
Jeannie Balsam Interiors
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Interior Designers & Decorators
About Us
CLASSIC INTERIORS FOR A MODERN LIFE
Jeannie Balsam Interiors is an award winning interior design firm based on Chicago’s North Shore. Jeannie’s unique combination of design expertise, global perspective, corporate business background, and extraordinary client rapport have helped her rise to the top of her profession.
Jeannie Balsam Interiors believes that their clients deserve highly functional interiors that are beautiful, classic, and inviting. Jeannie’s unique ability to uncover and define her client’s lifestyle and design priorities sets her firm apart.
She and her team of associates design the homes of prominent professionals and their families on the North Shore and in downtown Chicago, as well as their secondary residences nationwide.
Clients benefit from the business acumen she gained while earning her MBA at Loyola University, and during ten years working in corporate marketing and consulting for Hyatt Hotels and Accenture. “We’re very solutions-oriented, and strategic about how we allocate money for our clients’ projects,” she points out.
Her design aesthetic continually evolves as she travels the world in search of great food, design finds, and wonderful experiences with her husband Doug and their three daughters, Mira, Petrea and Alexa.
Services Provided
Basement Design, Bathroom Design, Bedroom Design, Dining Room Design, Downsizing, Home Office Design, Interior Design, Kids Bedroom Design, Kitchen Design, Kitchen Remodeling, Laundry Room Design, Lighting Design, Living Room Design, Nursery Design, Playroom Design, Space Planning, Sunroom Design & Construction, Universal Design, Wine Cellar Design, Remodeling
Areas Served
Bannockburn, Chicago, Deerfield, Evanston, Glencoe, Glenview, Highland Park, Kenilworth, Lake Forest, Lincolnshire, Northbrook, Northfield, Park Ridge, Riverwoods, Wilmette, Winnetka
Awards
LXTV NBC Open House: http://www.nbcnewyork.com/blogs/open-house/226492701.htmlBest of Houzz Service Award, 2014-2015
Credentials
8 Houzz Awards
5 Houzz Badges
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23 Reviews for Jeannie Balsam Interiors
Newest first

Tufenkian Artisan Carpets
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Relationship
Colleague
We've worked with Jeannie and her team out of our Chicago showroom for years to put our programmed pieces and custom designed carpets in clients' homes. A great team to work with.
December 13, 2017

Laura Harman
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Relationship
Client
My husband and I had been on an ex-pat assignment in Canada for several years. When we found out we'd be relocating to the Chicago area, we purchased a home that we were very excited about, but that also needed work. Because we were so far away and the move timeline was tight, we knew we'd need help with the painting and flooring decisions/work before we moved in (as well as room design, furniture and lighting decisions in the future). When we found Jeannie Balsam Interiors on Houzz, we liked that she enjoys designing interiors for clients that are highly functional, but also beautiful. We have 3 teenage boys, so our home certainly needs to be a place we can really live in and is very functional. From our first phone call with Jeannie's firm, we knew we'd work well together. We arranged a quick trip to the area, and Jeannie helped us make our painting, carpet and floor refinishing decisions all in one weekend. Work began immediately with Jeannie's impressive team of flooring, paintings and carpet professionals, and all of that work was completed by move in day.
Next, Jeannie and her team set to work designing a beautiful new family room for our home. Jeannie took the time to thoroughly explain the design process to us and made sure to assess the best use of our budget as we made design decisions together. Jeannie and her team demonstrated the ability to envision, from beginning to end, the reconfigured space and the layered Interiors and also suggested new solutions for our space, including a custom game table and media cabinet. We appreciated Jeannie's ability to understand our personal styles, as well as expand our design visions. The result is a beautiful family room that our entire family loves and enjoys using daily! We can't thank Jeannie, her team and the professionas she works with enough for helping our home come together so beautifully. We will enjoy working with Jeannie Balsam Interiors for years to come!
July 23, 2017
Comment from Jeannie Balsam Interiors:
Laura -
We have thoroughly enjoyed welcoming you, Greg and the boys to Chicago!!! I still can't believe that you found a the perfect house on that beautiful lake in my hometown. It's so fun walking down memory lane every time I visit. Your willingness to embrace the design process has allowed us to be so efficient and creative with custom pieces. We can't thank you both enough!!! Knowing you love the new spaces and enjoy them so much is the ultimate compliment. Looking forward to the next design phases. :)
We have thoroughly enjoyed welcoming you, Greg and the boys to Chicago!!! I still can't believe that you found a the perfect house on that beautiful lake in my hometown. It's so fun walking down memory lane every time I visit. Your willingness to embrace the design process has allowed us to be so efficient and creative with custom pieces. We can't thank you both enough!!! Knowing you love the new spaces and enjoy them so much is the ultimate compliment. Looking forward to the next design phases. :)

Molly Foster
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Relationship
Client
We can not say enough about working with Jeannie Balsam and Annie Liddle. Not only are they extremely talented, but they are honest, professional, hard-working and very fun. We worked with Jeannie and Annie to redecorate most of our first floor as well as our master bedroom throughout 2016. During the span of our project, Jeannie and her team handled every bit of our project in the best possible way. It was completed in a timely matter, on budget and we loved the end result! We would recommend Jeannie Balsam Interiors to anyone. They are fabulous!
March 11, 2017
Comment from Jeannie Balsam Interiors:
Mike & Molly - we absolutely LOVED designing your home!! Delivering on your desire for a sophisticated yet family/dog friendly "Coastal/ACK" aesthetic was so much fun. Your willingness and excitement about painting the Master Bedroom floors white, embracing a deeper "fully painted and papered" Sunroom (including the ceiling), and creating Mike's Gallery Wall were MAJOR highlights for us. As we always say, it is ideal when a client can "trust the process" and you and Mike did that completely. It's easy to be fabulous with great people like you! Jeannie, Annie and the entire Design Team

Holly Tamisiea
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Relationship
Client
We hired Jeannie and her team in late 2016 to convert a staid and stuffy LR into a warm and inviting study. The results were nothing short of spectacular, so much so that we have launched into subsequent projects in the DR, entryway and FR with Jeannie. We are both busy professionals, and welcome Jeannie's collaborative and responsive nature, as well as her creativity, efficiency and her healthy respect of budgets. Her team is ingenious at re-purposive existing pieces of furniture or fixtures to really stretch a budget. The professionals she uses are responsive and reliable. Jeannie even worked with a freelance painter to help create a custom painting to hang over the fireplace to complete the study. She created an "art gallery wall" in the study that is unique and distinctive and we love it! In short, Jeannie is a true gem. It is hard to find someone who combines both the business side and the creative side of design like she does. The fact that she and her team do it with such ease, grace and an element of fun is an added bonus in today's busy and harried world. We cannot say enough about this very special design team!
January 29, 2017
Comment from Jeannie Balsam Interiors:
Thank you so much for finding us and giving us the opportunity to breathe new life into your home. Annie & I can't stress enough how much we appreciate your trust in the design process, your extremely decisive nature and your wonderful positive energy. Commissioning the Wrigley Field oil painting as a surprise (and prior to the Cubs World Series Historic WIN) was the absolute icing on the cake. Your daily use and enjoyment of the newly designed rooms thrills us!

sheila hartnett
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Relationship
Client
We found Jeannie on Houzz earlier this year after buying our new "Summer Home" in Winnetka, a respected North Shore Realtor concurred that she has recommended Jeannie to her new homeowners and they have all been very pleased. From our first meeting Jeannie saw possibilities and had an approach that worked perfectly with our somewhat eclectic Style. Jeannie was more than willing to work with our assortment of furniture from NYC and Jupiter Florida homes. Jeannie's up-grade of our Family Room was truly visionary. She designed custom cabinetry and a new fireplace mantle that completely transformed our previously awkward space. We valued her focus on constructing the correct "shell" of the room prior to furnishing it. This phase completely redesigned the look and feel of the entire First Floor of our home. Our family and friends can't believe the change.
As awesome as Jeannie and her team's Design skills are; equally impressive, is their Management of all aspects of each project. Much of our work was done this Winter while we were in Florida. Jeannie, Annie and their extensive team of professionals handled each of several projects beautifully. On time, and amazingly on or under budget!
Our Winnetka house is an ongoing project and our Partnership with Jeannie Balsam Interiors makes it very easy and rewarding. We have just begun the Lower Level Family Room and plan to work on the Master Bedroom next year. While living in multiple homes during the year, it is wonderful to have a partnership and friendship with this talented, local firm and know that you can pick up where you left off and hit the ground running on the next project or phase.
August 22, 2016
Comment from Jeannie Balsam Interiors:
Sheila & Mike -
We LOVED transforming the shell of your Family Room with our beautifully crafted cabinetry, millwork and new fireplace. It became the perfect backdrop for the gorgeous Oscar Isberian Rug and the subsequent furnishings including your NYC chairs. It really did transform the entire first floor! You took a leap of faith and it paid off in spades.
After that, we developed and easy rhythm and freshening up the Living Room & Dining Room followed quickly after. We look forward to designing a beautiful Master Suite and feel fortunate to have become friends through this design process. You are the best and wonderful parents & grandparents!!!
We LOVED transforming the shell of your Family Room with our beautifully crafted cabinetry, millwork and new fireplace. It became the perfect backdrop for the gorgeous Oscar Isberian Rug and the subsequent furnishings including your NYC chairs. It really did transform the entire first floor! You took a leap of faith and it paid off in spades.
After that, we developed and easy rhythm and freshening up the Living Room & Dining Room followed quickly after. We look forward to designing a beautiful Master Suite and feel fortunate to have become friends through this design process. You are the best and wonderful parents & grandparents!!!

Gary
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Relationship
Client
We loved working with Jeannie and her staff! Jeannie listened to what we wanted to achieve, and produced results that exceeded our expectations. Throughout each step of the design process, she presented excellent options that were always within our budget. She has an excellent sense of space, color and pattern, and she understands how to design spaces that are meant to be lived in by active families. Each of her subcontractors was outstanding and added to the success of our design. We have been enjoying our home for the past year, and we are looking forward to our next project with her.
March 6, 2016
Comment from Jeannie Balsam Interiors:
Thanks so much for your thoughtful review!
We loved working with both of you as well (you are a great couple and family) and we especially enjoyed working in a more transitional design aesthetic with wonderful, fun color combinations. I remember in the design interview you were curious about our fit since most of our portfolio was more classically traditional, but you trusted us and it paid off.
Your home (from Highgate Builders) already had quality finishes and having the opportunity to highlight them in a extremely functional and beautiful design was a sincere pleasure. We missed you when the project ended but love seeing you around town.
Also, It made me so happy when you shared how much you enjoyed hosting the holidays and sharing your home with all of your family and friends. It truly is the gift that keeps on giving. We appreciate your trust and are excited for the next phase!
Jeannie
We loved working with both of you as well (you are a great couple and family) and we especially enjoyed working in a more transitional design aesthetic with wonderful, fun color combinations. I remember in the design interview you were curious about our fit since most of our portfolio was more classically traditional, but you trusted us and it paid off.
Your home (from Highgate Builders) already had quality finishes and having the opportunity to highlight them in a extremely functional and beautiful design was a sincere pleasure. We missed you when the project ended but love seeing you around town.
Also, It made me so happy when you shared how much you enjoyed hosting the holidays and sharing your home with all of your family and friends. It truly is the gift that keeps on giving. We appreciate your trust and are excited for the next phase!
Jeannie

Laura J
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Relationship
Client
We had the opportunity to build a new home in our current neighborhood --- really a dream come true. And as many know, building a custom home requires thousands of decision, with most coming well before choosing furniture, window treatments, flooring or wall coverings. We wanted a design partner in the entire decision-making process who would work with us from initial elevations and floor plans through to the final aesthetic. Jeannie was the perfect match. She began by getting us all to discuss and visual how we’d like to live in our home — thinking through everything from home office needs and homework space to the size of our extended families and how often we entertain. From those conversations — we called them a “Day in the Life” — we then worked with Jeannie to literally layout each room to meet our vision and lifestyle. This is what took our home from a builder’s plan to our special place. It is why we have a mudroom that also houses our “communication center” — we didn’t want mail and school work in our kitchen; and a cozy sitting room retreat off our Master Bedroom — with three growing boys (and all their friends☺) my husband and I sought a quiet little getaway space. Jeannie and her team built great relationships with the architect, the builder and the subcontractors. The end result is nothing short of magnificent!
February 1, 2016
Comment from Jeannie Balsam Interiors:
Building your custom home from the ground up was a career highlight! Being thoughtful to the neighborhood, winning the Winnetka Historical Preservation Award for New Construction, and maximizing your "FAR" for the most beautifully scaled 4 story New England Colonial home was a testament to your commitment to beauty, function and quality. Almost 10 years later, it still looks as fresh as it did when you moved in with just a few new pillows, accessories and rugs.

Idlewood Electric Supply
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Relationship
Colleague
Jeannie Balsam and her team are the epitome of a first-rate design firm. We’ve had the privilege of working with Jeannie on a number of projects over the years and she is not only creative and talented, she is also extremely diligent, thorough and passionate. We enjoy being a part of her lighting process because we know she is illuminating her clients’ home in the style they desire and also the impeccable designs she’s curated. Jeannie and her team are the utmost professionals and it is a pleasure working with them.
September 29, 2015

sandraleeschwarz
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Relationship
Client
I have worked with Jeannie Balsam and her team for years on multiple projects including: our living room and dining room design, our family room design, a lower level build-out, and several bedroom selections. Jeannie has a unique ability to understand our family's personal style, while expanding our design selections as our family has evolved. I still love the designs we completed together years ago, and I still receive compliments every time guests walk into our home. I honestly can't imagine moving forward with a design project without Jeannie's input. Her expertise gives me confidence and assurance that I will love the outcome for years. Finally, Jeannie and her reliable team are professional, yet fun and upbeat. We always have a great time working together. I strongly recommend Jeannie Balsam for any design needs. Jeannie and her team are truly talented design professionals.
August 12, 2015
Comment from Jeannie Balsam Interiors:
Sandy -
Families and projects like yours are so valued by our team! Our ability to pick up where we left off and begin new projects throughout the years is extremely rewarding. We just wonder how are kids got "so old" in the process. (jk). Looking forward to our next opportunity to freshen up a space or help your home evolve as your life does. :)
Families and projects like yours are so valued by our team! Our ability to pick up where we left off and begin new projects throughout the years is extremely rewarding. We just wonder how are kids got "so old" in the process. (jk). Looking forward to our next opportunity to freshen up a space or help your home evolve as your life does. :)

Oscar Isberian Rugs
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Relationship
Colleague
Our firm has worked with Jeanne Balsam and her team for a number of years. They are extremely professional, immensely creative and very thorough. They listen carefully to the clients wishes and do everything they can to create a beautiful and unique space. They are truly a pleasure to work with at every level.
June 19, 2015Last modified:June 23, 2015
Comment from Jeannie Balsam Interiors:
You guys are ONE IN A MILLION!!! We always know a room will be wonderful when we incorporate an "Oscar" rug. Your family's commitment to your business, clients, and worthy causes is extremely admirable. Top notch quality is a given with your firm and we couldn't ask for better service. Sevak and the entire crew always take care of us and go the extra mile for all of our clients. We are so spoiled to have you here in Chicago!!!!

finny18
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Relationship
Client
I have worked with Jeannie several times over the course of 9 years. Her incredible business sense coupled with creativity is a rare find, not to mention she’s a delight to work with. Like many new home owners, I wasn’t financially nor mentally ready to decorate an entire house when we first moved into our new construction home. I first met Jeannie through a referral to help with floor planning, furnishings, window treatments and tile work for my kitchen and family room. I was so taken with how easy and efficient it is to work with Jeannie, I contacted her again four years later to tackle more projects. She always makes these overwhelming projects manageable and quickly translates our brainstorming meetings into plans of action that get executed on budget with ease and grace from her and her team. Jeannie helped take my new construction home to the next level with texture and finishes (grasscloth wallpaper, rugs, upholstery, window treatments, etc.). She also worked with a custom millwork craftsman to make the master bedroom sitting room beautiful and functional with a new fireplace and built-ins. Her ability to understand my personal style while expanding my design selections as my family has evolved through the years has helped utilize "dead" areas. She transformed our unused living room into an inviting "library" used for entertaining, homework, chess, etc,. Our unused loft is now a cozy second family/tv viewing room for our teenagers. She recently came back to help build out my unfinished lower level with contractors and utilized HOUZZ for inspiration. Jeannie's expertise, project management skills, and wealth of resources added value at every stage of the process, but particularly in the initial design and selections phases. Without hesitation, I would recommend Jeannie and her design team for your next design project. They are all professional and a pleasure to work with.
May 24, 2015Last modified:May 25, 2015
Comment from Jeannie Balsam Interiors:
Yvette -
Working with you has always been a pleasure! We love your inclination to embrace color and fun patterns. After a few years, to come back and complete the construction on your level level was so rewarding. We were able to design a multi functional space for the entire family (including the adult "kids"). Your infectious laugh and beautiful energy set the tone for fun design inspiration and loving the process. Always looking forward to your next project.
Working with you has always been a pleasure! We love your inclination to embrace color and fun patterns. After a few years, to come back and complete the construction on your level level was so rewarding. We were able to design a multi functional space for the entire family (including the adult "kids"). Your infectious laugh and beautiful energy set the tone for fun design inspiration and loving the process. Always looking forward to your next project.

looking4inspiration
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Relationship
Client
I found Jeannie because I was looking for some help achieving a somewhat coastal aesthetic in my suburban Chicago home. I happened to see the Nantucket home she designed on Houzz, and loved her eye for a classical but updated coastal style. She also knew how to adapt that style for the Midwest, as I obviously don't live seaside.
Jeannie and her team are terrific to work with. They spend time getting to know their clients style, needs, budget, etc., and they don't try to stray from those. They are respectful of budget in particular, and I appreciate their honesty in all aspects. I trust them completely and feel lucky to have found such an amazing designer on the first try!
May 21, 2015
Comment from Jeannie Balsam Interiors:
We never met a Coastal Inspired interior that we didn't love, so were thrilled when you contacted us! We loved making your new construction home warm and inviting with wallcovering, beautiful drapery and furnishings. Helping design your custom dining table with your friend and finishing your Master Suite in particular were so rewarding. We love knowing how much you are enjoying your home.
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