Design Chicago Finds: What Our Editors Were Most Excited About During Design Chicago
Last week, LUXE editors were at THE MART for Design Chicago. Curious what caught our eye among the showrooms, panels and inaugural pop-up trade show? Keep reading for some of our standout favorites from a range of different products spanning tile to grills to wallpaper, laundry systems and more.
The Artistic Tile Showroom Was The Gift That Kept On Giving
The Artistic Tile showroom was a hive of inspiration and excitement throughout Design Chicago. The Ravine Dimensional Tile and Orchid Dimensional Mosaic were particular favorites. In the words of LUXE Greater Chicago Homes Editor Kathleen Luttschyn, both “have the beautifully honed finishes and 3D textures we’re seeing in extraordinary projects nationwide.” More beautiful tile we saw at the showroom included the Veronese Fumo Rosato Terrazzo, pictured here paired with White Sand and Rosa Perlino Marble in the brand’s Trellis pattern.
We Discovered Maya Romanoff’s Fall 2026 Collection—And We Loved It
Chicago studio Maya Romanoff continues to enchant us with their outstanding wallcoverings. When seeing their new Ananda: Fall 2026 Collection firsthand, our editor Kathleen shares that she was especially mesmerized by the sheen of their new Zen Kanso pattern (pictured at right), which is created by hand-raking encapsulated glass beads across the surface, then coloring them by hand.
SKS Unlocked New Laundry Dreams We Never Knew We Had
It’s always a bit of a dream stepping into an SKS showroom, and our editors’ experience at THE MART was no exception. For LUXE San Francisco + Northern California and Pacific Northwest Homes Editor Mary Jo Bowling, the highlight at Design Chicago was the brand’s reveal of new kinds of offerings. SKS, long known for technology-driven performance in the kitchen, shows that they can bring the same concepts to a room that’s often less visible: the laundry. The brand has a new line of clothing care appliances (pictured at right) that are per Mary Jo, “a modernist’s dream.” Think stainless steel, fully flush washers and dryers that use AI to tailor cycles to fabric type and soil level to produce perfect results. That’s not to mention other “wows” from large (astonishing AI-assisted cooking technology) to small (freezers that produce slow-melting spherical craft ice cubes).
Experiencing Jaipur Living’s Callaluxe Collection In Person Felt Like Seeing High-Performance Art
Our editors were thrilled to experience Jaipur Living’s CallaLuxe rugs in person, where they could wonder at their innovative solution-dyed acrylics. While the collection contains a range of great colorways and patterns, Kathleen affirms it was the textures that impressed her, “with a softness akin to silk or wool blends rather than performance fabrics.”
We Were Impressed By Kalamazoo’s Meticulously Hand-Built Hybrid Fire Grill
Design editors know that good design isn’t only about the aesthetics. Functionality is paramount, and it’s part of our expertise to recognize the standout releases that bring something truly new to the table. Add to that that LUXE editors love a gorgeous alfresco kitchen and naturally, both Kathleen and Mary Jo were drawn to the Hybrid Fire Grill from Kalamazoo, which offers gas, charcoal and wood in one impeccably engineered appliance. We know it’s technically fall now, but can we get an extension on grilling season, please?
Falling for Pierre Frey’s New Chicago Showroom, Where We Couldn’t Help But Linger
The Pierre Frey showroom at THE MART has only been open since March, but its showstopping presence ensures it’s a must-visit destination. Design Chicago was the ideal time to admire their Sequana II line (pictured here), with its urbane mix of autumn colors and timeless patterns, including grass-cloth curves, bouclé weaves and colorful grids.
We Loved Discovering The Latest From Composition Brands
With a portfolio this iconic (think: Viking, La Cornue, AGA, Lynx and U-Line), it’s no surprise that visiting the Composition Brands showroom felt like walking through luxury appliance heaven. Seeing how the showroom made all the brands coexist while still showcasing how to design outstanding spaces around each appliance felt like an inspiring master class in itself. We also had the chance to discover two lines debuting at Design Chicago: the CornuFé Kitchen Collection (pictured) and Viking 5 Series Design Evolution, both of which our editors said were going to be hard to forget.
All photos: courtesy respective brands.
