--- title: "Your Favorite Room By Cathy Zaeske — Interior Designers & Decorators | Houzz" canonical_html_url: https://www.houzz.com/professionals/interior-designers-and-decorators/your-favorite-room-by-cathy-zaeske-pfvwus-pf~1736530800 markdown_url: https://www.houzz.com/md/professionals/pf~1736530800.md entity_type: LocalBusiness business_name: "Your Favorite Room By Cathy Zaeske" category: ["Interior Designers & Decorators"] image: https://st.hzcdn.com/fimgs/08f38f390d669516_1011-w400-h400-b0-p0--.jpg address: "Gurnee, Illinois 60031, United States" phone: "" website: https://www.yourfavoriteroom.com rating: 5 review_count: 40 best_of_houzz_awards: 16 followers: 330 last_updated: 2026-08-29 --- # Your Favorite Room By Cathy Zaeske Original Houzz profile: [Your Favorite Room By Cathy Zaeske](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/interior-designers-and-decorators/your-favorite-room-by-cathy-zaeske-pfvwus-pf~1736530800) ## Professional summary - **Primary category:** Interior Designers & Decorators - **Location:** Gurnee, IL - **Serves:** Chicagoland, Global e-design - **Houzz rating:** 5.0 out of 5 (40 reviews) - **Best of Houzz:** 16 awards (2013–2026), for Design, Service. ## About ### Houzz Badges - Star Houzzer - Houzz Influencer - Recommended on Houzz - 100,000 Ideabook Saves I am an Interior Design Consultant for "real people" and it is my goal to help you create YOUR favorite room. Whether you are a newbie homeowner or expat moving into your 5th rental, if you are feeling overwhelmed, hesitant or just plain stuck, I can help create a vision! My approach is friendly and easy and together we will design welcoming rooms that reflect YOUR 
personality, lifestyle and budget...
dynamic yet comfortable spaces that will soon become your favorite! I am a Certified True Color Expert. ### Services Provided - Interior Design - Living Room Design - Bedroom Design - Color Consulting - Space Planning - Furniture Selection - Kids Bedroom Design - Dining Room Design - Home Office Design & Construction - Design Consultation - Floor Plans - Entry Design - Playroom Design - Art Selection - 3D Rendering - Basement Design - Sunroom Design & Construction - Rental Solutions - e-design ### Areas Served - Chicagoland - Global e-design ## Business Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Business Name | Your Favorite Room By Cathy Zaeske | | Address | Gurnee, Illinois 60031, United States | | Website | https://www.yourfavoriteroom.com | | Followers on Houzz | 330 | ## Contact - **Houzz profile:** [Your Favorite Room By Cathy Zaeske](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/interior-designers-and-decorators/your-favorite-room-by-cathy-zaeske-pfvwus-pf~1736530800) - **Website:** https://www.yourfavoriteroom.com ## Credentials **Certifications & Awards** - Best of Houzz (Design and Service) 2025, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2017, 2015, 2014, 2013 - **Best of Houzz:** 16 awards (2013–2026), for Design, Service. ## Reviews **Overall rating: 5.0 out of 5 — 40 reviews** *Aspect averages:* - Work Quality: 50.0 - Communication: 50.0 - Value: 50.0 ### Reviews **★★★★★ — HU-811007926, Aug. 2026** > Cathy is an absolute joy to work with! She consulted on my kitchen renovation, and really helped us understand what we were looking for in terms of overall style, color schemes, lighting and hardware. I love that Cathy was able to see our inspo pictures and listen to our likes and dislikes and distill it down into ideas for our own space. Can’t wait to work with her again on future projects - we couldn’t recommend more! **★★★★★ — Judy, Aug. 2026** > We have been in The same house for 30 years and we wanted a change. We are retirees and due to some medical reasons the layout needed to be adjusted. While we were at it I wanted to update some of our tired things and shake it up a little. I didn’t really know what direction to take. Cathy came into our home and helped us see different opportunities and think outside the box. She showed us some examples on her laptop that really helped we’re very happy with our new living room. Thank you Cathy **★★★★★ — pjshelton, July 2024** > Cathy Zaeske is an incredibly talented interior design professional and such a delight to work with! I cannot recommend her highly enough. She has a beautiful passion to complement her talent and can put together a proposal for a space in your home that is ‘designed with intention’. There’s nothing like watching her get excited about making you a plan and finding the right pieces for your taste and your home. She is inspiring and she will inspire you > Maybe you are an expat with furniture from different stages of life all mixed together in your home or perhaps you have been meaning to get around to getting some new furniture or art but are just completely overwhelmed by where to start? > I recommend giving Cathy a call ☎️ **★★★★★ — Erin C, Feb. 2024** > I highly recommend Cathy/Your Favorite Room! It was an absolute pleasure to work with her. She had brilliant design ideas, thoughtful recommendations, and really helpful guides/advice. I had never worked with a designer before and Cathy made me feel comfortable, listened to, and truly cared about. I appreciated how she worked with our budget and sourced a lot of feasible options for us. She was passionate and it was clear that she takes great care and pride in her work and designs. I highly recommend working with her without reservation! **★★★★★ — Lucy, Jan. 2024** > We hadn't used an interior designer before but were moving into a new house with an awkward shaped living room and really wanted to make sure that we had a layout that worked for us. Cathy gave us some great ideas for layout and built in furniture and also was able to suggest some fab light fittings that we could get in Switzerland. She was also more than happy to respond to all my follow up queries! **★★★★★ — HU-74606426, May 2022** > This was my first time using an interior designer and I wasn't quite sure what to expect especially as the design process was going to be done virtually. Cathy was detailed and took time to understand our needs. She was great to work with and gave our basement a whole new outlook. **★★★★★ — HU-930378877, April 2022** > To say that I'm design-challenged would be an understatement. We moved into a new place in August with a ton of wood ceilings and I didn't know where to start. Cathy helped me so much. First, she helped me move my existing things around to use the space better. Then she helped me choose some new pieces to bring some light into a dark room. She was just super patient and chill and gave me great ideas that didn't break the bank. Cathy came to our meeting totally prepared with vision boards, images, and links to products to buy. She knows what's available in Switzerland too so she can really save you a lot of unnecessary trips to nowhere. I'm looking forward to working with Cathy again when I finally get around to fixing up the rest of the house. **★★★★★ — Danielle Belko, Feb. 2022** > My apartment layout is a bit odd to say the least, and needed some imagination to figure out how to make a bunch of oddly oriented rooms into a cozy home. Cathy helped me all along the way -- by brainstorming ideas and then coming up with some sample layouts to help me visualize what the space could be. She helped guide me to various pieces that could really bring the rooms together and was always quick to give me advice or feedback if I needed it! I really loved working with Cathy and would definitely recommend her keen eye to anyone looking to revamp their space! **★★★★★ — HU-76380054, Jan. 2022** > I have experienced Cathy as a highly professional design consultant. She quickly understood my needs and wants and offered design solutions that I had never thought of before. She was a wonderful person to engage with, so I always looked forward to our next conversation. Versatility, professionalism and customer friendly are key words how I would describe her as design consultant. **★★★★★ — Karen, Aug. 2021** > Cathy really took the time to understand our style and prioritize our needs. She is extremely efficient and fun to work with. She helped us solve some tricky design areas, with creative and practical solutions for furniture, lighting and colors. Cathy also has a large range of sourcing ideas across a range of budgets which means that her recommendations can be practically applied. We took on all Cathy's advice and are really happy and comfortable in our finished home!!! Thank you!!! **★★★★★ — Sivan F, June 2021** > Living as an expat in a foreign country, I encountered quite a few challenges when coming to style the new space for our family. Our new home is a rental, which meant some elements could not be changed, and needed "working around" them. > The other main challenge was shopping and sourcing items - I didn't even know where to start! I was so fortunate to have Cathy guide me through the process and work through the specific challenges our space posed. > > Cathy's main talent included using many visual platforms, from pinterest to mood board creation to 3d imaging, to sourcing unique items that worked well with the space and with our previously owned items in a perfect mix. > Cathy is so gifted and a true professional - she understood my vision and made it a reality, and I whole heartedly recommend working with her! **★★★★★ — Tami Personette, May 2020** > I’ve hired Cathy numerous times between 2013 and 2019 for various projects. The most recent time was helping me design the first floor of my new home after I moved to Charleston, SC. I wanted to incorporate some beachy accents into my decor now that I was living near the ocean. I’m always impressed with Cathy’s creativity. I also appreciate how she’s willing to incorporate pieces I already own into her designs. She truly is a designer for “real people” and is always mindful of my budget. I really can’t say enough good things about her and her business. ## Selected projects - [Major Renovation Consultation](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/major-renovation-consultation-pj-vj~7322018) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 3 - [Mid Century Chalet Rental](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/mid-century-chalet-rental-pj-vj~6835892) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 11 - Description: Client requested help with floorplan layout, furniture selection and decorating in this cute Swiss rental. A mid century aesthetic is fresh and keeps the space from being a ski cliche. It is a rental so major pieces like the fireplace could not be changed. - [Whole House Renovation](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/whole-house-renovation-pj-vj~7322044) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 6 - [Screened Porch Sanctuary](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/screened-porch-sanctuary-pj-vj~83034) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 32 - Description: This screened porch was created as a sanctuary, a place to retreat and be enveloped by nature in a calm, relaxing environment. The soft monochromatic scheme helps to achieve this quiet mood while the pop of color comes solely from the surrounding trees. The hits of black help to move your eye around the room and provide a sophisticated feel while the layers of texture provide warmth. Three distinct zones were created to eat, converse and lounge with the help of area rugs, custom lighting and uni… - [Dining Room With a Traveled Eclectic Vibe](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/dining-room-with-a-traveled-eclectic-vibe-pj-vj~631344) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 9 - Description: This room is transitional in that it is a mix of traditional as well as modern but it also has a collected, traveled sensibility to it - from a 200 year old Chinese sideboard to an African textile and a Moroccan mirror, with a sprinkle of Parisian fleamarket thrown in. - [Personalized rental, from boring to blue!](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/personalized-rental-from-boring-to-blue-pj-vj~6518451) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 2 - [Transitional, Beachy Powder Room](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/transitional-beachy-powder-room-pj-vj~37855) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 4 - Description: This transitional powder room features white subway tile that is fresh, clean and timeless. The custom turquoise plays off accents throughout the rest of the main living areas and the mother of pearl accent tile brings in nature, wonderful colors in a neutral sort of way and gives it that tropical coastal feel without being too much. The mix of highly textured tile, modern fixtures and abstract kaleidoscope art keep this space from fitting into any one box - just what the client wanted! - [Neo-traditional Home Office](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/neo-traditional-home-office-pj-vj~631399) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 5 - Description: Small pops of red and turquoise bring this light-filled office to life. - [Bright Turquoise & Green Basement Renovation](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/bright-turquoise-and-green-basement-renovation-pj-vj~45275) - Location: Chicagoland, IL - Photos: 6 - Description: Cheery Family-Friendly Transtional Basement - [Homework/music room - eclectic, collected, fresh](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/homework-music-room-eclectic-collected-fresh-pj-vj~403542) - Location: Chicagoland, IL - Photos: 12 - Description: This dining room turned playroom turned homework/music room has a collected feel to it. Beautiful grasscloth walls, a soft warm gray and textured white curtains provide a neutral backdrop to fun pops of color. A reupholstered cane wingback in a funky colorful pattern, an antique Canadian Public School chair, a gallery wall filled with all sorts of treasured and DIY items, layered rugs and Louis ghost chairs all work together to give this space a unique, collected vibe. It reflects the vibrant sp… - [Tween Boy Bedroom Makeover](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/tween-boy-bedroom-makeover-pj-vj~418499) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 30 - [A Chicago Designer's New Spaces](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/a-chicago-designer-s-new-spaces-pj-vj~628742) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 8 - [Family Friendly Basement transformation](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/family-friendly-basement-transformation-pj-vj~35633) - Location: Chicago, IL - Photos: 43 - Description: This multi-use space was designed for a family looking for an “escape.” It was created from the cement on up and is considered a transitional space designed with varying zones in mind - home theater, bar, open play space (future pool table), games or homework area, etc. It features a subtle coastal-cottage style that helps to lighten up long mid-western winters. The beach palette inspiration came from a small east coast fishing port - deep blue seas, weathered gray and white structures with sand… - [E-designed Finished Basement for Sweet Family](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/e-designed-finished-basement-for-sweet-family-pj-vj~263229) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 10 - Description: This project was designed long distance using e-design, online interactive design mood board and write up which gave my client all of the information they needed to execute this family friendly, multi-use basement on their own. I helped provide the vision and sourcing, but most importantly explained the WHY behind the decisions I made for the playroom, office, craft/office area, dining, mudroom, etc. Equipped with these tools and the thinking that went into each choice, allowed the client to exe… - [Hi Gloss Laundry Room](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/hi-gloss-laundry-room-pj-vj~86641) - Location: Chicagoland, IL - Photos: 11 - Description: Industrial Chic laundry room on a budget - went from boring drab white to fun hi-gloss brown with plenty of DIY and salvage projects for interest. - [Magenta Pink Home Office, Craft Room, "mom cave"](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/magenta-pink-home-office-craft-room-mom-cave-pj-vj~38407) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 6 - [Cozy Chicago Basement](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/cozy-chicago-basement-pj-vj~628778) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 3 - [Feminine Master Bath Budget Makeover](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/feminine-master-bath-budget-makeover-pj-vj~38694) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 5 - Description: The tired bathroom needed a little pick me up. The green counter tops, vanities and flooring were not going to be replaced so the Parisian inspired design needed to work within these parameters. The black accents provide the sophistication needed to keep it from getting too "girly." - [Custom live edge fireplace mantel](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/custom-live-edge-fireplace-mantel-pj-vj~336701) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 5 [See all 19 projects](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/interior-designers-and-decorators/your-favorite-room-by-cathy-zaeske-pfvwus-pf~1736530800) ## Ideabooks - [Family room](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/37169088/list/family-room) — 1 idea - [Jen](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/33535547/list/jen) — 1 idea - [misc](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/21128681/list/misc) — 2 ideas - [z](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/21132177/list/z) — 13 ideas - [jack's room](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/18155936/list/jack-s-room) — 2 ideas - [Eclectic...Transitional...Tropical Powder Room](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/1711884/list/eclectic-transitional-tropical-powder-room) — 6 ideas - [Screen Porch Sanctuary](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/4490181/list/screen-porch-sanctuary) — 24 ideas - [Hi Gloss paint takes laundry room from dingy to fresh](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/4472309/list/hi-gloss-paint-takes-laundry-room-from-dingy-to-fresh) — 12 ideas - [Reverse Stencil Compass Rose](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/2622475/list/reverse-stencil-compass-rose) — 17 ideas - [DIY Coastal Cottage Table Makeover](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/2620332/list/diy-coastal-cottage-table-makeover) — 28 ideas - [Easy DIY Projects to Bring the Beach Memories Home](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/2622738/list/easy-diy-projects-to-bring-the-beach-memories-home) — 11 ideas - [Vintage Suitcases](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/2342421/list/vintage-suitcases) — 7 ideas - [Bright Turquoise, Green & Blue Family Basement Renovation](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/2099033/list/bright-turquoise-green-blue-family-basement-renovation) — 16 ideas - [Feminine Master Bath](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/1762301/list/feminine-master-bath) — 4 ideas - [Master Suite](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/1739217/list/master-suite) — 9 ideas - [Basement Family Hangout](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/1713343/list/basement-family-hangout) — 20 ideas - [Home Gym - Bright and Energizing](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/1711358/list/home-gym-bright-and-energizing) — 4 ideas - [Craft Room, Mom Cave, Home Office](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/1702833/list/craft-room-mom-cave-home-office) — 7 ideas - [Small Bright Powder Room](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/1702014/list/small-bright-powder-room) — 10 ideas [See all 19 ideabooks](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/users/cathyz) ## Community Q&A **Q: How did you install the black trim** *(in Photo Questions)* I love the black trim. Was it added or is it a custom screen window? A: Thank you. These frames were custom built for the custom sized screens ordered online. I love them too :) **Q: How do you protect from the weather?** *(in Photo Questions)* I love this porch, and would love to decorate similarly. But I worry that rain would ruin the sofa and decorations, and all the contents! Because of that, I am leaning now towards putting in Larson’s Scenix Windows - so I can decorate like this without being worried about it being ruined by rain (and in the Midwest we’d obviously have to winterize.). Do you wish you had put in windows? How do you protect this beautiful spot from rain and weather? A: Dear Poogan, I can appreciate your question. All fabrics were outdoor fabrics and for the most part during a normal rainstorm the furniture didn't get too wet. During very bad storms I did move some cushions and whatnot into the middle of the room so they were fully protected from the elements. And yes, full winterization occurred meaning I removed the curtains, stored all decor/daybed mattress in the basement and moved remaining furniture to center of the room and covered with a large tarp. I do not regret not putting in windows whatsoever. The screens were amazing for the breeze and birdsong. Adding windows would create other issues for heat (think greenhouse) and cleaning. And last, the pieces I used all embraced the idea of age and patina. Chippy paint and worn edges made the space perfect in my opinion :) **Q: Just love the tiles in this bathroom** *(in Photo Questions)* I am looking at this photo and it seems that the lower tiles might be shell too? A: Hello, nope, the lower tiles are standard 3x5 clean white subway tiles. **Q: to: cathy zaeske** *(in Photo Questions)* is there a floor plan for this screened porch sanctuary? A: I'm afraid not. **Q: Do you see any possible issues in these photos?** *(in Design Dilemma)* Can you believe this? My 75-90 day remodeling project is only 5 weeks away from its second anniversary. A: I think you're calling out the fact that the sink basin isn't even? Appears to be on a slight angle which is unfortunate. Sophie - tone it down a bit, my goodness. **Q: How did you fasten the rope to the ceiling hooks?** *(in Photo Questions)* I just bought this exact rope from the mentioned website for my new swing bed but no one can tell me how to hang it (including my contractor). The bed is currently hung using chains which is super unattractive. A: Look at the photo on this link, it's the ceiling bracket we had made by a local fabricator. I have forgotten now how much weight he said it could hold but it was in the tons so we are fine :) https://www.houzz.com/photos/screened-porch-sanctuary-traditional-chicago-phvw-vp~3451192 --- *Source: Houzz professional profile. Reflects the profile as of 2026-08-29.*