A MODERN-DAY RENAISSANCE STUDIO

Every business has an origin story but Simes Studios’ story is a striking one. Like the Studios’ work, this origin story is a romantic one set against the backdrop of Old World elegance but infused with New World bravado and innovation. It is an origin story that has led to a decades-long presence in Chicago where Simes Studios’ signature style is a coveted element of highend design projects.

The story begins in Buenos Aires during a Fellini-esque dinner party at the home of a renowned Argentinean art collector. There Cindy, a young American painter, was seated next to another artist, the talented and charming Jorge. Friendship, collaboration, love, and marriage quickly followed. Buenos Aires was the ideal place for the couple to hone their decorative painting skills—no ready-made glazes, plasters, or specialty tools existed so all had to be created from scratch before being applied to the Beaux Arts and Art Deco residences in this European-like city. Argentina’s teetering economic state and a 30 percent inflation rate, however, drove the couple’s decision to return to the United States, where they choose Chicago for its livability, outstanding architecture, and vibrant art and design community.

The couple drove into Chicago on St. Valentine’s Day, February 14, 1988, with all their belongings stashed in a second-hand Chevy station wagon. Their first impressions of the city’s gray, somber landscape on that dreary day were literally frosty but those impressions quickly thawed after a well-connected Chicago socialite referred them to more than 12 leading local designers.

Simes Studios is now celebrating its 35th anniversary, and the team of two has expanded to include a permanent staff of artists who possess a keen eye for architecture and design and degrees in Fine Art. The firm functions like a Renaissance workshop with its blend of individual artistic talents; each beginning as an apprentice and progressing to senior artist status.

The firm is renowned for its singular style, which incorporates historical references, cross-cultural influences, and innovative striking visual effects. Think sweeping murals, custom glazes, trompe l’oeil, faux bois, marblezing, and embellished furniture and floors. Their eglomise, a French technique of back painted and gilded glass that is often used as a backsplash, is prized by a national audience of designers and architects for its fanciful designs ranging from hand-painted cherry blossoms to gilded rock n’ roll lyrics.

Some recent notable projects include an eglomise mural triptych made of three layers and nine panels of glass, with a 12-foot footer inspired by origami. In other words, 1,200 pounds of ethereal folding, using super thin platinum lines and mirroring techniques for the front and back of the piece to create a sense of evanescence.

“Sometimes you see the mirror and sometimes you don’t. The client wanted something you can see through at times, but that also divided the rooms in an artful fashion,” explains Jorge.

Another project involved a Lake Forest couple who, after buying the last three acres of a famous estate, wanted to acknowledge the property’s history. Through extensive research, Simes Studios developed a historical mural for the couple’s main staircase depicting the original estate and its outbuildings.

Jorge observes, “Historically, we are at a point of privilege in terms of access to inspirational images and their content. We dedicate ourselves to research and development as well as furthering our knowledge of techniques and styles.”

The dining room of the Illinois Governor’s Mansion in Springfield is a stunning example of this exacting research. The landscape painting featuring state landmarks replicates the painting style that would have been used when the house was originally built.

“I love the puzzle. When a designer comes to us and discusses the style of the home, we work in unison with the designer and architect to recreate the concept the client wants,” says Cindy.

While most of their projects are found in luxury residential spaces, Simes Studios also periodically does pro bono work. The firm transformed the foyer at RefugeeOne, which offers refugee resettlement services, with welcoming words in numerous languages.

“We are crafting an illusion and projecting it through images organized in a certain way. It’s about the sense of comfort and the well-being it creates,” explains Jorge.

As for some of their most unique requests? Cindy recalls, “In a David Adler-designed living room, we recently had to enhance a new pine crown molding and a panel above the fireplace because the new pine did not match the original.”

After winning four awards for applied arts from the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art, Simes Studios has cemented its reputation in the classical design field. While paying respect to the revered art techniques and the exceptional quality of the past, Simes Studios also specializes in finding innovative ways to create a contemporary aesthetic, incorporating environmentally friendly materials.

“Trends have evolved over the years and have become more contemporary. Unique plasters and gilding are very popular as well as subtle gradations of color,” notes Cindy.

Thus, Simes Studios’ origin story, a story rooted in decorative painting, evolves … one exquisite project at a time.

Simes Studios, Inc. is located at 1809 W. Webster Avenue, Suite 200 in Chicago, 773-327-7101, simesstudios.com.