Attention to detail starts long before the drawings. 📏
At Variant, the work never stops...but neither does the fun. A little tape measure challenge to keep the team on their toes!
Thrilled to share that four members of our team will be attending the 2026 Hospitality Design Expo. We’re especially honored to be cheering on Rambler Columbus, recognized as a finalist in the 22nd Annual HD Awards.
Opportunities like this allow us to exchange ideas and continue exploring how design innovation can better support the experiences we love to create. We can't wait to be part of the conversation.
Hope to see you there! #HDAwards2026
The Team Behind the Experience:
Meet Amelia Hoover, Senior Interior Designer at Variant.
Since joining the studio five years ago, Amelia has become an integral voice within our team, contributing to both the evolution of our work and the refinement of our internal processes. Her background in hospitality design, shaped by work on notable hotel projects in Chicago, informs a design approach that is layered, precise, and deeply attuned to experience.
At Variant, Amelia has led the design of multiple projects across restaurants and luxury student living, guiding concepts from vision through execution with clarity and intention. She’s also a driving force behind our marketing efforts, helping to articulate who we are and how we think about design.
Beyond the studio, Amelia serves as Executive Advisor of the NEWH Chicago chapter, staying closely connected to the broader hospitality community and bringing that insight back into our work.
QUICK TAKES:
HOMETOWN: Buffalo, NY
WHERE DID YOU START YOUR CAREER? My first interior design internship was in college at Nest Interiors in Buffalo, NY (I interned there for two summers) and my first full-time position was at Koo Architecture in Chicago, IL.
FAVORITE PROJECT COMPLETED PRIOR TO JOINING THE TEAM: The conversion of the old Cook County Hospital into the Dual Brand Hyatt House/Hyatt Place Hotel
FAVORITE PROJECT YOU'VE COMPLETED AT VARIANT: Feld
A DETAIL YOU ALWAYS NOTICE IN A SPACE: Grout lines and tile cuts! I'm a stickler for aligning grout lines and centering tiles in spaces.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO YOUNG OR EMERGING DESIGNERS? Don't be afraid to ask questions! No one expects you to graduate college knowing everything. As long as you are trying and listening, you will go far.
We are pleased to announce that Rambler Columbus has been nominated as a finalist for this year's Hospitality Design Awards!
Layered with rich textures, collected moments, and a palette that feels both nostalgic and unexpected, this project captures the blend between old-fashioned charm and Midwestern city grit. Every corner was intentionally designed to feel discovered, not decorated.
We are forever grateful for the collaboration, the trust, and the magic that made this project what it is.
Catch Rambler Columbus in the May/June issue of Hospitality Design Magazine alongside this year’s other finalists!
Architecture: @ozarchitecture
Owner & Developer: @lvcollective_@hospitalitydesign
What do CENTERED LINES and PALM LIFE have in common?
They both lay beautifully in @variant.collaborative ’s Chicago office space, inspiring thoughtful design from the ground up 🌟
Meet Variant's Procurement Coordinator, Isabella!
Born and raised in Chicago, Bella studied at the University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign before heading to New York for the past few years - and now she’s back in her hometown, ready to dive into the city’s creative energy again.
Her favorite part of the design process is the space where creativity meets clarity — pairing her design instincts with her experience in sourcing and organization. At Variant, she’s looking forward to diving into meaningful collaboration and contributing to spaces that are crafted with intention and care. (Meeting the office pets is definitely a bonus.)
Being back in Chicago, she’s thrilled to reconnect with the design community that first inspired her and to design in the city she calls home. A few fun facts: she loves hunting for vintage furniture wherever she travels, she’s an enthusiastic dinner-party host, and she’s recently taken up jewelry fabrication and silversmithing - a hands-on creative outlet she’s really enjoying.
We’re so glad she’s here and excited to expand our procurement team!
Ladies and Gentlemen, meet The Jay.
Located just outside Texas A&M’s campus, this luxury student living development honors the rich history and spirit of the College Station community by celebrating the journey from a humble railway stop to its current status as a hub of education and innovation. The design evokes the essence of a bygone era while embracing a modern approach to a southwestern, industrial-chic aesthetic.
As the first of three planned developments, The Jay establishes the design precedent for what’s to come in the student housing market at College Station, setting a thoughtful balance between context, community, and modern life.
We look forward to collaborating with LV Collective on another incredible project and unveiling the design for our first student housing development in College Station, TX.
__
Project Team
Developer: @lvcollective_
GC: @andresconstruction
Architect: @ozarchitecture
Landscape: @ironwooddesigngroup
Engineering: @kimleyhorn and @vsm.sq VSM2 Structural Engineers
We’ve been eagerly awaiting the opening of a local coffee shop we had the pleasure of working on — Prequel. From seriously good coffee to truly unmatched vibes, this space came together in all the right ways!
Congrats to @prequel_cafe on their second location’s grand opening! We’ll definitely be back for more!!☕️✨
Meet Jillian!
Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, she headed to UW–Madison for school before making her way to Chicago right after graduation. For her, Chicago strikes the perfect balance of big-city energy and neighborhood comfort.
Her favorite part of the design process? FF&E, hands down. It’s the moment when the concept really comes to life, and where she feels most in her element. While working on her first hotel project in downtown St. Louis she discovered her love for piping, fringe, and all the tiny details that make a space feel truly tailored.
Outside the studio, Jillian brings that same sense of intention through her daily life. She’s rarely standing still—balancing her early morning workouts, creative energy in the kitchen, and finding every chance in hosting meals for the people she loves. Much like Ratatouille — her favorite movie of all time — she believes passion and attention to detail can turn something simple into something special, whether that’s a thoughtfully designed space, a well-balanced recipe, or the consistency and focus she brings to her daily workouts. After a few years in Chicago, it is clear that she’s fully embraced the rhythm of city life.
We’re so excited to welcome you to the team, Jillian!
This Gold Coast condo building renovation is rooted in respect for what came before. By preserving the building’s original character and enhancing it through contemporary detailing, the design creates a seamless dialogue between past and present.
A residence that feels elevated, yet familiar to both longtime and new residents — shaped by its surroundings and designed for modern living. We’re excited to see all of our hard work for this project come to life!
Bringing you behind the scenes with a sneak peek at a material palette we’ve been curating. This finish palette sets the foundation for the entire vision—and we can’t wait to show you how it all unfolds. 🪴
Meet Brianna!
Originally from Wooster, Ohio, Bri has spent the last few years in Washington, DC, before making the move back to the Midwest. Her favorite part of the process is the schematic design phase, where ideas flow freely and the possibilities are wide open. She’s especially drawn to sourcing FF&E — pulling together pieces that bring a space’s architecture to life.
One of her favorite past projects: A rooftop bar renovation in Nashville, designed with bold Art Deco influences.
Outside the studio, she’s excited to get to know the city through its restaurants, neighborhood spots, and thrift stores. She’s also been teaching herself film photography over the past couple of years — a hands-on, slower-paced creative outlet that offers a nice contrast to the rhythm of design work. With a family-run restaurant back in Ohio, her connection to hospitality runs deep.
We’re excited to have her on board and even more excited to see what we’ll create together!
.
.
.
.
.
#meettheteam #collaboration #inspiration #smallbusiness #downtownchicago #chicagodesign #interiordesigners #interiordesign #WomenSupportingWomen #womeninconstruction
