Design Chicago 2025: Where Inspiration, Craft, and Authenticity Converge

Inside two days of design discovery — and why understanding craftsmanship is essential to mastering the luxury market.

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Every October, the Merchandise Mart becomes a classroom for design professionals. This year’s Design Chicago 2025 gathered the best minds in architecture, interiors, and product design for two full days of education and inspiration.

For us, attending isn’t about trend-spotting or spectacle. It’s about mastery — staying close to the makers, materials, and philosophies that define the very homes our clients aspire to own. As real estate advisors working in the luxury space, our job isn’t simply to sell homes. It’s to understand what drives the people who design, build, and desire them.

The Enduring Craft — Stone That Tells a Story

One of the most powerful themes of the week was permanence — and nowhere was that better expressed than in the Buechel Stone showroom. Their panel discussion explored stone as an element that transcends the “trend treadmill.” It’s a material of heritage and endurance, and their publication, The Stone Journal, drives home that message with elegance.

That conversation carried naturally into Paris Ceramics, where the focus on reclaimed stone brought history to life. Hearing about centuries-old abbeys and churches while holding fragments of those structures in our hands was a rare reminder that design isn’t just about what’s new — it’s about what lasts.

Both experiences reinforced a universal truth: luxury buyers increasingly value authenticity over ornamentation. Permanence sells, and provenance matters.

Design and Innovation — Function Meets Form

The through line of innovation continued at Dacor, Brizo, and House of Rohl, each showroom offering a study in the marriage of performance and artistry.

At Dacor, the brand’s evolution from engineering roots to design benchmark came to life through a dynamic presentation. Having experienced Dacor firsthand in a Gold Coast listing on Cedar Street, I was reminded again that great appliance design feels as intentional as fine architecture — beautiful, functional, and precise.

A short walk away, House of Rohl offered a visual feast that rivaled fine jewelry displays. The setting was immersive — fixtures gleaming like curated art pieces — and the brand’s message was unmistakable: craftsmanship is luxury’s truest expression.

Brizo carried that message further with its Chicago-exclusive showroom, where the newest collections turned plumbing fixtures into sculpture. The question many clients ask — “Why would anyone spend that much on a faucet?” — finds its answer here. When you understand the design story, the craftsmanship, and the innovation behind it, it makes perfect sense.

Experience and Engagement — The Power of the Showroom

Some of the most instructive moments came simply from walking the showrooms themselves — each one a sensory experience in storytelling.

The Middleby Residential showroom stands apart for its sheer scale. Housing an extraordinary number of elite brands under one roof, it felt less like a showroom and more like a masterclass in modern living.

At Sub-Zero, Wolf & Cove, an informative presentation on The Galley Workstation showcased how the kitchen continues to evolve as the emotional and functional center of the home. For anyone who cooks, entertains, or simply observes how clients live, it’s clear: our time spent in the kitchen has changed forever.

These experiences reaffirm why being present matters. Photography and social media are invaluable, but the physical encounter — the touch, temperature, sound, and scale — deepens understanding. It’s how we translate the story of a product into the story of a home.

Purpose and Sustainability — Designing for the Long Term

At Porcelanosa, a global leader in tile, kitchen, bath, and hardwood, the conversation turned toward sustainability — not as a buzzword, but as a philosophy. Their presentation, Designing for Sustainability, drew a full audience and underscored what might be the most enduring takeaway from Design Chicago:

Luxury design is shifting from consumption to consideration.

The message was clear: choosing better, using longer, and investing in enduring quality is the new definition of sophisticated living.

As a showroom, Porcelanosa exemplifies that ethos — elegant, functional, and timeless. It serves as a reminder that sustainability isn’t the opposite of luxury; it’s an evolution of it.

Final Reflection — Mastery Begins with Curiosity

After two days immersed in design at The Mart, one takeaway stands above all: staying current in real estate means staying fluent in design.

Understanding why a stone feels timeless, how a faucet becomes art, or why a kitchen redefines the way we live — these details are the language of today’s discerning buyer.

For those of us committed to excellence in luxury real estate, Design Chicago isn’t an event — it’s an education. It sharpens our understanding of the world our clients move in, reminding us that true expertise is built one conversation, one showroom, and one inspired idea at a time.

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