VARA Design

We’re proud to have partnered with Blue Daring, a woman-owned branding and strategy firm in Chicago, to design their new home. Purposeful, collaborative, and forward-looking, the space mirrors their ethos and amplifies their voice.

From a lounge-style meeting room designed for dialogue to custom furniture by Chicago artist Arlan Derussy, every detail reflects the strength and creativity of the team it was built for.

Projects like this remind us why we love what we do. Touché French Creole brings big flavor and warm hospitality to downtown Aurora, with a menu that celebrates the rich traditions of New Orleans. The ambience is layered with rich tones, glowing light, and textures that make the space as soulful as the cuisine.

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Designing a forever home begins with intention. For this Chicago-area residence, our work started with the stairwell and concealed laundry room - the central artery of the home and the threshold for daily life.

An oversized skylight draws in both sun and moonlight, illuminating stone textures and monolithic wooden stairs. Integrated lighting, hidden doors, and curated displays for a vast collection of African art set the tone for the rest of the home, establishing an aesthetic both modern and timeless.

Our process is built for understanding.

For Cantigny’s clubhouse renovation, we worked in layers: sketches to test ideas, white models to study architecture and light, and renderings to communicate materiality and mood.

These phases help clients see beyond the abstract - to truly grasp how decisions in design impact the feel and flow of a space.