Meet the team
Candace
PRINCIPAL DESIGNER
Candace Griffin is the founder of Candace Mary Interiors, with a talent for creating spaces people instantly connect with. She believes the magic lies in the emotional bond people form with a place they can truly call home. Her signature style blends timeless elegance with modern elements, resulting in distinctive, statement-making spaces that leave a lasting impression.
Throughout her career, Candace has worked with a diverse range of clients, including homeowners, brokers, celebrities, and small businesses. Her work has spanned major cities like San Francisco, Detroit, and Chicago. She now calls Evanston, Illinois, home, where she lives with her family.
Candace’s passion for design extends beyond the spaces she creates—she’s inspired by good food, great company, and innovative design. A featured designer in several national publications, with accomplishments including being named one of House Beautiful’s Next Wave Designers (2022) and part of the Next in Design 99 for 2023. A graduate of Goldman Sachs’ 10,000 Small Businesses program and a past Design Council member for House Beautiful Magazine.
Peri
LEAD DESIGNER
Real estate has always been a major touchstone in Peri's life, as the daughter of a realtor and an interior designer. "As a kid, my mother constantly drew attention to architectural details of homes and buildings that most people would naturally overlook". Through the years Peri's appreciation for detail has grown into an infatuation. Whether it’s her own home or a client's, Peri has always loved the feeling of walking into a space and imagining the potential it holds.
After shifting her career in real estate finance and becoming a Realtor, Peri joins the Candace Mary Interiors team as a Design Assistant. She ultimately hopes to assist clients from end to end on the purchase and design of their new homes.
Inmaly
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
As the Administrative Assistant at Candace Mary Interiors, Inmaly plays a key role in supporting backend operations with a strong focus on administrative organization and client experience. With a natural eye for efficiency and detail, she ensures that every project runs smoothly behind the scenes, allowing the creative team to shine.
Beyond her work at CMI, Inmaly brings a wealth of experience as an operations manager and project manager. She specializes in human resources, systems and process improvements, and coordinating large-scale coalitions and networks. Whether streamlining workflows or building strong organizational foundations, Inmaly is passionate about creating structure that supports both people and purpose.
Nisaa
STAGING & DESIGN ASSISTANT
From a young age, Nisaa's passion for interior design blossomed through the lens of frequent moves and adaptability. With a keen eye for detail, she learned to transform living spaces into a cozy sanctuary, developing an innate gift for visualizing a space's potential. As Nisaa got older, her friends and family started seeking her expertise, recognizing her talent for creating spaces. This sparked a desire to help others unlock the full potential of their homes.
Now at Candace Mary Interiors, Nisaa brings a diverse background in virtual design, home staging, and home decor sales. Her exceptional attention to detail drives CMI projects forward, while her love of cooking, exploring Chicago's hidden gems, and browsing Pinterest for design inspiration fuel her creative spark. Nisaa is dedicated to empowering clients to craft the comfortable, stylish spaces of their dreams.
Our Philosophy
‘What would our life look like here?’
This is a question all buyers ask themselves when searching for a property, but it is difficult to imagine the potential of a home with a blank canvas - or worse - a stranger’s house, to become your own home.
We are a Chicago-based staging company that specializes in marketing property through thoughtful and strategically designed interiors. We are introducing a hybrid of luxury staging and interior design. Our approach is to highlight the personality of each unique space and bring to life the experiences had within it.
We start with a concept that tells a story and design interiors with furniture and decor that is dynamic, flexible, and inspiring. Through doing so, it allows individual buyers to focus on the potential of a property to enhance their own lives, rather than the physical limitations of a space. This results in a quicker sale and higher offer.
We can’t wait to work with you!