About - CCS Interior Design

Experience Gives Us The Edge

Award-winning CCS Interior Design Group brings more than 32 years of combined interior design experience to our work. We are a full-service luxury interior design firm that creates timeless interiors for luxury single-family homes and condominiums throughout the Midwest, with projects in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Florida and California. Our work includes large-scale renovation and new construction projects from visualization through completion. Our diverse experience sets us apart and brings us returning clients and referrals.

Dedicated Design Professionals

In the Design World, ideas are often lofty while follow through is inconsistent. Having an organized and proactive design team at your fingertips can be the difference between a late, over-budget project and a project that is on time, on-budget and delivers each detail of the intended design. Follow through and project management is where we shine. We work tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure every step is taken to complete a smoothly run and successful project.

Dedicated Design Professionals

Artistic Flair

We offer a fresh and artistic approach to the design process, creating highly personalized interiors that stand the test of time. While we believe in a strong foundation that adheres to the Principles of Interior Design, our goal is to bring out each client’s individual style with ease and charm.

Innovative Approach

CCS Interior Design offers world class innovative design solutions that will enrich and impact your lifestyle, always with detailed execution and flawless results. We offer interactive communication with visual presentations and in-house sketches to guide the entire process with proven organization and professional management.

Innovative Approach

Integrity At Our Core

Our clients can depend on us to be honest and trustworthy. We follow through on every task we commit to with hard work; thorough preparation; dedication; and seasoned intuition and instinct. Our clients benefit from these attributes and are always at the center of our work. We want to know who our clients are inside and out, so we can best understand their Vision and the needs of the individuals using the space. The reason we are here is because we love what we do and take pride in our work. Our mission is to create functional spaces for our clients while evoking a nourishing energy using space, materials, textures and colors. Our purpose is to inspire people to thrive in their homes and experience their best quality of life

Our Team

Cynthia C. Smith

Owner + Principal Designer, Allied ASID

Rebecca Pogonitz

Senior Designer

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Cynthia C. Smith

Owner + Principal Designer, Allied ASID

Cynthia’s award-winning firm, CCS Interior Design Group, was established more than 13 years ago. Since the beginning, Cynthia has enjoyed a reputation for creating homes that are sophisticated and artistically inspired, yet warm and inviting. No matter the design style, Cynthia creates homes that reflect the individual’s sensibility, lifestyle and values. Her approach involves refining each design element until she can strike a balance between architecture and interior; form and function; and client and designer. Paying close attention to the smallest detail and always looking toward the future, Cynthia looks beyond the trends while creating luxury homes that embody both an everlasting elegance and a personal sanctuary.

After earning a BA in Kinesiology from the University of Illinois at Chicago, Cynthia followed her passion for interior design and completed a BFA in Interior Design from the International Academy of Design and Technology. Sixteen years of interior design experience and serving as a committed Leader in the Illinois interior design community have allowed her to serve as Past President of the ASID-Illinois Chapter, and a Designer On Call at Chicago’s Merchandise Mart. She has received several prestigious awards and recognitions, including The African American Contractors Association’s Outstanding Emerging Business Achievement Award. She volunteers her services to a variety of Charities, such as Design 4 Dignity, DIFFA, The African American Contractors Association and Make-A-Wish, for which she recently remodeled three spaces for the children they serve.

Cynthia is privileged to work with her dedicated and talented friend Rebecca. She is dedicated to creating a work environment where excellence, innovation, and teamwork are possible.

Rebecca Pogonitz

Senior Designer

Rebecca’s passion for design and culture began as a child, as she visited art museums and galleries with her mother, an art historian. Her exposure to interiors and fine art sparked a passion for exploring the ways that shape, texture, color and composition evoke an emotional experience. After earning a BA in Hebrew and Semitic Studies from The University of Wisconsin-Madison, her interest in aesthetics and design led her to earn a BFA in Interior Design from the International Academy of Design and Technology.

With more than twenty years of interior design experience, rather than being recognized for a particular design style, Rebecca is known for designing spaces that are uniquely tailored to each homeowner’s preferences and daily lifestyle, resulting in rich, artistic spaces that will energize and delight them for years to come. Her approach is to embark on the design process from an experiential and emotional perspective. Throughout the process, the Vision driving her projects is not only aesthetic – it is from ‘what kind of energy are we creating, how does the space make me feel and how can I and/or my family thrive in it’. With this mindset and the notion that design trends should not necessarily drive the Vision, the final result is a timeless design unique to whoever is living in that home.

Rebecca volunteers her services to Designs 4 Dignity and is a Designer On Call at Chicago’s Merchandise Mart. She speaks often on design-related topics at consumer education events and B2B design/build conferences. Her work has been featured in Chicago Tribune Magazine and on Houzz , HGTV.com and Realtor Magazine. She is grateful for the opportunity to work with her talented friend Cynthia, with whom she shares the same core values of honesty, integrity, trust and dedication to improving the lives of the clients they serve

Client Experiences

“CCS IS ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL. Great vision, flexible, can work out a flawless design with a multitude of budgetary options. Ideas and concepts are in step with current trends. All of her work has been met with amazement by those whom seen her vision come to life in our properties. I have referred her to several people, and she has wowed them every time. She has also referred excellent subcontractors to my company. Stop looking, CCS is the company to engage with.”

-R. Lane

Client Experiences

“My project required demolition and gutting of a small apartment in an old building and required removing walls, rerouting gas lines and doing electrical work. My budget was small. I originally contacted Cynthia because I was impressed with her work and her affiliation with the board of ASID. I asked her to refer me to someone that would be interested in a small project. Luckily, she opted to work with me. The building engineer and condo board were very impressed with her, her crew was very talented, and she was wonderful to work with. She guided me to a much better result than I dreamed of and was patient and efficient. Most important, Cynthia has a good heart and Is professional and trustworthy.”

-Linda Gies

Client Experiences

“Cynthia had the task of turning 2 levels of a dark 70’s style home into a modern beautiful living space. After spending time with my husband and I to understand our likes and dislikes, she presented us with a proposal that was very favorable. Watching the transformation was amazing over the 6 weeks she and her crew worked and true to her word we completed in time for us to host Christmas for our family . Cynthia is a true professional, with so much love and passion for her craft. We highly recommend CCS Interior Design, our project was a completed success.”

-Harriet Farris

Client Experiences

“Cynthia is an exceptional designer. I have designed several places in the past, and she is, by far, the easiest designer to work with and the most patient. I wanted 2 things from the start: 1) The project to come within budget and 2) on time. She honored both, whereas my experience with other designers usually falls short. I am not the easiest person to deal with, and Cynthia always remained calm and professional. Any problem was handled quickly and without taking anything personally.

I also desired a very unique design. I am an artist and wanted a very unorthodox design. Cynthia killed it as a huge medieval chandelier hangs in the living room lighting a very distressed and industrial living room. Her friendliness and patience, and understanding of her clients make her exceptional at her job. Because of there excellent work, I have contracted her 2 more times for other projects. I highly recommend her.”

-Brain Posen

Client Experiences

“Cynthia Smith, CCS Interior Designs, is energetic, creative, patient, professional, and delightful. Her work is precise and visually stunning! Cynthia uses a wide range of resources and stays within budget. It has been a pleasure working with her and her team!!”

-Sandra Steele

Client Experiences

“My husband and I were referred to CCS for assistance in choosing paint colors for our all off white, recently constructed home. Cynthia interviewed both of us to get an idea of our likes, dislikes, and preferences. She made recommendations for each room giving us several colors to choose from. Watching each room come to life was something akin to magical. We are most pleased with a few colors we would never have looked at if left on our own. The use of multiple colors in a room worked well for us. Additionally, she made recommendations for enhancing the overall appearance of the room – changing the covers of the light switch plates, tiling a bathroom wall.

We have received very positive feedback from our family, friends, and neighbors.
We recently rehired CCS to advise on my husband’s Mancave. The color schemes have given life to the areas and wow viewers. We are very pleased with the work.”

-Brenda Taylor

Client Experiences

“My first project was the design of my bare basement. The tile selection and the bar design was phenomenal! A year later I called her back in to design my formal living room using a piece of artwork that I had just acquired. Cynthia and her team came in with innovative ideas for my space that provided the wow factor for my first floor. Her talented team was personable and professional in every stage of the project. I would definitely work with her again.”

-Fontella & Sean Long