SHORE VS. CITY: SUZANNE SYKES 

There’s no place quite like home—especially when it is warm, welcoming, and well-designed. And few designers achieve that balance of warmth and quiet sophistication as naturally as SUZANNE SYKES, Owner and Principal Designer of Suzanne Sykes Architecture + Interiors. For Sykes, design is never just about decoration. It is about enhancing the way clients live each day—how rooms feel, function, and how they evolve alongside the families who inhabit them. Whether furnishing a single room, guiding a full-scale renovation, or collaborating on a new build, her work is refined, refreshingly livable, and unmistakably reflective of each client. “Designing a client’s home is a very personal process,” says Sykes. “I’m honored every time someone opens their door and invites us into their home and their lives.” That philosophy has fostered long-standing client relationships and repeat collaborations, a hallmark of the studio’s thoughtful, relationship-driven practice. Sykes takes a break from designing elegant, yet fresh, and family-friendly interiors to share her city and shore favorites with Sheridan Road.

The only change made was removing the line break in “family- friendly” to make it “family-friendly.”

What’s on the horizon? Lots of incredible design projects: we’re designing Pepper Pot, a needlepoint and mahjong lounge opening later this spring; we’re putting an addition on a home in Winnetka, blending the historic architecture with the needs and tastes of the current homeowners; and we’re working with influencer Jennifer Lake to design her Chicago home. Mantra? “In a world where you can be anything, be kind” Guilty pleasure? Endlessly adding to my collection of antiques. And my daily Hometown habit. Favorite foods? The endive and citrus salad at Towne & Oak and the red snapper at Le Colonial in Lake Forest.

Music you love? Motown and Taylor Swift. Best advice ever given to you? “If you want a village, you have to be a villager” Best advice you’ve given? “Jump and then make the net appear” When you wake up, you? Get ready (La Roche-Posay sunscreen, always!) before making my children eggs and cinnamon toast. Before bed, you? Try to read, not scroll! And slather on my Coleman Compound. What’s on your bookshelf? Historic fiction, design books, and Ina Garten’s A Memoir. You can’t live without? Our Skylight Calendar. Love to escape to? The American Club in Kohler, Wisconsin. It’s perfect for a quick, relaxing getaway. Advice you would give to your younger self? “The best is yet to come”

ON THE SHORE

Your style is? Casual, comfortable, and colorful. Transportation? Kia Telluride. Driving music? Taylor Swift. Place to eat? The Lunchroom at SPACE 519. Shop? Bunny & Babe, Little Elm, Wellyhaus, and Collected Home by Vianni. Best thing about the Shore? The beautiful old homes and the sense of community. Worst thing about the Shore? The current lack of real estate inventory. The perfect day is? Checking on our job sites and pulling samples for new projects, popping by North Shore Stitch Club, enjoying time with my children, and then a relaxing evening with my husband.

IN THE CITY

Your style is? Heels, neutrals, and sleeker silhouettes. Transportation? I still drive in the city, as I often have a selection of samples in tow. Driving music? The Business of Home Podcast. Place to eat? Katie Cassman introduced me to Ciccio Mio, the most charming little spot right near THE MART. It has such an intimate, European feel. Shop? The River North Design District. Best thing about the City? The historic architecture and THE MART. Worst thing about the City? Permitting for construction. The perfect day is? Catching up with family and friends who live downtown while enjoying the culinary scene.