Gray & Walter Interior Design
Chicago, Illinois
(20)
Chicago, Illinois
(20)
20 customer reviews
Christine F
Kenneth Walter is wonderful and a complete pro. We initially hired him after an unfortunate experience with another purported designer who left us with code violations, mismatched pieces, and half-finished rooms (as well as a depleted budget). Our project was not easy or typical. It required ingenuity, the ability to make the most of what we had, and to work within our limited remaining budget, among other things. To make things worse, we are both skeptical lawyers and question everything. What a refreshing change Gray Walter has been from other firms I've worked with! Kenneth is flexible and readily adapts his vision as he learns about clients' tastes and preferences--he doesn't just produce a formulaic look. He has years of experience; he can work within different budget ranges; he prioritizes; he has terrific sources (craftsmen, contractors, an amazing painter we would never have found). He asks detailed questions; his drawings are clear and specific. He gently but firmly insists when he knows something won't work.I should also note that our style is different from many projects on his website (contemporary with a touch of Bohemian, I guess you could say) but this did not phase him in the least. He patiently considered numerous items I found on my own and did not insist on sourcing everything himself. Our home is now almost finished and exceeds all of our expectations. In our experience, Kenneth does his absolute best to make every client happy and takes genuine pride in his work. He is an artist but still low maintenance, kind, and without annoying ego quirks. We could not recommend him more highly! More...
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Lapchi Rug Design Studio
Gray & Walter is a longstanding, respected Lapchi Rug Design Studio client based in Chicago, IL. Ken's interiors, while elegant and crisp, are quite eclectic;
an ideal approach for dreaming up expressive environments.
We are continually impressed by his creative applications for our textile products.
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allan j grant and associates, architects
My architecture firm collaborated with Gray & Walter, Ltd. on a highly detailed luxury suburban new construction residence.
The excellent coordination of architectural details with interior design elements allowed architect and interior designer to achieve a sophistication far beyond what either of our firms could have accomplished independently. Gray & Walter and Allan J Grant and Associates are both proud of the results of our collaboration on behalf of our client and look forward to further joint projects in the future.
Allan J Grant, A.I.A.
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jdwicksco
Working with Ken was a great experience. He worked hard to understand my vision while also adding ideas and options I wouldn't have thought of myself. He also utilized our time together well, which is important in this business. I'd recommend Ken to anyone who is looking to get sound advice and creativity with their home or business design. More...
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pattiri
How thrilled I was that after a major renovation, my home was featured in the Chicago Tribune magazine showcasing the infusion of style and grandeur created by Mr.
Kenneth Walter. With his passion, enthusiastic attitude, experience, and sense of style, my home became a showplace of understated elegance. The eclectic design that was created by Mr. Walter included Italian marble flooring, beautiful marble faux painting, eye-catching wallpaper, and exquisite window covering and draperies that helped showcase the antiques, oriental pieces, and the furniture selections that made this home a warm and inviting place to raise a family and entertain with style.
After twenty plus years, it was time to downsize! As new construction was well underway, I contacted Ken once again to help design the interior of my new home. This time I wanted a whole new look; Ken’s finesse helped create a striking European country look. Once again the window treatments, faux painting choices, wood and slate flooring brought the interior to life. The furniture selections with the beautiful wooden accents helped create a warm and inviting feel to once again entertain family and friends in style.
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Kravet Inc.
As a vendor in the industry for 20 years, I can truly say that Ken Walter stands out among the rest. He is a true professional who is always respectful of others, a fantastic listener, and an extremely talented interior designer who pays close attention to detail. His skills and experience shine through time after time. It is always a great pleasure to work with Ken on his various projects. I will continue to recommend Gray & Walter Ltd. without any hesitation. More...
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Jane Shawkey-Nye / Baird & Warner
Ken has extremely good taste and is such an excellent listener. His approach to design is balanced well with what you might expect from someone with incredible talent, with an element of surprise. I've enjoyed learning from Ken in our many discussions and am so pleased with his interior design. More...
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rachelcbbroker
Ken is a wonderfully talented and creative designer that truly cares about his client relationships and will do everything possible to ensure they are happy. I have recommended him to clients in the past and will continue to do so. More...
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adrigent
I have not known Kenneth long but I have enjoyed every moment of working with him. His candor and creativity are both appreciated and anticipated. I never walk away from a conversation with him without learning something new. I have great respect for his discerning eye and his boundless talent and I welcome the opportunity to work with him whenever possible. More...
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valero design
Ken is a true professional who listens to his clients needs. I have had the pleasure of working with Ken for 15 years on many projects. He is a great visionary and always stays true to his design integrity. More...
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bud75last
I am a vendor that has worked with Ken for over 10 years. He is a talented and professional designer that keeps the goals and objectives of his clients first and foremost.
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Uniceverse
I have been working with Ken Walter for over 10 years on several projects and I can't say enough good things about this designer. He's professional and thorough in his approach and the results, as you can see from the photos on this site, are excellent (and in my opinion look even better in person). I would say his strongest suits are a sense of scale and a beautiful eye for color: both of these are so important in completing a room and Kens' work is always very strong in both areas. As well, one can expect a very thoughtful approach to space planning and a great talent for lighting a space. Overall, this is a great company that will provide eye results that both capture the mind as well as the heart. More...
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Jill Maremont
I have had the pleasure of working with Kenneth over the past few years. He is a delightful, bright and dedicated designer whose years of experience are extremely valuable. His clients receive his undivided attention combined with his industry know how- resulting in comfortable and beautiful interiors. More...
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joyceglidden
Ken Walter and his late partner have worked with me over the past thirty years to decorate and update the three homes we owned during that time.
I was and am very interested in English designs.
The major project here was a large house on a 750 ft. ridge and, over time, Ken transformed it into a showplace. From floor to ceiling, he changed old and tired floors, walls and ceilings, and he made
for us a happy and comfortable environment with our furniture and many new things.
Ken always met the deadlines we agreed upon and his work was within our budget. He has had
extensive knowledge of the resources for our tastes but he has also proved to be very innovative,
so that we felt we were in line with current thinking. He has had an incredible knowledge of resources available to solve problems.
Ken is as pleasant and as bright as anyone with whom I have ever worked; and we found him an
easy person to work with, and I am quite sure that others do, too. Since we came to Lafayette, Ca.,
he has come out to supervise some of his work, including our move to this half-size house four years ago. He is thoughtful and honest and brings a true enthusiasm to his work.
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jradis
Working with Ken Walter of Gray & Walter was a pleasure. He helped me to pull together my living room with a few new furniture pieces, draperies, paint and accessories. He is highly skilled at his craft, yet easy to work with and very personable. I would definitely recommend him. More...
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mnagle6306
Ken Walter has done a variety of large and small projects for me, all with amazing results. From living room, dining room to family room. The true test is whether or not you really like the outcome a year or two down the road. I am happy to say that our house still looks amazing. We had an unusual layout and Ken was able to come up with some great solutions. There are little touches throughout the house that make it special. People that come over for the first time always request a tour. More...
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fstover
Gray & Walter completed three major design projects at The Chicago Club over a 10 year period. In 2001 the restoration of the main dining room; in 2008 the redecorating of the second floor meeting rooms; in 2009-11 the renovation/redecorating of 20 guest bedrooms. In all cases we based our selection on the reputation, experience and professionalism of Ken Walter. The best tribute to Ken was the overwhelming approval and satisfaction of his work by the membership. More...
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kerrily
Working with Ken Walter (of Gray & Walter) was a great experience. He's patient, smart and fun to work with. He's responsive and accessible, and his extensive experience and knowledge in the design field were indispensable. He managed to balance support for our (his clients') instincts with the intelligent and tactful guidance needed to prevent us from making design choices we might later regret. This way, our project with Ken could reflect our tastes and inclinations, but with his trained understanding for how different elements in an environment work together. In addition, Ken's attention to detail and service assure the project goes as smoothly as possible and you (the client) never have to worry about coordinating vendors, delivery people, fabric people, whatever. Ken knows where to find what you want and how to get it put together the way you want it to be. Finally, Ken doesn't accept less-than-expected from anyone he works with, so you never have to either. More...
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Justin Fishbein
As senior citizens we had a mortgage-free place with decor that was OK if the 1980s ever came back but rather than move we wanted it updated to the 21st Century so with a chair lift and the addition of safety devices in our bathrooms we could continue living in a comfortable and affordable home.
We had furniture in storage that we'd bought when modernizing the decor of a second home before we sold it. Important: We'd been burned once by an interior designer who charged thousands, then vanished after filing for bankruptcy. Result: We sought input from various designers and companies and contacted their references. There were excellent reports about Mr. Walter from high-ranking organizations and homeowners who had retained him.
We'd sold our place in Southern California so had funds to finance the remodeling. Mr. Walter developed a plan that met our desires and stayed within our budget. He interviewed several general contractors and made certain they could bid on our job to meet his specifications in every minute detail and reviewed their bids with us. He also advised us that for an acceptable added fee, he would oversee the contractor's work. This was a great relief and when the project was complete we had no grievances with Mr. Walter or the contractor: in fact, we used them again on a project some years later. The initial project was completed on time and within budget.
To say Mr. Walter was easy to work with is an understatement. One Saturday afternoon, he dashed repeatedly up and down stairs carrying valuable but breakable items from the first to the second floor so furniture could be moved safely and on schedule. He selected attractive hardware for our kitchen cabinets, less expensive than his first choice. Without arguing, he agreed to retain a ceiling light fixture in the vestibule when I questioned his suggestion for a much more expensive fixture and he also redefined his plan for updating a powder room. He kept us fully informed about everything. Here's what else the plan entailed: New tile flooring and walls in the kitchen and kitchen-dining area and painting the kitchen cabinets forgoing the expense of new cabinets -- new major appliances, new lighting, a new counter top, a special cabinet to eliminate a space between the new stove and an existing cabinet; updating the family room with new chairs, a new couch and a custom-designed cabinet for a large-screen TV and components of our listening and viewing systems with space for my extensive audio recordings and videos; updating the vestibule; updating the living room to accommodate the furniture we had in storage and rehanging our artworks in an aesthetic presentation on a living room wall.
We gave most of our previous furnishings to our adult children and contributed some to charity. We're saving some $200 a month on storage fees and we now have an enjoyable home that thanks to Mr. Walter, achieved our goal and enables us to stay put for a while in our advancing years.
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realtorjanetowen
Ken is one of the most talented and knowledgeable interior designers that I have ever met. He is a very good listener and cares very much about his client's individual needs and desires.
.. he makes a house their home, not his... I would not hesitate to recommend him.
-Janet Owen
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