Elevated interiors, tailored for Chicago’s finest
AWARD-WINNING INTERIOR DESIGNER
Meet Anthony Michael
Anthony is regularly named as one of the top interior designers in Chicago and various metropolitan areas such as San Francisco, NYC, Naples, New Buffalo, Scottsdale, Miami, Los Angeles, Belair, Nassau Bahamas and more in addition to numerous other projects in Chicago and the suburbs.
With offices in Chicago and Los Angeles, he works with bicoastal clients. His work has been featured in LUXE as a LUXE Gold Designer, House Beautiful, Traditional Home, The Wall Street Journal, Architectural Digest, Modern Luxury and more.
With over 35 years of experience, Anthony Michael is to interior design what Sir Alec Guinness was to acting— able to handle radically different roles, his talent comfortably manifesting itself behind many faces. While hard to typecast, he dares to cross the lines of convention to try what is visually bold and dramatic , but never jarring.
FEATURED PROJECTS
Buckingham Place
Breathtaking colors of our planet
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Sheffield
Portraits of people from around the globe
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Greenview
Stark beauty of desolate dunes
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FEATURED PRESS
FROM THE BLOG
Picture a chilly morning, a crackling fireplace and a soft, well-loved quilt draped over your favorite chair. Vintage quilts have quietly slipped out of the linen closet to become fall's most versatile design feature. Here's why they're surging in popularity, what's fueling the trend and how you can use one to make your home wonderfully cozy this season. Quilts Are Stepping Into the Spotlight Not long ago, a vintage quilt lived on a guest bed or in a keepsake box. Now you'll spot them draped over living room sofas, spread across bedrooms and folded by the front door as everyday design statements. House Beautiful points to an ongoing shift toward authenticity in design, where handcrafted one-of-a-kind pieces feel special again. Even the runway has joined in, since designers like Bode have worked antique quilts into modern clothing, with every quilt carrying a real link to the past. Thrifting and Nostalgia Are Fueling This Vintage Quilt Revival Think of a Saturday morning at an estate sale, coffee in hand, flipping through a stack of folded quilts. Plenty of people share that ritual. A 2025 Mercari-commissioned survey by Talker Research found that thrifting is a regular activity for 66% of Americans , with 72% of those specifically aiming to save money. Home decor ranked as the second most popular category for thrift purchases at 45%, behind clothing at 71. However, alongside the money-saving angle, 42% also love hunting for one-of-a-kind finds that a big-box store rarely offers. Chances are you've felt the pull too, away from mass-produced decor and toward pieces that carry history, character and a touch of nostalgia. Vintage Quilts Bring Character New Textiles Cannot Replicate Years of washing and snuggling can mellow a quilt's colors, soften its cotton and relax its seams. That gentle wear can give a vintage quilt a patina you cannot manufacture , even when a reproduction looks lovely. So if your find has a faded patch or a loose stitch, celebrate it. Those little marks read like chapters in the quilt's story, and they add to its charm. Even a damaged quilt can find a second life if you're feeling crafty. Cut the best sections into cushion covers for your sofa. Since every vintage quilt is unique, yours brings its own personality, which is exactly why it adapts well to so many rooms and styles. A Single Quilt Can Transform Nearly Any Room in Your Home One vintage quilt can change jobs as you move from space to space. Try these ideas: Layer it at the foot of your bed or under a duvet for a pop of color and extra warmth on cool nights. Drape it over the back of a sofa or accent chair so it's always within reach for movie night. Hang it on the wall as textile art, especially if the pattern is bold or the story is sentimental. Fold it over a bench, ottoman or window seat to give an entryway or reading nook a soft, lived-in touch. Toss it over a porch rocker so you can sip cider outside on crisp evenings. Want a corner that practically begs you to curl up with a book? Drape your quilt over a reading chair and pair it with warm-toned throw pillows for an extra layer of autumn warmth. Orange, red and yellow shades add easy festive color, and picking one or two hues already hiding in the quilt's pattern keeps everything working together. The Right Fall Color Palette Makes Your Quilt Feel Intentional Once you've chosen a quilt, the colors around it decide whether the room feels pulled together or random. Fall offers many beautiful color schemes, from gold and rust to plum and deep creek green, so you can find or style a quilt that suits the palette you love. If your space leans moody, jewel tones like Bordeaux can create a dramatic corner. If you'd like something sunnier, golden shades such as amber and camel can glow beside a cream sofa, and rust-forward looks warm up against nearly any neutral wall. Smooth Modern Accents Keep a Layered Quilt From Feeling Cluttered Balancing cozy textures with smooth and polished surfaces like glass or metal can help a space look curated, rather than overwhelming. Some easy ideas for achieving this include: Setting a glass vase or lantern nearby for a sleek, light-catching contrast. Swapping in metal picture frames or a polished mirror to balance the quilt's soft texture. Placing a ceramic vase or bowl on a side table for a clean, smooth focal point. Sliding a mirrored or metallic tray under a candle so it reflects light across the room. Standing a lamp with a glossy metal base beside your quilted chair for a warm, glowing finish. Your Home Is Ready for Its Coziest, Most Personal Fall Yet Vintage quilts can bring warmth, history and personality into your home in one soft, stitched-together package. Start small by draping a single quilt over your favorite chair, then watch how quickly the room starts to feel like fall. Grab a coffee, hit a flea market this weekend and get ready to fall head over heels for your coziest season yet.
Autumn is a great excuse to bring richer color into your home. You can make a room feel cozier, more dramatic and even more spacious by adding deep reds, earthy greens, moody blues and warm browns. You don’t need to repaint every visible surface of your home to get the effect, either. Simply adding a bold cabinet, an accent wall or a carefully chosen piece of furniture can give your home a seasonal refresh. Which Bold Colors Are Trending This Autumn? Autumn naturally lends itself to richer, deeper colors, from the changing leaves outside to the warmer tones often used indoors. This season, you can expect to see plenty of the following colors: Burgundy and oxblood: These deep reds bring warmth and drama to living rooms, dining areas and bedrooms. Interest in burgundy among designers rose from 7% in 2025 to 21% in 2026, according to 1stDibs’ 2026 Interior Design Trends survey. Chocolate and espresso brown: These earthy shades create a cozy, grounded look. Chocolate brown was selected by 33% of designers surveyed by 1stDibs, nearly twice its 17% share in 2022. Deep and mossy greens: Green can bring an earthy, restful quality indoors. Deeper hues like forest and olive green are now sharing space with the sage green trend of the last decade. Terracotta and burnt orange: These warmer shades bring some of autumn’s outdoor palette inside without relying on traditional pumpkin orange. Ochre and mustard yellow: Butter yellow may have solidified its status as a major trend over the last few years, backed by a massive 324% year-over-year spike in global searches between February and May 2024-2025. However, prepare to see deeper yellows, such as ochre and mustard yellow, this season. How Can Bold Hues Change the Mood of a Room? Color can influence how you experience a space. Green typically evokes the feeling of harmony , tranquility and growth, which makes the color a natural fit for bedrooms, home offices or a quiet corner. Blue, on the other hand, is linked with inner reflections, so it may suit spaces where you want a calmer atmosphere. Warmer hues can create a different effect. Burgundy and chocolate brown may make living rooms and dining areas feel richer and cozier, while ochre can bring energy to a darker room. You can then adjust the effect by changing how much of the color you use. How Can You Use Bold Colors to Change the Feel of a Space? Going bold can be a little intimidating if you usually stick to neutral colors in your interior design. You might love the idea of a deep burgundy wall or forest green for cabinets, but the thought of living with that color every day is another story. However, you don’t have to pick between bold and neutral, as you can simply bring them together. Neutrals are still a favorite for a reason. The NKBA Annual 2026 Kitchen Trends Report found that 96% of people chose neutral colors as the most popular kitchen palette. These colors are easy to pair with bolder shades when you want a little more personality. The trick is to use neutrals as your base, then let one bold hue take the spotlight. You can follow the 60-30-10 rule, with 60% of the room in your main color, 30% in a secondary shade, and 10% in an accent. Creamy walls, natural wood and a few burgundy details can give plenty of autumn color without making the whole room feel like a commitment. Here are a few ways to bring that mix into your home. Create Depth With a Dark Accent Wall A dark, saturated wall can make a room look deeper by drawing the eye toward it. Try painting the far wall of a small room in a rich shade to give the space more depth. You can use the same idea to balance an awkward layout. In a long room, a bold wall at the end can give the space more structure and create a clear focal point. Keep the other walls lighter so the darker shade stands out. Make a Small Space More Intentional With Color Small rooms can be excellent places to experiment. A powder room, pantry, hallway or reading nook gives you a contained area for a stronger shade. Try deep green in a small bathroom or burgundy in a cozy reading corner. Pair the color with warm white, cream, natural wood or other lighter finishes to keep the room from feeling too heavy. Use Bold Cabinetry as the Main Event Cabinets usually take up a large part of a kitchen, so changing their color can quickly transform the room. Some of the most popular colors are saturated jewel tones, earthy dark hues and spicy warm accents. Before committing, view color samples beside your flooring, walls and countertops. Keep in mind that lighting can change how a color looks throughout the day, so check your samples in both natural and artificial light. Let Your Home Fall for Color This fall, let your home have a little fun with color. Choose a hue that suits your mood, then give it a strategic place to shine. One bold wall, a colorful cabinet or a statement chair can give your space a whole new personality.
If your rental property isn't making money like it used to, the problem might not be the market. Outdated or overly personalized design choices can make potential tenants walk away before they even schedule a showing. Fortunately, a few expert-backed design principles can transform your space into a tenant magnet that stays rented and profitable. 1. Offer a Neutral Blank Canvas You might love that deep teal accent wall or the custom wallpaper in the dining room, but potential renters want to envision their own belongings in the space. Bold personal choices can actually work against you because quality tenants are looking for a place they can make their own. "Everyone who rents your property wants to transform it into their idea of home. That is only possible if you offer them a blank canvas,” says Realty Management Associates, Inc. “It means that the moment you have added the fundamental elements of the design, you should stop." However, the blank canvas you provide must be nicely done and properly maintained. "If your place isn't showing its best, a good prospect's impression will probably be negative ,” explains Harrisburg Property Management Group, which manages over 2,000 properties across Central Pennsylvania. “Good renters will 'judge a book by its cover' with your rental property, because they're going to seek the same standards in their home that they exemplify themselves." 2. Invest in Durable Materials Rental units take a beating over time, making durability just as important as aesthetics when you're selecting finishes and furnishings. Consider: Countertops: Quartz creates a high-end impression and is easy to maintain. Your tenants can spill coffee or wine without causing permanent damage. Performance fabrics: If you're offering furnished or partially furnished rentals, skip the delicate linens and opt for stain-resistant performance fabrics that can handle real life. Resilient flooring: Luxury vinyl plank flooring mimics hardwood but withstands scratches, moisture and heavy foot traffic. “Always use outdoor area rugs in a rental project, even indoors,” advises designer Sandra Asdourian. “They are better made for lots of wear and tear." Smart material choices mean fewer repair calls, lower replacement costs and easier turnovers between tenants. 3. Maximize Available Storage Ample storage is important for tenants, yet many landlords overlook this simple upgrade. If your rental property isn't making money the way you hoped, consider whether the lack of storage is turning away prospects who have nowhere to put their belongings. “Incorporate clever storage solutions such as built-in shelving, under-bed storage, or multi-functional furniture,” advises Design + Implementation Group. “This not only adds value to the property but also helps tenants keep the space organized and clutter-free.” A well-organized closet with double rods and shelving costs relatively little to install but signals to tenants that you've thought about their daily needs. Attention to detail can be the difference between a quick rental and months of vacancy. 4. Upgrade Lighting and Window Treatments Lighting can completely transform the mood and perceived size of any space. A good lighting upgrade might include: Swapping out harsh bulbs: Replace builder-grade fluorescent or cool-toned bulbs with warm, ambient lighting to make the space feel welcoming. Adding mood lighting for ambience: Layer floor lamps and table lamps in living areas to create depth and make spaces feel more inviting and livable. Installing smart window treatments: Choose options that offer privacy while still letting natural light filter through. Renters want to feel secure without living in a cave. Beyond Design Strategies You've painted the walls neutral, upgraded the countertops and added plenty of storage. But if your rental property isn't making money even after these improvements, it's time to look beyond design. For example, consistent maintenance keeps tenants happy and protects your investment over the long haul. If you prefer a hands-off approach to your rental properties, maintaining consistent maintenance is often easier to set up when working with a property management company. “By working with a property management company, you gain access to an entire network of vetted contractors for all necessary repairs, frequently at a much lower cost than you might be able to secure on your own,” notes Harrisburg Property Management Group. Beyond contractor access, professional property managers can help reduce vacancy periods through effective property promotion. Experts use targeted marketing strategies to reach your ideal tenants, helping your property earn money rather than cost money by standing empty. Setting rent at the right price point for your local market is also essential. Undercharging means missing out on income, but overcharging can discourage tenants and lengthen vacancy periods. “A recently renovated or well-maintained property can command a higher rent,” explains Harrisburg Property Management Group. Professionals with in-depth local market knowledge can advise you on which design upgrades or new amenities will appeal to the right demographic and help your property stand out. Maximize Your Rental Investment If your rental property isn't making money the way it should, going back to basic design principles may help. Add a robust maintenance program and professional property management support, and your rental can remain competitive and profitable for years to come.
