INTERIOR DESIGN STUDIO
Austausch is a boutique Interior Design studio based in Chicago, IL (USA). We offer a personalized service for every project that crosses our desks. Serving all of Chicago Area and beyond, traveling for projects and gathering inspirations is part of our passion. In the studio we believe that an Austausch -an exchange- of ideas will make your space reflect your unique personality. Our projects often reminisce old world European sensibilities mixed with an admiration for modern urban design and most importantly have functionality for your individual lifestyle, style and design vision. Through the process of collaboration and communication about the things you love & what inspires you we will create a space that is a reflection of you. Every project is a new challenge to gather different products and fresh ideas. Together with a team of architects and contractors we strive to transform your spaces into their best light possible. We also love to get weird, adding individual quirks & peculiarities, so please do share yours!
Simone Höhne Barakat (she/her/hers) grew up in Germany watching her father space plan and design kitchens all throughout her childhood. He has been a great influence in her life, having played a big part in furthering her career in the design field. Simone’s father and mother are small town entrepreneurs who owned their kitchen design showroom for more than 25 years until eventually retiring and transitioning the showroom to a long time employee. As a young adult, Simone actively worked in their showroom until moving to the US, bringing with her many years of experience in interior design, kitchen & bath design, architectural design & drafting. With disciplines spanning from furniture manufacturing and sales to residential and commercial showroom design, her well-rounded education sent her off well equipped. Simone (Zee-mohn-nuh ) earned an Interior Design Degree followed by a Business Degree from the highly regarded Fachschule des Möbelhandels Köln, Germany. Motivated to learn about additional design practices, she relocated to the United States. Here she attended the Illinois Institute of Art Chicago where she completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts - Interior Design. After almost 20 years of being on Design Teams for renowned German & Italian luxury furniture showrooms, she opened Austausch in 2014 to focus on designing complete homes.
Simone’s continuous joy is being able to hone in on the whole of her clients’ ideas and collaborating to bring these to life with a mix of vintage, new and a vibe that is totally YOU.