After more than a decade working in workplace, retail, and hospitality projects, I’ve learned that being a commercial interior designer in Chicago is less about visual statements and more about operational judgment. Chicago’s building stock is layered with history, codes evolve block by block, and the way spaces are actually used can be very different from how clients imagine them during early conversations.
One of the first Chicago office projects I led looked simple during the initial walk-through. Once demolition started, we discovered uneven slab conditions and mechanical systems that had been rerouted multiple times over the years. I remember standing in the space with the contractor and MEP engineer, realizing our ceiling heights would drop unless we reworked distribution early. Catching that before construction was fully underway saved the client several thousand dollars and kept the schedule intact. Those moments don’t come from drawings—they come from time spent on job sites.
I’m NCIDQ-certified and have worked across commercial interiors of varying scales, and Chicago has taught me that coordination matters as much as design intent. I once stepped in after a restaurant project stalled because the original layout didn’t align with health department requirements. The concept looked good, but back-of-house circulation and equipment clearances hadn’t been fully vetted. Revising it delayed opening and strained the budget. Since then, I’m direct about involving consultants and regulators early, even when it complicates the process upfront.
Another mistake I see often is designing for optics instead of use. I worked on a corporate office where leadership wanted expansive open areas everywhere. From experience, I knew noise and lack of privacy would become immediate problems. We adjusted the plan to include enclosed focus rooms, acoustic treatments, and circulation paths that reduced distraction. Months after move-in, employees were actually using the space as intended instead of working around it. That outcome rarely happens by accident.
Chicago also demands logistical awareness. Elevator access, union labor rules, delivery windows, and limited staging areas shape what’s feasible. I’ve seen projects lose weeks simply because those realities weren’t accounted for early. These aren’t creative obstacles; they’re practical ones, and ignoring them is expensive.
The commercial projects that succeed here tend to do so quietly. They support daily operations, adapt to change, and comply with regulations without drama. Chicago doesn’t reward novelty for its own sake. It rewards designers who plan thoroughly, communicate clearly, and make decisions that continue to make sense long after the space opens.