COUNTRY VS. TOWN: NICOLE REGAN

NICOLE REGAN knows a beautiful home makes its first impression long before you open the front door. As founder of Perfect Pumpkins, Chicagoland’s first pumpkin concierge service, Regan works alongside her parents, Tom and Cindy Nelson, to create seasonal porch installations. Her background includes creating styled campaigns for national brands, with work featured in Martha Stewart Living and Southern Living. Now heading into her fourth season with Perfect Pumpkins, Regan takes a break from fall’s busiest stretch to share her country and town favorites with Hinsdale Living.

What’s on the horizon? I’m ecstatic to be heading into the fourth season of Perfect Pumpkins. We’ve always believed outdoor spaces deserve the same attention as interiors, and this year we have a very exciting collaboration in the works. Stay tuned! Mantra? Do it beautifully, or don’t do it at all.

Best grooming tip? Hair extensions for thickness Guilty pleasure? Bravo. No shame. Favorite foods? A perfectly crisp smash burger or a spicy tuna roll. Music you love? Jazz, all day, every day. Best advice ever given to you? Stop waiting for the perfect time. The time is now. Best advice you’ve given? Invest in the things people see. Your front door, table, and porch set the tone for everything.

Earliest memory? A My Little Pony-themed party for my fourth birthday. When you wake up, you? Snuggle with my four-year-old. Before bed, you? When I’m disciplined, I’m reading. When I’m not, I’m scrolling TikTok. What’s on your reading stack? Strangers

You can’t live without? The four seasons. Each season changes how we dress, gather, and celebrate. Love to escape to? Anywhere with a great farmers market and an antique store. Advice you would give to your younger self? Go for it. It’s okay to build the plane while you’re flying it. Nobody really knows exactly what they’re doing.

WHEN IN COUNTRY

Your style is? Prints, color, and pattern Can’t leave the house without? A great pair of sunglasses Transportation? Driving Driving music? Do podcasts count? Place to eat? Sushi at Nabuki for date night! During pumpkin season, the Le Breton sandwich from Toni Patisserie is an installation-day tradition for our crew. We’ve eaten more than I’d care to admit between Hinsdale pumpkin installs! Shop? Visual Comfort, Meredith Jaye, J. McLaughlin and Kelsey Resale for one-of-a-kind consignment finds! Best thing about the Country? All the cute shops, restaurants, and beautiful homes. Absolutely worth the trip over from Oak Brook! Worst thing about the Country? The parking! But I suppose that’s what happens when Hinsdale is always bustling. The perfect day is? Start with a cappuccino from Toni Patisserie to enjoy while getting my hair done at Levato Salon. Afterwards, browse J. McLaughlin to see the latest collection drop, followed by a girls’ lunch at Fuller House. End the day with a facial at Elase Med Spa and sushi takeout from Nabuki.

WHEN IN TOWN

Your style is? A little more editorial, a little more adventurous Can’t leave the house without? Good shoes. Transportation? I swear by the L. Driving music? Podcasts. Place to eat? Adalina Prime—love the tableside martini service. Shop? Batik in Lincoln Park Best thing about Chicago? The energy. The culture. The creativity. The wonderful weirdness. It’s impossible to replicate. Worst thing about Chicago? Traffic The perfect day is? A walk along the lake, an afternoon at the Art Institute or the Museum of Science and Industry, and dinner somewhere new in the West Loop.