CHAD ESSLINGER

Chad Esslinger Design

BY LIFELENSANDLOVE PHOTOGRAPHY

To Chad Esslinger, the most rewarding part of his job as an interior designer is the partnership he formulates with people and families to make their house a home. “It is a special thing to be invited into a home and help a vision become a reality,” he said. From choosing paint colors, furniture, and décor - to designing layouts and specifying products and materials for home renovations and new constructionshis clients are his inspiration and the spaces he creates are extensions of their personalities and experiences.

A native of Illinois, Esslinger has expressed an interest in creative projects and home design since a young age. He graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in Industrial Design. After spending years in the development of home décor prod- be productive and functional, but also a sanctuary to escape. It must be a place to gather with family and friends but also might need to function as a workspace, some or all of the time,” he said.

Esslinger is no stranger to personal projects, either. The design project nearest and dearest to his heart? “My own home,” he said. “It was built in 1999 and when we moved to Downers Grove in 2014, it had all the original finishes and features. Over the years, we’ve updated just about everything with just a couple more rooms to renovate.” ■ her client, seeing a project come to fruition after months of planning, demo, construction, and installation is the most rewarding. At times, she also uses design to comfort families who have endured a loss. “I feel like it’s my calling to help these people heal and move on,” she said.

Trends she sees today include black kitchens - from cabinets to accessories – to the incorporation of tech-