Hello friendly faces! It’s a new Chicago North Shore Moms spotlight brought to you in part by Mary Gifford of Gifford Law. In this Meet a Mom spotlight we’re introducing you to a Glenview mom of two teens and the owner and principal designer at FHM Interiors, Francesca Meder.
A first generation US citizen and former consulting exec, Francesca Meder not only knows the value of hard work, she’s living proof that determination, grit, passion and drive make the perfect recipe for a successful and fulfilling career. In 2010 just months after moving into a home in Glenview, a renovation project ensued where she discovered a love for the interior design world – the water and sunlight to a seed that was already rooted deep within her sole. In 2018 Francesca landed a pivotal position that would seal her fate working as a design associate and marketing manager for a local interior design company in town. There she not only honed her craft, she learned crucial behind-the-scenes administrative tasks necessary to run a small design business and in 2022, FHM Interiors was born! Learn more about Francesca, local favorite restaurants, favorite home cooked meals on the go and the level of service you can expect to receive from this hyper-detailed and strong woman! Welcome, Francesca!
Please introduce yourself. Where are you from originally? What city do you live in now? What brought you here?
Hi! My name is Francesca Meder (people also know me as Fran) and I’m originally from Northbrook, Illinois. I graduated from the University of Illinois in Champaign/Urbana (UIUC) with a degree in accounting and moved to the city after college to start my career at Arthur Anderson. I met my husband our senior year of college and we got married a couple years later in 2002. In 2010, we decided it was time to move back to the “burbs” for more space and convenience with two young children. We looked at homes in various North Shore suburbs and ultimately found a home in Glenview that checked all the boxes in terms of layout, neighborhood, and proximity to schools.
Tell us about your sweet kids.
My husband and I have two children, our son recently turned 18 and our daughter will be 16 in December.
We dropped our son off at UIUC a few weeks ago and I can say it has been quite an adjustment not having him here! As I’m sure many parents can relate, our goal is to raise kind, intelligent, respectful, happy kids where we can confidently send them off into the world knowing they will be able to take care of themselves and achieve whatever it is that they aspire to be or do. However, it’s amazing how accomplishing this goal comes with such great sadness when you drop your child off at college. Thankfully, it gets easier as each day passes and we couldn’t be happier for him as he’s having a blast at our Alma Mater. We can’t wait to go back and visit as alumni parents!
My daughter is a sophomore in high school and she’s definitely not loving all the attention of being an only child at home right now but we sure are! She has her drivers permit and I look forward to no longer having to be a taxi driver come December! She loves hip hop dance and we are very much looking forward to seeing her perform with both De La Cru at GBS and Dance and Music Academy in Glenview.
What are one or two fun facts to know about you?
I am a first generation US citizen. My parents were born and raised in Bari, Italy (Puligia region) and their families immigrated to America in the early 1970’s where my parents met here Chicago through mutual friends even though they only lived 20 minutes away from each other in Italy.
You might come across another Fran in Glenview with the same maiden name of Bruno and think it’s me but it’s actually my cousin. People tend to get confused when they meet a Fran formerly Bruno and realize it’s not who they thought it would be. It’s been happening to us since college and it’s quite comical even with different married last names.
What are your favorite North Shore places, spaces and eats to frequent?
My favorite restaurants to frequent in the North Shore include Hometown Coffee for brunch or lunch (can’t wait for it to open in Glenview) as well as Guildhall and Mino’s for lunch or dinner.
When weather permits, I enjoy walking with friends at Gallery Park and in my spare time I stay active playing paddle, pickleball and tennis! I hope to one day enjoy playing golf so I can spend more time with my husband but it requires so much patience and practice that I just don’t have the time for.
What are you reading and watching?
I just finished reading Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros. It reminds me of Hunger Games, Game of Thrones and Fifty Shades of Grey all in one book! Highly recommend!
Don’t laugh, but I still watch General Hospital and I’ve watched it religiously for over 20 years! Okay, go ahead and laugh because I know it’s ridiculous but I can’t help it:)
Your go to family-friendly dinners… go!
I try to cook dinner Monday through Thursday and the most frustrating thing is to make something that everyone is in the “mood” to eat on a given day. Fortunately, I don’t have picky eaters and I usually get away with little complaints when I make turkey tacos, meatloaf, chilli, chicken piccata or pot roast.
Your mantra?
Everything happens for a reason!
The soundtrack to your life right now is…
My husband put together an amazing playlist with over 100 songs ranging from the ’60s to present day! Some of my favorites include All You Need is Love by The Beatles, Stolen Dance by Milky Chance, Sunday Bloody Sunday by U2, Budapest by George Ezra and Good Old Days by The Revivalists.
Let’s get down to business. Please introduce FHM Interiors!
FHM Interiors is a home styling/interior design business based in Glenview that I started in January 2022. I specialize in enhancing the interiors of a home both visually and functionally with an emphasis on the finishing touches that make a space feel complete.
My projects range from adding accessories to a space (i.e., decorating bookshelves and/or adding new pillows, a rug, artwork, wallpaper, lighting, etc.) to creating entirely new design concepts for a space (i.e. purchasing all new furniture, window treatments, lighting and accessories, etc.). I work with a variety of clients, ideas and budgets.
Those who are managing their own renovations can hire me to provide guidance with finish selections, such as tile, backsplash, countertops, hardware, lighting, carpet etc. I can also review drawings and offer suggestions on potential enhancements or modifications that may be more aesthetically pleasing.
With a background in accounting, how did you decide to move into the design space?
When we moved out of the city 2010 we looked at homes in various North Shore suburbs and ultimately found a home in Glenview that checked all the boxes in terms of layout, neighborhood, and proximity to schools. However, it needed a lot of work to reflect our taste as it was a bit dated having been built in 2002. My husband was very skeptical to buy the home but I knew it would be perfect after we made the cosmetic changes and enhancements I had envisioned with guidance from a friend, who was our neighbor in the city and a fabulous interior designer. I would say this is where my interest and passion for interior design started which was a far cry from my accounting degree and consulting experience.
Did you have any mentors prior to launching your own business?
Prior to starting FHM, I was a design associate and marketing manager for a local interior design company for about four years. This is when I entered into the interior design industry and learned everything from writing proposals, coming up with design concepts, sourcing furniture vendors and tradesmen, preparing furniture layout drawings to scale by hand, and much more! I also helped market the business and showcase the company’s work on social media platforms. My boss was, and still is, a great friend and she was a wonderful mentor in helping me learn everything there is to know about the interior design industry.
How would you describe your aesthetic?
I love a clean and neutral transitional design style as it combines both modern and traditional elements. I also feel that transitional aesthetics are timeless as they have a tendency to represent the past, present and future! I tend to follow a less is more approach when it comes to accessories and I’m a big proponent of balance and symmetry.
In your opinion, what are your top three appliances that you can’t live without in the home?
Having renovated our kitchen about five years ago, I can say without a doubt that every kitchen should have beverage drawers! It frees up SO much space in your refrigerator and it’s easy access for kids and guests to help themselves without having to see what’s inside your fridge.
I’m also a huge proponent of an appliance cabinet or drawer where you can hide your blender, coffee maker, mixer, food processor etc! I like to have the absolute bare minimum on my countertops because less is more and I also don’t want to take away from the design aesthetic of my kitchen.
The final must have appliance that will come as no surprise is a dishwasher! As a family of four, one dishwasher is more than sufficient especially if you have one that holds a lot, like our Cove dishwasher! Many people swear by having two dishwashers but I think it’s only really necessary for a family of five or more.
Curtains, shades or shutters?
All of the above! I think how you “dress” your windows depends on the look or style you’re going for. I think drapery panels add a more formal feel, while roman shades and shutters provide a more casual and relaxed look. But the fabric used for drapery panels or roman shades can also impact style and formality.
I tend to prefer drapery panels in formal spaces such as dining rooms, living rooms and bedrooms. I’ve also added stationary drapery panels to windows with plain roman shades or shutters to add a bit of interest and/or formality to a space.
When it comes to a boys bedroom, kitchen, family room or basement, I prefer roman shades or shutters as they tend to be more casual and relaxed.
One thing to keep in mind when deciding upon window treatments is to consider the exterior of your home as you want to have a cohesive look when looking at the windows from the outside.
Your mission is to enhance home interiors both visually and functionally. Can you share a recent project where you successfully balanced these two aspects, and what were the key elements that contributed to that balance?
I recently redesigned a 12 year-old boy’s bedroom with the objective of creating a space that will suite him long-term while also making it more functional given its size. The original bedroom had a full size bed, one small nightstand and a dresser with no room for a desk or anywhere for friends to sit around and hang out other than on his bed. There was one piece of art above the dresser and sports themed stickers on the wall behind his bed.
The key elements that contributed to balancing the design objectives for this project were finding the right size furniture pieces along with creating a design concept he could grow into. Since there was only one wall to put the bed on given the room dimensions and layout, I opted for a navy full size daybed with two big storage drawers underneath which provided for more open space as you entered the bedroom among other thoughtful details. The new layout is now more functional giving him a place to do his homework and also have space for a few friends to sit around and hang out or add an air mattress to have a friend sleep over.
Before
After
Design is in the details. You emphasize the importance of finishing touches in making a space feel complete. What are some of your favorite finishing touches, and how do they transform an ordinary room into an extraordinary one?
One of my favorite finishing touches is to add wallpaper to a space either as an accent wall or the entire room. I find this is alone does an amazing job of adding life and interest to an ordinary room without breaking the bank by having to redesign an entire space and get all new furniture and decor.
Before
After
Another easy way to make a big impact is pillows! Find pillows that pop yet compliment the space but be careful to not go overboard with pillows because then you take away rather than add interest. Remember less is more!
With the ever-evolving trends in interior design, how do you stay inspired and ensure that your designs remain timeless while still being current and relevant?
To stay in tune with the ever-evolving interior design trends, I read interior design magazines and try to attend design seminars and high point market if time permits. I also follow the top furniture, wallpaper and lighting companies on social media along with other interior designers whose taste I admire and appreciate.
Is there anything else you’d like us to know about FHM Interiors or yourself?
If you’re interested in potentially working together in 2025, please reach out and we can discuss your needs because believe it or not, 2025 is right around the corner!
Sounds great! What are your contact details?
You can see my portfolio of work on my Instagram account, @fhm_interiors_llc. I’d love to hear from you – just send me a DM.
About our Meet of 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].
