Bringing Vision to Life

This year, Marli Jones noticed an uptick in clients asking for wellness rooms. Jones, the creative director and owner of Rebel House, says the pandemic changed how homeowners feel about health and wellness in the home. Now, many seek a luxurious shower area to complement their cold plunges, saunas, or yoga areas.

When crafting spaces like these, it’s not enough to see a shower head online or thumb through brochures full of finishes and handles. Jones wants her clients to truly experience the product: to look closely at a finish, test a handle, see each piece in person. For a closer look, her team uses spaces like the Brizo^® Chicago design studio in the Chicago Merchandise Mart. “It’s an amazing resource,” she says. “Everybody has unique needs, so it’s a different kind of experience for every client.”

The Brizo^® Chicago design studio, fresh off a renovation, helps designers realize their vision. “You get the benefit of seeing and feeling the product firsthand,” says Studio & Education Leader Matt Nguyen. “But, as a designer or homeowner, you also get the chance to experience the Brizo^® brand through all the senses.” Here’s what designers can do with the revitalized space:

See Ideas Up Close

Of course, there are countless ways to find inspiration for a project. Michael Del Piero, designer and founder of Michael Del Piero Good Design, often finds her ideas through travel: culture, food, presentation.

For Filip Malyszko, designer and owner of S&F, Pinterest is a starting point: he gathers reference images of details, colors, and atmospheres in a board and works alongside the client to refine the aesthetic. But sometimes, that’s not enough, he says. “Each client is unique; some feel very comfortable making decisions with images and presentation, but others want a closer look at the items they have selected.”

“Having the Merchandise Mart nearby is a great resource. There are so many things to touch and feel.”

Even early in the design process, Malyszko says that visiting the design studio helps his clients plan and visualize. “We try to source what is visible, and having the Merchandise Mart nearby is a great resource. There are so many things to touch and feel.” Brizo^® Chicago and its neighbors in the building can help reassure and guide clients forward through the process.

Witness Luxury Firsthand

As ideas become reality, designers can use Brizo^® Chicago to understand the finer points of the products: the vibrancy of a finish, the feel of a handle, and the flow of a spray pattern.

For Malyszko, the design studio plays a significant role in moving projects from abstract to concrete. He recalled a Wisconsin lake house build where he brought the client to visit alongside him: “They were so excited to confirm the selections of the faucets,” he says. “It’s great to show them all the options for handles and spouts in person.”

“It’s like you’re picking something really exclusive out—and you are.”

Jones likens the design studio to visiting a jeweler and hand-selecting a piece: “It’s like you’re picking something really exclusive out—and you are,” she says. “You’re going to use it every day. It’s metal, so it’s going to have a little bit of sparkle to it. Fixtures become jewelry.” And jewelry, she believes, is best seen close-up.

Find a Sounding Board

There’s more to Brizo^® Chicago than faucets and finishes. The design studio is also staffed with experts eager to help. Every team member has a deep understanding of the world of design, from timelines and clients to sourcing and budget.

When Del Piero hit a creative block on her own East Hampton cottage project, she trusted the team to help. “We collaborated while viewing styles and finishes in the design studio,” she says. “It was much more productive. Having a second set of eyes and opinions made the process quick, efficient, and fun.”

For Jones, the Brizo^® team itself is perhaps the design studio’s greatest resource: “As designers, we’re bombarded with so many different resources all the time,” she says. “A lot of companies don’t think about how designers need digestible information to help them move quickly and keep clients and timeline happy. And the Brizo^® design studio does that so well.”

Craft With Confidence

Of course, the Brizo^® Chicago team doesn’t just know the design world: they also know the ins and outs of the full Brizo^® portfolio. But when designers move past the product selection stage and into installation, the team can help them choose the right pieces.

“We pride ourselves in writing detailed specifications for residential design projects locally, whether it’s one kitchen or a whole home,” Nguyen says. This is especially helpful with projects that involve technical expertise, such as custom showers. With the Brizo^® team on their side, designers won’t get halfway through construction just to realize they’ve installed the wrong rough or purchased the wrong diverter.

That expertise helps Jones and her team to move through projects with less stress. “There’s no guesswork from our team,” she says. “It’s much cleaner and more streamlined… we can go through purchasing cleanly without worrying if what we’ve sourced will work perfectly.”

The revitalized Brizo^® Chicago welcomes designers at any stage in their own project. And of course, there are a few elevated touches for guests, too:

“The new space feels extremely inviting and warm,” Nguyen says. “Emphasizing the transformative elements of design, every detail and meticulously chosen material radiates refinement.” From warm finishes and elegant neutrals to espresso served in artisan-made ceramics, the new design studio is a sanctuary of luxury and sophistication as much as it is a creative resource.

Brizo^® Chicago can be found in the Chicago Merchandise Mart, located at 222 Merchandise Mart Plaza, Suite 127. It’s open by appointment and to the public Monday - Friday, 9AM - 5PM

Learn more about Brizo^® Chicago or book your visit here.