

CREDENTIALS + EDUCATION
ILLINOIS LICENSED INTERIOR DESIGNER
NCIDQ CERTIFIED, NCIDQ® CERTIFICATE NO. 025852
B.S. IN INTERIOR DESIGN | UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON
STUDIED CHINESE FENG SHUI AND WESTERN ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN | PEKING UNIVERSITY IN BEIJING
A LITTLE ABOUT ME
Hi! I'm Claire Barnes, interior designer and owner of Claire Barnes Design.
Growing up, my best friend and I loved to plan out our dream homes. We would hammer out what specialty spaces they would have (like a balloon room and go-cart racetracks), and we also discussed the finer details, like the location of each space and how they would flow together (because the bedroom needs direct access to the balloon room so you can go there first thing in the morning. Obviously.). But all joking aside, I loved drawing these floor plans, imagining how this future home would flow, and then re-imagining it to be even better. What started out as a fun game with my best friend, turned into a lifelong passion and career.
BACKGROUND
A Midwesterner at heart, I was born and raised in Des Moines, went to school in Madison, and have lived in Chicago since 2007. With 10+ years of experience as an interior designer, my design work echoes these strong Midwestern roots -- friendly and welcoming spaces that are comfortable, classic and timeless.
Prior to opening Claire Barnes Design, I worked as an interior designer in Madison both for a residential interior design firm and a firm that specialized in residential, hospitality and commercial interior design. I also worked in Chicago as an interior designer for a residential real estate development company, and a hospitality architecture and design firm. When I started branching out on my own, I wanted to provide a service for couples and families in the city who were in search of affordable, well-designed homes. Claire Barnes Design provides customizable interior design services that allow clients to create beautiful, comfortable spaces within their budget.
PASSION FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND HEALTHY HOMES
While I love beautifully edited spaces and thoughtfully designed interiors, I am also passionate about protecting the environment and promoting healthy spaces. Along with my formal education as a LEED Accredited Professional, I also informally entertain this passion on my blog, Design Chalk. Design Chalk, although focused on interior design, dabbles into eco-friendly lifestyle choices throughout the home from sustainable furniture and organic textiles to non-toxic interior finishes. I also share thoughts, articles and ideas on these topics through other social media outlets as well (you may find links below).