01
Best Of The City
Modern Luxury
From bespoke cabinetry to first-rate painting, this full-service design-build firm specializes in transforming homes into captivating, functional spaces across the North Shore and beyond.
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In The News
Press & Publicity
02
Design Awards
NARI Honors 40 Projects with National Design Awards
THE National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) named 40 projects as winners of the 2026 National Remodeler of the Year Awards, at its Evening of Excellence event, which was held April 24 in Phoenix. The RotYs recognize exceptional craftsmanship, innovation, and project excellence.
In recent years NARI has enhanced the award program to “reflect the evolving, collaborative nature of today’s remodeling industry”. That is why many of the projects list all of the partners in a given project.
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03
2026 Luxe Living
ABLAZE Design Group is a full-service residential design firm creating refined, high-performance homes that balance beauty with purposeful living. Led by George and Ava Markoutsas, with CFO David Lipsky, ABLAZE is known for transforming outdated floorplans into sophisticated, highly functional environments tailored to modern lifestyles. Their work is guided by intentionality—layering thoughtful planning, innovative solutions, and quiet luxury to create homes that feel effortless, elevated, and deeply livable.
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05
Modern Luxury Interiors
House Party Woven Together
Held at Oscar Isberian Rugs, Carpets for a Cause brought together custom carpets designed by 11 of Chicago’s top interior designers in support of Designs for Dignity. An open bar and bites from Parkhurst Catering kept the mood social as guests mingled among the showroom’s signature textiles. The event drew a crowd of 200 attendees, including Courtney Hall of NBC Chicago, Amy Storm of Amy Storm and Company, David Walczyk and Leah Bolger of Leah Bolger Design, Dual Concept Design principals Paulina Cervantes and Andrea Fripp, Jessica Margot of Jessica Margot Interiors, Nora Schneider of Nora Schneider Interior Design, and Jennifer Sobecki of Designs for Dignity. The Oscar Isberian Rugs team welcomed guests to bid on the designer carpets as well as a set of opera tickets, helping raise more than $27,000 in support of Designs for Dignity and its mission of empowering lives through pro bono design. BY KAILA STANG
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06
Créateurs Design Awards
ABLAZE Design Group’s Lake Forest Showhouse Kitchen Longlisted for 2026 Créateurs Design Awards
Highwood, IL — ABLAZE Design Group is proud to announce that its Lake Forest Showhouse Kitchen has been longlisted for the 2026 Créateurs Design Awards (CDA), an international design competition recognizing excellence, innovation, and cultural impact across architecture and interior design.
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07
ABLAZE Design Group Named NARI Regional Remodeler of the Year
Highwood, Illinois (February, 3rd 2026) ABLAZE Design Group has been named a 2026 Regional Remodeler of the Year (RotY®) Award Winner by the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) in the category of Residential Kitchen Over $200,000.
The prestigious RotY® Awards recognize excellence in craftsmanship, design, innovation, and project execution across the remodeling industry. ABLAZE’s winning project was selected from hundreds of entries nationwide and represents the highest level of achievement among regional remodeling professionals.
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08
LUXE Interiors+Designs
David M. Ward Get Ready For The 2025 Lake Forest Showhouse & Gardens
More than 30 leading interior and landscape designers have worked their magic on a 15,000-square-foot Georgian-style home (below) on the North Shore for the 20 th installment of the Lake Forest Showhouse & Gardens.
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09
Best Kitchen project
Modern Luxury Interiors Midwest
At the historic Pembroke Lodge, & Gardens welcomed top design-ers to reimagine the storied estate in support of the Infant Welfare Society. While the event typically showcases idiosyn-cratic design expressions, this year’s kitchen transformation by George Markoutsas of ABLAZE Design Group (ablazedesigngroup.com) bridged exhibition and real-life use, guided in part by input from the estate’s new owners—a newlywed couple planning to use it as a summer retreat.
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10
ASID Illinois Chapter Honors Chicago’s Top Designers at Design Excellence Awards
CHICAGO (Sept. 24, 2025) – On Wednesday, Sept. 24, the American Society of Interior Designers – Illinois Chapter (ASID-IL), held its annual Celebration of Design and Design Excellence Awards. The 2025 Design Excellence Award winners were announced during the celebration at The Dalcy.
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11
Cambria
Show House Splendor
A rich walnut wood vanity with elegant reeding and offset drawers lends an art deco feel to this primary bathroom by Ablaze Design Group. Free-flowing brass alloy veining in the satin finish quartz countertop accentuates the gold tones of the un-laquered brass hardware. And the backlit vertical quartz application in the shower provides indirect lighting that is dramatic yet sophisticated, reminiscent of a cascading waterfall feature.
For a deeper dive into the project, click here.
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12
Ava Markoutsas Featured in Modern Luxury
Ava was listed in Modern Luxury Chicago in September 2025.
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13
Making a Splash
Modern Luxury Interiors
For George Markoutsas, every great design starts with curiosity. “We don’t begin with a style in mind—we begin with a conversation,” he says. “The first step is understanding our client’s life, rhythms, and aspirations for their home. From there, we can shape a design that’s as functional as it is beautiful.”
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14 Learn More
Interior Designer And Bravo Star Mary McDonald Takes Us Inside The Lake Forest Showhouse
With L.A.-based designer Mary McDonald stepping up to serve as honorary chair of the Lake Forest Showhouse (lakeforestshowhouse.com), the star of Bravo’s Million Dollar Decorators and frequent Schumacher collaborator shares how she got involved with the buzzy event and what design news we can expect from her next.
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Revealed: NS Magazine's 2025 Best Of The City Winners
Modern Luxury
From bespoke cabinetry to first-rate painting, this full-service design-build firm specializes in transforming homes into captivating spaces across the North Shore, and the company’s downtown Highwood showroom offers a curated retail experience alongside a full-service selection center, demonstrating firsthand experience of the brand’s expertise.
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16
Modern Luxury
These Are Our Favorite 11 Rooms At The 2025 Lake Forest Showhouse
One of the most anticipated events of the design season in the entire Chicago area, the Lake Forest Showhouse & Gardens is such an elaborate project that it only takes place every other year. This year, the always eye-popping event (which benefits the Lake Forest Chapter of the Infant Welfare Society of Chicago) is celebrating its 20th production in style with the transformation of the historic Pembroke Lodge, one of the earliest estates built along Lake Forest’s iconic Green Bay Road.
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17
Veranda
The 3 Trends We Want to Steal from the 2025 Lake Forest Showhouse
Set against the picturesque backdrop of Lake Forest, Illinois—a tony suburb of Chicago’s North Shore—the 20th anniversary of the biennial Lake Forest Showhouse & Gardens provides the perfect marriage of architectural history and forward-thinking design. Opened for tours starting Saturday, April 26, this year’s house is Pembroke Lodge, a Georgian-style limestone mansion that is steeped in history.
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18
Cosentino
In collaboration with Ablaze, Cosentino Helps Reimagine the Historic Lake Forest Showhouse & Gardens
This year’s main kitchen, designed by Ablaze Design Group, featured a stunning combination of materials, including Dekton Nacre in both 2.0 cm and 12 mm thicknesses. Sleek and subtly textured, its Velvet finish adds quiet sophistication to both the perimeter countertops and the expansive kitchen island.
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19
Architectural Digest
Lake Forest Showhouse
In a display of bravado and talent, 47 interior and landscape designers have transformed a historical 15,000-square-foot home in Lake Forest, Illinois, for the Lake Forest Showhouse and Gardens 2025, which opens for tours April 26 through May 25.
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20
Luxury Home & Lifestyle
Sheridan Road magazine
Sheridan Road Magazine explores the luxury, elegance, and historic charm of North Shore’s most pristine neighborhoods. Get a behind-the-scenes look at Sheridan Road’s rich art, cultural, and design scenes, as well as interviews with notable residents.
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21
Veranda
Is the Secret to a Bathroom You’ll Love Forever Actually One Sink Instead of Two?
One designer sounds off on why a single sink could be a game-changer in primary bathrooms, while another expert makes the case for doubling down.
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22 Learn More
Smart Spaces
Interiors Chicago
THE EVENT ABLAZE Design Group held a “Harmony at Home” panel discussion on tech-inspired, wellness-focused home design at its Highwood showroom.
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Plain & Fancy Custom Cabinetry
THE ALLURE OF MIXED METALS IN YOUR DESIGNS
How to incorporate multiple finishes in the modern kitchen. These bold, yet sophisticated styles make us wonder: were these rules ever worth following in the first place?
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25
Highland Park Neighbors
ABLAZE Design Group’s 50-Year Legacy
Shaping the Design Build Landscape of the North Shore
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26
Modern Luxury Interiors Chicago
This kitchen by ABLAZE Design Group from the Lake Forest Showhouse received an ASID Excellence in Design Award.
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30
Lake Forest Showhouse
Ablaze Design Group is featured in the 2023 Lake Forest Showhouse:
https://www.fox32chicago.com/video/1217651
https://www.lakeforestshowhouse.com/
https://www.nbcchicago.com/local/house-transformed-by-33-designers-opens-to-public/3144964/?amp=1
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The North Shore Weekend, May 6th, 2023
The North Shore Weekend East is published every week and features the news and personalities of Wilmette, Kenilworth, Winnetka, Northfield, Glencoe, Highland Park, Lake Forest, & Lake Bluff, Illinois. View Here
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CHICAGO TRIBUNE
Lake Forest Showhouse and Gardens exhibition returns this month to the Pullman Estate – Click Here
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Read What Our
Clients Say About Us
★★★★★
As a real estate professional, I’ve witnessed countless renovations, and when it came time for our own remodel, I knew I wanted to work with a design-to-build firm. While the main focus was a kitchen renovation, it was important to us that someone look at our entire first floor and how we wanted to live in the redesigned space. For efficiency, ease, and accountability, we also wanted one company to oversee the entire project.
Coco Harris
★★★★★
The Ablaze Design Group revamped our kitchen and did an amazing job. It is now, finally, our dream kitchen. They took time and care with every step of the process. There were no gaps in days – they came everyday until the job was done. We couldn’t be happier with the outcome or the people who work at ABL!
Jennifer Murawczyk
★★★★★
I love working with Ablaze Design Group! They are very responsive and they are very friendly. I have worked with contractor that was very arrogant, but ABL was very down to earth and was eager to help me get my work done. And I worked with Dina, she very helpful. I am very happy working with ABL.
Flora Qu
★★★★★
As a design professional, I know that I can always count on The Ablaze Design Group to provide exceptional customer service, and the highest level quality of work. I give them my highest professional recommendation.
Steffanie Danby Interiors
★★★★★
Outstanding work once again. We are in the process of a lot of painting and ABL could not be more helpful and very competitive with their prices. The workers are great, talented and friendly. We have used ABL for 10+ years and no complaints.
Jamie Garard
★★★★★
Looking for a professional painter look no further. Howard and his team of Jose, Juan and David repainted our kitchen to perfection. From start to finish no issues. Set up – painting and clean up was perfect. Have future projects that we will reach out to ABL for assistance.
Jon Victor
★★★★★
The Ablaze Design Group fixed the walls and ceiling in my bedroom, put on new baseboard, painted everything, installed a ceiling fan, fixed the walls in the stairwell and painted it and the hall ceiling. The work was great, the price was fair, they were courteous, accommodating, and they didn’t leave a mess. We are very pleased.
Jody Jakolat
★★★★★
Howard and his team are the best! We needed to update our entry area and dining room, and convert an old iron staircase railing into a modern wooden one. The whole team was easy to work with, started and finished exactly when they said they would, and the result is just beautiful. We are completely satisfied and will hire them again. Many thanks!
Cheryl Banks
★★★★★
From the first visit by the owner through insurance quotes and design iterations to the many phases of our fully gutted kitchen rehab, the experience could not have been better. We love LOVE our new kitchen. The memory of the experience with ABL is a very good one. WOW
P Greathouse
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