Chicago North Shore Moms is pleased to bring you an aesthetic Meet a Mom Spotlight with Winnetka mom of three, Jen Segall, the founder of Jen Segall Interior Design featuring gorgeous and approachable design concepts and execution from home to “home away from home”… dorm rooms!
Jen Segall has been expertly designing residential spaces for seven years, infusing her culturally rich experience growing up on the border town of El Paso, TX with a mix of logic and innovation honed from her time spent in the career fields of science and marketing. After sending off her twins to college two years ago, the next iteration of her interior design career is the growing niche of dorm room design, where Jen creates the perfect ‘home away from home’ to ease your child’s transition from the comforts of home to college life.
Get to know more about Jen’s journey from science and marketing, to interior design and how you can book her services for your freshman-bound kiddo. Welcome, Jen!
Hi Jen! We are so happy to introduce you to Chicago North Shore Moms! Where are you from originally? What city do you live in now? What brought you here?
Hi! My name is Jen Segall and I grew up in El Paso, a border town in Texas. I went to college in Dallas and lived there for more than 10 years. My husband and I, with our 5-year old twins, moved to Winnetka for his job almost 15 years ago.
We have 3 children: 19-year old twins graduated from New Trier and are now Sophomores at Villanova and St. Olaf. Our youngest is 14-years old and headed to high school in the fall. All of our kids attended Saints Faith, Hope and Charity in Winnetka. Each one of them found their sport and we have had the good fortune of making so many of our great friends on the sidelines of soccer and football games and in the stands of gymnastic meets.
Any fun or interesting things to know about you?
I am a firm believer in starting over and being whoever you want to be. With a degree in Biology and Public Health and working in Marketing for years, I loved finding my true self later in life.
My dad who passed away ten years ago taught me to learn something new each day. I take his advice to heart and love to ask questions (super annoying to my children) and soak up new information and skills as much as I can!
Great advice to follow! Speaking of advice, what are your favorite North Shore places, spaces and eats to frequent?
I love the North Shore! For eating out, I love Avli in Winnetka, Frank & Betsie’s in Glencoe and of course, Pomeroy in Winnetka. Stormy’s in Northfield always hits the spot on the weekend! For shopping, I love Heritage Trail in Northfield for antiques and unique finds, The Book Stall in Winnetka for all the bestsellers and Peachtree Place in Northfield for home decor.
Any good books on your nightstand?
My nightstand overflows with books. I am an avid reader and just finished The Tell and Rabbit Moon by Jennifer Haigh. I am currently reading the Bright Years by Sarah Damoff and next up is Playworld by Adam Ross.
Your mantra?
Don’t complain about a situation unless you are prepared to make it better. Complaining is like nails on a chalkboard. Life is about problem solving and finding solutions. If you can’t do that, don’t come to me complaining.
I LOVE that mantra. Thank you! Please introduce your current endeavors! Tell us more about Jen Segall Interior Design.
I’m in my seventh year of interior design with my business, Jen Segall Interior Design, and I have added dorm room design to my portfolio. Having designed dorm rooms for my kids and my friends’ children, it is a niche design speciality. Personalized bedding, comfy rug, wall art and storage are just the beginning of designing the perfect dorm room. Creating a “home away from home” is an ideal opportunity for me to personalize and customize based on the young adult’s preferences and needs!
Your background is in science and marketing. How has this influenced your design decisions and aesthetic choices?
Curiosity, logic, innovation and analysis best describe the field of Science. Having a degree in Biology and a Masters in Public Health allows me to use these skills in my daily work as a designer. Like a scientist, I get to think outside of the box and problem solve–my work changes every day.
And, how have your travels influenced your design work?
Having grown up on the border, I was influenced by the colorful culture of Mexico. As I travel, I am intrigued by architecture, culture and trends within the different countries. Travel truly opens your eyes and allows you to see design in a new light. Design is similar to travel in that it allows you to “appreciate” even when it might not be your preferred style.
And when did you develop your niche in dorm room design?
Dorm room design was launched after sending my twins off to college two years ago. Having designed countless bedrooms for children and teens, this specialty seems like a natural fit. Nationally, dorm room design has boomed and I am beyond pleased to be offering my design services on the North Shore and beyond.
With college acceptance letters in for the 2025/2026 college school year, what do parents need to know about booking a dorm design service with you? What’s included?
May 1st (College Decision Day) just marked a big day for Seniors. With so many Seniors having declared their school, now the fun part begins. The process is fun and easy. Simply go to my website and complete the questionnaire. Once the questionnaire is complete, Seniors will receive a customized vision board, specific links to purchase items on the vision board and an entire spreadsheet of essentials (with clickable links) for college.
What’s on the horizon for Jen Segall Interior Design?
Expanding outside of the Chicagoland area! Recently, I have had the pleasure of designing homes in Florida and South Carolina for my clients. I’m definitely open to booking travel and putting my design services beyond the North Shore!
Is there anything else you’d like us to know about Jen Segall Interior Design?
Yes! I think a lot of people have a fear of reaching out to interior designers because it is cost-prohibitive or that their house does not meet a certain standard. Two of my most recent clients described me as “approachable” and my style as “lived in.” My goal in working with any client is to establish a good relationship and to deliver what they want. Working with a designer helps to take the headache out of ordering the wrong thing or an item that is the wrong size. My goal is to make a room or space what the client is dreaming of–whether it is an entire house, a single room or a dorm room!
Photo credit: Evelina Snell
The word, approachable’ sure stands out. How can our readers reach out?
Please follow my design on Instagram (@jensegalldesign); email me at [email protected] or visit my website (www.jensegalldesign.com). I would love to hear from individuals that are interested in creating a dream dorm room or transforming their home!
About Our Meet a Mom Sponsor
A very heartfelt thank you to CNSMoms’ Meet a Mom sponsor, Lake Forest mom of three and owner of Gifford Law, a solo Estate Planning Firm (wills and trusts). Mary, we appreciate your support of local moms in our North Shore communities! Learn more about Mary by visiting her Meet a Mom spotlight here! Contact Mary directly here: [email protected].
