Valerie Steil ASID - President, Marc T. Nielsen Interiors

     Since beginning her career as an interior designer in 1980, Valerie has designed residences in diverse locations including Wisconsin, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Colorado, and Arizona. She has become a trusted voice on achieving liveable interiors that are practical, comfortable, indicative of the spirit of the residents, and elegant as appropriate. Clients range from the very discriminating, to the style-challenged or style-confused.

     Valerie has learned to manage large complex projects, for a very discerning clientele, with the help of her capable staff, and knows the value and comfort of design that transcends time. She draws design inspiration from her extensive travels, constant reading, and her associations with other professionals, artists, musicians, cooks, and active families, including their active pets. Valerie walks through all the phases of the design process with confidence and grace while maintaining her humor, thus making what can be a stressful process easier, more fun and more relaxing.

Virginia Phillips ASID

     Virginia Phillips joined Marc t. Nielsen Interiors in Chicago in 1953. Working with Mr. Nielsen afforded an opportunity to create interiors far beyond the scope of other beginning designers. His talent in working with people was distinguished by caring for his clients; understanding their needs and desires, and giving more to them than they even knew they wanted. Virginia learned that lesson well. Coupled with her natural creativeness, she was able to achieve beautiful environments. Her clients keep coming back with new projects as their lives evolve.

     Virginia has always painted, but infrequently, until 1987, when she became more of an abstractionist. When she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 1997, showing “energy” in her paintings became more important, stretching colors far beyond reality. She abstracts the subject sometimes just to the point of awareness. Call Virginia for interior design work and to see the development of her art.

VirginiaPhillips.com

Dot Kesling, Stylist

     Ms. Kesling is a graduate of Indiana University with a degree in Fashion Merchandising. She worked in store merchandising prior to raising her family, and now adding her transformative abilities to the team at Marc t. Nielsen Interiors. Ms. Kesling has taken her fashion sense and given a new twist to many home interiors.

     Additionally, she is an avid photographer, which has enabled her to look at spaces from a different perspective. She shares the Marc t. Nielsen philosophy that one should "shop" in one's own home first, making the best of what we already have, and then adding what is needed and desired to create the ultimate interior.

Paul Saviski, Architectural Design, Operations Manager.

     Paul has been working in the Chicago area Design and Construction Industry since 1990.He started as a union carpenter building homes and commercial projects. At the same time, he began studying architecture and computer aided design.

     In 1993 he started working as an architectural draftsmen/designer for a small design firm. Since then Paul has worked as project manager, CAD/IT manager and office manager at design firms involved in a wide range of projects including residential additions, single and multi-family homes, shopping centers, casinos and warehouses in Chicago and Northwest Indiana. From 2006 to 2010, Paul ran a design consulting business that worked with Chicago area builders.

Call Paul at 462-9812 to discuss a project or idea.

KC

     KC has been with us since that fateful morning, 9/11/2001, when she showed up at our back door, peering through the window. She easily moved in to the Vermin Control position, and we immediately noticed a reduction in acorn stashes around the office and workshops. She often assists Paul with welcoming customers from one of her favorite spots-- the center of Paul's desk. However, she is often asked to patrol outdoors when we have "cat-sensitive" guests in the studio. She is actually quite fine with this.

      Since joining us, she has developed a keen appreciation of textiles, showing a strong preference for natural fibers, particularly wool and silk. So when our fabric reps are here, she is often again asked to patrol the grounds outdoors. She is less fine with this, as she really loves to roll around in all those wonderful, luxurious fabrics. Who can blame her?