SHORE VS. CITY: ONA VILLIER

ONA VILLIER, originally from the Mediterranean island of Menorca, Spain, moved to New York City at 14. After completing her academic design studies, she began her career in fashion advertising in Manhattan. Her journey took another turn when her husband, a native Tuscan whom she met while living in Barcelona, was appointed as a professor at a prestigious university in Chicago. They made the move, and it was there that Villier’s passion for interior design flourished. Today, she is the principal of ONA VILLIER STUDIO, a high-end interior design firm serving clients across the Chicagoland area and beyond. Specializing in a harmonious blend of minimalist lines and European vintage charm with an elegant fusion of luxurious and rustic finishes, the studio’s signature style is aptly called “Rough Luxe.” Villier resides in Wilmette with her husband and their two children, Paolo (7) and Ariadna (10), and makes it a point to visit Italy and Spain whenever possible.

Memorable moment of 2025? A family trip to Morocco visiting Marrakech and Aït Benhaddou on our way to the Sahara, where we stayed with a Berber family and spent two days in a kasbah in the Atlas Mountains Mantra? Be curious Best grooming tip? NEOSTRATA Resurface Foaming Glycolic Wash Guilty pleasure? Project Runway Favorite foods? Salads Music you love? I listen to indie electronic bands while working and The Rolling Stones, Nina Simone, Lenny Kravitz, or Adele when cooking dinner Best advice ever given to you? Believe in yourself Best advice you’ve given? Be the person you want others to be to you (to my daughter) Earliest memory? Visiting New York with my mom when I was 2 years old. The avenues looked SO big When you wake up, you? Drink a glass of water Before bed, you? Unwind by watching a show What’s on your bookshelf? I love reading The New Yorker, so I’ll often have a selection of them on my nightstand You can’t live without? Deep friendships Love to escape to? Anywhere with my husband, Jacopo Advice you would give to your younger self? Take a gap year before college and see the world

ON THE SHORE

Your style is? Timeless pieces with an artsy twist Can’t leave the house without? Funky socks Transportation? Walking Driving music? ArtHoles Podcast Place to eat? Towne & Oak and FRÍO Gelato Shop? Pink & Tan Best thing about the Shore? The large green trees and beautiful beaches Worst thing about the Shore? I sometimes miss the vibrant atmosphere of a major city The perfect day is? Wake up early for a barre workout with friends, brunch with family, attend an oil painting and ceramics class, and get my nails done with Ariadna. To cap it off, a walk with my family to Gillson Beach and dinner with my Cookbook Club girlfriends

IN THE CITY

Your style is? Understated chic Can’t leave the house without? Melixir tinted lip butter Transportation? Car Driving music? Indie pop and alternative Place to eat?Kai Zan on Chicago Avenue. They have amazing omakase and the best fish collar Shop? Gem Jewelry Best thing about the City? Restaurant scene Worst thing about the City? Coming from the suburbs, it can sometimes feel gritty and congested The perfect day is? Brunch at Milk & Honey Café and a visit to Damen Avenue and The 606. Afterward, go to the Art Institute and the Maggie Daley Park. In the afternoon, my husband and I would go to the AIRE Ancient Baths, followed by dinner at Lula Cafe