Updates – Page 2 – Park and Oak Interior Design

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Shopping Small Businesses

We’ve been strolling downtown Glen Ellyn a lot lately, watching the Christmas tree rise up in the square, seeing garland strung in store windows, hearing holiday tunes wafting out from the coffee shop. There’s a chill in the air, but the village and all its businesses are giving off all the warm, fuzzy holiday vibes. We really love this town.

We’ll all be hearing quite a bit about Small Business Saturday this weekend. As local small business owners, we are grateful for this focus on what we bring to the holiday shopping season. But we hope you will also remember your favorite small businesses year round. Local communities are more important than ever. We banded together to help each other through some pretty difficult years, but the work is not done. Small businesses are the engines of our local economies. When you set aside a portion of your shopping for your local businesses, you are contributing to vibrant, healthy downtown areas, and helping provide jobs to those in your community.

So, today, we want to encourage you to take a walk around your own local community and visit some of your favorite small businesses. Like us, we suspect those shops have put a lot of thought into what to offer this holiday shopping season, and you’re likely to find one-of-a-kind gifts not available elsewhere. If you’re local to Glen Ellyn, we’ll look for you at some of our favorite local business in this, our adopted hometown. We love this community so much, and we hope you’ll commit with us to supporting these and the other small businesses that make our communities (and yours!) so special.

And, of course, we’ll hope to see you at Collected this weekend, and throughout the coming year. Our Black Friday sale runs on select items through Monday, on goodies ranging from holiday gifts (we have them for all the people on your list!) to holiday decor to year-round home essentials.

We’ll see you soon!

November 25, 2022 By Park and Oak

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Feeling Thankful

It feels like the holiday hustle and bustle starts earlier each year, doesn’t it? Ornaments in checkout lanes in August. Full-fledged holiday mayhem at the big box stores by early-October. It makes us more grateful than ever to have this one day, every year, to pause for a moment and really reflect on all that we have to be thankful for. And we are thankful for so much.

As always, we are humbled by the unwavering support of our friends and families who stand by us through good and bad. This year came with some particular challenges, and we needed those strong shoulders to lean on.

Our team continues to grow exponentially, and this year we asked more of them than ever as we launched our new retail business, Park & Oak Collected. Unsurprisingly, they rose to the challenge. Their ability to meet setbacks head on, with grace and good humor is unmatched. They are the soul of Park & Oak and we thank our lucky stars for them constantly. Below we’ve included some of the things they are grateful for, and let’s be honest, couldn’t we all use a little more coffee sometimes?

Finally, we are so grateful for all of you…the trust you place in us to make your dreams of home come to life takes courage. We hold that trust dear and are mindful that you make all of this possible.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts, and happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

Chris & Renee

I am thankful for the fire hoops that have challenged me and provided an opportunity for reflection and growth. For a team that feels like family. Friends that are my tribe, and a family that is my rock.

Target. Technology. Cozy weather. And of course, good health, family and friends.

I’m grateful to have incredible friends and family in my life, and although my circle is small, the love within it is enormous and genuine. I’m also lucky to spend my days at “work” surrounded by inspiration, collaboration, friendship and most importantly, laughter!

Holiday-scented candles.

TIKTOK. Not only for the delicious recipes I have found, cleaning hacks, and DIY home projects, but also for the countless minutes of hilarious content in between stressful moments.

Coffee.

All the cozy feels with holidays lights and decorations going up everywhere.

This year, I am thankful for the health of my family and the wonderful and wildly talented team I get to work with every day.

I am thankful my entire family lives close by.

Spa weekends with my sister. And spa treatments…period.

I am thankful for all of the inspiring and talented women I am lucky enough to work with everyday! I am thankful to be a part of something so rewarding and thrilling. I am thankful for a healthy family, a warm home in the winter, reliable transportation, and all of the memories I’ve made this year.

A good night’s sleep.

Thankful for a healthy family and time off for the holidays.

I’m grateful to be surrounded by insanely talented people everyday, for getting to do what I love, health, and friends/family.

More coffee.

Seat warmers.

November 24, 2022 By Park and Oak

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Park & Oak at Seven

The years are really flying by now. Owning a business feels in many ways like raising kids. Those early years…oh boy. A million small problems. Learning on the fly. No one sleeps. You eventually start to feel like you have a handle on things, but of course, that’s temporary. Growing comes with new challenges. Bigger problems. Sweeter rewards. Still very little sleep.

Astute followers of the Park & Oak blog know that something exciting has been afoot at Park & Oak over the last year. Some growing, indeed. A few months ago, after years of preparation, hard work, and yes, sleepless nights, we quietly launched one of our dream projects: Park & Oak Collected.

Collected is a brick and mortar and e-commerce manifestation of our goal in designing homes: to create a warm and inviting atmosphere, where the details tell a story. We believe everyone deserves to feel happy and comfortable in their homes, and with Collected, we can finally offer access to the pieces we’ve been carefully curating over many years to help you achieve that goal.

Phase one of the brick and mortar store is open for business in Glen Ellyn, with a large selection of home and kitchen decor, barware, dinnerware, small furnishings, curated gifts and lots of our favorite vintage finds, including many one-of-a-kind vintage rugs. Phase two, opening in 2023, will bring with it some exciting additions: a cocktail bar (as you know, we love a cocktail room), display kitchen cabinetry to help visualize your new kitchen, larger furnishings, and specialized services. Come visit us at 499 Pennsylvania Avenue to see what we’ve been up to.

The online store mirrors the brick and mortar, though many of our smaller curated vintage finds and gifts are only available in person. Online, you’ll find an expanded selection of lighting, mirrors, high-quality rugs and other larger items. We’ve done our best to make the online shopping experience pleasant and seamless, and feel as much like being in the store as possible.

We are, of course, also still busy with our first love, building and designing homes that provide a respite for busy lives. We’ve included a gallery below of the work we’ve done this past year. We are so proud of these projects, and feel very honored to have been trusted by these clients to bring their dreams of home to life.

As always, we remain extremely grateful to our team, our families and friends, and all of you for joining us on the journey to make Park & Oak a success. We really, truly could not do it without you. Here’s to year seven!

Cheers,

Chris & Renee

Enjoy a few photos from the community preview opening of Collected!

Projects from Year Six

Carmel-by-the-Sea

Glen Ellyn Kitchen

Glen Ellyn Study Refresh

Hinsdale Outdoor Oasis

Hinsdale Refresh

Historic LaGrange Reno, Part II

Historic Oak Park Reno

Leland Lakefront

Western Springs Refresh

November 2, 2022 By Park and Oak

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Sneak Peek: Wheaton New Build

Something exciting is coming soon…!!

Check out the progress on this beauty. We are so proud to have been involved in every step of this build, from original plans and groundbreaking, to the final decorating and furnishings phase we are in now. Stay tuned for a full reveal soon!

Final reveal coming soon!

July 15, 2022 By Park and Oak

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In Honor of Women

This is our outstanding team (most of them). And these women? They make everything possible. Yesterday, we featured women throughout history that we admire, but on this final day of Women’s History Month, it’s all about the 18 women on the Park & Oak team.

When Chris and I started Park & Oak, we learned, as all new business owners do, that to succeed, you must go all in. And as working mothers, we had to have each other’s backs to do so. We took turns doing school pickups and running activity carpools, making sure both sets of kids got where they needed to go while still attending to the needs of a growing business. And as we’ve grown, we’ve tried never to lose sight of how critical that kind of flexibility and support was for us, and to extend it to the entire Park & Oak team. It truly does take a village, and the women here are OUR village. – Renee

I’ve always believed women make the best teammates. They are natural multitaskers who know they have a finite amount of time to get something done before heading home to their “second job”. I am forever grateful for the diverse group of women on our team who show up daily and own their role and MSH (make (beautiful) sh*t happen). The environment of women supporting women is so rare and special and deserves to be celebrated. – Chris

The team had some things to say about each other, too…

It’s a true gift to be surrounded by so many talented women who support one another, inspire one another and who together are better as a team than they would be alone. – Tiff

I think the reason we are so successful in collaboration is because our personalities are heavily considered along with our portfolios during the hiring process. I always hear, “She/He would get along so well with our team!” whenever a new person is hired. The other great thing about Park & Oak’s team is that we all have such different strengths. There is always someone to ask, whether it comes to building standards, design programs, lighting specifications, construction, new vendors, or styling. Our desks face each other, which allows us to constantly ask for help, opinions, and curate collected designs. – Susie

While working with such a talented and wonderful group of people, it is quite amazing being on a team of women who wear a number of hats that have nothing to do with interior design. Many of us are mothers, many of us are artists, many of us are travelers and collectors who continue our crafts outside of interior design, while still maintaining the project management needed for all of our projects/clients. Women are a resilient force, and the women I work with are an incredible example of such. ❤️ – Patricia

The best part about working on a team with so many women is that you get to raise each other up and channel the power of collaboration in such a different way. Everyone’s strengths make the table better! – Emma

Working on a team with mostly women feels right! There’s a sense of hustle with compassion. I feel supported in both my career and personal life. – Joanna H.

As a mother, I appreciate working for other working moms. There’s a respect level that’s understood and a non-judgment for the time us women have to be mothers. Not to mention, the ladies at Park and Oak are girl’s girls, and as the new hire, I’ve been welcome with open arms. – JoAnna B.

I adore these women—it’s like having 15 sisters but whom you don’t argue with! Working so closely and collaboratively with so many talented minds and such a highly creative team adds so much joy to my week. – Erica

I think my favorite part of working with the women at Park & Oak is the collaborative and helpful nature of everyone on the team. No one is competing but just working together to create the best work that we can. I also love that everyone brings a unique perspective and personality to the studio—and we have lots of fun together! I love what I do because of this group! – Vanessa

I think what I like the most about working with other women, especially moms, is the fact that they all understand what it is like to be a mom and a working woman at the same time! I am part-time and everyone is so understanding about it, it’s a very flexible and chill environment and that is so motivating! – Olivia

I’ve worked in many industries, in a lot of different capacities. For demanding bosses and disinterested bosses; with dynamic teams and dysfunctional ones. No one has ever understood the demands on my time and my need for work flexibility – and supported it without reservation – the way Chris and Renee do. And no team is as engaged in their work as the women at Park & Oak. It’s truly a special place. – Kelly

March 31, 2022 By Park and Oak

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Sneak Peek: Wheaton New Build

Thought you might enjoy seeing the progress at our Wheaton New Build! We are all enamored with so many details of this home, but can we just have a moment for these stone archways?? More details with the full reveal, coming spring/summer 2022!

January 19, 2022 By Park and Oak

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Feeling Thankful

There has been a fair share of heartache, worry and disappointment over the last two years. But as we head into a holiday season that feels a little more like what we remember, we are feeling grateful for so much.

As always, we are overwhelmed with gratitude for the amount of trust you have continued to place in us to help make your homes a haven, a respite from the storm, a place to relax, and, hopefully, gather with those you love. We feel so lucky to enter into the most intimate spaces of your lives, and help make them a true reflection of you and your families. These relationships sustain us, and drive us forward.

As business owners and leaders of an incredible team, we are always moved by our team’s loyalty and faith in us, and the journey we are on together. Hellen Keller said, “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” We feel this deeply. Our team is family to us, and we are beyond grateful for them.

We asked the team what they were thankful for, and while we were touched to see Park & Oak appear on their lists, we were more struck by the other common themes: time spent with family and friends. Turns out we are all mostly the same at heart. (But an honorable mention should go to remote start and grocery delivery. Life is all about balance, after all.) Below, see what else made our lists.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts, and happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

Chris & Renee

A team that feels like a family.

A tribe of seven friends who have stood alongside each other, sometimes carrying one another, in good times and in bad. Never judging and always loving.

For the lessons and simple reminders taught to me daily by my children.

I’m thankful for working with a team who recognizes that life involves work, family and play; all equally important. All respected and encouraged.

I’m thankful to work for a company who supports a work-life balance for working moms.

The return of live music!

I’m thankful this year more than ever for the rare and invaluable friendships that I am lucky to have in my life. After being forced to spend time apart from the people I love the most over the last couple years, I have been reminded recently about how being with them again makes me whole.

I am grateful to work with a supportive and talented team of individuals.

Above all things, for my family. They are my rock, social circle, and most sacred confidant. So much love and gratitude for them.

Thankful I get to spend more time with my family this year.

I’m thankful for being able to travel and see friends and family.

I’m grateful for the opportunity to visit with people from all over the country, and help them explore options for designing their dream homes.

Grocery home delivery.

A design community that is amazingly supportive and fun.

I am thankful for my health. I think without our health and the ability to feel the best we can each day, we potentially miss out on all the things—large and small—that fill our life with joy and gratitude: kids, spouses, friends, family, work, travel and so much more. So each day I am thankful for the ability to get up be present and accomplish what I set out to do.

The return of holidays with friends and family.

I’m thankful for a healthy family and flexible design firm. I’m also thankful for remote start on my car, pasta, books, and Pinterest.

I am so grateful to have joined the Park & Oak team and to have found a work environment that is centered around home balance. I have been able to spend so much time with my family this year, which has been a blessing after much time away from them during the pandemic. It has really put our new world into perspective, and the value of being with loved ones is more prevalent than ever.

I’m thankful that my 3 year old still naps, and I hope I didn’t just jinx it.

The opportunity to pursue a passion, and for a company that truly understands the delicate dance between motherhood and work.

I’m grateful to be surrounded by insanely talented people everyday, for getting to do what I love, health, and friends/family.

Coffee.

November 24, 2021 By Park and Oak

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Park & Oak at Six

When we squeezed our eyes shut, linked arms, and dived headfirst into this partnership six years ago, we were just two working moms, with a passion, some ambition, and a yin-yang of skills that we hoped could equal success. We had dreams. Wouldn’t it be great to build new homes that had the character and warmth of historic ones? To design a home that felt different than the neighbors? We hoped people would enjoy our work enough to follow along on the blog and social media. We daydreamed of designing and selling the furnishings we love. And of someday starting a foundation to reach beyond our usual clientele, because everyone deserves a well-designed respite. Some of these dreams became reality at a speed that both delighted and stunned us. The day we hit 1000 Instagram followers was our first pinch me moment, and they just kept on coming.

Of course, as with any new, growing business, the past six years have not been without challenges. But each challenge has motivated us to be better, sharpen our pencils, and work towards creating a framework for success in the future. A global pandemic, with major implications for the timing and availability of our tools of the trade, as well as the strain on the simple logistics of meeting with clients and physically touring homes, was certainly not in our business plan. But as with so many others, we found creative ways to change, grow and adapt, and we are better for it.

As we look ahead to year seven, Park & Oak is reaching for the unmet goals on our wish list. And we have some pretty exciting news to share on that front. In 2022, we’ll be launching an e-commerce platform, full of the furnishings and accessories that are signatures of our designs. We are so excited to be able to offer a one-stop-shop to help you create a space with texture and warmth, that feels collected and layered. We’ll announce the launch here and on social, so keep your eyes out.

We are no longer a two-woman show. As we embark on our seventh year, it feels critical to point out that the beautiful spaces we put into the world are now made possible by an extraordinary team of people–from designers to business managers; studio assistants to purchasers; client managers to website builders. In Park & Oak’s very first blog post, we said our magic is in the give and take between the two of us. Well, now, we are incredibly fortunate to have assembled a top-notch team, and together they are making some serious magic.

We’ll be highlighting our team more in year seven. Watch this space for visits from the talented men and women who sit side-by-side with us every day. You’ll love them. We certainly do.

Finally, but most importantly, we are exceptionally grateful to you, our clients, for allowing us to do what we love by trusting us with the most intimate spaces of your lives. It’s an honor and a privilege to work with you to make your homes a true reflection of you, and a peaceful retreat from what can be a chaotic world. It’s so important, now more than ever.

Take a look back at some of your homes from year six.

Glenview Colonial Reno

Hinsdale

1908 Hinsdale Reno

LaGrange Reno

Park Ridge

Winnetka

Western Springs

Western Springs Tudor Reno

Winnetka 1912 Refresh

Winnetka Georgian Refresh

October 14, 2021 By Park and Oak

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Park & Oak Wins Two Luxe RED Awards

We are so proud to share that last week we were honored with two Luxe RED Awards in the regional categories for Kitchen and Bath. The Luxe RED Awards, sponsored by the Luxe Interiors + Design magazine group, recognize “excellence, innovation and the best residential architecture, interior design and landscape architecture projects across the country.” The Awards include submissions by many of the nation’s top design luminaries and are judged by a multidisciplinary panel of industry experts.

While our winning rooms are pictured below, we strive to bring this level of design to every project and are proud of all the work we do together with our clients to make each space remarkable. Thank you for trusting us with your most cherished spaces!

April 28, 2021 By Renee DiSanto

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A Note of Thanks

March 19, 2021 By Renee DiSanto

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