Residential Interior Design Inspiration

We invite you to dive into a showcase of our most popular Instagram posts of the year! From exteriors to staircases to every room in the house, our favorite residential architecture and interior design posts all share one thing in common: they typify the Morgante Wilson approach to creating beautiful, functional space. Read on and be inspired!

1. Who wouldn’t be captivated by the idea of a secret door? We love incorporating charming surprises like this bookshelf that slides to transform into a doorway to a hidden room. It’s no wonder the internet was enthusiastic about this post!

2. Renovation: This home on Chicago’s North Shore underwent a major transformation from the outside in, starting with its once-brown brick getting a fresh coat of pretty, blue-gray paint. And that was just the beginning. Read more about the many ways we brought a light and airy vibe into this previously dark and dated home.

3. Every aspect of residential architectural design thrills us – with staircases topping the very long list. There’s nothing quite like the opportunity to create stunning drama to really get our creative juices flowing, especially when we can riff on classic architectural detailing. This beautiful, elliptical staircase in particular was another follower favorite – as was the house it’s located in!

4. Bedrooms present a uniquely satisfying challenge for our interior design team: creating truly special spaces that sing with color, pattern, and texture – but in a quiet, serene manner that encourages rest and relaxation. Cozy hugs at the end of busy days, we think bedrooms should speak for themselves when it comes to beauty that nourishes both body and soul. And these top-rated images do just that!

5. 3D Modeling: Digital tools are immensely important to any residential architecture practice. But there’s nothing quite like the poetry we can create when we go old-school and render client projects through drawings and three-dimensional models. Like dollhouses, they’re little marvels of the imagination brought to life. For clients who have a tough time reading floor plans, they’re lifesavers in terms of understanding the way space feels and flows. And for the architects who get to create them, they offer the most wonderful reason to leap out of bed in the morning!

6. Few topics resonate on Instagram the way residential kitchen design ideas do. It seems everyone is searching for ways to make their kitchen more functional, more beautiful, and more special – even if it’s already pretty great. The popularity of this post proves the enduring appeal of kitchen-centric design ideas – and at MWA, we’ve got plenty of those to share!

7. Fireplaces are among our most-requested features to incorporate into the homes we renovate and build. There’s nothing like a fireplace to gather people together, infuse a room with visual (and literal!) warmth, and function as a focal point. Which brings us to another truth about fireplaces: they’re often topped by televisions. The fact is, more often than not, televisions need to be dealt with in ways that allow them to be seen without detracting from the surrounding décor. It’s every designer’s dilemma – and was solved, beautifully, in this photo. For more ideas on ways to incorporate both fireplaces and televisions into the design of your own home, read here and here.

8. We love a good before-and-after story as much as the next person – especially when we’re the ones who author the story! This post – spotlighting a gorgeous, hand-crafted, wood and wrought iron staircase – was among the year’s top ten for good reason. (You can check out the rest of the home’s rejuvenation here.)

9. Incorporating an elevator into a home is among the best ways we know to ensure aging-in-place can be a reality rather than a daydream. This one – akin to a sculptural art piece – is worthy of attention, and inspired many of our followers (and earned a feature story in Modern Luxury Northshore!).

10. Outdoor Areas: There’s absolutely no better way to extend your living space than by taking it outside. Outdoor rooms for cooking, dining, and living are perennially popular among our clients – and, clearly, our Instagram followers. This post highlighted just one of the outdoor areas we’ve designed. Follow us on Instagram – or check out our website – for many, many more.