DESIGNING FROM INSIDE OUT

Leslie Bowman, founder of The Design Bar in Burr Ridge, reveals how a triggering life moment inspired her to rethink interior design from a health and wellness perspective.

Click on the website for Burr Ridge-based The Design Bar and the first words you’ll see are: “Every home has a story. Let us help write yours.”

But founder and Design Director Leslie Bowman says a triggering event in her life about three years ago prompted her to expand that vision, and those stories, even further—going beyond the home itself to the health and wellbeing of the people who live there.

“I was sexually assaulted by someone I knew, no less,” says Bowman, explaining that the incident unleashed a lifetime of trauma that she had been repressing for decades. “That’s when I realized I had PTSD, and it’s just been a journey for me ever since about trying to heal.”

It was a moment of many epiphanies, including how unsettled she felt in her own home, regardless of how beautiful it was. That turning point not only inspired her to pursue a Ph.D. in Transpersonal Psychology but also prompted her to change the paradigm of how she approaches each design project.

“I began thinking about what is it about a space that makes people feel comfortable or uncomfortable?” she says. “I really started to dig into how my clients wanted to feel in their space. It was through this process that I began to understand that if I just asked people what their goals were for their life, the design fell into place.”

Soon, she was designing from the inside out—a more holistic approach that incorporates elements of nutrition, mental health, and life coaching.

“It’s about helping them live differently in an environment that I also design,” says Bowman. “That’s pretty much what I’m doing, taking what goes on inside your body and making it work for how you live.”

A recent project employed this new holistic paradigm to a whole house remodel for a Downers Grove family who wanted a space that reflects their health and wellness values. What’s especially remarkable about the project is that Bowman only met with the family six times to curate the design—a testament to her intuitive skills.

“I have an innate ability to just understand people,” she continues, adding that in addition to gutting the entire first floor, she did a full kitchen redesign. “I can make anything pretty. I ask clients to tell me what they hate so I can understand what they want.”

This new paradigm and mindset marks an exciting new chapter in an already prolific career. With an M.A. in Interior Design and 15 years of experience, Bowman’s designs have earned national recognition in ELLE Decor, House Beautiful, and Good Housekeeping. She was also featured on HGTV’s Windy City Rehab.

It’s a transformation that is ongoing, personally and professionally.

“In the future, I anticipate that the blending of design and wellness will only deepen, with more clients seeking spaces that foster mental clarity, relaxation, and a sense of balance,” she adds. “Design will be less about aesthetics alone and more about creating environments that nurture the mind, body, and spirit.”

The Design Bar is located in the Burr Ridge Village Center, 880 Village Center Drive, in Burr Ridge. For more information, call 630-734-0000 or visit thedesignbars.com.