What Studio MAK does

Studio MAK is a Chicago-based interior design studio founded in 2020 by Marina Zelenkova, Ashley Manchester, and Kimberly Kappelman, with a fourth Technical Designer (Silvia Derivolcov) bringing the core team to four. The firm delivers residential and commercial interior design across four tiers — Full Service Design (concept through installation), Guided Design (documentation-only with optional purchasing), Design Day (three-hour design intensive), and Virtual Advisory Sessions (30/45/60-minute consultations via the TALD marketplace). Its commercial portfolio spans adaptive-reuse multifamily developments (Station Lofts, 86 units; Renaissance School House, 42 units), boutique hospitality and beauty/wellness builds (Flamant nail boutiques in Lincoln Park and Wilmette, Jade Aesthetics med spa), and spec home projects for developers.

The studio does not operate any proprietary technology platform; its technical capability rests on standard industry design software for architectural drawings, renderings, space planning documentation, and construction coordination, supported by internal documentation systems such as construction binders, contract binders with installation specifications, and comprehensive spec books. There are no disclosed AI/ML capabilities, software products, or APIs.

Studio MAK generates revenue through two streams: (1) professional services design fees, custom-quoted based on project scope, size, complexity, timeline, and engagement level, and (2) procurement and purchasing revenue, combining a standard retail-equivalent markup on furniture, materials, fixtures, and finishes with a separate procurement management fee covering order placement, tracking, receiving, inspection, damage resolution, and installation coordination. Go-to-market is consultative and sales-led: prospective clients initiate contact via website, phone, or email, followed by a discovery call, site visit, and customized proposal. Distribution is primarily direct, supplemented by referrals from real estate agents and developers and a third-party channel through the TALD scheduling platform. Primary customer segments are affluent residential homeowners (Chicago, North Shore, western suburbs, and beyond), real estate developers (spec home and multifamily), and boutique hospitality and commercial clients, with operating geographies spanning Chicago, select US states (California, Texas, Colorado, Michigan), and international projects (Spain).

Name

Studio MAK

Legal name

Studio MAK

Website

https://studiomak.co

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Studio MAK is a Chicago interior design studio founded in 2020 by three co-founders, delivering residential renovations, new-construction design, and commercial projects (multifamily, hospitality, retail) for affluent homeowners, developers, and boutique commercial clients in Chicago and select national/international markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Design Professional Services: Studio MAK charges design fees for professional services spanning space planning, interior architectural design, construction coordination, budgeting, and project management. Fees are customized based on project scope, size, complexity, timeline, and level of studio involvement required. Services range from full-service design and installation to guided design (design-only delivery) and focused design intensives (Design Day sessions).
2. Procurement and Purchasing: The studio sources and procures furniture, materials, fixtures, and finishes for clients. Products are priced with a markup comparable to specialty retailers. Additionally, a procurement fee is charged for the management work including order placement, tracking, receiving, inspection, damage resolution, and coordination of delivery and installation. Clients never pay more than retail pricing, with final costs typically at or below retail.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Studio MAK is a Chicago-based interior design studio providing residential and commercial design services across four core offerings: Full Service Design (end-to-end project management from vision through installation), Guided Design (complete design documentation for client execution), Design Day (a focused three-hour design intensive), and Virtual Advisory Sessions (30, 45, or 60-minute consultations). The firm also procures furniture, materials, fixtures, and finishes on behalf of clients at retail-comparable pricing plus a procurement management fee.

Product overview

Studio MAK is a Chicago-based interior design studio offering a unified service portfolio comprising Full Service Design (end-to-end project management from concept through installation), Guided Design (comprehensive design documentation for client execution), Design Day (intensive focused sessions), and Virtual Advisory Sessions (consultation-only engagements). The firm specializes in residential renovations, new construction, commercial spaces, and multifamily developments, with projects spanning Chicago, the North Shore, and nationally. No modular software product or SaaS platform is offered; the company's offerings are entirely service-based.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Spec homes sell before completion - Station Lofts reached 90% pre-leased before construction complete; Dreams Set in Stone sold over asking before official market listing; Design Day spec home sold before final finishes installed

Named customers12 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Perkins&Will: Global architecture firm with interiors practice serving healthcare, commercial, residential, and institutional clients. Comparable to Studio MAK in the multifamily and commercial segments where interiors work overlaps, though operating as a broad incumbent with much larger project scale and headcount.
• Gensler: Global architecture and design firm with an extensive interior design practice across workplace, hospitality, and residential segments. Comparable to Studio MAK in the commercial and multifamily developer segments where their interiors practice overlaps, though operating as a broad incumbent with vastly greater resources.

Direct peers

• AvroKO: Boutique hospitality and restaurant design firm creating branded environments for hotels, restaurants, and retail clients. Comparable to Studio MAK's commercial practice (Flamant nail boutique, Jade Aesthetics med spa) in delivering brand-driven interior design for hospitality and wellness operators.
• Yabu Pushelberg: Internationally recognized design firm with hospitality, residential, and retail practice serving luxury clients worldwide. Comparable to Studio MAK in premium positioning, mixed-use residential and commercial work, and developer-tier client engagements, though at global scale.
• Nate Berkus Associates: High-end residential interior design practice led by designer Nate Berkus, serving affluent homeowners with full-service design. Directly comparable to Studio MAK in client type, premium positioning, and full-service residential engagement model with personal-designer-led delivery.

Emerging players

• Decorilla: Online interior design marketplace offering multiple designer concepts per project with virtual delivery and product purchasing. Comparable to Studio MAK in targeting residential interior design customers but with a tech-mediated, multi-designer model at lower price points.
• Modsy: Online interior design platform that produced 3D renderings of customers' rooms with curated furniture recommendations. Comparable to Studio MAK in serving residential customers seeking design guidance, with a fully remote digital delivery model rather than in-person service.
• Havenly: Online interior design platform connecting homeowners with professional designers through virtual consultations and curated product packages. Comparable to Studio MAK as a direct competitor for residential interior design customers, though operating via a tech-enabled remote model rather than full-service local engagement.
• Interior Define: Direct-to-consumer furniture brand that bundles interior design services with product purchases. Comparable to Studio MAK in combining design expertise with procurement revenue streams, though operating primarily online with proprietary furniture rather than vendor-agnostic sourcing.

Regional players

• Studio Gang: Chicago-based architecture and urban design practice led by Jeanne Gang, working across buildings, interiors, and masterplans. Comparable to Studio MAK as a Chicago-headquartered design studio serving mixed residential and commercial clients, though operating at much larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/studiomak.co

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Studio MAK