top of page
About.jpg

About Us

Christina Conant Design is a full-service interior design studio based on Chicago’s North Shore, known for interiors with a strong sense of character and an unmistakably personal point of view. With an eye for the unexpected and a thoughtful approach to every detail, the studio creates homes that balance refinement with a sense of ease, considered but never overly composed.

 

At the center of each project is the client. Through a highly personal and collaborative process, the studio looks beyond how its clients live to understand what they are drawn to, what they value, and ultimately, how they want their homes to feel. That understanding finds its way into every choice, from custom cabinetry and architectural millwork to bespoke furnishings, art, antiques, and pieces collected along the way. The result is a home that feels layered rather than decorated, shaped by a sense of character that could belong only to the people who live there. 

​

To bring that vision to life, Christina and her team work in close collaboration with a trusted network of architects, builders, artisans, craftspeople, and trade professionals. Together, they share a commitment to craftsmanship, quality, and the details that give a home its character. From first concept through final installation, Christina and her team guide clients through the process, creating an experience that is highly personal, beautifully considered, and every bit as thoughtful as the finished home. 

Meet the Team

Christina Conant

As founder and principal designer of Christina Conant Design, a full-service interior design studio based on Chicago's North Shore, Christina Conant creates layered, deeply personal interiors that balance timeless design with thoughtful functionality. Guided by the belief that exceptional design should reflect the lives, stories, and aspirations of the people who call it home, her work is defined by technical expertise, refined aesthetics, and a highly personal approach to design. Raised in Texas and Tennessee, Conant developed an appreciation for design, craftsmanship, and resourcefulness long before she became a designer. As a child, she rearranged her bedroom, covered her walls with magazine clippings, and collaborated with her mother to create spaces that reflected her personality, offering an early glimpse of the passion that would shape her career. After more than a decade in the financial industry, she followed that lifelong passion, combining business acumen, formal design education, and hands-on industry experience to establish a practice with a reputation for exceptional client experiences. Today, she is known for a thoughtful high-low approach, pairing bespoke furnishings with vintage and antique finds, original artwork, and meaningful details to create homes that feel collected, personal, and enduring. At home, Conant finds inspiration in the rhythms of everyday life, sharing her world with her husband and their two dachshunds. A love of cooking, entertaining, art, travel, and the outdoors continues to shape both her life and her design perspective. Her practice continues to evolve alongside her newly expanded design studio, with a bespoke cabinetry showroom soon to open in Wilmette. From there, Conant leads residential projects throughout Chicagoland and the greater Midwest, with a growing portfolio of work in the United Kingdom and beyond.

TaraKester.jpg

Tara Kester

Tara Kester is an interior designer with Christina Conant Design whose path to interiors began with more than two decades in graphic design, branding, and creative direction. A graduate of Grand Valley State University, she built a career around composition, color, and visual storytelling before being drawn to working in three dimensions. Cabinetry design and space planning followed, revealing a natural connection between her creative instincts and how people actually live. Resourceful by nature, Tara brings a strong visual eye and an instinct for solving the puzzle of a room. She believes good design should make everyday life easier while leaving plenty of room for the art, objects, relationships, and moments that make a home personal. Off the clock, she is happiest outdoors or on the tennis court, finding inspiration in nature, organic materials, and rich texture.

JenniferCortes.jpg

Jennifer Cortes

Jennifer Cortes is Director of Operations at Christina Conant Design and an interior designer whose fascination with residential design began as a teenager, paging through Metropolitan Home and discovering architects Tadao Ando and Luis Barragán. That early curiosity led to a Master of Architecture and a career designing deeply personal homes from Vail and Boulder to San Francisco, Carmel, and Napa Valley. A creative doer and problem-solver by nature, Jennifer brings an eye for the big picture and an appreciation for the details that give a home its story. She believes the best interiors balance beauty with function, craftsmanship with comfort, and creativity with practicality. Collaborative and candid, she loves creating homes that reflect who her clients are and how they live. A dedicated yogi, Jennifer finds inspiration in movement, mindfulness, and occasionally slowing things down.

Services

2602_Portrait_7.jpg
Full-Service Interior Design

A comprehensive approach for projects of every scale, from individual rooms to complete residences. Christina Conant Design manages the process from initial planning through final installation, bringing together the many decisions, details, and resources required to create a cohesive home. 
 

  • Space planning and interior architecture 

  • Custom cabinetry and architectural millwork 

  • Materials, finishes, and lighting 

  • Custom furnishings and upholstery 

  • Furniture, art, antiques, and accessories 

  • Procurement and project coordination 

  • Installation and styling 

Image by Annie Gray
New Construction & Renovation

For new construction and renovation projects, Christina Conant Design works alongside architects, builders, and craftspeople from the earliest stages through completion. The studio considers the interiors in tandem with the architecture, helping guide everything from space planning and cabinetry to lighting, finishes, furnishings, and the details that bring the home together. 
 

  • Interior architectural planning 

  • Kitchen and bath design 

  • Custom cabinetry and millwork 

  • Materials, finishes, and fixtures 

  • Lighting and electrical planning 

  • Furniture and furnishing plans 

  • Builder and trade coordination 

  • Procurement, installation, and styling 

Image by Christin Hume

Virtual Design

A flexible way to engage Christina Conant Design, Virtual Design brings the studio’s expertise and creative direction to clients wherever they may be. Each project is thoughtfully tailored to the space and its needs, with a clear design vision, carefully considered selections, and ongoing guidance to help bring it all together. 

 

  • Virtual consultations 

  • Space and furniture planning 

  • Design concepts and visual direction 

  • Materials, finishes, and color 

  • Furniture, lighting, and accessory selections 

  • Product sourcing 

  • Styling guidance 

  • Ongoing design consultation 

bottom of page