Our homes are personal reflections of our beliefs, values and interests. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020, more and more people are rethinking their home design, using furnishings, wall coverings, pillows and paint to express their personalities through their living spaces. Baltimore Style introduces you to the following Baltimore-area design experts dedicated to infusing character, luxury and warmth into the heart of every home.
Our first featured designer, Stephanie Gamble, described her eye for “functional luxury” in part one of our feature. Part two explores Rachel Gill’s background in house flipping, which influenced her use of modern and vintage pieces.
Rachel Gill | Rachel Gill Design
Rachel Gill got into design only about six years ago when she began flipping homes in Baltimore.
“I’ve always had a passion for making my environment enjoyable or attractive. I think your environment can really change and shift things for you,” she says.
Flipping gave her the most creativity to do what she envisioned in home projects, she says.
Gill grew up in Harford County and never studied design formally. She graduated with a business degree from Towson University, and after several years of home flipping, she opened her design business about two years ago.
Part of her attraction to flipping had been rejuvenating historic homes. In her design projects now, Gill loves mixing older, vintage pieces and new.
“A lot of people get to the point where their home feels more like a model home or a showroom,” she says. They are seeking personal, unique items instead of what’s in the catalog.
The lived-in look was a trend she began seeing during the pandemic. People wanted to add comfort through more color, patterns and layers.
Gill’s color palette includes muted colors with depth that create a refined look. She is able to add some personality with pieces you can’t find everywhere.
With clients waiting months and months for new furniture because of the industry’s inventory backup, Gill has also seen clients become more open to sourcing from consignment and antique shops.
Now reupholstering a chair feels like a more fun, creative solution.
Gill’s next project will be a gut renovation of a home on the water in Havre de Grace. She will transform it into a modern cottage with huge picture windows and use sustainable materials sourced locally.
