Dorothy Draper was one of the first female interior designers. As a woman who has worked in a male-dominated industry (primarily tech), I can relate to the challenges she must have faced. Her hurdles were probably far greater than my own, yet she never gave up and that’s how she got her first break redecorating the Carlyle Hotel. Her style was brave, colorful and trend breaking which is why it is still relevant today.

As a fellow Chicagoan, I can appreciate Alison Victoria’s desire to keep Chicago homes looking modern yet true to their roots. She studies a home’s original details, embelishes them and incorporates upcycled pieces from historic Chicago landmarks for an authentically unique look. I find this far more visually rewarding then designing an interior with no connection to its past. I also admire her bold use of the color black as it commands your attention in an awe inspiring way. Pops of black and contrast are also quite refreshing after the past decade of grays we’ve all had to endure.

I realize it may be a little cliche to use one’s mom as a source of inspiration, especially since she is not an official interior designer. However, she was my first inspiration and I will always look up to her. When I was little we moved several times due to constant rents rising in Chicago. Every apartment we moved into was rather dated and lackluster, but that only fueled my mom’s passions. I loved watching her painstakingly decorate each space using baroque furniture from my grandmother, bold patterns, silver, gold and mirrored pieces. She created her very own Hollywood Regent world until it felt like home. ‘Til this day people thought we lived in a condo.