordably flavorful butcher cuts, such as the prime flat iron steak that I ordered “Sophia Style.” Peppercorn-crusted and topped

with roasted mushrooms and cognac cream, the 10-ounce filet was as juicy as my husband’s 16-ounce prime Delmonico ribeye, which came with a tangy, house-made steak sauce.

Side dishes of white cheddar potato gratin (very like a french potato pavé) and saba-glazed Brussels sprouts and roasted butternut squash medley with pepitas and chili flecks for crunch and spice, were good accompaniments to the meat.

A selection of Sophia Steak menu items

Sophia’s also aims high with its seafood. Pairing Keefer’s sourcing expertise (he once fished commercially) with the culinary leadership of O’Donnell and Chef Todd Stein, fish dishes hold their own next to the steaks. The miso-glazed salmon we ordered was cooked to my preference (I like it almost rare), not overwhelmed by the miso glaze, and shored up with a confetti of ginger-jasmine rice. Had it been a Friday, we would have ordered the weekly Dover sole special. On his tableside rounds, Keefer told us that Sophia’s has a vendor who takes delivery of the restaurant’s Dover sole directly from Europe, making the fish pristinely fresh.

The appetizer offerings are good examples of Ballyhoo’s aim to modernize steakhouse options. The Crispy Lobster & Shishitos—dippable morsels sheathed in a light crust and served with lemon aioli—were perfectly rendered, with not a hint of greasiness. An underlay of garlic chips was a pleasantly unexpected extra. A second appetizer of Yellowfin Tuna Tartar, pressed with avocado and mango and served with wonton chips, was also very good.

Not wanting to miss the chance to try Sophia’s fabled maple bacon—which also comes on its own as an appetizer—we ordered the Baby Iceberg Wedge salad,

topped with squares of the smoky, not-too-sweet, cured pork belly, buttermilk ranch dressing, and shaved blue cheese. Pickled red onion and marinated tomato cut the richness.

Accompanying all, we shared a bottle of Viña Cobos Bramare 2019, a malbec from the Uco Valley in Mendoza, Argentina, which was fresh, full of black fruit aromas, and not too tannic, making it work well throughout the meal. If we had cozied in the bar area before dinner, we’d have tried Sophia’s best-selling cocktail—The Fort Sheridan Old Fashioned.

A slice of Buck Russell’s Chocolate Cake—baked at another new Ballyhoo North Shore operation, Buck Russell’s Bakery and Sandwich Shop in Wilmette—was our finisher. This decadent cake showcases chocolate in three ways with creamy chocolate mousse slathered between tender-crumbed layers that are cloaked in chocolate buttercream and finished with crème anglaise and raspberry coulis.

O’Donnell and Keefer say they are proud that Ballyhoo’s first entry into the North Shore dining scene was a steakhouse, bringing them full circle to their first associations. With Sophia Steak Lake Forest, good history repeats itself deliciously.

For more information, visit sophiasteak.com.

Glenn Keefer

View from the bar dining area into the dining room

8oz Black Angus Filet Sophia Style

“I chose Annie because of her professionalism and track record for helping her clients both through the negotiation process but also for her reputation for going above and beyond what is needed throughout the entire process. Bringing flowers, lightbulbs, anything to help out with the open houses and staging. We had the most wonderful experience with The Flanagan Group.”

“Maddie was so knowledgable and understanding throughout our whole home buying process. She really knew exactly what we wanted. Annie is an absolute pro and together they make such a great team! The whole experience was totally seamless. Highly recommend!”

“The process of working with the Flanagan Group was flawless. For a first time home buyer I had a lot of questions and uncertainty around the what was expected of me and what to look for. The Flanagan Group helped to shepherd me through my questions and anticipate my needs. 10/10 would recommend them to all my friends and family.”

Garasi

ASIAN. SUSHI. BOWLS. ENTREES.

AN ANCIENT CITY’S ALLURE

A recent visit to Marrakech revealed wildly different experiences from exploring the labyrinthian souk in bustling Medina to luxuriating at a tranquil five-star resort nestled in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains.

WORDS BY DUSTIN O’REGAN

Ihave always dreamed of visiting Marrakech, a former imperial city founded almost 1,000 years ago. It is a place where Arabic and French words dance in your ears, and the culture is a confluence of Berber, Islamic, and European traditions.

Marrakech’s captivating charm has long enchanted the world’s greats. As Edith Wharton noted, “To visit Morocco is like turning the pages of some illuminated Persian manuscript.” Equally enamored, Winston Churchill pronounced to Franklin Roosevelt that Marrakech, “is the most lovely spot in the whole world.”

The “ochre city”—nicknamed for its red sandstone buildings—today is a major economic center home to mosques, palaces, gardens, and glorious architecture. While we expected the intensity of the crowded city, we were pleasantly surprised by the tranquility of our resort—The Oberoi, Marrakech. The juxtaposition of these two experiences made for a unique adventure in this ancient North African city. Let’s begin with an exploration of the energetic metropolis.

The Oberoi, Marrakech patio and grand canal view

THE CITY

On our first full day in Marrakech, we set off with our Abercrombie & Kent guide, Samir, and our driver in a luxury vehicle. We zipped through the Marrakech streets as motorcycles (some bearing ladders or piled high with cement bags) careened by and pedestrians haphazardly crossed the lanes—behind the wheel or on foot, none heeded the rules of the road.

We began at the Majorelle Gardens. Originally designed in 1924 by French artist Jacques Majorelle, the garden is a tropical paradise surrounded by cobalt blue buildings, lily-covered and fish-filled ponds, and an assortment of enormous cacti. The Berber Museum, which tells the tales of North Africa’s most ancient people, is fittingly found at the heart of this urban oasis.

The Yves Saint Laurent Museum, conveniently located next door to the Majorelle Gardens, was our next destination. Here, we perused the designer’s most precious designs and learned how Marrakech influenced his collections. As Yves Saint Laurent observed until his visits to this vibrant city taught him the power of color, “everything was black.”

Next stop, the walled medieval city of Medina. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is home to the “souk,” Morocco’s largest traditional market where we found a bewildering array of stalls and ateliers devoted to specific crafts. The dark and smoky blacksmith quarter, where a cacophony of hammers echoed and sparks danced in the air, was especially mesmerizing.

In search of the renowned Argan oil, we wound our way through the honeycomb of stalls illuminated by a gold-

en light piercing through the planked roofs. The stalls contained every good imaginable from stacks of traditional Berber carpets and plaster carvings to piles of brightly colored clothing and equally vivid spices to an elaborate display of olives. After our guide introduced us to a reputable herboriste, we purchased bottles of the oil, an indigenous treasure, along with a few other elixirs promising eternal youth. After hours of souk-scouring, we took a break for lunch at Café Arabe—a lovely restaurant occupying a former riad, a traditional Moroccan house with an interior courtyard.

Once sated, we set off to explore several of Morocco’s most architecturally significant sites. When I first saw the exteriors of these buildings, I was surprised by their austerity. Samir explained that Islamic architecture resembles a geode—appearing nondescript on the outside but concealing jewels on the inside.

We began at the Bahia Palace, which with its ornate mosaics, delicately carved stucco and stunning Grand Courtyard is a remarkable example of Arab-Andalusian architecture. Dar El Bacha was our second stop and our favorite of the architectural tour. This extraordinary palace was the former residence of Thami El Glaoui, who ruled Marrakech for more than 40 years and was legendary for hosting lavish affairs for famous guests like Winston Churchill. Ben Youssef Madrasa is a stunning structure and was once the largest Islamic college in Morocco housing as many as 800 students learning Islamic jurisprudence, literature, science, and history. Today, it is a historical site with tourists rather than students wandering the hallways and dormitories.

Marjorelle Gardens. Photography by Balate Dorin

Koutoubia Mosque.

Photography by Nataly Nete

Souks in the Medina

FIRST CLASS

Leaving the former center for learning, we ventured into the Jewish Quarter called “Mellah.” The quarter’s name, the Arabic word for salt, pays tribute to the fact that many of the early Jewish residents were salt sellers. Historically salt was an important and precious commodity. In ancient times, sub-Saharan Moorish merchants traded one ounce of salt for one ounce of gold. A visit to the Salat el Alzama Synagogue, also known as the “Blue Synagogue,” and the Miaara Jewish Cemetery rounded out our exploration of the Jewish community’s long history in Marrakech. We ended our city tour at Jemaa El Fna, the city’s main square where we found snake charmers, horse-drawn carriages, street artists, food stalls, and an assortment of goods for sale—a veritable symphony of sounds and smells. A glimpse of the famed Koutoubia Mosque, a symbol of the city with its 12th-century Moorish minaret visible for miles, was the perfect end to our exciting day. As we drove back to our hotel, we watched the minaret fade into the distance and grew excited for the peace that awaited us at the resort.

THE OBEROI, MARRAKECH

Located 25 minutes from the city center is The Oberoi, Marrakech, a 25-acre oasis at the foothills of the Atlas Mountains. Upon our arrival, an attendant dressed in a traditional Moroccan velvet selham (tunic) greeted us with his hand on his heart—a signature gesture of the Oberoi brand. The company’s motto “the guest is everything”

is a sentiment woven into every aspect of the resort experience. Beyond the unassuming ochre exterior lay an expansive courtyard dotted with decorative trees and at its center, a vast pool of water. At the courtyard’s far end, massive handcrafted wooden doors opened to reveal a sanctuary of design inspired by the traditional Moroccan and Andalusian architectural styles used in 14th-century grand palaces. The elements included intricately carved, soaring wood ceilings, wall mosaics composed of zellige tiles in vibrant colors and geometric designs, and towering panels of sculpted plasterwork subtly adorned with Arabic phrases such as “El Afia El Bakia” meaning “eternal health.” No surface is left untouched or unadorned.

We exited the main building via a beautiful marble corridor where a series of lanterns swayed under exquisitely carved marble arches illuminating the gleaming marble floors. En route to our private villa, we could see the Atlas Mountains in the distance. Our route took us along the resort’s “grand canal,” a scent-filled pathway filled with jasmine hedges and rosemary bushes. Scents from the acres of citrus and olive groves and the lavender field on the property further perfumed the air.

Passing under a canopy of olive branches, we found our private villa tucked in an exotic garden of flowers and palm trees. The villa matched the main building in elegance—an intricately patterned stone floor and carved cedarwood dome graced the entrance hall. The massive bedroom opened to a living/dining area that spilled into a private landscaped garden where bougainvillea trellises, lemon trees, and rosemary bushes surrounded our own pool. The bathing quarters (they are so much more than a “bathroom”) contained a large shower with a floor-to-ceiling glass door, which opened onto the courtyard for an open-air bathing experience. Birdsong and light breezes definitely elevated this morning ritual.

The Oberoi, Marrakech has three beautiful restaurants offering highly curated dishes created by the hotel’s talented chefs using the finest seasonal ingredients sourced from the Moroccan terroir. One “tree-to-table” ingredient is the cold-pressed unrefined olive oil produced from olives harvested from the property’s 2,500 olive trees.

We began our days with breakfast at Tamimt on a terrace overlooking the cypress tree and white rose-lined grand canal. In Berber, “tamimt” means “delight” and the eatery lived up to

The Oberoi, Marrakech main pool

The Oberoi, Marrakech patio details

its moniker in every aspect—cuisine, service, and ambiance. The morning buffet was beyond measure and even included a tower of every imaginable kind of honey (think orange blossom, jujube, and eucalyptus). The honey was best sampled with croissants and pastries, their delicate layers adding to the sinful pleasure of each bite.

Dinner on Tamimt’s terrace was equally delightful. The view of the sun disappearing into the horizon and the moon moving across the backdrop of mountain peaks was the sublime end to every meal.

Siniman was another favorite for dinner. As “siniman” means the souls of the father and the mother in Berber, the restaurant’s rich fabrics, marble, zellige tiles, elaborately carved wood, and immense glowing fireplace invoke a cozy, warm feeling. Some nights we chose to dine under a blanket of stars and tables in the courtyard provided the perfect spot. I had so many favorites here but the selection of Moroccan salads—a visual delight, unlike any American salad—really stood out. For the main course, we ordered a Seabass Chermoula tagine with sweet bell peppers, tomatoes, and saffron potatoes. Lifting the lid of the earthenware pot released a deliciously heady scent and revealed a presentation as brilliant as the flavors.

Between all our delicious meals, we indulged in the resort’s many activities. In fact, there was such an array of activities that we only left the resort compound once venturing to the Agafay Desert for an evening of camel riding and dinner in a Bedouin tent at The White Camel Camp. Back at The Oberoi, Marrakech our lesson in the art of falconry from a member of Morocco’s indigenous Kwassem tribe was a cultural delight. Following our falconry lesson, we discovered a palm-encircled pool with two floating pool decks at the center

of the property’s olive grove. The bright tangerine towels dotting the pool area’s numerous day beds, chaise lounges, and hammocks contrasted beautifully with the pool’s lapis blue tile. Is it any wonder lounging poolside became a favorite activity?

One afternoon we swapped our pool lounges for massage tables at the Oberoi Spa, a serene oasis located on a small lake surrounded by orchards. Its location is highly symbolic because Islamic culture esteems water as a means of spiritual cleansing. Thus, as guests cross the lake to enter the spa, they figuratively leave the outside world behind and embark on a unique journey to well-being. In addition to soothing treatment rooms, lightfilled yoga studios, and a full workout facility, the spa contains an indoor pool and an interior maze garden. The resort’s signature wellness program, SAHA, offers a wide range of fitness options from morning runs with a fitness coach to cardio boxing. SAHA, named after the Arabic word for “health,” is a testament to The Oberoi, Marrakech’s commitment to making every moment of a guest’s visit healthier and more fulfilling.

As we made our way back to our villa from the spa, the sound of the Adhan, the Islamic call to prayer, echoed through the air. The soothing chant, which sounded five times a day from a nearby mosque, was a grand reminder that we were steeped in another culture in a faraway land.

Seeking a unique exploration of a country’s culture? Hoping to experience both the fervor of a bustling city and the tranquility of a world-class resort? Marrakech is your destination. Book a tour with Abercrombie & Kent to uncover the secrets of this ancient city and stay at The Oberoi, Marrakech where you will receive a heartfelt welcome in a magnificent setting.

For more information about Abercrombie & Kent tours, visit abercrombiekent.com. For more information about The Oberoi, Marrakech visit oberoihotels.com. For more information about The White Camel Camp, visit whitecamel.ma.

Deluxe villa with a private pool

The Oberoi, Marrakech lobby

GLENCOE, IL | $3,100,000

Pam McClamroch 847.772.4211 pam.mcclamroch@cbexchange.com

CHICAGO, IL | $2,350,000 Lily Hosseini 847.644.6674 lily.hosseini@cbexchange.com

GLENVIEW, IL | $2,150,000 Pam McClamroch 847.772.4211 James McClamroch 847.530.5741 pam.mcclamroch@cbexchange.com

LAKE FOREST, IL | $1,750,000

Suzanne Myers 847.421.4635 suzanne.myers@cbexchange.com

LAKE FOREST, IL | $1,599,000 Suzanne Myers 847.421.4635 suzanne.myers@cbexchange.com

NORTHBROOK, IL | Price Upon Request Susan Levinson 847.601.4994 susan.levinson@cbexchange.com

LAKE FOREST, IL | $1,199,999

Laura Henderson 708.997.7778

laura.henderson@cbexchange.com

NORTHBROOK, IL | Price Upon Request Rosalie Lemperis 773.802.1408 rosalie.lemperis@cbexchange.com

NORTHFIELD, IL | Price Upon Request Dinny Dwyer 847.217.5146 dinny.dwyer@cbexchange.com

GLENVIEW, IL | $850,000 Beverly & Marshall Fleischman 847.217.0494 beverly.fleischman@cbexchange.com

LIBERTYVILLE, IL | Price Upon Request Shelley Hu 847.877.7138 Shelley7@gmail.com

NORTHBROOK, IL | $799,000

Marsha Schwartz 847.217.9599 marsha.schwartz@cbexchange.com

ROOM WITH A VIEW SCHUSS!

Tucked in the Alp-hugging village of Zermatt, The Omnia offers design-conscious travelers a Swiss treat.

WORDS BY THOMAS CONNORS / PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF THE OMNIA

The Omnia

ROOM WITH A VIEW

Ski lodges. In the American West, they tend to be big, timbered affairs with massive stone fireplaces. In Europe, the classic chalet rules. In the wildly popular Zermatt, Switzerland, most chalets sport wooden shutters and overflowing flower boxes. All very gemütlich. Things look a bit different at The Omnia.

A boutique property nestled in the shadow of the Matterhorn, the 30-room inn was designed by the late, New York-based Turkish architect, Ali Tayar. The property is the passion project of Swiss businessman Alexander Schaerer, Chairman of the Board of USM, a manufacturing business begun by his great-grandfather in 1885. While the firm began as a hinge manufacturer, Schaerer’s father, Paul, transformed the business in the ‘60s when it began producing a modular steel shelving and storage system. Dubbed the USM Haller, the system can be found in businesses across the world from Parisian banks to Japanese hospitals to St. Tropez yacht clubs. In 2001, in recognition of its unique flexibility and durability, the USM Haller was included in the New York Museum of Modern Art’s collection.

That system—very Bauhaus-looking—is used throughout The Omnia, and while there’s a certain sense of precision about the property (this is Switzerland, after all), there’s nothing hard and machine-like about it. While Tayar embraced an industrial aesthetic, with motifs and materials repeating in the various pieces he designed for the hotel, he combined this very economical and production-oriented approach with a distinctively welcoming sense of style. Neither mid-century derivative nor hard-edged

contemporary, Tayar’s interiors are a wonderfully satisfying merger of comfort and function.

Residentially scaled, The Omnia is intimate, but not cozy in the usual sense of the word. Wood and stone are used throughout but when it comes to upholstery and carpeting, shades of black, white, and gray rule. The living room-like lobby is made up of an open sitting area with access to an expansive terrace and—separated by a two-sided fireplace—an intimate library, wrapped in tall bookcases and comfortably outfitted with a long banquette. Steps away is a cocoon-like bar, tailor-made for après ski conversation.

The cool sophistication of the public spaces carries over into the guest rooms, where the same shapes, colors, and materials perform equally well. Crisp and uncluttered, the accommodations combine a shipshape, everything-in-its-place order, with sensuous touches—a curvaceous chaise longue that hovers over the floor on a transparent base, sliding doors in inky blue lacquer, and deep wooden soaking tubs elevated on plinths.

If the experience of healthfulness could be translated into tables, chairs, and the like, that’s The Omnia effect. Of course, well-being isn’t purely metaphorical here. Yoga, Pilates, and massage are on the menu—as well as an indoor/outdoor swimming pool, Finnish sauna, and Turkish bath. And when it comes to dining, the offerings are as thoroughly composed—nutritionally and visually—as every other aspect of the property. The menu—created by Executive Chef Tony Rudolph—is vegetarian-driven but at a scale of sophistication that many carnivores find they don’t mind the absence of an animal protein on their plate. Staying true to The Omnia’s commitment to service, those who must have meat are deliciously accommodated.

With over 186 miles of marked runs, 70 lifts, and dozens of peaks soaring to 13,000 feet, Zermatt is a skier’s paradise. But you don’t have to be sportif to enjoy a visit here. A leisurely stroll along the Vispa River will lead you out of town and past fields and meadows offering an unobstructed view of the Matterhorn. The village itself is impossibly picturesque and carless—except for the toy-like little buses that scoot about, fetching visitors at the train station and delivering them to the inns and chalets that sit cheek by jowl in the cradle of the mountains. Designed for lazy strolling and shopping—not to mention people watching from the restaurant terraces—Zermatt is one of those places where only a fool would fail to sit back, breathe deep, and count himself lucky.

For more information, visit the-omnia.com.

The Omnia restaurant

Jacuzzi

HOUSE & HOME

THE DESIGN OF MODERN TIMES

Custom made dining chairs from Portugal, a Baker dining table, and pendant from Palacek outfit the dining room of a Glencoe mid-century gem featured in Home Tour. The property was modernized for a young family by Brianne Bishop Design. Photography by Anthony Tahlier

PAST PERFECTED

A mid-century Glencoe marvel is modernized by Brianne Bishop Design.

WORDS BY ROCHELLE NEWMAN RUBINOFF / PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANTHONY TAHLIER

View into the living room with a newly upholstered vintage Kagan sofa and vintage chairs. Christian Nyberg sculpture can be seen in the background.

HOME TOUR

Adrive through the Village of Glencoe provides a veritable masterclass in architectural styles. A short trip will take you past stately mansions by Howard Van Doren Shaw, low-slung modernist masterpieces by Keck & Keck, and a humble cottage by Frank Lloyd Wright.

This vaunted architectural pedigree, however, has been undermined by a string of recent teardowns. Mid-century modern homes are at particular risk and have been listed on Landmarks Illinois “Most Endangered Historic Places” since 2015.

A mid-century Glencoe brick ranch, designed by noted Chicago architect Irving Bryon Moses in 1972 for a seafood company executive and his family, could have been demolished like the Keck & Keck-designed house on Glencoe’s Lapier Street or the house on Glencoe’s Sunrise Circle designed by famed Water Tower Place architect, Edward Dart. Instead, Brianne Bishop of Brianne Bishop Design reimagined this architectural gem for a young 21st-century family. The project’s excellence was recognized when Bishop won first place for the ASID (American Society of Interior Design) Design Excellence Award for “Best Residence over 3,000 Square Feet.”

“I’m a big architectural history buff,” says Bishop, who was thrilled to learn that Moses, listed as a “Notable Architect” by Marquis Who’s Who, had designed and built the house.

Unlike many buyers who are only looking for great land opportunities, Bishop says her clients never considered knocking down the property and starting over. “They absolutely fell in love with the architecture, character, and history of the house.”

This seems to have had an impact on the sellers. “There were a lot of people who wanted to buy the property because of its proximity to the lake and town and then tear it down. We feel that one of the reasons they sold to us was because we wrote a letter and let them know that we wanted to preserve the house,” explains the home’s new owner.

Bishop and the owners have a long-standing relationship. “By the time you work with the same client for the fourth or fifth time, they’re basically like family.”

The owners, Alexis and Catherine Pinkham Berger, couldn’t be happier with the renovations, which were carried out by general contractor Juniper Construction & Design.

View of the kitchen and family room where a brick wall was removed to combine the rooms into an open layout. Sofa from Montauk and chairs from Bernhardt.

View into the custom designed kitchen by Brianne Bishop Design featuring wood grain cabinetry, quartzite countertops, and a plaster hood.

HOME TOUR

“We wanted to modernize the house but we also wanted to preserve its integrity,” Alexis says. “Brianne did a wonderful job of balancing. She not only has impeccable taste, she understands the needs and dynamics of family life.” Catherine and Alexis currently have a toddler, Meyer, and a baby on the way, so Bishop’s ability to accommodate them at each phase of their lives has been of paramount importance.

One of the first projects was to stain the wood beam ceilings. “They were pickled, which came across as peachy and clashed with the brick,” Bishop explains. “It took a little convincing but using inspirational images we got the clients on board to go dark on the ceiling.”

When the owners purchased the house, bricks covered the large front entrance windows. “There was just a little clerestory window at the top,” Bishop explains. “We wanted floor-toceiling windows to reflect the architect’s original intent.” This

change creates a warm feeling the moment you enter the home. Preserving the bones of the house required quite a bit of work and the help of Downey Szafarz Architects. “We completely moved the locations of everything. However, as it is an all-brick masonry house, there were very set walls that we had to work within,” Bishop notes. “In the new layout, the primary bedroom occupies the space of the former primary bathroom and the old dining room is now the kitchen. We moved the laundry room across the house and added a mudroom.”

“Our favorite part of the home is the all-season room,” Catherine says. “We put heaters in the ceiling and it’s a fun place to sit and gather with family and friends.”

Catherine and Alexis are grateful for how everything evolved. “It’s just a very warm and inviting home,” Alexis says. “And that is what we want people to feel when they walk into it.” For Bishop, the project was “an absolute dream come true because I was able to respect the architecture, restore, preserve, and honor it but then completely modernize it for daily living.” Indeed, Bishop’s renovations have not only maintained the home’s pedigree but have performed the rare feat of perfecting the past.

For more information about Brianne Bishop Design, visit briannebishopdesign.com.

Primary bedroom with a custom design wood wall and pendants from Gabriel Scott.

Powder room with Patagonia granite with an integrated sink by Terrazzo and Marble Supply and a vintage mirror.

YOUR HOME, YOUR WAY, INSIDE & OUT

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ONZEG

Whether it be revamping a beloved but tired living room couch or finding fun accent pillows for a new patio sectional or outfitting those great room windows with draperies, tackling “dream home” projects can be daunting. However, if there’s one thing everyone can agree on in the post-COVID world, it’s that being comfortable in your home should never be taken for granted.

For 35 years, North Shore residents have turned to Loomcraft to help bring their design dreams to life. In this one-stop Vernon Hills design shop, customers can find thousands of indoor and outdoor fabric selections. Whether the project calls for an ultra-high-performance fabric, a classic velvet, a bold boucle, a chenille, a faux suede, or natural cotton, all these amazing choices come with designer-direct prices.

“Our Dorell Private Label develops an abundance of new products each year and many of the items at Loomcraft cannot be found anywhere else in the country,” notes Loomcraft manager Shelia Chapley.

Prefer to shop from home? Loomcraft staff can bring their

expertise to you. They will come to your home with gorgeous, high-performance fabric swatches and help you pick out just the right color and pattern for your project. Every imaginable element—from window treatments to bedding, from sofas to slipcovers—can be custom designed from the comfort of your own living room.

“Call us anytime at 847-680-1119 or email vhstore@loomcraft.com and we will help make your dream home a reality. We are open six days a week for home appointments, in-store appointments, and walk-ins,” says Chapley.

“Whether you are an experienced interior designer or looking to decorate your home for the first time, Loomcraft is the North Shore’s must-stop-shop before tackling any home decor project. Our staff is trained and excited to help you create the home of your dreams without breaking the bank,” explains Chapley.

Loomcraft Fabric Outlet is located at 645 Lakeview Parkway in Vernon Hills, right near the Vernon Hills Police Department and Portillo’s. For more information, visit thefabricoutlet.com.

Have the urge to refresh your indoor and outdoor spaces? From your own design inspiration to professionals who can offer expert advice, measurement, and installation, 2023 brings focus back to the home.

01 Ginori x Luke Edward Hall, ginori1735.com 02 Riviera Oval Cocktail Table, Jonathan Adler Chicago, 312-274-9920 03 Flavor Paper Laced in Brilliant on White, flavorpaper.com 04 Anthropologie x Amber Lewis Collection Bedding, Anthropologie Old Orchard, 847-673-0721 05 Annie Selke Ojai Loom Knotted Cotton Rug, annieselke.com 06 Scalloped Placemat, fetehome.com 07 White and Gold Ginger Jar Set, Williams-Sonoma Old Orchard 847-933-9803 08 Lulu & Georgia Scalloped Placement, luluandgeorgia.com 09 Ruggable Verena Rug, ruggable.com 10 Paloma & Co. Hydrangea Plate, shoppalomaandco.com

11 Hourglass Rattan Side Table, abchome.com 12 Ginori x Luke Edward Hall Candle, ginori1735.com

13 Anthropologie x Amber Lewis Collection, Anthropologie Old Orchard, 847-673-0721

14 Our Place Always Pan in Rosa, Nordstrom Old Orchard, 847-677-2121

15 Soho Home Lamp, sohohome.com

16 Lulu & Georgia Tamra Pillow, luluandgeorgia.com 17 Lulu & Georgia Pendant, luluandgeorgia.com

18 Tempaper & Co. Daisies Wallpaper, tempaper.com 19 Flavor Paper Wythe Toile Flat Finbourn, flavorpaper.com 20 Ginori x Luke Edward Hall Dishware, ginori1735.com 21 Anthropologie x Amber Lewis Collection Bathroom, Anthropologie Old Orchard, 847-673-0721

22 Rattan Sunshade Table Lamp, abchome.com 23 Bonaparte Chair, Jonathan Adler Chicago, 312-274-9920 24 Chinoiserie Ceramic Coasters with Holder, Williams-Sonoma Old Orchard 847-933-9803 25 Backgammon Set, Hermès Chicago, 312-787-8175 26 Ruggable Inkdrop Rug, ruggable.com

FIRST EVER FEMALE-DEVELOPED SHOW HOUSE IN WILMETTE

TRANSFORMING A HOME INTO AN EXPERIENCE

Explore this interactive residence conceived by award-winning designer, Emily Mackie. Stunning spaces crafted for optimal living in today’s modern world. Featuring numerous designers and manufacurers launching NEW designs and product solutions. Explore the immersive spaces that will delight you with imaginative details , surprising elements, and meaningful function.

Explore this interactive residence conceived by award-winning designer, Emily Mackie. Stunning spaces crafted for optimal living in today’s modern world. Featuring numerous designers and manufacturers launching NEW designs, products and solutions. Discover the immersive spaces that will delight you with imaginative details , surprising elements, and meaningful function. Beneneifting The House That She Built in partnership with the Home Builders Institute, to educate, train and support women and minorities in the construction industry trades.

The ar T of living

SPRING 2023 | 1760 Washington Avenue, Wilmette, IL Book

Laura Lester wearing Comme des Garçons black pant with skirt overlay and Balenciaga black tulle sleeveless top, Neiman Marcus. Lester was photographed in the home of an iconic collector who Lester met early in her career. The collector has been active for more than 50 years and is an inspiration both to Lester and her clients.

PICTURE THIS

art advisor Laura Lester helps clients form

WORDS BY THOMAS CONNORS / PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARIA PONCE STYLING BY THERESA DEMARIA / HAIR & MAKEUP BY LEANNA ERNEST

Like book publishing, art dealing was long considered a gentlemanly profession, a kind of closed circle, open to a sophisticated elite. Today, selling art—whether through dealers or auction houses—has become an international industry and navigating it takes know-how. For collectors, having an art advisor is as key as retaining a trusted attorney and a top-notch accountant. The best advisors combine an aesthetic fluency and a solid business sense with an appreciation of both the art of art and its status as an asset class.

Wilmette’s Laura Lester has spent her career appreciating art and its fiscal appreciation. An undergraduate degree in Art History from Indiana University Bloomington and a Master’s degree in Modern Art, Connoisseurship, and the History of the Art Market from Christie’s Education, plus stints as director at two of the country’s leading galleries—Kasmin Gallery in New York and Richard Gray Gallery in Chicago and New York—more than prepared her to establish Lester Fine Art LLC, a full-service art advisory specializing in modern, post-war, and contemporary art.

Lester began her career at New York’s Gagosian Gallery, a behemoth in the modern and contemporary market, with multiple exhibition spaces in New York, Paris, and London, as well as outlets in Beverly Hills, Basel, Rome, Athens, Geneva, and Hong

Kong. “I had a wonderful experience there for nearly four years,” says Lester. “I learned so much about how dealers, collectors, advisors, and artists work together.”

She continued to hone her skills as a specialist at Christie’s New York. “I gravitated to an auction house for my next role because I wanted and needed more exposure to artworks as objects,” she explains. “As a cataloguer in the Post-War & Contemporary Art Department at Christie’s, I learned how to rigorously assess an artwork to evaluate condition, how to comb the back of paintings for labels, conduct thorough research, construct a provenance, and determine authenticity. Together, my first two jobs constituted an incredible foundation for a career as an advisor.”

In her next role as director at Kasmin Gallery, Lester worked closely with art advisors and began to see herself in such a role. “I loved that they had these special relationships with their collectors, guiding them to follow their passions, and building something that brings them daily happiness and intellectual fulfillment,” she recalls.

Like any art advisory worth its salt, Lester Fine Art provides expertise in vetting artworks, negotiating terms, and managing post-sale logistics, such as framing, delivery, and installation. The business is built on the relationships Lester has formed with collectors, curators, artists, galleries, and institutions and the belief

Laura Lester of Lester Fine Art LLC

Armed with a keen eye and business savvy,

meaningful collections.

that, while an eye on investment potential undergirds many a transaction, a fervor for art is fundamental. “Most of the collectors I am working with are buying for love and passion. While I ensure that the prices my collectors pay are fair and in line with the artist’s current market, purchasing art with the expectation that it will appreciate is always very speculative. It can be more secure when you are investing in long-established artists with prices well into seven figures, but the collectors I work with are generally not buying at that level.”

Ever since Van Gogh’s Irises sold for over $50 million in the 1980s, art and the prices fetched have become fascinating to the general public. Last year, an Andy Warhol portrait of Marilyn Monroe set a record for American art when it sold for $195 million. And while such sales gather massive media attention, much of the market operates at a much less heated level. Most of Lester’s clients, for example, are spending $10,000 to $300,000 and they are not buying to flip. Her clients, most of whom are in the Midwest, range from novices to veteran collectors. “Working locally allows me to provide a very high level of service,” says Lester. “I spend time with my clients in their homes and offices regularly, measuring walls, taking photographs for renderings, and getting to know their taste. I supervise deliveries and installations and hold their hands as much as they need. I am always available to hop on a plane at a moment’s notice to see a painting.”

Lester takes special pleasure in advising individuals new to collecting. “I absolutely love the opportunity to start from scratch with someone, to provide them exposure through visits to galleries, art fairs, and artists’ studios, or a weekend prospecting trip to New York or L.A. A visit to EXPO CHICAGO, the yearly highlight of Chicago’s art world, is a must.” But whether the client is a newbie or an old pro, Lester’s service remains the same. “My job is to expose individuals to a wide range of carefully vetted artists based on their preferences, budget, and collecting goals. I want each collection to be an authentic representation of the collector’s taste, and I want art to bring them joy.”

For more information, visit lesterfineart.com.

Takahashi yellow puffer coat, FROLOV tulle shirt, ikram

LESTER’S FAVORITE ARTISTS OF THE MOMENT

Anna Kunz The Pond, 2022, 60 x 66 inches, Acrylic on canvas Photography by Robert Chaise Heishman

Ethan Cook Emotions, 2021 Handwoven cotton and linen in artist’s frame, 76 x 95 in Courtesy of Nino Mier Gallery and the artist. Photography by Shark Senesac

Joel Mesler Untitled (Mom), 2022 Pigment on linen, 84 x 65 inches

Photography by Matt Grubs

Kathleen Ryan Generator V, 2022 Quartz crystal, silver-plated stainless steel cable, silver crimps, steel, Buick Electra hood, 68 x 61 x 10½ inches

Credit: © Kathleen Ryan. Courtesy of the artist and Karma

Alex Prager Coffee Bar, 2022 Archival pigment print, 59 x 80.64 inches, Edition of 6 Courtesy of the artist and Lehmann Maupin, New York, Hong Kong, Seoul, and London; in collaboration with Lavazza

NEW 12 UNIT CONDO BUILDING curate your home

1095 Kelmscott Way is a highly sought-after new luxury condominium building in downtown Lake Forest. This new development offers a rare and unique opportunity to customize a new condominium in a boutique twelve unit building with superior construction. Close to the heart of Market Square, the luxury condominiums will range in size from 3000sf to 4300sf and are set in an ideal location with thoughtful architecture and rich landscaping.

Call for pricing information.

For floorplans and additional information, please go to: 1095kelmscottway.com

Developer and Contractor - Altounian Construction

Exterior Architecture - Larry Booth of Booth Hansen

Interior Architecture - Peter Witmer of Witmer and Associates

Landscape Design - Mariani Landscape Architects

For questions please call:

Mobile: 847.650.9093 andra@atproperties.com

Mobile: 773.882.6194

susanamory@atproperties.com

ART CENTRIC

Abby Pucker continues a family tradition of dedication to the arts and accessibility.

WORDS BY LAURA LAYFER TREITMAN

Abby Pucker’s new Chicago-based initiatives, Gertie and Art in Common, are proof of the time-honored saying—the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Pucker, whose mother is a filmmaker and art collector and whose grandparents include a Boston art gallery owner and a Chicago philanthropist who commissioned a portrait by Andy Warhol, is continuing a family legacy of art appreciation and civic mindedness through two projects designed to establish more opportunities for Chicago’s artists and art enthusiasts.

“One of my greatest role models is my grandmother, Cindy Pritzker, who is almost 99, and though she never technically took

a salary for a job, she is largely responsible for the establishment of Millennium Park and the Harold Washington Library Center in its current iteration,” shares Pucker. Similarly, Pucker’s mother, Gigi Pritzker, is a strong influence and sounding board. Both women told Pucker to “go for it” when she contemplated launching these projects in her hometown. “I believe my grandmother said ‘pick yourself up, get out there, and just go get involved,’” laughs Pucker. “My mom said something similar in message, but really helped me to understand that it’s less important that everything fits into a preconceived notion of my personal narrative as things have a habit of making sense and falling into place.”

Gertie, a for-profit community platform where the culturally curious can gather and share artistic interests, was a bright idea

Abby Pucker in her Chicago apartment.

Photography by James Gustin, styling by Theresa DeMaria, hair & makeup by Leanna Ernest

Abby Pucker in her Chicago apartment.

Photography by James Gustin, styling by Theresa DeMaria, hair & makeup by Leanna Ernest

born out of the dark days of the COVID-19 pandemic. During that isolating time, Pucker struggled for alternative ways to connect with people and places. “I’m usually the one hosting dinner parties and gatherings, so much so that a friend refers to me as Gertrude Stein,” she says. Thus, “Gertie” is a nod to this late American writer and art collector whose weekly salons in her Paris apartment brought together an avant-garde set of literary, artistic, and musical figures of the early 20th century.

Gertie launched last fall with the publication of (A) Part: A Recipe Guide-Book to Chicago. Pucker, along with her co-producer Vic Wynter, reached out to more than 20 individuals working in the arts, tech, hospitality, music, and finance industries, each recognized for having made some impact on the arts and culture ecosystem in Chicago. “We asked each contributor to take us through their ‘recipe for a perfect day’ in Chicago; a day that leaves them full in their head, heart, and stomach,” recalls Pucker. The oneof-a-kind book, sold at Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art, Andersonville’s Women and Children First bookstore, and New York’s Gagosian gallery, is applicable to residents, newcomers, and tourists.

Another Gertie publication is an art-related community content-filled newsletter available to all website registrants. Gertie has also recently begun to offer neighborhood art tours and gallery walks with various dealers and curators. “The goal is for enthusiasts, young or old, students or professionals, to assemble into a multi-generational art club consisting of some fee-based events and others open free of charge—nobody will be excluded as this journey is focused on improving art access at every level in our city,” Pucker explains.

Pucker’s second endeavor, Art in Common, is a nonprofit organization working to create contemporary art experiences outside

of formal institutional settings. The concept stemmed from a chance meeting between Pucker and Los Angeles-based independent curator Zoe Lukov at Art Basel Miami Beach in 2021. “I was fascinated by how her group show, Skin In The Game, brought together so many different cultural components, mixed media, and performance art with more traditional fine art forms,” recalls Pucker. “I introduced myself and said, ‘I know you don’t know me, but what do you think about bringing this show to EXPO CHICAGO?’”

With a joint vision, innate trust, and only five months to plan, the pair were able to bring Skin In The Game, which featured works by 50 artists including Theaster Gates and Marilyn Minter, to a 20,000-square-foot industrial space in Fulton Market where 750 guests attended the launch party. Pucker and Lukov’s latest collaboration, Boil, Toil + Trouble, explores the themes of water and magic through the works of artists like Bruce Nauman and Marina Abramović. After wrapping up shows at Art Basel Miami and Frieze Los Angeles, Boil, Toil + Trouble will make its Midwest debut at EXPO CHICAGO.

The path that led to the creation of Gertie and Art in Common was a winding one that took Pucker far from home and then back again. This path is one peppered with artists and has been guided by Pucker’s desire to build bonds between these creatives and their audiences.

Pucker grew up in Lincoln Park in a house filled with Tibetan

Photography by Anita Posada Art in Common

Alison Blickle, Heaven/Hell Infinity Pools, 2022, Oil on canvas,40 x 30 inches. Photography by Anita Posada. Art in Common

Wangechi Mutu, Howl, 2006, Archival pigment print with screen printing, 42 x 30 1/2 inches. Photography by Anita Posada. Art in Common

art because her mother was an organizer of Chicago’s Tibetan Resettlement Project. Her grandfather, who owns Boston’s Pucker Gallery, represented multigenerational artists, some of whom joined the family for Passover seders. It was during these interactions with artists like painter Samuel Bak and ceramicist Brother Thomas Bezanson that Pucker observed “regardless of what side of the business you are on, it’s the human connection and conversation that brings so much of one’s art to life.” It is this reason why her own collection is largely made up of work by emerging artists whom she has met or knows. Pucker’s passion for contemporary art has recruited other fellow family enthusiasts. “My dad and I have really been able to deepen our relationship and build a strong bond over our interest in modern and contemporary art.”

Pucker’s high school experience at Walter Payton College Preparatory High School fostered a deep appreciation for Chicago’s many facets. “My teen years were when I really began learning about different neighborhoods and towns through the diverse group of friends I made at Payton,” notes Pucker. For college, she attended New York’s Columbia University graduating with a degree in Middle East, South Asian, and African Studies. She then spent several years between the East and West coasts pursuing an array of interests from a stint at Sotheby’s auction house to a post at United Talent Agency in Los Angeles. By the time she decided to return home permanently, Pucker had already temporarily relocated to Chicago to oversee the production of Nevermore Park, an immersive art installation telling the origin story of Chicago street artist Hebru Brantley’s beloved “Flyboy” character.

With the creation of Gertie and Art in Common, Pucker lands like an apple at the base of a family tree that has long fostered creativity and inclusivity. Like their contributions, her voice and vision are sure to make a lasting impression.

For more information, visit artincommon.art, gertie.co or follow @gertie.chicago.

Abby Pucker in her Chicago apartment.

Photography by James Gustin, styling by Theresa DeMaria, hair & makeup by Leanna Ernest

Armani Howard, Riverbed, 2022, Acrylic on canvas, 71 x 68 inches. Photography by Anita Posada. Art in Common

THE FRED AND KAY KREHBIEL COLLECTION

WORDS BY ANN MARIE SCHEIDLER

Auction aficionados and design devotees are in for a very special opportunity when Hindman presents a suite of sales this month featuring property from the acclaimed private collection of Fred and Kay Krehbiel.

The Krehbiels amassed an impressive collection of fine English furniture, including a significant group attributed to Thomas Chippendale, porcelain, silver, and works of art from leading dealers around the world. The couple’s sons described their parents as having a passion for discovering treasures wherever they went with their father focused on furniture and their mother on porcelain.

The collection’s importance is heightened because it includes pieces from interiors designed by Imogen Taylor and Colin Orchard, who worked closely with the Krehbiels to decorate their homes in Chicago, Palm Beach, and Ireland. The designers, veterans of the renowned Anglo-American firm founded by design legends Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler, enjoyed a 30-year working relationship with the couple that included consulting on the Krehbiels’ decade-long restoration of Ballyfin, a 35,000-squarefoot important Irish country house. Now a five-star hotel, Bally-

fin’s interiors have garnered numerous accolades.

“Through my work over the years with Fred and Kay, I’ve had the privilege of watching them explore the world to find the most beautiful and rare pieces of furniture, art, and textiles,” says Orchard. “As incredibly knowledgeable and curious collectors, it was a privilege to see the way they developed their collection and how it translated into homes that were simultaneously awe-inspiring and approachable.”

Krehbiel, the former CEO of Lisle-based Molex, transformed the electronics company founded by his grandfather into a global organization with locations in more than 40 countries. In 2013, Krehbiel oversaw the company’s sale for $7.2 billion.

The Krehbiels’ son, Jay, became co-chairman and CEO of Hindman in 2019. After an incredibly successful tenure, Jay has moved into the role of Executive Chairman. Before taking his new position, he hired Gemma Sudlow as Hindman’s Managing Director of the New York region, a newly formed role created to focus on launching the firm’s first full-service Manhattan saleroom.

Sudlow is a star auctioneer with 17 years of business development and specialist expertise and is one of the few auctioneers to have sold an individual work of art for more than $90 million.

Fred and Kay Krehbiel’s Chicago home, with a George III ‘Lac Bergaute’ and black gilt-japanned secretary cabinet-on-stand (lot 66, $15,000-25,000).

Photography by Hindman.

Fred and Kay Krehbiel’s Chicago home, with a George III Carved Mahogany Settee, attributed to Thomas Chippendale, circa 1775 (lot 53; $20,00030,000). Photography by Tom Rossiter

The highlight of Hindman’s Spring 2023 season is a suite of sales featuring exquisite items from the private collection of the late Fred A. Krehbiel and his wife, Kay Krehbiel.

Her first assignment with Hindman is working with Corbin Horn, Vice President and Senior Specialist of European Furniture & Decorative Arts, on the Krehbiel sale. Sudlow predicts that the collection will be wildly successful, as there is something for every buyer with items priced from under $1,000 to between $60,000–70,000.

When pressed on the piece she most admires, Sudlow demurs as a favorite is hard to choose from such a magnificent collection. However, a few particularly special objects stand out.

“There are many French porcelain items to love but there is one in particular, the Sèvres LilacGround Teapot and Cover designed circa 1818 is just beautiful. It’s exquisite—modern in its design and coloration, timeless in its conception, and incredibly rare.”

Another standout, according to Sudlow, is a pair of George III Carved Giltwood Armchairs. These circa 1775 arm-

chairs are thought to be the only Royal commission executed by Thomas Chippendale and were probably made for King George III’s brother, Prince William Henry, Duke of Gloucester.

Finally, there is a set of George II Giltwood Mirrors, in the manner of Thomas Johnson, as well as four Chinese blue and white porcelain pots. “They are just extraordinary,” Sudlow comments.

“Post-pandemic, there is a renewed emphasis on the home and a desire to fill it with pieces that have stories to tell—fantastic pieces of history that support sustainability in its highest form,” Sudlow notes.

“It is an incredible time to be part of the auction world. There has been a resurgence of interest and enthusiasm in this market,” Sudlow continues. “Through these collections, we piece together stories—a wonderful reprise to lives well lived.”

To learn more about the multi-day sale of the Krehbiel collection from March 15 to March 17, visit hindmanauctions.com. Bidding for the March 15th Chicago auction and March 16th Palm Beach auction will be available in-person and online via Hindman’s Digital Bid Room. Bidding for the March 17th auction will be available online via the Digital Bid Room.

The library of Fred and Kay Krehbiel’s Chicago Home. Photography by Tom Rossiter

An Important Cartier Carved Rock Crystal, Aventurine and Moonstone Lily of the Valley Flower Study, Circa 1925. Estimate: $10,000-15,000

A Pair of George III Carved Giltwood Armchairs, attributed to Thomas Chippendale, Circa 1775. Estimate: $50,000-70,000

An Irish George II Gilt-Gesso Table, Circa 1740. Estimate: $20,000-40,000

A Pair of George III Gilt Ormolu-Mounted Chinese Lacquer Corner Cabinets, Attributed to Pierre Langlois, Circa 1765 | Estimate: $20,000-30,000

TAILORED TO PERFECTION

Emily Mackie, award-winning designer and founder of Inspired Interiors, creates a one-of-a-kind luxurious San Francisco bachelor pad for a special, repeat client.

WORDS BY ANN MARIE SCHEIDLER / PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARIA PONCE INTERIORS PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRENDAN MAININI

The professional relationship between interior designer and client can be uniquely close. Who else could easily name one’s most favorite colors and least favorite textures? Who else could so easily recite the life experiences that have shaped one’s design preferences? The ultimate testament to this bond is the return client, and few know this better than Inspired Interiors’ founder and award-winning designer, Emily Mackie.

Mackie had already designed a River North penthouse for a Chicago computer scientist when he tapped her to reimagine a second home in San Francisco’s Mission District. The exciting new project was a three-floor walkup next door to the residence of one of the world’s most successful social media moguls.

“I saw this project as a sequel to a great movie,” says Mackie. And Mackie’s script began with creating panoramic views of two of the world’s most famous bridges.

“Before we started the project, the client hosted a pre-construction, pre-demo party where he invited a number of his former Stanford classmates to come and enjoy the space,” explains Mackie. “After a couple of glasses of wine, I threw open the living room’s original 30 x 60 rear-facing, vintage windows and coaxed the client to poke his head outside. I wanted him to see how magical the space could be if it were completely open. Because of our relationship, he trusted me enough to slice off the building’s back exterior wall and replace it with floor-to-ceiling windows.” The result? A breathtaking 180-degree unobstructed view of the cityscape.

After this dramatic feat, Mackie set about incorporating meaningful accents throughout the home. Take, for example, the spectacular primary suite’s lounging area complete with a bay window overlooking the client’s new neighborhood. “I could picture

Emily Mackie

Living room with floor-to-ceiling windows granting a 180-degree view of San Francisco

him sitting on the sofa with one of the 100 books he likes to read each year,” she says. Mackie created a chevron-shaped bookcase that serves as a high-end sorting device, allowing the homeowner to organize his books as he reads them by month. “It works a bit like a Pez dispenser—a very nice Pez dispenser,” she observes. Just off the primary bedroom, shielded by metal barn doors inlaid with antiqued mirrored glass, is the primary bathroom—quite possibly the most intricately designed space Mackie has created.

“It’s five layers of crazy,” says Mackie with a laugh. “I came up with the idea but I can’t remember where it started. The tiled walls are comprised of small fragments of zoomed-in snapshots of art from my client’s favorite movies, albums, and books— things that have meant something to him in his life. Everything from Harry Potter to The Goonies to The Giving Tree. It is like a guessing game—always giving him something to contemplate when he’s in the space.”

This particular installation took Mackie’s skill set to a whole other level. She created the layout in Photoshop and developed an

intricate legend for the tile maker and installer, all of which she carefully documented for the client should he ever need to have it repaired—or perhaps—re-created elsewhere.

“We curated an environment for him that is truly interactive— something completely different every time he experiences it,” Mackie adds.

When reflecting on this project, Mackie recalls many moments that aligned to bring her creative vision to fruition. One example is the visit to a Parisian tradeshow, which coincided with the project’s start date and delivered the inspiration for a key element of the living room’s design.

“In one of the booths, I saw a display wall that had an abstract grid system, a Mondrian-inspired layout that combined both beauty and function,” she explains. “Our fabulous Chicago-based cabinet makers were able to re-create it for the client’s living room. The left side of the unit hides all of the electronics that an entertaining space requires and the right side houses the fireplace stack. It’s lovely.”

Hallway with leather bench designed to resemble the seats of an antique car

Primary bedroom with chevron-shaped bookcase used to sort the client’s monthly reading

The rain room, complete with a koi pond, brings the outdoors in with unabashed elegance.

Flanking this beautiful wall unit is the rain room, complete with a koi pond—bringing the outdoors in with unabashed elegance. The lush garden contains a café table at which her client begins his day with early morning coffees and computer work and a softly lit glass staircase provides a big tease for the rooftop view above.

For the kitchen, Mackie embraced some of the French influences typical to this area of San Francisco to create a design that elevates everyday tasks. The cerused oak base cabinetry that appears to be dusted with flour invokes the feel of a modern French bakery while the custom stove hood’s specialty finish— one Mackie dubs “dirty gas station”—is a nod to industrial style. Illuminated burnt pine cabinetry uniquely lined with gleaming subway tile transforms the simple act of reaching for a water glass into a design experience.

Every space in the home contains striking elements that are

both beautiful and functional. In the foyer, multiple custom-designed metal art panels highlight the homeowner’s renowned graffiti art collection. The panels flank a hunter green leather bench inspired by the bucket seats of a vintage Aston Martin. With a wave of the foot, the homeowner can discreetly stow away his shoes without disrupting the sophisticated and artistic design of the entry.

“This project is a perfect example of an unselfish and honest way to design around a client’s needs and personality,” Mackie says. “This space is absolutely unforgettable.”

To learn more about Inspired Interiors, visit inspiredinteriors.com. Mackie is also presenting the first ever female-developed interactive Show Home in April. Visit inspiredluxuryhomes.com for dates, times, and location.

Kitchen with a stainless steel custom stove hood, illuminated burnt pine cabinets lined with subway tile, and cerused oak cabinetry with a “dusted with flour” appearance

Lake Noquebay Shores is now offering a unique opportunity for someone seeking an exclusive Northwoods retreat. Now you can own all 62 beautifully wooded acres with 1,700 feet of shoreline on a pristine 2,400-acre lake for only $1.6 million.

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Lake Noquebay Shores is just 2.5-hours north of Milwaukee. Far enough from the crowds, yet close enough for a weekend getaway. Now is your chance to own that exclusive retreat you have always wanted.

62 ACRES - $1.6 MILLION

at home

ON THE SHORE

North Shore houses have always been known for their stunning architecture, world-class interiors, and gorgeous surroundings. Whether we’re spending time with family, entertaining, or—as so many of us are doing now—working from home, we value our surroundings. Behind every swoon-worthy home is a crew of home and design professionals who transform our living spaces into reflections of our daily lifestyles. On the following pages, Sheridan Road is proud to feature some of the area’s most sought-after interior designers, luxury homebuilders, and top-quality vendors and suppliers serving our communities. We hope you’ll be inspired by these dynamos in our annual Luxe Living feature.

PRODUCED & EDITED BY KEMMIE RYAN

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JONATHAN CASTELLON, JAMES GUSTIN/FIG MEDIA, & KATRINA WITTKAMP

HAIR, MAKEUP & STYLING BY KAREN LYNN ACCATTATO, THERESA DEMARIA, LEANNA ERNEST, & J. ST. JAIMES

This feature was greeted enthusiastically and will be a recurring annual series. If you like what you see in these pages and would like to recommend an outstanding home design professional for our 2024 feature, please contact us at features@sheridanroadmagazine.com.

DESIGN BUILD BROTHERS

Third-generation builders Maxx and Jack Klein say that design/build is in their blood. The brothers are focused on ushering Airoom Architects, Builders and Remodelers into a new era by innovating and integrating cutting-edge technology into every aspect of the business. For more than 65 years, Airoom has been a premier remodeling and custom home building company with a reputation for designing and completing high-end projects with superior service and craftsmanship—in the Greater Chicago area and across the country in regions including Aspen, Colorado; Miami; California; and Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.

What sets you apart from the competition?

When we propose a project, our clients know they are getting an Airoom project with unmatched quality and expertise, and exceptional service. Our team, our construction process, our knowledge base, our design skills, and our innovative approach are superior to others. Not to mention that all our work is backed by a 10-year service warranty.

Past trends you would like to see return?

Trends come and go, and each of our projects is unique and tailormade for our clients. To accomplish that, we spend hours with each client personalizing every last detail. We see our style as enduring without focusing on what is in vogue.

Trends on the horizon?

We guide our clients to work on making their homes timeless by not cornering themselves into a traditional, transitional, or contemporary style. People desire more comfortable and functional living spaces—inside and out—with features such as 10-foot folding glass doors, custom furniture, and hidden built-in cabinetry (for refrigerators, coffee and tea stations, and additional storage) so spaces seamlessly blend with their surroundings.

Favorite Mantra?

‘Measure twice, cut once.’ We take deliberate care to look where others do not; execution always lies in the details.

Most looking forward to in 2023?

One of the things we are most excited about is the opening of our new design-build studio location in historic downtown

Hinsdale. We have a lot of clients in the area and want to make the Airoom experience more accessible for everyone. This studio will be state-of-the art while embodying the hometown charm Hinsdale visitors love. It will even feature beautiful giant candy dispensers for neighborhood kids to enjoy. In addition, the Klein brothers are launching a game-changing new podcast called, Remodeling B.S., to help people make smarter remodeling decisions.

Airoom is located at 6825 N. Lincoln Avenue in Lincolnwood and 36 S. Washington Street in Hinsdale. For more information, call 847-325-5447 or visit airoom.com.

Jack and Maxx Klein

Timeless with a Twist

Suzanne Falk Interior Design is a full service residential interior design firm on the North Shore. At the helm is Suzanne Falk, who brings her more than 25 years of creativity and design to every project. Suzanne worked for the DIY/HGTV network as a “ghost designer” on well-known shows like Kitchen Crashers and Flip or Flop Chicago.

How would you describe your design style? Timeless using creative color patterns and unexpected twists.

How do you begin the design process?

By getting to know my clients, their interests, what they like and dislike. Designing is so personal, by the end of every project my clients become very close, like family.

What sets you apart from your competition?

I don’t look at other designers as competition. To better help my clients, I am always curious and asking questions.

What inspires you right now?

I draw inspiration from everything and anything—a movie, practicing yoga, walking my dogs.

Best thing about 2022?

Figuring out a work/life balance and incorporating that in my daily routine. That balance allows me to spend more time with my son before he heads to college in fall 2023.

Most looking forward to in 2023?

Seeing projects completed from 2022. My firm is growing and it’s so exciting to see what 2023 will bring us!

For more information, visit suzannefalkinteriordesign.com.

PHOTO BY RYAN HAINEY

Nature’s Design

Robbins Architecture uses timeless design principles of proportion, light, and materiality to shape a home. Principal Celeste Robbins weaves each of these elements with the client’s vision to create a home that radiates warmth and elegance. The team at Robbins Architecture brings the artistry needed to meet any design challenge that comes along. Their projects have been featured in publications such as Architectural Digest and recognized with numerous design awards.

How would you describe your design style? Modern with warmth.

How do you begin the design process? Our homes reflect each individual client’s vision and aspirations. We begin by listening. Conversations with our clients reveal how they want their home to feel and function. Guided by this direction, we continuously refine the design until each wish list feels balanced and composed. We welcome the richness that comes with open dialogue and collaboration. We believe the layering of ideas paired with our careful study of scale and materials brings the warmth and timeless beauty that define our homes.

What sets you apart from your competition? A home’s connection to nature is a core principle of our practice. Whether the site is a lakefront, mountain landscape, or wooded ravine, our architecture celebrates the beauty of each surrounding and brings its inherent serenity into the home. Our mission is to deepen the connection between a home, its environment and the people who live in it.

Robbins Architecture is located at 976 Green Bay Road in Winnetka. For more information, visit robbins-architecture.com.

GREAT IMPRESSIONS

Located within the working portion of the A B Dick estate in Lake Forest, husband and wife team, R. Nicholas Loope, FAIA (Ryc) and Lynne Beyer, bring the STUDIO @ Westmoreland Farm™ to the North Shore. Ryc, an architect and licensed general contractor began his career in the offices of the renowned American architect Charles Moore before establishing his eponymous firm in 1979. Ryc, who is NCARB certified, actively licensed in numerous states, brings his extensive experience including serving as the President and Principal Architect of the Frank Lloyd Wright successor firm Taliesin Architects and contributions to more than 450 projects across the globe. By his side, Lynne is a second generation, award-winning interior designer. Her portfolio includes a wide array of projects in luxury residential interiors and boutique hospitality projects, including the Condé Nast award-winning Sanctuary Resort on Camelback Mountain. Together, Lynne and Ryc are excited to return to the Midwest and launch their next chapter, one which is sure to reveal their best work yet.

What sets you apart from your competition?

Lynne: I really love learning about people, their needs, and finding the solutions that do not stress, but rather thrill the client. Making their lives less complicated through my experience and management of a project is one of our foundational goals. So many people can do the beautiful, visible work, but the business of the project must be handled masterfully, and I believe we do that well.

Ryc: We embrace both the art in design as well as the craft in building. We focus on our client’s vision rather than a particular style or fashion.

What inspires you right now?

Ryc: The depth and richness of the American design ethos throughout the North Shore communities and in Chicago. Lynne: Finding items to repurpose—things with intrinsic provenance and classic value. We are masters at building on what clients have, editing carefully, and then finding the critical design elements and items needed for success.

Areas one should invest in?

Lynne: Good question! Investing wisely in whatever you procure is so important … there are definite areas where that is critical for durability and quality. I am all for a bit of fun and whimsy, but I guide my clients to take all things into consideration when investing and making the best selections for their needs.

Ryc: Quality natural materials in the hands of superior craftspeople constructed well, with a high level of fit and finish.

Best thing about 2022?

Lynne & Ryc: Moving into our property in Lake Forest! Also, meeting so many wonderful new friends and clients and having the opportunity to own a small piece of true American history.

Most looking forward to in 2023?

Ryc & Lynne: The launch of the STUDIO @ Westmoreland Farm™, new clients, and new opportunities for excellent design works.

The STUDIO @ Westmoreland Farm™ is located at 549 King Muir Road in Lake Forest. For more information, call 602-377-0287 (Lynne) or 480-415-5281 (Ryc), or visit lynnebeyer.com.

NATURALLY INSPIRED

Classically trained at the Harrington School of Design, Sarah Dippold has spent nearly 15 years as Principle of her Winnetka-based design firm, Sarah Dippold Design. Through her eponymous atelier, Sarah helps clients coast to coast, implementing her signature tailored and neutral aesthetic. Her full-service firm has designed many residential homes both locally and nationally as well as commercial projects including the Hometown Coffee Shops and Uptown, a private event space in Glencoe. The design studio includes a unique gallery filled with one of a kind pieces open by appointment.

How would you describe your design style?

Tailored, yet textured and full of earth tones set against neutral palettes.

What inspires you right now?

Nature, travel, art, my family, and so much of the world around me. I’ve lived in Colorado, as a result the mountains and outdoor lifestyle are a huge inspiration. In Chicago, there are the most beautiful beaches! Nature grounds me and recharges me. My clients are another source of inspiration. They each bring unique goals, lifestyles, and personalities to our projects.

Most looking forward to in 2023?

An exciting new project in California and collaborating with some incredible architects on new projects locally.

Sarah Dippold Design is located at 906 Green Bay Road in Winnetka. For more information, visit sarahdippold.com.

On SOLID Ground

For more than three generations, Lewis Floor & Home has been the go-to resource for flooring including carpet, tile, hardwood, vinyl, laminate and rugs plus wall tile, countertops, cabinetry, and window treatments, all available with professional installation. Conveniently located on the North Shore, Lewis Floor & Home design consultants help design the perfect space for every home.

What sets you apart from your competition?

Our selection is outstanding and includes an extensive line of in-stock products including carpet, tile, vinyl, countertops, and area rugs. Our in-stock collections provide the very best in quality, value, and design, and they are our biggest competitive advantage. Installation services are available, and our professional installers approach every job with the skill of a fine craftsman.

Design trends you are most excited about in 2023?

One of the top flooring trends is large format tile—it’s the perfect way to make a space look and feel bigger and is easier to clean with fewer grout lines. It’s also showing up in the bathroom. We’re seeing marble, granite, and quartz slabs used on shower walls, rather than tile with heavily grouted shower walls.

Most looking forward to in 2023?

We are excited to announce a partnership with Stark Carpet this spring. The grand opening event showcasing our new Stark showroom will be held April 14-16. Lewis will be the exclusive dealer on the North Shore and the only other Stark showroom in the state of Illinois.

Lewis Floor & Home is located at 1840 Skokie Boulevard in Northbrook. For more information, call 847-835-2400 or visit lewisfloorandhome.com.

Good Bones

After graduating from the University of Alabama, Laura Kaufmann began her creative career in kitchen and bath design more than 20 years ago. Before starting her own firm, Kaufmann spent 15 years learning the nuances of renovation, while focusing on custom cabinetry on the North Shore. In 2018, Laura launched her own design firm, LBK Design Group, specializing in kitchen design. Kaufmann’s LBK Design Studio in downtown Lake Forest opened its doors in 2022, welcoming clients looking for classic style design with modern touches.

How do you begin the design process?

I love having my initial meeting at my client’s home. They can tell me what works, or more importantly what doesn’t work, and I can see how they want to evolve in terms of style and function. This is the time for us to go through their social media saves, inspirations, and for them to give me their ultimate wish list for the areas we are focusing on.

What sets you apart from your competition?

My true love of kitchen and bath design. When I walk into an initial appointment at a client’s home, I can envision how the new space will look by the time I leave. I feel that my approachability sets me apart from my competition.

Design trends you are most excited about in 2023?

More organic, earthy colors for cabinetry. When used in the right setting, those become timeless. I’d love to see people use more natural stone as well.

Areas one should invest in?

Cabinets are the bones of your kitchen, and you want these to last as long as you are in your home. Also invest in the right contractor—this will make all the difference in the world.

LBK Design Group is located at 297 E. Illinois Road in Lake Forest. For more information, call 901-301-1099, visit lbkdesigngroup.com, or follow @lbkdesigngroup on Instagram.

Designs For Unique Lifestyles

Designer Julie Dunfee Moore was destined for design. From a young age she was inspired by her family of artists and love of beautiful spaces. After searching for a career that was both fulfilling and fun, Julie found her calling in interior design and created North Shore-based Julie Dunfee Designs. As she expands across the nation, Julie takes on every project with a fresh perspective and goal to create spaces that represent each of her client’s unique tastes, personalities, and lifestyles.

How would you describe your design style?

My belief is that a client’s home should be as unique as they are and so I don’t have a particular design style. I listen, collaborate, and provide the easiest design experience for my clients so that they feel comfortable in their own homes.

Trends you think people should avoid?

Trends come and go. I advise my clients to avoid any trend that does not fit with their personal lifestyle.

Areas one should invest in?

I believe kitchens are important to keep up to date because this is a room where a family tends to spend a great deal of time and an updated kitchen adds to the resale value of the home.

Best thing about 2022?

I learned how to have patience given the massive supply chain issues I had to deal with. I also expanded my business into the Dallas market with a major home remodel.

Most looking forward to in 2023?

Creating beautiful designs in the Chicago and Dallas markets and having fewer supply chain issues!

For more information on Julie Dunfee Designs, call 312-286-8461 or visit juliedunfeedesigns.com.

PHOTO BY MICHAEL ALAN KASKEL PHOTOGRAPHY

CLASSICALLY MODERN

Jennifer Morrow, founder and principal of Jen Marie Interiors, specializes in full-scale residential commissions and custom furniture. Her 18-plus years designing and building luxury residences gives her a unique perspective to interior design.

How would you describe your design style?

I gravitate towards a crisp design line, finished with a rich blend of materials. In a Lincoln Park home, we achieved a well-balanced combination of modern detailing based on classic design principles—a commissioned solid brass room divider, architectural lighting, and handsome textiles to round out the space.

How do you begin the design process?

After collaborating with the client, we start our ideation process of visual im-

agery. Once inspired, we navigate the selection process and curate the palette for our client’s tailored environment.

What sets you apart from your competition?

My 18 years of luxury design and construction goes well beyond textiles and finishes. We specialize in unique projects which reflect our clients’ lifestyles and personalities.

Jen Marie Interiors is located at 404 Green Bay Road in Kenilworth. For more information, call 224-408-2932 or visit jenmarieinteriors.com.

Connected Design

Mother-daughter duo, Jamie and Olivia Schachtel are the perfect team. For more than 25 years, Jamie, owner and Head Designer at Jamie Schachtel Design Group (JSDG), has been at the forefront of design. After beginning her career as a women’s couture clothing designer and manufacturer, her interest in home design blossomed and she started designing children’s rooms while owning a high-end retail furniture store in Lincoln Park. Realizing she had immense passion and talent in the field, Schachtel opened her own eponymous, full-service design studio and showroom 20 years ago. Following in her mother’s footsteps, Olivia officially joined JSDG in 2018 as an Interior Designer, after years of growing up in the industry and studying at University of Wisconsin-Madison. Today, both Jamie and Olivia, along with their six skilled team members, have one of the North Shore’s premier showrooms and in November 2022 launched a carefully curated e-commerce shop—ignitedlivinghome.com—featuring hand-selected home décor.

How would you describe your design style?

We lean toward neutral colors with a layering of textures throughout a space. We believe each design should flow into the next area so that every room feels connected.

How do you begin the design process?

We begin by interviewing the client to discuss their needs and inspiration. After that we meet in our full-service showroom and present our clients with curated selections, drawings, and hand-picked finishes.

What sets you apart from your competition?

Our showroom and team. Having a beautiful space to meet with clients and trades makes the design process much more efficient. Our ability to show clients 2D and 3D drawings helps them visualize our design in real life. Our team tracks all orders, inspects each selection, and makes sure the process goes on without a hitch.

Most looking forward to in 2023? Exciting new construction projects and continuing to make our clients happy.

Jamie Schachtel Design Group is located at 591 Roger Williams Avenue in Highland Park. For more information, call 847-433-9013 or visit jamieschachteldesigngroup.com.

GROUNDED DESIGN

A Texas native who grew up surrounded by creativity, Emily Mackie is no stranger to creating her own entrepreneur path. Emily’s irreverent and experiential approach to interiors design is her hallmark at her Wilmette-based luxury design firm, Inspired Interiors. With projects spanning the nation, Emily’s brand now includes Inspired Luxury Homes, a custom home building company. She is breaking barriers with her female-led business in a traditionally male-dominated industry with her unparalleled eye for design and attention to detail.

How would you describe your design style? Imaginative, cheeky, original and adventurous

How do you begin the design process?

By getting a 360-degree understanding of clients’ needs, goals, wish list, and dreams.

What sets you apart from your competition? My love for art and design is equal to that of my love for spreadsheets and processes.

Who inspires you right now?

All my fellow female founders! I network in a group of female CEOs founded by my friend Courtney Wright (see Lady Boss Podcast on YouTube). The journeys of all the female founders always inspires me.

Design trends are you most excited about in 2023?

One, how many ways can I hide LEDs to illuminate a space; two, plumbing and electrical products that have voice-activated technology (I finally don’t have to learn all the buttons!); and three, window treatments made from woven metal—or anything from woven metal!

Best thing about 2022?

Personally—all the milestones my three children hit. They are my world and they constantly inspire me. Professionally—many fabulous new clients that I love, several big awards, and finishing a five-year-long San Francisco project!

Most looking forward to in 2023?

Finishing ‘The Art of Living Show House’ in Wilmette in April/May. After it is over—a culmination of two years of VERY hard work—don’t try to find me. I will be on a remote beach with countless piña coladas!

For more information on Inspired Interiors & Inspired Luxury Homes, call 773-728-0419 or visit inspiredinteriors.com or inspiredluxuryhomes.com.

& Timeless Architecture Thoughtful

For 17 years, GTH Architects partners Jeff Harting, John Toniolo, and Betsy Gensburg have specialized in architecture, interiors, and landscape design throughout the U.S.

How would you describe your design style?

We pride ourselves in not expressing a particular style. Our love of our projects is the diversity of styles and diversity of our clients and their distinctive needs and desires.

How do you begin the design process?

By carefully listening to our clients’ needs and thoughts and then creating designs that reflect those ambitions.

What sets you apart from your competition?

We provide an intimate relationship with our clients and work with each client on an individual basis.

What inspires you right now?

Many inspirations come from regional as well as historical influences.

Design trends are you most excited about in 2023?

Clients are looking for practicality and function with less embellishment and more relaxed design elements.

Trends people should avoid?

Trends are fine. They are a movement that shapes us and our lifestyle and environments. Fads are what needs to be avoided. It’s perfectly fine to be daring but not because the bandwagon says you should!

What areas should one invest in?

Any part of your home that will inspire you and make your functional and aesthetic life more wonderful.

Best thing about 2022?

International travel and working abroad in the U.K.

Most looking forward to in 2023?

Continuing to create thoughtful and timeless designs and to allow that design process to evolve.

GTH Architects is located at 105 Revere Drive, Suite F2, in Northbrook. For more information, call 847-715-9395 or visit gtharchitects.com.

Elements of Design

Since 1980, his passion for people and the opportunity to design interiors that clients thrive in has been what drives Britt Carter. Britt Carter & Co. not only provides furniture, rugs, and accessories, but they also offer professionally created window treatments, shades, and wallcoverings, and provide installation. From the first interview to completion Britt Carter & Co. takes care of everything—something they’ve mastered in their 40 years of serving North Shore clientele.

How would you describe your design style?

Our style is current and relevant to our client’s personality. We don’t put ourselves in a box of traditional, transitional, or contemporary design, rather we design based on what works best for our clients and their preferences.

What sets you apart from the competition?

Experience; I’ve been doing this for 40 years and been at the forefront of new products and design trends coming in my entire career. With a 25,000-square-foot showroom, our clients love the fact that they are able see and try the products our team is suggesting for their project. When you walk through the doors, you can see our design style and easily make a judgment of whether our design style may suit you or not. Some designers can only offer

photos, but in the Britt Carter showroom, you are able to feel, touch, and sit upon the upholstery that may be included in your potential project. We are also able to keep our pricing competitive because we work directly with the factory and don’t have to go through a third party such as the merchandise mart.

Most looking forward to 2023?

Moving forward with new clientele and new projects; 2022 was an amazing year filled with excited clients and we’re looking forward to more of the same in 2023.

Britt Carter & Company is located at 1350 S. Skokie Highway in Lake Forest. For more information, email info@brittcarter.net or visit brittcarter.net.

ARCHITECTURE

• Airoom Architects, Builders & Remodelers, 847-325-5447, airoom.com

• GTH Architects, 847-715-9395, gtharchitects.com

• Jen Marie Interiors, 224-408-2932, jenmarieinteriors.com

• Robbins Architecture, 847-446-8001, robbins-architecture.com

• The STUDIO @ Westmoreland FarmTM, 602-377-0287 (Lynne), 480-415-5281 (Ryc), lynnebeyer.com

CARPET & FLOORING

• Jen Marie Interiors, 224-408-2932, jenmarieinteriors.com

• Julie Dunfee Designs, 312-286-8461, juliedunfeedesigns.com

• Lewis Floor & Home, 847-835-2400, lewisfloorandhome.com

FURNITURE & CUSTOM FURNITURE

• Britt Carter & Company, 847-735-1180, brittcarter.net

• Jamie Schachtel Design Group, 847-433-9013, jamieschachteldesigngroup.com

• Jen Marie Interiors, 224-408-2932, jenmarieinteriors.com

• Julie Dunfee Designs, 312-286-8461, juliedunfeedesigns.com

• The STUDIO @ Westmoreland FarmTM, 602-377-0287 (Lynne), 480-415-5281 (Ryc), lynnebeyer.com

HOME DÉCOR

• Britt Carter & Company, 847-735-1180, brittcarter.net

• Jen Marie Interiors, 224-408-2932, jenmarieinteriors.com

• Julie Dunfee Designs, 312-286-8461, juliedunfeedesigns.com

LUXE LIVING

LITTLE BLACK BOOK

HOME BUILDING

• Airoom Architects, Builders & Remodelers, 847-325-5447, airoom.com

• Inspired Luxury Homes, 773-728-0419, inspiredluxuryhomes.com

• Jen Marie Interiors, 224-408-2932, jenmarieinteriors.com

• The STUDIO @ Westmoreland FarmTM, 602-377-0287 (Lynne), 480-415-5281 (Ryc), lynnebeyer.com

HOME CABINETRY, COUNTERTOPS, TILE, HARDWARE

• Jen Marie Interiors, 224-408-2932, jenmarieinteriors.com

• Julie Dunfee Designs, 312-286-8461, juliedunfeedesigns.com

• Lewis Floor & Home, 847-835-2400, lewisfloorandhome.com

• The STUDIO @ Westmoreland FarmTM, 602-377-0287 (Lynne), 480-415-5281 (Ryc), lynnebeyer.com

INTERIOR DESIGN

• Airoom Architects, Builders & Remodelers, 847-325-5447, airoom.com

• Britt Carter & Company, 847-735-1180, brittcarter.net

• Inspired Interiors, 773-728-0419, inspiredinteriors.com

• Jamie Schachtel Design Group,

• 847-433-9013, jamieschachteldesigngroup.com

• Jen Marie Interiors, 224-408-2932, jenmarieinteriors.com

• Julie Dunfee Designs, 312-286-8461, juliedunfeedesigns.com

• Sarah Dippold Design, 847-867-6446, sarahdippold.com

• Suzanne Falk Interior Design, suzannefalkinteriordesign.com

• The STUDIO @ Westmoreland FarmTM, 602-377-0287 (Lynne), 480-415-5281 (Ryc), lynnebeyer.com

KITCHEN & BATH DESIGN | REMODEL

• Airoom Architects, Builders & Remodelers, 847-325-5447, airoom.com

• GTH Architects, 847-715-9395, gtharchitects.com

• Jamie Schachtel Design Group, 847-433-9013, jamieschachteldesigngroup.com

• Jen Marie Interiors, 224-408-2932, jenmarieinteriors.com

• Julie Dunfee Designs, 312-286-8461, juliedunfeedesigns.com

• LBK Design Group, 901-301-1099, lbkdesigngroup.com

• The STUDIO @ Westmoreland FarmTM, 602-377-0287 (Lynne), 480-415-5281 (Ryc), lynnebeyer.com

REMODELING

• Airoom Architects, Builders & Remodelers, 847-325-5447, airoom.com

• GTH Architects, 847-715-9395, gtharchitects.com

• Jen Marie Interiors, 224-408-2932, jenmarieinteriors.com

• Julie Dunfee Designs, 312-286-8461, juliedunfeedesigns.com

• The STUDIO @ Westmoreland FarmTM, 602-377-0287 (Lynne), 480-415-5281 (Ryc), lynnebeyer.com

WINDOW TREATMENTS

• Jen Marie Interiors, 224-408-2932, jenmarieinteriors.com

• Julie Dunfee Designs, 312-286-8461, juliedunfeedesigns.com

• Lewis Floor & Home, 847-835-2400, lewisfloorandhome.com

SELLING the SHORE R

eal estate on the North Shore has changed dramatically in the past three years. Homebuyers and sellers need an agent who possesses market expertise, deep knowledge of the area’s much sought-after offerings, sharp negotiation skills, marketing savvy, client commitment, and professionalism. As part of Sheridan Road’s annual Home & Design issue, we invited the North Shore’s top producers, as determined by their impressive 2022 activity, to participate in a special feature celebrating the best of the best in luxury real estate. These prestigious professionals share the secrets to their success, the special attributes that set them apart, and their market analysis for 2023 in SELLING THE SHORE.

PRODUCED BY KEMMIE RYAN

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JONATHAN CASTELLON, JAMES GUSTIN/FIG MEDIA, & KATRINA WITTKAMP

HAIR, MAKEUP & STYLING BY KAREN LYNN ACCATTATO, THERESA DEMARIA, LEANNA ERNEST, J. ST. JAIMES, & MELISSA MULL

PAULA M. AVENAIM & ERICA SWANSEY

“Anything is possible!” is a sentiment that Paula M. Avenaim, a newly nominated Board Director at North Shore-Barrington Association of Realtors, echoes as she leads the North Shore real estate market along with Erica Swansey. Both Paula and Erica are with Jameson Sotheby’s International Realty and bring years of experience to the table with their Avenaim & Swansey Luxury Homes. Upon graduating from college, Paula gained a background in title services, eventually owning her own Title Company and becoming an expert in the area. Erica honed her skills using her degree in design and nearly a decade of real estate experience. These seasoned agents effectively balance client needs with family life, all while supporting fellow female entrepreneurs.

How do you differentiate yourself from the competition?

Paula M. Avenaim: I have 24 years of Title experience which I believe gives me the ability to support my clients on every level throughout the entire process of either purchasing or selling. I can answer the many questions that arise with ease.

Erica Swansey: Every day I wake up with hustle in my blood. One has to be learning, investing locally, and keeping a finger on the pulse of the neighborhoods, new developments, and current market trends in order to stay relevant and provide top-tier service.

Who inspires you right now?

Paula: My three boys who always amaze me. And, my late fiancé, Jeff Fisher, who was the bravest person I know and the biggest champion for my business since day one.

What do you like most about real estate?

Erica: I feel I’ve served a great purpose when I place keys to a buyer’s new home into their hands and say, “Congratulations on your new home.” I derive an equal amount of joy when I help a client sell their home and help them move onto the next chapter of their life.

Paula M. Avenaim & Erica Swansey are with Jameson Sotheby’s International Realty. For more information, call 773-988-7341 (Paula) or 312-282-9404 (Erica), or visit paulaavenaim.jamesonsir.com (Paula) or ericaswansey.jamesonsir.com (Erica).

Erica Swansey, Paula M. Avenaim

IZABELA DIANOVSKY

After over two decades of owning businesses in luxury new construction, investment properties, and apartment building renovations, Jameson Sotheby’s International Realty broker Izabela Dianovsky made her way into real estate, establishing a solid client base on the North Shore. Today, she prides herself on uncompromising dedication to her team and is proud to represent renown developer and designer, Noah Properties and Lisek Interiors.

What do you like most about real estate?

Selling a lifestyle that comes with the one-ofa-kind new construction spec home. I have the privilege to work with the best people on both sides, Noah Properties and Lisek Interiors as my clients, as well as other brokers and their clients. It gives me great satisfaction to see wonderful families move into each house and start their life on the North Shore.

How do you differentiate yourself from the competition?

I’m results driven with an emphasis on integrity and kindness. Once we have trust and respect, everything else will follow and fall into place beautifully.

Who inspires you right now?

Considering my passion for design, and past education in interior architecture, my biggest inspiration, hands down, at this moment is Anita Lisek and her creativity. She’s an energy ball full of ideas and a vision for incredible spaces.

Advice for a new agent?

Collaboration is the key to succeed at anything in life.

Most looking forward to in 2023?

I strongly believe in The Law of Attraction. For me 2023 is the year of allowing all good things to materialize into reality, with my hard work and determination. I am looking forward to ending this year with a smile and a peaceful heart.

Izabela Dianovsky is with Jameson Sotheby’s International Realty. For more information, call 847-409-5173, or visit izabeladianovsky.jamesonsir.com.

ANNIE CHALLENGER

Annie Challenger with Baird & Warner North Shore was born and raised in Winnetka. The mother of seven didn’t move far, as she chose to raise her family in Northfield before creating a successful career in real estate. She has grown to command the luxury real estate market, last year securing one of the biggest sales the North Shore has ever seen at almost $13 million. In addition, Annie and her husband, Michael Jayko, own Your Dog’s Guru, Inc., a top-level dog training business. She is a passionate community volunteer with Winnetka Community House and New Trier High School.

What do you like most about real estate?

Real estate is unique in that each client brings a novel set of circumstances. I believe that success is contingent on the ability to view every opportunity as a chance to grow. I’ve always gravitated towards helping people through difficult times and my clients are my top priority. Supporting people as they close one door and open another is extremely fulfilling and elevates my sense of purpose.

How do you differentiate yourself from the competition?

I am dedicated, thoughtful, heartfelt, and lead with integrity above all else. I take the time to understand my clients and ensure that each experience is tailored to their needs. My goal is to make every transaction easier by shouldering the burden of all the moving parts.

Best thing about 2022?

Personally, I couldn’t be more proud of my children. Among my seven children, I had two daughters get married and one of my sons received his master’s degree from NYU. Professionally, I had one of my best years ever and met so many wonderful people along the way. I am fortunate to end 2022 on such a high note.

Annie Challenger is with Baird & Warner North Shore. For more information, call 847-528-8287 or visit bairdwarner.com/agent/106135-annie-challenger.

HOUDA CHEDID

With a background in art history and French, as well as years of experience in luxury real estate, Coldwell Banker’s Houda Chedid, brings strong and creative negotiating skills, an energetic attitude, and international affiliations to the North Shore real estate market. She consistently ranks in the top 1 percent of sales nationally for Coldwell Banker, something she’s accomplished by representing many historically significant and lakefront properties. When Houda isn’t helping buyers and sellers, she dedicates her time to volunteering with local nonprofits in the communities she serves—something that is of the upmost importance to her.

How do you differentiate yourself from the competition?

I strive on my client’s happiness and satisfaction. I’m there, side-by-side from the start to guide them.

Who inspires you right now?

I’m always inspired by my three successful children and their love for their professions and their families. I see how they are raising my grandchildren with love, compassion, and the highest care, and I am so proud!

Most difficult aspect of being in the real estate business?

Real estate is a profession where you must love what you do and do it right. Respect and trust yourself as well as your colleagues. Together you can help the most important people in any transaction—THE CLIENTS.

Most looking forward to in 2023?

For someone who has traveled extensively and speaks a few languages, I believe there is no place like the North Shore. It is a beautiful place to live and raise a family. Every year brings new experiences within the real estate industry. This year, I am looking forward to meeting new families moving to the North Shore, and helping others choosing to retire into the sunset.

Houda Chedid is with Coldwell Banker Realty. For more information, visit houdachedid.com.

DAVE & AMY CHUNG

Husband and wife team, Dave & Amy Chung, have a keen understanding of the North Shore communities they serve. As residents of the North Shore, Dave & Amy with Compass, have personal experience with the neighborhoods, schools, and organizations that make the area unique. Their deep market knowledge, mixed with a background in filmmaking, digital marketing, hospitality, and construction, make them the perfect team to guide buyers and sellers through the real estate market, no matter the climate.

What do you like most about real estate?

We really value getting to know our clients and helping them achieve their goals. Using our past experiences to guide them through the entire buying/selling process is so rewarding for us!

How do you differentiate yourself from the competition?

We believe our design skills, marketing expertise, and relationships set us apart from the competition. We personally design and stage our listings using our own warehouse of materials and furnishings to present exactly what potential buyers are looking for. As for marketing, both of us worked as filmmakers at Disney before becoming agents. We leverage that creative experience to market our properties in innovative and cutting-edge ways. We pride ourselves on building strong relationships within the North Shore agent community. When agents have good working relationships and clear communication with each other, everyone wins.

Best thing about 2022?

Seven years ago, we started in real estate to develop and sell our own properties. In 2022, we became the No. 1 Agent in Wilmette, which is a true honor. It has been a privilege to represent so many buyers and sellers in our hometown, especially in a highly competitive marketplace where inventory remains low.

Dave & Amy Chung are with Compass. For more information, visit daveandamychung.com.

PAIGE DOOLEY

Radiating positive energy, Paige Dooley, a 30-year resident of Winnetka, is intimately familiar with all of the communities and clients she represents along the North Shore. Her expertise as a market analyst, her solutions driven mindset plus her unwavering work ethic earns her the respect and trust of each of her clients. Consistently a market leader in Winnetka and New Trier, Dooley with Compass, has sold more than $1 billion in real estate. With diverse life and work experience, Dooley and her team bring a 360-degree approach to navigating the art and science of real estate.

How do you differentiate yourself from the competition?

My hallmark work ethic and joie de vivre—tireless analysis and unique insights combined with my fully engaged understanding of the nuances of beauty and value, create unparalleled expertise— all with a sense of humor mixed in.

Market trends you anticipate in 2023?

The trend of home as sanctuary will continue with a combination of bright open spaces mixed with private spaces for working and spending more time at home.

Areas of the home one should invest in?

The kitchen continues to be the heart of the house for all consumer segments and unequivocally the greatest value and ROI within a home.

Best thing about 2022?

In addition to helping more clients than ever find and sell their homes, our family celebrated so much life and welcomed a new family member at our first family wedding—we finally got a girl!

Most looking forward to in 2023?

As a lifelong student of our market, I am optimistic for 2023: a rebalancing combined with earnest buyers indicate strength in the North Shore with more demand than supply.

Paige Dooley is with Compass. For more information, call 847-609-0963 or visit compass.com/agents/paige-dooley.

JODY DICKSTEIN & MICHAEL DICKSTEIN

Known as “The Luxury Home Listers,” Jody Dickstein and her son Michael Dickstein, have a keen ability to make clients feel comfortable in their homes. Specializing in homes ranging from $500,000 to $10 million, The Dickstein Group is not only highly skilled at negotiating, but expert stagers and available around the clock.

How do you differentiate yourselves from the competition?

We have the ability to help our sellers and buyers with design ideas and staging to sell. We are always available for our clients. We love to negotiate the best price for them and keep the market time short. We always accompany our showings; we are not fans of lock boxes on a client’s home. It’s a stressful time for the buyers and sellers and we let them know, “relax, we will do all the work.”

Areas of the home one should invest in? Kitchen, baths, and mechanical updates. Outside curb appeal is also important. Make it clean, light up the landscape, plant some pretty flowers, and paint the front door.

Advice for a new agent?

We love when new agents start in real estate. It opens opportunities for all of us. We tell them to team up with a seasoned agent for some of their first transactions, so they are comfortable with the process.

Most looking forward to in 2023?

We are looking forward to a fresh, new market—one that resets and normalizes. It was tough for buyers the past few years.

Jody Dickstein & Michael Dickstein are with @properties Christie’s International Real Estate. For more information, call 847-651-7100 or visit thedicksteingroup.com.

NANCY GIBSON

Consistently ranked as one of the most successful realtors on the North Shore, Nancy Gibson has been the No. 1 agent in her hometown of Northbrook for the last 21 consecutive years and the top 1 percent of all realtors. Nancy enthusiastically combines experience, hard work and state-of-the-art marketing along with exceptional service and caring advice to ensure every client has a seamless and enjoyable experience. Nancy is appreciative of her repeat referral business which has helped her earn recognition in Chicago Magazine, Crain’s Chicago Business, Who’s Who in America, Unique Homes, Chicago Agent, and the Merchandise Mart LuxeHome

What do you like most about real estate?

Excitement! What other job lets you sell different products in different areas with different people? And what other job lets you see first-hand the absolute joy that comes with helping to find a dream home for your buyers? I love this job!

How do you differentiate yourself from the competition?

While 30-plus years of successful experience in the industry unquestionably gives me an unparalled knowledge of the marketplace and expertise in negotiating, I am, and always have been, a stager and have my own staging materials. The ability to “see” simple steps, such as rearrangement of furniture or neutralizing a seller’s home has helped obtain more money for them and staging advice has also helped my buyers “see” what a dated house could be with a small amount of effort and money.

Most difficult aspect of being in the real estate business?

Being able to change gears—fast! I liken a real estate professional’s job to that of a tax accountant—except you don’t know when tax time is. Really good realtors are masters at multitasking and are experts at quickly adjusting their schedules to accommodate their clients’ changing needs.

Nancy Gibson is with @properties Christie’s International Real Estate. For more information, call 847-363-9880 or email nancy@number1nancy.com.

Location designed by Inspired Interiors. Not listed for sale.

LAURIE FIELD

A seasoned Engel & Völkers Chicago North Shore real estate advisor and Highland Park native, Laurie Field actively researches the North Shore to stay atop the latest trends, offering clients unique solutions in any market. She is known for her proactive communication, resourcefulness, problem-solving mindset and white-glove service.

What do you like most about real estate?

I cherish the lasting relationships that come from my satisfied clients. Knowing my clients are happy and that I’ve eased their stress throughout their entire home sale or buying process gives me great pleasure.

How do you differentiate yourself from the competition?

I am an excellent communicator. The process of selling or buying a house can be overwhelming and I make the experience easier through frequent communication. I stay in constant contact so my clients always know I’m available to advise them.

Areas of the home one should invest in?

It depends on your budget. A fresh coat of paint can work wonders. Updating light fixtures can change the look and feel of a room. With a larger budget, upgrade your bathrooms. Kitchen renovation is the best and most splurge worthy place to invest.

Advice for a new agent?

Selling real estate is a full-time, professional career. Clients deserve your knowledge and guidance. Be honorable. This is what I pride myself on.

Laurie Field is with Engel & Völkers Chicago North Shore. For more information, call 312-504-7010 or visit lauriefield.evrealestate.com.

SELLING THE SHORE

ANN GEORGE

An award-winning broker for 37 years and a lifelong resident of the North Shore, Ann George with Engel & Völkers Chicago North Shore, offers her clients intimate knowledge, insight, and access to the area’s finest communities. Ann believes that the business of real estate goes far beyond the transaction. She provides personal service long after the closing and believes in making her clients’ lives and the community around her better. When she isn’t connecting buyers and sellers, Ann is passionate about her work with the National Alliance on Mental Illness, serving as the Co-President of the organization’s board.

What do you like most about real estate?

It is a privilege and a pleasure to see the joy my clients experience when they know they have found their dream home.

How do you differentiate yourself from the competition?

I believe in traditional methods of selling your home: having beautiful photographs, showing it with enthusiasm to prospective buyers, staying apprised with the competition, and all of the proven techniques that go into selling a home at the highest possible price.

Who inspires you right now?

The people of Ukraine.

Best thing about 2022?

The excitement and challenges of a robust spring housing market. The year began with low inventory on the North Shore, and was out paced by increased demand. Many multiple offers and lower interest rates drove the prices up.

Most looking forward to in 2023?

A more balanced and “back to normal” housing market.

Ann George is with Engel & Völkers Chicago North Shore. For more information, call 847-989-8012 or visit anngeorge.evrealestate.com.

MONA HELLINGA & FLOR HASSELBRING

After working on opposite sides of the negotiating table, Berkshire Hathaway HomeService Chicago’s Mona Hellinga and Flor Hasselbring have joined forces to bring unrivaled service to their clients on the North Shore. As the No. 1 agents in the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Lake Forest office, Mona and Flor have a client-first approach to business. They provide high-value customer service and believe that a disciplined commitment to the client’s goals will always result in the best service and outcome.

What do you like most about real estate?

Every day presents unique challenges, and we meet the most interesting people! It is a privilege to guide clients during significant transitional times in their lives. We love it when buyers find their perfect homes, and sellers achieve or exceed their financial objectives.

How do you differentiate yourself from the competition?

When people hire us, they get two seasoned professionals! Whatever the circumstances, we have been down similar paths before and bring a wealth of experience to every situation. Mona has been a top North Shore broker since 1995 after a long stint in medical sales. Flor became a dedicated North Shore broker in 2005 and has managed a robust relocation division. Now, we guide every deal together.

Best thing about 2022?

With over $82 million in 2022 sales, we hit a stride and didn’t miss a beat. We were busy, efficient, and effective. We navigated many multiple offers, and it was gratifying to guide clients through these multi-faceted negotiations.

Most looking forward to in 2023?

We are excited to interact with new and repeat clients. Our clients motivate us every day, and they often become friends for life. We are grateful when they enter our lives and give us the opportunity to help them achieve their dreams.

Mona Hellinga and Flor Hasselbring are with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Chicago’s Lake Forest office. For more information, call 847-814-1855 (Mona) or 847-997-1901 (Flor), or visit hellingahasselbring.com.

Flor Hasselbring, Mona Hellinga

PHOTO BY PHIL GOLDMAN PHOTOGRAPHY

ELIZABETH JAKAITIS

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices luxury broker

Elizabeth Jakaitis brings her love of community and passion for real estate to buyers and sellers along the North Shore. A resident of the area for nearly 30 years, Elizabeth is very familiar with and volunteered with the local schools and community organizations— most recently with the Lake Forest Caucus. In 2005, she called upon her sales acumen and interior design experience to launch her real estate business and has consistently been an award-winning top producer ever since. In 2022, she was in the top 2 percent in the nation and earned a Chairman’s Circle Gold Award.

What do you like most about real estate?

Simply put, I love helping people! It’s an honor to assist people with one of the most transformational events in their life.

How do you differentiate yourself from the competition?

It’s top priority to go above and beyond for my clients. I run my business like a concierge service. In addition to finding the right home, I’ve matched nannies, housekeepers and more with families, for example. Also, understanding the process can at times feel stressful, my calm and optimistic working style tends to go a long way in making my clients’ experience as seamless as possible. And I love to lend my keen eye for design! It’s a personal joy to collaborate on how a space can be transformed and best suit the life my clients envision in their new home.

Trends people should avoid before selling their home? Once sellers decide to sell their home, it becomes a product. With that in mind, the goal is to ensure it appeals to the widest audience. To make this happen, I use a market preparation process that assesses current housing trends and provide data-driven, actionable steps to set sellers up for success. First impressions are so important, so sellers and I work as a team to make the home absolutely shine.

Elizabeth Jakaitis is with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Chicago. For more information, call 847-840-7842 or visit elizabethjakaitis.bhhschicago.com.

JOANNE KERSTEN HUDSON

For more than 30 years, Joanne Kersten Hudson has made a career out of doing what she loves—helping her clients find what’s best for them, whether that’s moving, staying in their home, or customizing their living space to accommodate their changing needs. Joanne and her husband Steve co-founded The Hudson Company on the North Shore in 2001 and enjoyed 17 years there before their firm was acquired by Compass in 2017. Today, she continues to rank among the top one percent of brokers nationwide—something she’s accomplished for more than 25 years.

How do you differentiate yourself from the competition? My clients tell me they find it refreshing to work with me because I am genuine, transparent, knowledgeable, direct, and calm. I listen to my clients and I learn a lot that way.

Who inspires you right now?

I am inspired by so many people but right now my husband and my clients inspire me the most. They are kind, hardworking, intelligent, ethical, interesting and interested—the attributes I value the most.

Trends people should avoid before selling their home?

I think the market is getting a little tired of gray and white décor and sub-par craftsmanship and materials. Don’t be afraid of a little color! Quality workmanship and materials, whether it be light fixtures or carpets, always prevail so if a project is in the works, try to complete the work with the best quality possible.

Advice for a new agent?

Everything you do, whether it be helping someone find a small rental or helping a young couple find their first home, all matters tremendously to your clients. Treat every meeting and transaction with the devotion and respect it deserves and you will build your business. Remember to treat your fellow brokers with respect and to take excellent care of your clients!

Most looking forward to in 2023?

Doing what I have always done —helping my clients achieve their goals one strategic step at time … and maybe exercising a little more!

Joanne Kersten Hudson is with Compass. For more information, call 847-971-5024 or email joanne.hudson@compass.com.

ANDY MROWIEC & MARINA CARNEY

Compass’s Marina Carney and Andy Mrowiec joined forces 24 years ago to create a North Shore team known for their pulse on the local market. Since 1999, Marina and Andy consistently rank in the top 1 percent in volume in Illinois and top 2 percent nationally. They pride themselves on being “in the know” on all things local and making the buying and selling process seamless and enjoyable for their clients. With more than $900 million in career sales, this dynamic duo believes in strategic relationships with agents across the globe, something their clients have greatly benefited from for more than two decades.

What do you like most about real estate?

Meeting new people and introducing them to a house that becomes a home.

How do you differentiate yourself from the competition?

Two heads are better than one. We share our knowledge with each other and our clients. We often have differing opinions and our clients benefit from having both perspectives.

Market trends you anticipate in 2023?

We expect inventory will be tight right through 2023, the finesse will be in the pricing, especially with the predicted recession.

Trends you think people should avoid before selling their home?

Keep it simple! Choose a neutral palette for home selling

preparation, for example, light over dark saturated colors, let the natural light in! Less is more, now more than ever.

What’s the most difficult aspect of being in the real estate business?

It gets into your blood; it can be difficult to have boundaries. It is really 24/7/365 unless one has a true partnership like we do, and even then, in a fast market it is full-time, and it should be—it is someone else’s money!

Best thing about 2022?

Completing $77 million in sales in 2022 and $900 million in career sales!

Marina Carney and Andy Mrowiec are with Compass. For more information, call 847-274-5566 (Marina) or 847-308-2589 (Andy), or visit thegglgroup.com/marina-carney-and-andy-mrowiec.

DEBBIE HYMEN

For Century 21 Circle broker Debbie Hymen the importance of community has always been at the forefront. A Highland Park resident for 40 years, Debbie has served on the local school board and professional committees, getting to know the people she works with regularly. This intimate knowledge of the North Shore communities mixed with her keen sense of marketing make Debbie a valuable source for buyers, sellers, and renters. She encourages her clients to be active participants in the real estate process.

What do you like most about real estate?

Meeting and helping others with the process of finding their most costly purchase or selling that place within which they built memories. Usually an emotional venture, it is my job to take the fear and sting out of the process.

How do you differentiate yourself from the competition?

I have always loved taking classes on rules, regulations, and various aspects of the everchanging real estate business. I believe this helps me to be an honest and truthful broker.

Who inspires you right now?

Even though she has passed, Ruth Bader Ginsburg is someone who inspires me as she did not allow adversity to stand in her way when working for what is right—“truth and justice for all.”

Market trends you anticipate in 2023?

I believe that people are still looking for a place to work and nest. Job situations have and will continue to change, pushing people to find spaces that accommodate at times two or three individuals working from home. As we are living longer, there are a number of senior individuals working through the downsizing process. All of these will encourage activity in the 2023 real estate market.

Debbie Hymen is with Century 21 Circle. For more information, call 847-609-5339 or visit debbiehymen.c21circle.com.

ANNIE ROYSTER LENZKE & KATIE MOOR

Clients have come to expect only the best from Lake Bluff/Lake Forest native Annie Royster Lenzke, and Winnetka’s Katie Moor. These North Shore-based agents are part of the No. 8 team in the nation across all brokerages—the Dawn McKenna Group (DMG). Lenzke and Moor’s charm and pulse on the market, mixed with DMG’s stellar marketing, make them one of the area’s top teams, year after year.

What do you like most about real estate?

We love the personal impact we have on our clients’ lives. Not only are we dealing with a very large asset, but a home has such an important impact on everyday life. It is truly special to be able to make a difference at such a deep level.

How do you differentiate yourself from the competition?

DMG serves the North Shore, Western Suburbs, and Chicago, but also has team members in destinations like Naples, Florida, New Buffalo, Michigan, and Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. It is very powerful being able to assist our clients across markets, leverage our vast network of team connections, and see the impact of our marketing prowess that really differentiates our properties.

Best thing about 2022?

It was a record-breaking year of sales for us on the North Shore and for the greater DMG team. We impacted many more people in 2022. We are excited to build on this success in 2023.

Annie Royster Lenzke and Katie Moor are with The Dawn McKenna Group of Coldwell Banker Realty. For more information, call Lenzke with the Lake Forest office at 847-414-4045, or Moor with the Winnetka office at 847-282-0291, visit dawnmckennagroup.com, or follow @TheDawnMcKennaGroup @Annie.Royster.Lenzke

@northshore_katiemoor on Instagram.

Pictured at 190 King Muir Road in Lake Forest –listed for sale by Annie Royster Lenzke.

KIM & CARLEIGH

North Shore natives and longtime friends, Kim Lonergan Shortsle and Carleigh Mia Goldsberry know how to make real estate fun. With backgrounds in marketing, interior design, and graphic design, Kim and Carleigh deliver outstanding personal service, intelligent market insights, and unparalleled knowledge of their community.

What do you like most about real estate?

Every day is completely different from the next. We never know who we’re going to meet or what the day will bring.

How do you differentiate yourself from the competition?

For us, a home sale is not just a business deal, it’s about helping our clients personally and emotionally through the process. We love what we do!

What inspires you right now?

We are so blessed that our kids watch their moms work hard every day. We are incredibly proud of the business we have built.

What’s the most difficult aspect of being in the real estate business?

Managing heightened emotions during a major life change can be challenging, but we’re up for it! Whether you need a phone call, or just a laugh, we are here for you.

Best thing about 2022?

Our “Best of the Best” awards trip to Playa Del Carmen was a big highlight. Fun in the sun with other top agents.

Most looking forward to in 2023?

Sky’s the limit in 2023! We have many buyers who need homes, so let us know if you are considering making a move.

Kim Lonergan Shortsle & Carleigh Mia Goldsberry are with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Chicago. For more information, call 847-987-5702 (Kim) or 224-558-1993 (Carleigh), or visit kimandcarleigh.com.

THE RESS GROUP

With more than 20 years of experience in the luxury residential and commercial real estate market, Kiki Ress and Ioannis Ress specialize in a variety of assets including luxury residential developments; commercial, industrial, and retail sales and leasing; and 1031 exchanges. Throughout each transaction, The Ress Group with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices combines the art of real estate expertise with their premier marketing to create a world of opportunity for their buyers and sellers. Ioannis, a graduate of DePaul University with a degree in finance, gives North Shore clients an advantage while helping them through complex financial transactions. Kiki’s years of experience with neighborhood knowledge and market insight set her apart. Together, Kiki and Ioannis work to achieve the maximum value for their buyers and sellers.

What do you like most about real estate?

Our favorite has to be our clients. Being trusted by our clients with the biggest investments that they make in their lifetime is truly an honor. Not only do we stay in touch with them, but we have created so many lasting friendships built on the traditional value of service emphasizing excellence.

How do you differentiate yourself from the competition?

We use the latest technology and marketing. Our expert negotiation tactics always command the best results for our clients and result in a successful real estate experience. This has created a building block for our successful residential and commercial business.

Most looking forward to in 2023?

An exciting new real estate market and helping all of our past, present, and future clients navigate through it. We strive to face a challenging market head on and will help our buyers and sellers to understand and feel at ease with our expert knowledge.

The Ress Group is with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices. For more information, visit theressgroup.com

CLAIRE LIEBERMAN

Claire Lieberman with Engel & Völkers Chicago North Shore works tirelessly to help clients. She is known for her attention to detail, efficiency, savvy negotiating skills, and in-depth market knowledge. With years of experience in real estate, property management, and working for a luxury builder, Claire brings a fresh approach and comprehensive skill set to sellers and buyers. This unique background combined with a wealth of local market knowledge, and 24/7 personal service, make her a top agent on the North Shore.

What do you like most about real estate?

I love meeting new people and helping them navigate such an exciting life change. There is no better feeling than helping my clients sell their home or find the perfect house.

How do you differentiate yourself from the competition?

All of my clients regardless of their price point, will receive an amazing, hands-on, personalized experience with me. I am an expert in the North Shore market and a devoted advocate for my clients. I also have a vast network of experienced contractors available when needed.

Market trends you anticipate in 2023?

A need for home offices or dedicated workspaces as people continue to work remotely.

Advice for a new agent? Learn the market and stay on top of changes.

Most looking forward to in 2023?

I am looking forward to more options for buyers in 2023 and a better chance at being able to find a home that they love as the real estate market balances out.

Claire Lieberman is with Engel & Völkers Chicago North Shore. For more information, call 312-5760048 or email clairelieberman@evrealestate.com.

THE MAX GROUP

Married since 1982, Mark and Maxine Goldberg are successful real estate advisors in large part because they believe that although they are in the housing business, they are truly in the relationship/making connections business. Founding Advisors of Engel & Völkers Chicago North Shore, this power couple has been making happy home dreams come true for home buyers and sellers on the North Shore for more than 20 years.

What do you like most about real estate? Building relationships through individualized, white glove service. Our loyal client base is like a family tree, forever growing new branches.

How do you differentiate yourselves from the competition?

We utilize a collaborative approach that combines our dedication and personal service as expert advisors with the support of superior staff.

Market trends you anticipate in 2023? We anticipate an ongoing shortage of inventory. This shortfall should continue to support prices even in the wake of further modest interest rate increases.

Advice for a new agent?

Be cognizant that every home is someone’s mansion.

Most looking forward to in 2023? We expect it to be a year full of opportunity for buyers and sellers.

The Max Group is with Engel & Völkers Chicago North Shore. For more information, call 847-922-4815 (Maxine), 847-254-8800 (Mark), or visit maxgroup.evrealestate.com.

LYON FOLKER CAMPBELL MOWER PARTNERS— LFCM PARTNERS

The four seasoned agents that make up Lyon Folker Campbell Mower Partners (LFCM) with @properties Christie’s International Real Estate bring a unique variety of experience and expertise to their clients. With a Bachelor of Architecture and over 20 years practicing architecture prior to selling real estate, Ann Lyon provides a critical eye in all aspects of construction, design, staging, and zoning on the North Shore. Ann has also been an award-winning agent since 2008 and the No. 1 agent in Lake Forest for the last three years. Jeff Folker has 20-plus years working in Fortune 500 companies and consulting firms, developing excellent negotiating and project management skills, giving LFCM Partners’ clients an advantage. Kim Campbell has a master’s degree from The Wharton School in Finance and worked in the banking industry. She is focused on counseling clients in financial aspects, home pricing and current economic outlooks. Jennifer Mower graduated from Boston College School of Management and her professional and volunteer background is in sales, marketing and design. Together, this powerhouse team provides clients with diverse areas of expertise, in-depth market knowledge and unsurpassed service.

Ann Lyon, Jeff Folker

SELLING THE SHORE

What do you like most about real estate? Developing and maintaining relationships with wonderful people we get to know in the sales process, whether buying or selling. Every day presents a new opportunity.

Market trends you anticipate in 2023?

With historically low inventories along the North Shore, sale prices remain strong, especially for updated, move-in ready homes. Relative to interior trends, gray and beige tones are being replaced by warmer, deep, vibrant colors.

Trends you think people should avoid before selling their home?

While wallpaper is making a comeback, bold design selections can be taste specific. We would suggest limiting wallpaper to a room or two, like a powder room or dining room, so not to overwhelm the buyer if they prefer to change.

Most difficult aspect of being in the real estate business?

What can be the most “difficult” is also the most attractive—you never know what the day is going to bring. This is not a boring business, no matter what time of year or day of the week. You must be on your toes and be ready to pivot at a moment’s notice.

Best thing about 2022?

We had another outstanding year in 2022! Ann Lyon was the No. 1 agent in Lake Forest in terms of total dollar production, and LFCM Partners was the highest performing team using that same metric. One notable highlight was Ann Lyon representing the seller in one of the highest priced single family home sales in Lake Forest history!

Most looking forward to in 2023?

Meeting and working with new and longtime friends and clients to help them in any way we can.

LFCM Partners is with @properties Christie’s International Real Estate. For more information, call 847-828-9991, email lfcmpartners@ atproperties.com, or visit lfcmpartners.com.

Kim Campbell, Jennifer Mower

SUSAN MAMAN

As a broker with both the @properties Christie’s International Real Estate offices in Glencoe and Winnetka, Susan Maman is a 19-year North Shore real estate veteran. She counts being in the top 1 percent of all brokers in the Chicago area (2022), Top 15 Illinois Real Estate Individual Professionals by Newsweek - RealTrends (2022), Top 10 Real Estate Brokers in the New Trier School District (2022), the No. 1 Broker in Glencoe (2019-2022), and Crain’s Chicago Business 2019 Notable Real Estate Broker, among her many recent accolades.

What do you like most about real estate?

My favorite aspect of the real estate business is being able to guide my clients through what can be an anxious time in their lives and help lessen their emotional, financial, and physical stress.

Best thing about 2022?

Professionally, 2022 was one of my best years with over $50 million in sales (sold and pended). This was very exciting considering the lack of inventory that we faced in 2022. Personally, I could not be more thrilled to have my daughter, Mimi Maman, join @properties. I have confidence that she is going to crush it. I also had an extraordinary trip to Greece during which my son proposed to his girlfriend, Stephanie Bott, in a helicopter!

How do you differentiate yourself from the competition?

My extensive knowledge of the North Shore and its lifestyle is organic. I know how it feels to grow up here, raise my children here, and live here as an adult. My ability to listen to my clients rather than talk about myself and my accomplishments has contributed to my success. Keeping in touch with past clients on a regular basis is not only fun, it creates solid relationships. Our business is about relationship building.

Susan Maman is with @properties Christie’s International Real Estate. For more information, call 847-878-5235 or visit susanmaman.com.

KATHRYN AND KELLY MANGEL

With over 50 years of North Shore living between them, Kathryn and Kelly Mangel— Team Mangel with @properties Christie’s International Real Estate—have an invaluable pulse on the community. Team Mangel utilizes their knowledge of the neighborhoods they serve, in addition to their ability to listen, create unique solutions, and high-level customer service. They help their clients, who include CEOs, young families, empty nesters, rental seekers, and more find their “happily ever after!”

How do you differentiate yourself from the competition?

We are the hometown experts! We grew up on the North Shore and are raising our families here. We have lifelong relationships, expertise that we pass along to our clients and a rock-star list of business partners to enable their home selling or buying success.

Most difficult aspect of being in the real estate business?

Team Mangel has perfected the art of time management. Every client gets 110 percent of our undivided attention 24/7 as we accompany all of our showings and work directly with our buyers, sellers, investors, and renters.

Advice for a new agent?

When you love what you do, you never work a day in your life! We absolutely love real estate and working with a diverse group of clients who become our “work family!” It’s a referral business, and we work hard for our clients, their family and friends.

Most looking forward to in 2023?

We are looking forward to continuing the positive momentum and team winning mojo in 2023. We have been real estate agents for over 17 years and our average list-to-sell is 99.1 percent. We’ve already closed over $425 million dollars of real estate and have our sights set on even more!

Team Mangel is with @properties Christie’s International Real Estate. For more information, call 847-881-6134, or visit teammangel.com.

Styled by Karen Tragos at Bunny and Babe, Winnetka.

THE MAWICKE GROUP

The Mawicke Group is a second-generation real estate firm serving the North Shore and Chicago. Licensed brokers for more than 20 years, the brother–sister team, Megan Mawicke Bradley and John Mawicke, bring their deep knowledge of the area to their client relationships. They also bring extensive prior experience working—John, in the financial industry, working for major investment banks and Megan, as a Network TV anchor for 22 years—which affords them valuable communication and business skills.

What do you like most about real estate?

For us … it is about people first! We love meeting new people every day. We spend a lot of time with both buyers and sellers, and it is very gratifying when you cross the agent /client line and become friends.

How do you differentiate yourself from the competition?

The Mawicke Group has a nearly 50-year legacy with a mission of serving clients. Unlike a large percentage of agents, we grew up on the North Shore. We know the neighborhoods, the schools and this market like the back of our hands. We are so passionate about our community and that shines through in everything we do.

Market trends you anticipate in 2023?

The trend of moving from the city to suburbs remains real and will continue to support the market. The North Shore is well positioned relative to many other parts of the country. Inventory is still at historic lows and this will balance out the increase in interest rates. The frenzy of the last two years might be over, but we are still seeing tremendous buyer demand for updated and well-priced homes!

Areas of the home should one invest in?

Curb appeal is huge! Invest in the exterior of your home. Updated and spacious mudrooms and laundry rooms are also becoming one of the biggest requests we see.

The Mawicke Group is with @properties Christie’s International Real Estate. For more information, call 312-307-1157 (Megan), 312-342-4278 (John), or visit atproperties.com/teams/mawicke-group.

TED PICKUS

Highland Park broker Ted Pickus has an extensive background in the home industry. Before beginning his successful career with @properties

Christie’s International Real Estate 12 years ago, Ted honed his skills working in his family-owned construction business—building homes and developing multi-family buildings and residential subdivisions.

What do you like most about real estate?

I love knowing I am helping my clients move onto the next chapter of their lives. Be it a first-time home buyer, empty nester downsizing, or anyone in between, knowing they are moving on is the BEST!

How do you differentiate yourself from the competition?

Three principles: caring, integrity and tenacity. First and foremost, I care about my clients’ needs and I’m concerned that their goals and interests are always represented. I not only want what is best for all parties in every transaction, but what is most ethical. I don’t give up until we reach success.

Market trends you anticipate in 2023?

I think 2023 will continue to be a seller’s market. There are still more buyers in the market than sellers and I don’t see that changing in 2023.

Ted Pickus is with @properties Christie’s International Real Estate. For more information, call 847-417-0520 or visit pickushomes.com.

SHERRY MOLITOR

Sherry Molitor has been a top producing broker for more than 20 years on the North Shore after a successful sales career with CBS TV. Sherry has been a resident of the North Shore for more than 30 years. Regarded as caring and organized, Sherry continues to help families navigate the real estate market and buy and sell homes in Winnetka, Wilmette, Glencoe, Northfield, Kenilworth, Lake Forest, Evanston, Glenview, and Northbrook.

What do you like most about real estate?

There is a lot of satisfaction knowing a buyer or seller places their trust in me to handle such an important event and I take that very seriously. I really enjoy meeting people from various areas and backgrounds while helping them find their sanctuary as well as working for sellers while utilizing my sales, advertising, and marketing background from my years at CBS TV.

How do you differentiate yourself from the competition?

I am client-centered versus transaction-oriented and very hands on. The process isn’t just another sale for me, it’s truly a very meaningful experience and I’m grateful to be a part of it. I want the very best for all my clients.

Market trends you anticipate in 2023?

Our local marketplace is still very undersupplied and in high demand. I don’t anticipate that changing anytime soon.

Advice for a new agent?

Know the inventory and trends in the market. Be responsive and thoughtful to clients and fellow agents alike.

Sherry Molitor is with Coldwell Banker Realty. For more information, call 847-204-6282 or visit sherrymolitor.com.

JAMIE ROTH

As a Founding Advisor of Engel & Völkers

Chicago North Shore and a leader in the North Shore real estate community, Jamie Roth has the unique ability to offer his clients counsel on all aspects of the home buying and selling process. He holds an MBA, a law degree, and more than 20 years of experience in both commercial and residential brokerage. This skillset mixed with his love of art and architecture give him an advantage for clients looking to relocate from the city, along the North Shore, or around the globe. Jamie’s vast network with Engel & Völkers allows him to leverage relationships with advisors around the world, offering his clients a peace of mind.

How do you differentiate yourself from the competition?

By taking a strategic approach to the sales process, backing it up with personalized white-glove service, and acting as an advisor rather than a salesperson. Besides having a business and legal background, I’ve studied art and architecture extensively. Consequently, I often sell architecturally significant homes as I have a deep appreciation of what those homes have to offer.

Who inspires you right now?

The people of Highland Park. We are Highland Park Strong!

Advice for a new agent?

Keep your mouth shut, your ears open, and try to learn as much as you can from experienced agents who are willing to share their knowledge.

Best thing about 2022?

Having a record-breaking year and surpassing my production goals.

Most looking forward to in 2023?

Meeting the challenges of a shifting market and providing opportunities for success to my clients.

Jamie Roth is with Engel & Völkers Chicago North Shore. For more information, visit jamieroth.com.

RUBENSTEIN FOX TEAM

Mother-daughter duo, Marlene Rubenstein and Dena Fox, lead the Rubenstein Fox Team as Baird & Warner’s No. 1 agents and team. Their award-winning combination is a blend of Rubenstein’s depth of experience and creative marketing tactics, and Fox’s finance background as well as her pulse on what today’s buyers and sellers want and need. Headquartered in Lincoln Park and Highland Park, the Rubenstein Fox Team also has a very seasoned team of agents, including Laura Kerstein and Amanda Khan. They continue to expand their reach, opening a brokerage in South Florida in 2020, with offices in Fort Lauderdale and Naples.

Dena Fox, Amanda Khan

What do you anticipate the real estate market to look like this year?

A tight inventory to start, with a growth to a more normal market. Prices will not equalize until 2024 due to inventory constraints, but we anticipate the interest rates to level out, which will boost consumer confidence and ultimately result in more home sales and opportunities.

Advice you give sellers before selling their home?

Neutralize the color palette, minimize the clutter, and make sure you are up to date on all home maintenance. I think one of the hardest things to explain to sellers is they are not the buyers of their home anymore and they need to make sure it appeals to the expected audience of buyers in order to maximize their price.

Areas of the home one should invest in?

Updating kitchen and baths always helps for resale but the importance of curb appeal and landscaping are often overlooked as they not only add value, but also are a strong indicator of a homeowner caring for their home.

Advice for a new agent?

1) As in any new career, the value of a mentor is immeasurable. Real estate goes far beyond what you learn on paper from passing the exams and it is so important to learn from someone in the field everyday with depth of experience. 2) Ask top agents to cover their open houses as it is a wonderful way to see new inventory, learn how to talk to buyers, promote yourself on social media, and get free leads! 3) Make sure to take the time to know your market—study and understand the trends. 4) Be the educator for your clients. This is a huge investment (and most often the largest buyers make to purchase a home) and you want to make sure your buyers and sellers understand how the entire process works. Taking the extra time to sit down and explain the process of buying and selling will always be appreciated by your clients. 5) Don’t ever underestimate the value of relationships be it with clients, colleagues, other agents, and vendors/tradespeople.

The Rubenstein Fox Team is with Baird & Warner. For more information, call 847-899-4666 (Dena), 847-565-6666 (Marlene), 847-2091131 (Laura), or (847) 951-3458 (Amanda).

Laura Kerstein, Marlene Rubenstein

KELLY DUNN RYNES

In 2002, Kelly Dunn Rynes launched her career in real estate using her degree in Economics and has never looked back. In 2023, Kelly continues to shine as a top producer and founder of Chicago To The North Shore, a top-tier broker with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Chicago. Kelly has a solid network to collaborate with, offering her clients moving from the city to the suburbs a distinct advantage.

What do you like most about real estate?

Connecting the dots! For more than two decades, I have worked closely with so many wonderful agents on the North Shore and in the city across all brokerages. In times of limited inventory, it is imperative to connect the dots by finding opportunities everywhere, not just publicly listed homes. Digging in and knowing off-market, expired, private, coming soon, and exempt possibilities can really give my buyers and sellers alike an edge in a tight marketplace.

Advice for a new agent?

Find a seasoned broker or manager who you truly respect and ask to be mentored. I worked for a senior broker for 10 years before branching out on my own. She was an incredibly smart, industry expert and one of the top agents in the country. That decade of high-level experience has proven to be absolutely invaluable in achieving a successful career.

Most looking forward to in 2023?

Continuing to successfully connect buyers and sellers along the North Shore!

Kelly Dunn Rynes is with Chicago To The North Shore. For more information, call 847-987-6296, email kelly@chicagotothenorthshore.com, or visit chicagotothenorthshore.com.

ROAD

KAREN STROBLE

Karen Stroble’s career has been built on connecting buyers and sellers—whether in media or real estate. Before transitioning into real estate in 2007, Karen had a successful career in media marketing, working for companies like Condé Nast, WebMD, and Martha Stewart Living. Today, Karen is with Jameson Sotheby’s International Realty and holds licenses in both Illinois and Arizona, allowing her to help buyers and sellers across state lines.

What do you like most about real estate?

There is nothing better than a happy new owner or seller at a closing.

How do you differentiate yourself from the competition?

My willingness to embrace new marketing strategies has helped me close properties quickly. Additionally, I am dual licensed in Illinois and Arizona, so I can help homeowners leaving Illinois heading to Arizona, and based on the 2022 Allied US Migration report, Arizona is one of the top inbound states and Illinois is THE top outbound state.

Who inspires you right now?

My Ninja Community! I participated in Ninja training based on Larry Kendall’s book last fall, and it reinforced that a positive mindset and gratitude is everything. Staying connected to fellow Ninja brokers keeps me inspired while providing an international referral network.

Most looking forward to in 2023?

Meeting clients in Illinois and Arizona and helping them achieve their real estate goals. Completing smooth transactions will be the building blocks for strong relationships into the future.

Karen Stroble is with Jameson Sotheby’s International Realty. For more information, visit karenscollection.net.

THE WEXLER GAULT GROUP

In every way, The Wexler Gault Group is one of the North Shore’s most successful, driven, creative and in-demand real estate teams. Partners Beth Wexler, Joey Gault, and Liz Salinas lead the team of 15 which consistently ranks in the top 1 percent of brokers and has been named the No. 1 broker team in the Highland Park office of @properties Christie’s International Real Estate since it opened in 2013. In 2022, the seasoned team of brokers sold more than $106 million in real estate. Known for their best-in-class service and dynamic energy, The Wexler Gault Group tackles clients’ needs with care and precision along the North Shore.

What do you like most about real estate?

The thrill of getting a deal done for a client and being a part of their home selling and/or buying experience. It’s a wonderful feeling having appreciative clients who have been happy working with us.

Who inspires you right now?

Our team. We all motivate and inspire one another. We love collaborating and mentoring our team as the team leads and sharing in their success. We feel so fortunate that we all love working together.

Best thing about 2022?

Professionally, we were the No. 1 Team in both Deerfield and Highland Park in sales volume against all brokerages. We also sold the most homes over $2 million in the Highland Park luxury market.

The Wexler Gault Group is with @properties

Christie’s International Real Estate. For more information, call 312-446-6666 (Beth), 312-961-6699 (Joey), 847-471-1555 (Liz), or email wexlergault@atproperties.com, or visit thewexlergaultgroup.com.

Beth Wexler

SELLING THE SHORE

Liz Salinas, Joey Gault

SAY YES TO THE ADDRESS

WHAT CLIENTS ARE SAYING

“Although we have never written an online review for a service provider before, we felt it was incredibly important to take a moment to write a review for Susan Burklin. We needed a broker who was a regional expert and Susan was recommended to us. If you are seeking an agent who is highly competent, incredibly professional, a genuinely caring and uncompromising full-service start-to-finish real estate broker then Susan is the one to call. My entire family and I feel deeply grateful for Susan as she didn’t just sell us a house, she worked tirelessly until she found us our perfect home.”

RECENT SALES

PERSONALIZED DIGESTIVE HEALTH CARE

Dr. Manoj Mehta and the Endoscopy Center of the North Shore in Wilmette (and soon moving to Evanston!) are premier providers of gastroenterology services in the North Shore.

WORDS BY MITCH HURST PHOTOGRAPHY LISA SCIASCIA

People often ask Dr. Manoj Mehta, a gastroenterologist with a deep passion for his work, how he chose this profession.

“Maybe they’re joking—why would anyone choose this? But I enjoy it enough to explain,” Dr. Mehta says. “For me, a lot of it had to do with excellent mentorship. Everybody’s style is a little bit different in medicine. A lot of people in medical school were hardcore traditionalists. I would say I was not one of those people.”

Dr. Mehta explains that he responded a little better to the teaching style of the gastroenterologists at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center. Instead of asking him facts that he had memorized, they challenged him to really listen to the patient, look at the clues, understand things, and come up with a plan.

Having an unconventional background relative to most doctors, Dr. Mehta has previous training in auto mechanics, has worked in medical illustration, has a pilot’s license, and has worked in television.

“I like working with my hands, with video, and have great hand-eye skills—all the things that you need in GI,” Dr. Mehta says. “But my main philosophy is to recognize that the treatment of patients is not a one-way street. Communication is the key to having successful and healthy outcomes.”

Dr. Mehta says he’s very much patient-focused and tries to treat each patient as a human being, as an individual.

“I’ve been on all sides of this. I’m a doctor, a parent, and I’ve been a patient,” he says. “I’ve been in situations where no one is hearing me when I have a problem. I know that happens in medicine and I’m very much against it.”

The approachable teaching style that motivated him in medical school is the style he brings to his patient interactions.

“Sometimes that means getting people relaxed enough to open up—not everyone is comfortable talking about the things I am used to hearing about,” Dr. Mehta says. “Sometimes it means being a better listener. I’ve learned to appreciate that people’s experiences and observations are the most valuable information I can get. The whole process is collaborative.”

The Endoscopy Center of the North Shore was created as an alternative to the hospital setting, where Dr. Mehta can deliver high-quality health care based on these one-on-one values.

“Having my own space has allowed me to achieve my goal of treating each person as an individual and meeting all of their needs, no matter how long it takes,” he says. “I focus on one patient at a time.”

The Endoscopy Center has full accreditation, full-time anesthesia, and safety and quality standards based on the hospital settings. Dr. Mehta sees patients for consultative meetings and procedures in his current office in Wilmette, and this spring will be moving to nearby Evanston.

“People have responded very favorably to my practice style, and I’ve had great reviews and feedback,” Dr. Mehta says. “Many have called my facility ‘boutique-like,’ and I’m excited to move to a bigger and even nicer location soon.”

Dr. Manoj Mehta is a board-certified gastroenterologist and the founder of the Endoscopy Center of the North Shore, 1100 Central Ave., Suite H in Wilmette, moving this spring to 1732 Central Street, Evanston, 847-256-1855, ginorthshore.com.

Dr. Manoj Mehta

WORDS BY STEVEN BLOCH, M.D. PHOTOGRAPHY BY MONICA KASS ROGERS

Plastic Surgery Update: TUMMY TUCK

One of the most frequent requests that I get is for a “Tummy Tuck.” Many patients find that despite diet and exercise they cannot achieve the shaped, toned, flat abdomen they desire.

1. In assessing a patient for a “Tummy Tuck” multiple factors are taken into account.

2. What is the status of the over lying skin and the degree of laxity? Is the laxity confined to the lower or upper part of the abdomen or both?

3. What is the status of the underlying muscles? Do they meet in the midline or are they separated from pregnancies or intra-abdominal fat?

4. What is the distribution of excess fat? Is it diffuse or localized in the lower upper abdomen? Does it extend to the flanks?

Depending upon the above assessment a customized operation can be

performed to address these concerns. Multiple procedures or techniques can be employed.

The procedures vary from non-invasive to full abdominoplasty or some combination. Methods include:

1. Non-invasive CoolSculpting or CoolTone.

2. Minimally invasive BodyTite or Renuvion for skin tightening.

3. Vaser liposuction for fat reduction.

4. Modified abdominoplasty for the lower abdomen.

5. Full abdominoplasty combining liposuction, repositioning umbilicus, skin tightening, and underlying muscle repair.

The above procedures can often be combined to give you a customized operation to achieve the results you desire.

For additional information, visit bodybybloch.com or Dr. Bloch can be reached at his Highland Park office at 847-432-0840.

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SOLD by SARA

With Sara as your agent, you get a highly recommended and honest agent, unparalleled social and professional networks and a proven track record to get you the best buying and selling experience possible.

BodyByBloch bodybybloch

Steven Bloch MDBodybybloch

CHANNELING A LEGACY

The style icons who inspired the nomenclature of Peyton Merrill’s Bunny & Babe boutique in Winnetka

WORDS BY SHERRY THOMAS / ILLUSTRATION BY ROBERT RISKO

If you are bold enough to open a boutique named after two of the most iconic socialites of their time, nothing should stand in your way.

Not fear. Not competition. And certainly not a global pandemic.

So perhaps it’s no surprise that in the three years since Peyton Merrill unveiled her Bunny & Babe in Winnetka that the same question always came to mind—what would Bunny Mellon and Babe Paley do?

“Every day we strive to live up to what Bunny and Babe would have wanted to see in the boutiques and salons that they frequented back in their time,” explains Merrill, whose chic ready-towear boutique in the heart of downtown Winnetka put the finishing touch on what many now call the Oak Street of the North Shore. “When we had to close our doors during the pandemic, we pivoted to developing and launching our Instagram.”

It went like this. Ann Witkowski (originally store manager/employee no. 1/now takes on many other roles) and Merrill shot new product as it came in, posting it on Instagram to a skyrocketing number of faithful followers.

“We actually developed a big following pretty quickly and generated some really great business from our postings,” explains Merrill, who opened Bunny & Babe in 2020, just as the world was shutting down. “Currently, our Instagram is the main and largest feeder to our e-commerce business. We wouldn’t be doing half the business we are doing on E-comm if it wasn’t for our Instagram!”

From the very first days that the boutique began offering its women’s ready-towear lines, fun shoes, accessories, sophisticated gifts, and home couture, Merrill stayed focused on the legends who inspired her.

First there was the notorious gardener with royal ties, the one and only Bunny Mellon. Tastemaker extraordinaire, confidante to none other than Jacqueline “Jackie O” Kennedy, and designer of the White House Rose Garden, Mellon lived by the mantra that “nothing should be noticed,” the hallmark of true elegance.

Then there’s Babe Paley—American socialite and wife to William S. Paley, a man who singlehandedly built CBS into one of the foremost radio and television network operations in the U.S.

Naturally both Bunny and Babe were included in the prestigious

International Best-Dressed Hall of Fame in 1958—joining such high society pals as Frank Sinatra, Lee Radziwill, Rose Kennedy, Lynda Bird Johnson, Norman Mailer, and Arthur Schlesinger Jr., all in attendance at Truman Capote’s Black and White Ball.

“Our most important focus in the stores is customer service,” says Merrill, a Winnetka native who credits her mother as her original design and color inspiration. Harkening back to an age where fashionable women were greeted at boutiques with bespoke service, the Bunny & Babe team aspires to help each client find precisely what they need—whether it be a single outfit or an entire spring wardrobe.

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We also focus on keeping our stores visually exciting and well merchandised with classic pieces,” she adds. “We are always looking for the newest, fun designers to add to our collections.”

Now that normal retail business has returned, Bunny & Babe has solidified a place of provenance among its haute couture colleagues at the corner of Chestnut and Elm—neapolitan. Frances Heffernan, Valentina, and a t h e n e.

“Our team feels strongly that our business is good because of the other women’s retailers around us. We have become somewhat of a ‘shopping mecca’ on the North Shore so we all help each other by existing so closely and supporting each other,” says Merrill. “We send our clients to a t h e n e and neapolitan all the time if we don’t have what they are looking for.”

That style synchronicity has resulted in a client demographic that exceeds even her expectations—aging from 8th grade girls to women in their 70s—all flocking to the light, happy, and airy boutique that was modeled after Aerin Lauder’s boutiques in East Hampton and Palm Beach.

What now, you might ask? Where does one of Winnetka’s most successful businesses go from here?

Up and out, is the answer. It will go bigger and even bolder.

“On the horizon, we are excited to announce that we now are leasing the space in between our two stores and will be connecting all three locations for a better and more cohesive shopping experience,” says Merrill. “We hope to be open by Summer 2023!”

Bunny and Babe wouldn’t have had it any other way.

Bunny & Babe is located at 555 Chestnut Street in Winnetka. For more information, visit bunnyandbabe.com or call 847-999-3255.

would be proud to see that the glamour and grace of their era is being revived for a new generation.

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