What 20 Years in Design Have Taught Me About Luxury
- adina hall
- Jul 15
- 4 min read
When LUXE Interiors + Design recently asked me to define luxury, I found myself reflecting on a career that has taken some unexpected turns. It made me realize that my answer wasn't shaped by one beautiful project or one successful renovation, but by every experience that led me here.
What's your secret?
Early in my career, I landed what I thought was my dream job as a Senior Designer at a boutique design firm. We had incredible clients, a wonderfully creative team, and the kind of projects that pushed us to think differently every day. It was the type of studio where everyone knew what everyone else was working on, and every project felt like an opportunity to create something unique. To my former boss, Frank, who still follows along with these newsletters—thank you for believing in me and for creating an environment where I learned what great design leadership looks like.
I truly thought I had found the place where I would spend the rest of my career.
Then, only six months later, everything changed. Our firm merged with a much larger national practice, and overnight I found myself leading one of the firm's largest financial services accounts. Instead of designing highly customized interiors, I was managing projects across the country that revolved around ADA compliance, building codes, schedules, budgets, consultants, and construction coordination.
At the time, it honestly felt like I had taken a step backward.
I remember walking into my boss's office convinced that I had somehow failed. I asked him if I wasn't good enough as a designer anymore.
He smiled and said something along these lines:
"Good designers are common. Good project managers are rare. Someone who can bridge design, technical knowledge, and project management is even rarer. The firm needs you in this role."
I left that meeting completely unconvinced.
What I couldn't see then was that those years would shape the way I practice today far more than any design project ever could.
Over the next four years, I learned how successful projects are really delivered. Every project began with the architect, contractor, and consultants sitting around a table before construction started. We had one simple rule: every problem came to us first, and every solution went back to the client only after it had been thoughtfully worked through together.
One day, after completing several projects, our client looked at us and said something that has stayed with me ever since:
"We manage thousands of projects. Yours are the only ones where there isn't constant drama between the architect and contractor. What's your secret?"
The funny thing was, none of us thought we were doing anything extraordinary. We simply respected one another's expertise, solved problems together, and left our egos at the door.
That's where my definition of luxury really began to take shape.
Luxury isn't just about beautiful materials or exceptional craftsmanship. It's about creating a home—and a process—that feels effortless because so much care, planning, and collaboration happen behind the scenes.
When I eventually founded Adina Hall Design, I knew I wanted to bring those lessons with me. Yes, I am passionate about design and design has been in my DNA since I can remember. But I also wanted to create a process that felt thoughtful, collaborative, and calm. I wanted our clients to feel supported from the first sketch through the final installation because I had experienced firsthand how much smoother a project becomes when everyone is working toward the same goal.
So when LUXE asked me how I define luxury today, my answer came surprisingly easily.
"True luxury is when a home works harder for you than you do for it."
To me, luxury isn't simply beautiful materials or extraordinary craftsmanship, although those certainly matter. It's a home that supports your lifestyle, your daily rituals, your quirks, and even your whims. It's a floor plan that flows naturally, storage that makes everyday life effortless, lighting that transforms the mood throughout the day, and spaces that allow you to spend less time managing your home and more time enjoying it with the people you love.
Every project we take on is an opportunity to put that philosophy into practice. Whether we're renovating a historic Chicago home, remodeling a sleek penthouse in Miami or designing a contemporary vacation home from the ground up, our goal is always the same: to create homes that feel ageless, storied, intuitive, and reflective of the people who live in them.
Being included in Luxury Redefined was incredibly meaningful—not simply because it was a feature in LUXE Interiors + Design, but because it reminded me how every chapter of my career, even the ones that didn't make sense at the time, has shaped the way I design today.
Thank you, as always, for following along on this journey and for trusting us with your homes. It is a privilege that I never take for granted.
Warmly,
Adina Hall, AIA
"I believe our homes should be a reflection of who we are today, while also supporting who we aspire to become. It's about intention, connection, and creating spaces that truly matter."
Adina
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