KP Home

Soon-to-be parents, I am BEGGING you not to make the nursery the only cozy bedroom in the house. When we designed Emily and Dan’s Logan Square home, their first baby was on the way. And while there’s obviously sooo much excitement around creating spaces for a growing family, I wanted their own bedroom to feel really restorative too.

So this room became intentionally quieter than the rest of the home. Soft tonal bedding, a huge upholstered bed, warm wood, gentle lighting and one muted blue chair tucked into the corner for reading, pausing…or realistically, eventually rocking a sleepy baby at 3AM.

Interior design by Kristen Pipal • KP Home
Styled by Britt Fitzpatrick
Photography by Sarah Crowley
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📍 Chicago Interior Designer

Small bathroom PSA: you do not necessarily need to move walls around to make the room work significantly harder. We actually kept the existing layout in Marcia’s long, narrow bathroom because space was tight.

Instead, we focused on getting more out of what was already there. The old builder-grade vanity wasn’t giving her nearly enough storage, so we designed a custom one that extends toward the door.

That extra section had to become shallower to preserve circulation, but it gave Marcia both more storage and more usable countertop. Add drawers instead of wasted cabinet space and suddenly a modest bathroom is doing a heck of a lot more without gaining a single square foot.

Interior Design: Kristen Pipal • KP Home
Photography: Jeffrey Johnson / Travis Haughton
Styling: Britt Fitzpatrick

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Working from home sounds great until your office is approximately five feet away from where your five-year-old is playing.

That was Ethan’s reality in this Park Ridge home. His office sits right off the family room, which is VERY much family territory: movie nights, playtime, hanging out... all the good noisy stuff.

So we hid his office behind a Murphy door disguised as built-in shelving.
Closed? It looks like a sweet little display shelf. Open? Surprise, there’s an entire office back there.

It gives Ethan extra privacy and noise control during the workday, but my favorite part might be what happens after work: close the door, hide the office, and let home feel like home again.

Interior design by Kristen Pipal • KP Home
Photography by Sarah Crowley
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📍 Chicago Interior Designer

I knew from the beginning that Beth was not asking me for a perfectly matched, play-it-safe home. Her dream was essentially a Marvelous Mrs. Maisel house: grandma chic, a little European, traditional but with enough edge to keep things interesting. And with three kids and a dog, everything still had to survive actual everyday life.

The living room is probably the gentlest version of that whole idea. We gave it a creamy, neutral foundation, then layered in patterned upholstery, warm burl wood, sculptural furniture and oversized art. It feels collected rather than coordinated... which was exactly the point. Nothing had to “match.” It just had to belong together.

Interior design by Kristen Pipal • KP Home
Photography by Sarah Crowley
Styled by Britt Fitzpatrick
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📍 Chicago Interior Designer

A family of five comes with a lot of stuff walking through the door every day. Shoes, coats, school bags, umbrellas… and somehow it all needs somewhere to go before it takes over the rest of the house.

That’s exactly what we planned for in this Downers Grove entryway. Everyone gets an easy grab-and-go spot, shoes tuck underneath, baskets can hide the miscellaneous stuff, and the long bench makes getting in and out of the house so much easier.

Design by: Kristen Pipal • KP Home
Styled by: Britt Fitzpatrick
Photo by: Sarah Crowley
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📍 Chicago Interior Designer

You know what I love about older Chicago homes? They’ve got so much character... and sometimes kitchens that remind you exactly how differently people lived 80 years ago.

Sue and Craig had loved this home for years, but they were ready for a kitchen that matched the way they actually cook, entertain, and spend time together today.

So we kept the charm but completely rethought how the space functions. A streamlined L-shaped layout makes cooking feel effortless, while the oversized island naturally became the place where people gather before dinner, during it... and somehow still an hour later.

💾Save this for kitchen inspiration.

Interior design by Kristen Pipal • KP Home
Photography by: Ryan Thomas Lay
Styled by: Britt Fitzpatrick
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📍 Chicago Interior Designer

If you’ve ever wondered what’s actually happening behind the scenes at a design studio while you’re seeing pretty finished homes on Instagram... ohhh, there is A LOT.

Our current projects are all over the map right now. Literally and creatively.
We’re designing a colorful 100-year-old home in Humboldt Park, putting the finishing touches on an incredibly functional Gold Coast primary suite, and watching a sophisticated Old Town condo come together with a leather-wrapped range hood, natural stone and a custom mural painted by the client’s artist friend. And those are only three of them.

🔗There’s plenty more happening behind the scenes. Read the full update on the blog via the link in bio.

Can someone explain to me why linen cabinets disappeared?? Like... they were one of the smartest things older homes gave us.

For decades, having a dedicated place for towels, extra toiletries, bedding, and all those random bathroom essentials was just... normal. Then somewhere along the way we decided one vanity should magically hold everything. Spoiler: it can’t.

That’s exactly why we added a full-height linen cabinet to Beth’s bathroom. The walnut vanity handles the everyday stuff, while the tall cabinet quietly takes care of everything else. And I kinda love that these old-school features are making a comeback.

Interior design by Kristen Pipal • KP Home
Photography by Sarah Crowley
Styled by Britt Fitzpatrick
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📍 Chicago Interior Designer

When Sarah and Ethan moved from a two-bedroom Chicago condo into a craftsman home in Park Ridge, they suddenly had the luxury of choice.

Instead of one room trying to do everything, they wanted a quiet, grown-up space where they could unwind after their five-year-old was asleep or linger over a cocktail when friends came over.

So we kept the palette soft and peaceful, layered warm textures, balanced gentle curves with clean lines, and let those incredible stained glass windows keep stealing the show.

Interior design by Kristen Pipal • KP Home
Photography by Sarah Crowley
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📍 Chicago Interior Designer