KED Interiors Wins Three Honors at the 2026 ASID Illinois Design Excellence Awards
It was an extraordinary evening for KED Interiors at the 2026 ASID Illinois Design Excellence Awards, held October 7 at The Mart in Chicago. Surrounded by talented designers and industry partners from across Illinois, our team was honored to receive three distinctions recognizing our work in luxury residential interior design.
This year's recognition was especially meaningful. Two of our most extensive whole-home projects earned honors in the residential design category, while a thoughtfully reimagined primary bedroom was recognized for excellence in bedroom design.
Award-winning Chicago-area interior design studio recognized for exceptional whole-home design and a beautifully composed primary bedroom.
Best Whole-Home Design: Beau's Retreat | Whitewater, Wisconsin
Award Winner — Residential Design
Some properties offer beautiful views. Others make those views the very foundation of the design.
Situated on a remarkable peninsula in Whitewater, Wisconsin, Beau's Retreat presented a unique architectural challenge. With water surrounding approximately 80% of the property and the new home restricted to the footprint of the original structure, expanding outward wasn't an option.
Instead, we focused on bringing the outdoors in.
Every main-level gathering space was carefully oriented toward the lake, with expansive glass, uninterrupted sightlines, and an intuitive flow between the kitchen, dining areas, great room, and sunroom. Upstairs, the primary suite, office, bunk room, and guest accommodations continue that connection to the water.
A restrained palette of warm whites, natural woods, organic textures, and sculptural lighting creates continuity throughout the residence. Bespoke millwork adds architectural depth while ensuring that every room feels purposeful and connected.
The result is a sophisticated year-round retreat that feels expansive without sacrificing intimacy.
Why this award matters: Whole-home interior design requires more than creating beautiful individual spaces. It demands a cohesive vision that considers architecture, circulation, materiality, function, and the relationships between rooms. Beau's Retreat embodies that approach, transforming a challenging site into the defining strength of the home.
Whole-Home Design Honorable Mention: Blue Skies Abode | Mukwonago, Wisconsin
Honorable Mention — Residential Design
Receiving additional recognition for Blue Skies Abode made the evening even more memorable.
Located on Lake Beulah in Mukwonago, Wisconsin, this expansive lake residence was designed around one central priority: creating a place where generations of family and friends could gather, reconnect, and truly unwind.
What began as the idea of a modest cottage evolved into a three-level retreat where every detail supports the rhythms of lake living.
The main level balances open gathering spaces with a serene, lake-facing primary suite, private office, and fitness area. A covered three-season room and outdoor kitchen extend the living experience toward the water, while thoughtfully designed bunk rooms accommodate extended family visits.
Throughout the home, soft blues inspired by the lake and sky are layered with warm neutrals, natural textures, custom millwork, and sculptural lighting. The palette shifts subtly between levels, creating individual experiences while maintaining a cohesive design language.
Blue Skies Abode earned an honorable mention in an exceptionally competitive category, finishing within just a few points of the top-scoring entry.
For our team, this recognition reinforces a belief that guides every KED project: the most successful whole-home designs are not simply cohesive in appearance. They support the lives unfolding within them.
Best Bedroom Design: Composed Grace | Barrington, Illinois
Award Winner — Bedroom Design
While our whole-home projects demonstrate the importance of a unified architectural vision, Composed Grace celebrates the transformative power of a single, deeply personal space.
This complete primary suite renovation in Barrington, Illinois, began with an opportunity to reconsider how the homeowners experienced their most private retreat.
We approached the design with an emphasis on balance, softness, and functional beauty. A reworked layout establishes a more intuitive flow, while layered neutrals, sculptural furnishings, bespoke built-ins, and carefully considered lighting create an atmosphere of quiet refinement.
Meaningful artwork and tactile materials introduce personality without overwhelming the room. Every element works together to create a space that feels restorative, comfortable, and distinctly personal.
The result is a primary bedroom that offers more than a beautiful place to sleep. It creates a sense of calm that carries into the everyday experience of the home.
Being recognized for Best Bedroom Design is particularly meaningful because these intimate spaces require a careful balance of practical needs, emotional comfort, and visual restraint.
What These Awards Mean to Our Team
At KED Interiors, we specialize in luxury whole-home interior design, new construction, extensive renovations, and lake and vacation homes throughout the greater Chicago area, Illinois, and Wisconsin.
Our approach begins with listening. We want to understand not only our clients' aesthetic preferences, but also their routines, priorities, and the experiences they want their homes to support.
From there, we collaborate closely with architects, builders, artisans, and trusted trade partners to develop interiors where every architectural detail, finish, furnishing, and transition contributes to a larger vision.
To receive recognition from the American Society of Interior Designers Illinois Chapter for both whole-home and bedroom design is an incredible honor. It affirms the value of approaching residential interiors with equal attention to creative expression, technical execution, and everyday livability.
Most importantly, we are grateful to the homeowners who trusted us with these projects. Their individuality, openness, and commitment to thoughtful design made each of these homes possible.
We also extend our appreciation to our talented design team and the many collaborators whose craftsmanship and expertise bring our work to life.
Thank you to ASID Illinois for recognizing these projects and for continuing to celebrate excellence in interior design.
Discover Award-Winning Interior Design by KED Interiors
Based in Barrington, Illinois, KED Interiors is a full-service luxury interior design studio serving Chicago, the North Shore, Barrington, and surrounding communities, as well as lake and vacation home destinations throughout the Midwest.
Led by founder and principal designer Katie Wozniak, our studio creates highly personalized homes defined by thoughtful layouts, layered materials, bespoke details, and an enduring connection to the people who live in them.
Whether designing a custom residence from the ground up or reimagining an existing home, our goal is always the same: to create spaces that are as meaningful to experience as they are beautiful to see.