When most young girls were playing with Barbies, Jacklyn Graniczny was designing the dolls’ houses.
As a teenager, she learned about the intricacies of construction from her homebuilder father. As a real estate agent, she learned about design trends and what renovations have the best return on investment. “Design is why I’m here,” she said. “It excites me, I’m good at it and it’s how I serve the world.”
An interior designer since 2005, Jacklyn loves making people happy and comfortable in their own homes. A grandmother of four hired her to transform her basement into a joyful jungle with a colorful mural, painted bunkbeds, a loft and a rope bridge—all scaled down to kid size. “When she sent me a video of her grandchildren ecstatically running around their new playground, it melted my heart.”
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Since Jacklyn has the expertise to build a house from start to finish, she often works with high-end builders who appreciate that in-depth knowledge. Contractors call her “Eagle Eye” because of her precise attention to detail. Clients appreciate her creativity, honesty, responsiveness and commitment to making every project a fun experience. “Since most projects can take more than a year to complete, I get to know their vision and desires for now and in the future. That often leads to a lifelong relationship.”
While Jacklyn can work on any size project, she welcomes the complex and challenging ones, whether that’s a new build, renovation or refresher. As a protege of renowned kitchen designer Christopher Peacock, she specializes in kitchen makeovers. She earned her BFA in Interior Design from the International Academy of Design & Technology, Chicago (now Sanford-Brown). Jacklyn won the 40 Under 40 award from Pro Builder magazine, has spoken at the International Builders Show, writes articles for industry magazines and was a guest on the Women in Construction podcast. “I recognize what it takes for a woman to make it in this male-dominated construction business and do what I can to encourage and guide other women.”
When not in design mode, Jacklyn enjoys spending time with family and friends, hiking and travel, especially when it includes an architectural tour. She lives on the 11th floor of a Lake Shore Drive condo that she completely renovated to make it a bright and fresh space with floor-to-ceiling windows that welcome in the spectacular natural environment.