August 29, 2019

The Design Center at the Merchandise Mart and LuxeHome have announced the 2019 inductees into the Merchandise Mart Hall of Fame. Honorees will be celebrated on Thursday, Oct. 3, 2019, at Design Chicago during the annual Chicago VIP Luxury Gala.

“The professionals selected for this honor are trailblazers in our industry,” said Susan McCullough, senior vice president at theMART. “They have had immense influence on the design landscape of Chicago, the U.S. and around the world. All have made a mark in our industry by creating spaces that inspire and motivate us to think differently, not just in the way we design but in the way live.”

Lifetime Achievement Award: Christopher Peacock, Founder & CEO of Christopher Peacock
Christopher Peacock began his career in the early eighties working at Terence Conran’s furniture store in London. He launched Christopher Peacock Cabinetry in 1992, beginning with a kitchen display in a small store in Greenwich, Conn. Since then he has opened showrooms throughout the U.S. and Europe, with locations in Greenwich, England, Chicago, Boston, San Francisco, New York City, Dallas and in Cannes, Cote D’Azur, France, as well as London. Additionally, new showrooms will be opening in Jakarta, Indonesia, and Nashville in 2020.

His work has allowed the company special opportunities, as Peacock has been invited to participate in the NYC Kips Bay Show House on seven occasions, has appeared on national television, and he has been featured in many shelter publications. Additionally, he has designed cabinetry for two U.S. presidents, both Bill Clinton and Donald Trump, as well as many celebrity clients. Peacock’s cabinetry style has been often imitated, but his creations remain singularly his own and proudly manufactured from his U.S. workshop in W.Va.

Merchandise Mart Hall of Fame: Architect
Kathryn Quinn, AIA, Principal of Kathryn Quinn Architects Ltd.
Kathryn Quinn’s father was a third-generation Chicagoan and, while stationed in Australia during WWII, he met his wife, Ailsa White. They moved to Chicago after the war and raised a family of five. Kathryn was number four. Her father died suddenly at the age of 42, leaving her 37-year old mother to support and attend to the family. This history is noted ahead of her professional development because her mother was a model of care, support and perseverance, and Kathryn witnessed the importance of good neighbors. During college, as a then student of Landscape Architecture at UIUC, she created an independent study in London, which inspired her to transfer into UIC’s architecture program.

Upon graduation, she interned at Stuart Cohen Architect, Harry Weese & Associates, and Hammond, Beeby & Babka and started her own practice in 1985. Linda Searl partnered with her for several years. Kathryn Quinn Architects Ltd., celebrates year 33. She notes that no one ever said the practice of architecture was easy, but it is always rewarding when there is care by the design team, support of the client and perseverance by the construction team.

Merchandise Mart Hall of Fame: Interior Designer
Gary Lee, Founder & President of Gary Lee Partners

Gary Lee is recognized as a leader in the design community for his rich portfolio, elegant product design, mentorship of design talent and community involvement. He founded Gary Lee Partners in 1993 to serve clients who truly value the impact of design on the human experience. His firm has built lasting relationships with some of the world’s most respected providers of financial and professional services. The team partners with celebrated hospitality brands and designs luxury residences across the globe. Lee has designed collections for Knoll and Halcon and founded Chai Ming Studios in 2011, a private label for custom furniture. He curates and runs the Atelier Gary Lee showroom in the Merchandise Mart, which brings together a mix of styles, materials and objects that reflect his personal aesthetic. Beyond the studio and showroom, Lee continues to be an active member of the design community and community at large.

Merchandise Mart Hall of Fame: Builder Bulley & Andrews
Founded in 1891, Bulley & Andrews (B&A) is one of the region’s most accomplished construction firms. Steadfast in its focus on not just what they build but why, B&A is committed to delivering building projects that improve lives and grow organizations in measurable and meaningful ways. Rooted in a time when construction practices relied on horses, ropes and pulleys, and laborers were paid in cash daily, B&A keeps its ties to tradition while staying at the vanguard of best practices in construction.

The firm is well recognized for its sophisticated approach to construction, which leverages technology, strong communication and a solution-driven mindset. Built upon a sense of responsibility, B&A is dedicated to balancing service and product, even within the most ambitious timelines. Representing a diverse portfolio of clients ranging from corporate, healthcare and higher education to hospitality, institutional and high-end residential, the firm is responsible for building and restoring distinctive structures, as well as countless properties that subtly define and serve their respective owners.