Tracy Hickman aims to enrich the experience of coming home. As principal of Hickman Design Associates, Tracy works closely with her clients to accommodate their lifestyles, not just furnish their rooms.

Tracy earned her bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University’s selective 50-student interior design program in 1988. During that time, she studied architecture and interior design in Milan, Paris and London, experiences that made her particularly sensitive to the architectural dictates of space and the possibilities they create. After obtaining her NCIDQ certification and spending four years with Chicago-based Vert and Associates, Tracy began Hickman Design Associates in 1992.

Specializing in residential design, Tracy works with her colleagues, Annette Zelnick and Heather Janits-Johnson, to provide attentive, complete service throughout every aspect of the design process. Because of her extensive knowledge of architectural and construction details, Tracy is often called upon to manage a client’s entire design-build team, ensuring consistent execution of the client’s vision. Tracy employs her personalized approach with both primary and seasonal residences, designing homes in locations ranging from the Cayman Islands and South Carolina to Lake Geneva, Wisconsin and Chicago.

Tracy’s work is generally tailored and graphic, featuring clean lines and textural elements. She allows the experience of a room to guide its style, emphasizing mood amid the visual elements. In any design scheme, she enjoys working with clients to create homes that are lovely, lived-in, and very much a reflection of their sense of space.

Her work has been featured in Luxe, Shelter, Metropolitan Home, House Beautiful, CS Interiors, From House to Home and Chicago Home magazines, as well as the recently published book, Spectacular Homes of Chicago. Her designs will be featured in the fall and winter issues of Beautiful Kitchens and Baths as well as an upcoming issue of French Country. Tracy’s work has been featured in a segment of Chicago’s CBS Evening News with Diane Burns and she was one of 9 Chicago designers chosen to exhibit their work in the Merchandise Mart’s 2008 Dream Home.

In addition to her interior design projects, Tracy is active in fundraising and programming for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Chicago, the city’s Lincoln Park Zoo, and the Hickman Cancer Center in Adrian, Michigan. She is also an active supporter of Deborah’s Place and Metro Squash of Chicago.