Alice is passionate about helping people discover how to use their space to its full potential. Uniquely gifted at understanding people, she empowers her clients to blend elements from their personal interests, their culture, and style.
Prior to founding her studio in 2002, Alice had senior roles in the banking and insurance sectors. This experience has proven quite complementary to her creative endeavors, providing a solid understanding of budget, project management, and process integration. Alice inspires confidence as well as excitement in her clients, partners, and fellow designers. She is an accomplished collaborator, a skillful listener, and a resourceful designer.
In 2019, Alice was recognized as Women Entrepreneur of the Year. She is a leading panelist at Design Chicago, and serves on the advisory board of luxury brand Middleby Residential. Her work has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Architectural Digest, Luxe Magazine, and other interiors publications.
Alice is curious by nature and by extension, perpetually learning new things. She is fascinated by how things are made, and has detoured to visit artisans and craftspeople around the globe. Born in Paris and having lived in several large cities—Montreal, Toronto, and Chicago—Alice still feels fundamentally French. This shows up in her natural inclination to combine styles, colors, textures to create sophisticated, inviting homes.
Get to know Alice Benjamin on a deeper level and understand the source and reasoning behind her psychology-based creative lens that digs deep to understand your sensibilities and what comfort means to you.
The neighborhood I grew up in, 6e arrondissement de Paris, was an incredible place. I absolutely loved going to the market to pick up fresh fruits and vegetables and walking through the park Clos des Blancs Manteaux.
Île Saint-Louis is a fun area to visit for beautiful views, entertainment, and sightseeing. For a sweet treat, Berthillon is a hidden gem ice cream shop with exquisite flavors.
For a true Parisian meal, Chez Dumonet is my go-to.
I love to walk down Recreation drive along the beach - it's one of my favorite relaxing activities.
For a special meal, my favorite restaurants are Brindille or Shanghai Terrace.
For an incredible urban oasis escape, Chuan Spa at The Langham is my go-to.
When I'm looking for something a little more action packed you can find me playing pool at Surge or boxing with my trainer if I've a bad day.
My favorite part is the moment when I develop the design concept that takes into consideration to learn about my client and the way they live and then shaping their environment. I have done my job, once finished, my client can't imagine living anywhere else.
French culture is very rooted in having fun in the kitchen - this has helped me to understand the functionality of spaces and it's not about it just looking beautiful. Because of that, from a young age, I developed a deep passion for kitchens and cooking. I recognize a well-designed kitchen as not only a gathering spot, but also a place of function, durability, and organization. I take great pleasure in creating an inviting dining area with comfortable chairs, where families and friends can indulge in long, delightful meals accompanied by good food and wine—serving as the foundation for building cherished memories within a home.
My process involves getting personal, so I have a list of questions that helps me get to know you on a deeper, more meaningful level. Here are just a handful of those questions:
Growing up in a French household, informs the lens to which you see the world. I experienced and value craftsmanship and understand how to mix many different styles to create a harmonious and meaningful environment. I value art and creative objects that are sentimental and evoke emotions. I am very comfortable working with colors while keeping an environment sophisticated and timeless. I value mixing old and new in order to create an environment that is sensitive to one's unique history and cultural background. I am very comfortable and excited to learn about new periods, cultures, and origins—which creates a cozy, timeless environment that mixes generations seamlessly.
Each one of our clients feels personally understood and supported on their unique design journey. Here’s what they have to say about working with us.
