Debra by Design Studios offers personalized consultations focused on paint color and materials finishes, including in-home visits, showroom sessions, and virtual consultations tailored to remodeling contractors, builders, and homeowners.
The studio is based in Hampshire, IL, and serves the northwest suburbs of Chicago, including Cook, Kane, and McHenry counties.
Debra acts as an extension of remodeling and design-build teams by streamlining finish selections, offering design planning support, material and finish sourcing guidance, and coordinating palettes that align with budgets and timelines.
The studio specializes exclusively in coordinating paint colors and material finishes such as flooring, tile, stone, cabinetry, hardware, and fixtures, rather than providing broad interior design or architectural planning.
With over 20 years in interior design-related roles and formal education in Art History and Design, Debra combines artistic and architectural principles to create cohesive, narrative-rich material compositions.
Yes, the studio offers both interior and exterior home color consultations featuring products from Sherwin-Williams, Benjamin Moore, and BEHR.
Virtual consultations allow clients to receive expert guidance remotely, including review of material samples and color palettes, which is especially useful for busy professionals or clients outside the immediate service area.
Yes, the studio helps homeowners narrow down choices, build cohesive color and material schemes, and gain confidence in their selections to avoid costly mistakes and indecision.
Debra holds specialist training and certifications from Sherwin-Williams and Benjamin Moore, is affiliated with NARI, and brings over two decades of practical design experience.
All services are by appointment only. Clients can schedule consultations online or via contact forms, choosing formats like in-home visits, showroom meetings, or virtual sessions based on their needs.
The studio specializes in coordinating finishes across paint, luxury vinyl plank (LVP), luxury vinyl tile (LVT), tile, stone, wood, cabinetry, hardware, fixtures, and related materials.
Yes, Debra welcomes ongoing partnerships with builders and remodelers, providing expert finish coordination to help streamline selections and improve project workflow.
Debra's extensive product knowledge and experience allow her to anticipate how materials perform in real homes under varying lighting and use conditions, helping clients avoid trends that quickly date or finishes that wear poorly.
Homeowners gain clarity and confidence in their design decisions, cohesive and harmonious color and finish schemes, and support that prevents costly repainting or replacing mismatched materials.
The studio works flexibly at different project stages-pre-construction, during remodeling, or cosmetic refreshes-to align finish selections with client schedules and construction timelines.
Consultations involve reviewing client preferences, evaluating existing conditions or project plans, presenting curated palettes and material boards, and guiding selections that align with style, budget, and durability needs.
Yes, in addition to finish consulting, Debra offers custom artwork and home organizational solutions such as custom closets and small office designs to complement the finished space.
Typical projects include kitchen and bath remodels, whole-home repainting, flooring upgrades, exterior color updates, and other residential renovations in the northwest Chicago suburbs.
By providing expert coordination of colors and finishes, Debra helps clients avoid clashing undertones, incompatible materials, and last-minute changes that can delay projects and increase expenses.