HiP > 2026 > People > HiP Experiential Leader

Photo: Wittefini Photography

One of Interior Design magazine’s “20 Inspiring Female Designers to Know,” Sarah Kuchar-Parkinson is the owner and creative director behind Chicago-based interior design studio Kuchar. A boundary-pushing interior design studio specializing in commercial, residential, and hospitality projects that break the convention, Kuchar’s portfolio of work ranges from offices and showrooms to restaurants and homes located in Chicago, Austin, Amsterdam, London, Miami, New York, Phoenix, Silicon Valley, and Singapore. After graduating from Harrington College of Design, Kuchar-Parkinson began at Perkins&Will, spending 11 years working on innovative office design projects around the world, becoming known for taking on the “quirky” projects—those that blended in hospitality or weren’t too corporate. In 2016, determined to elevate design across all verticals, she stepped out on her own and launched her namesake studio, Kuchar, a boutique concept-to-completion firm, adopting early-on a culture of “no rules,” crossing boundaries across industries, and centering adaptability that has stayed true to the firm a decade later. Kuchar’s portfolio touches lives across the globe, expressing clients’ hopes and dreams for how they want to live, work, and thrive. From Codeverse (an award-winning afterschool academy for kids that teaches coding) and experiential brand showrooms in The Mart (Nevins, H.H.H. and Scandinavian Spaces) to trailblazing restaurants (e.g. CASSIS Restaurant in Milwaukee), spas and customized, luxury homes balancing form and function, Kuchar and its team breathe new life into spaces and create community through imaginative design with personality and impact. After 10 years as a firm owner, Kuchar-Parkinson’s advice for the next generation is to trust your gut—when you’re itching for it and you believe in yourself, it’ll happen. With that in mind, next for Kuchar is Kuchar-Parkinson’s dream to double in size over the next decade, and expand more into hospitality and product design.