Kathryn Humphreys (Photo by Eileen Molony)
Like a lot of local designers, Kathryn Humphreys’ interest in interior design grew exponentially when she moved to Oak Park in 2003 and took on an older home that needed a lot of work.
On that first house, she remodeled her kitchen and redecorated much of the home. Despite her newfound interest in home design, she kept her day job as the education director for Hubbard Street Dance.
Gradually, her friends started asking her for design help in their houses, and she started taking design classes. “I realized that this was something I was interested in and good at,” she says.
She eventually transitioned to a full-time design career around 2018 when she formed an LLC and hung out her shingle as Kathryn Murphy Interiors.
Over the past six years, she has built a client base throughout the western suburbs and Chicago, with the occasional remote project for clients in far-flung states or with nearby vacation homes.
In one case, Humphreys turned an awkward space into a ‘destination study.’ Credit: Erin Konrath Photography
Credit: Erin Konrath Photography
Humphreys says that her long tenure in the world of dance continues to inform her work.
“It helps a lot with this career. Understanding how people move in spaces and managing projects with multiple stakeholders are skills that I use in every project,” she said.
For everyone dreaming of a design career and envisioning days built around wallpaper samples and fabric swatches, Humphreys pointed out: “The pretty stuff is about 5% of the job. Managing the project and listening to people is the bulk of the work.”
Humphreys said that a large part of her work, particularly in the area’s older homes, is looking at a space and understanding how she might be able to maximize it or adjust it.
Credit: Erin Konrath Photography
Credit: Erin Konrath Photography
“Walls are not always as solid as we may think,” she said. “One of my superpowers is thinking how space can meet people’s needs. I’ve spent my life thinking about how people move through space.”
She acknowledged that design can be overwhelming for a lot of people. With the proliferation of images on the internet, clients can worry about things being too trendy or aren’t sure how they can apply what they’ve seen into their own homes.
In Oak Park and River Forest, the homes have very distinct styles, and even the architecturally significant homes are not what people see in design magazines, Humphreys pointed out.
“People here don’t want cookie cutter. People can put together Pinterest boards, but it’s my job to interpret that for their space.”
Recognizing that design is a luxury service, Humphreys offers several different package choices for clients on her website: https://www.kmurphyinteriors.com/.
Credit: Erin Konrath Photography
Credit: Erin Konrath Photography
“Some of this reflects my not-for-profit background,” she said, noting that not everyone can afford or needs a full “soup to nuts” design process.
She offers full-service renovation guidance, which can take 6 to 12 months, and full-service furniture services, which can take 3 to 6 months. On the other side of the design spectrum, she offers one-day intensives and consultations that are designed to help clients work their way through specific questions.
No matter which package a client chooses, Humphreys stressed that her firm’s clients drive the design process.
“It’s really fun to sit with people and help them think about how to make their lives better, about the possibilities of how they can live in their homes in a way that is authentic to them.”
When asked to choose a favorite project, Humphreys demurred.
“My favorite project is the one I just finished.”
That said, one continuity in her work is the use of color. In addition, her portfolio tells the story of how to adapt older homes into what people need to live their lives today.
For a client’s vacation home in Michigan, Humphreys said the project, which focused on light and color, also needed to accommodate wet swimsuits on the furniture. The project presented a challenge in fabric choices, but she said the end result was a home that works for the beach location while bringing in the blues and greens of the outside landscape.
In an Oak Park home, she rethought a space in an awkward addition that had windows looking out onto an air-conditioning unit. With statement yellow wallpaper and a vintage-inspired fireplace that looks original to the home, she remade the room into a destination study.
In another Oak Park project, she took an older home with a surplus of bedrooms and created the second-floor laundry space of the family’s dreams, complete with blue cabinets and fanciful wallpaper.
At the end of the day, Humphreys said, that her clients’ happiness is what furthers her career.
“If we do it right, people want to recommend us.”
Her team consists of four people, and there is plenty to look forward to in the new year with plans to open a Kathryn Murphy Interiors studio in Forest Park in 2025.
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