Yes, it’s that time of year where all you see are holiday colors. Everywhere you go, it’s red, green and gold - too flashy and too much. So to my surprise, when I entered the doors of Bloomingdales Home Store on Wabash Avenue in Chicago, all I saw was a nice, serene green. This wasn’t your normal Christmas green, it had a lightness yet boldness to it. Paired with black & white, this pop of color was utterly stunning, transforming the entire store into a calming yet festive mood.

I also noticed this message, shouting out to me very clearly, “No pictures allowed except for specific written consent…” or something to the affect. All I can share are my descriptions of the inside and pictures of the outside building and display windows.

This building is unique – a massive, domed space called The Medina Temple. The 140,000-square-foot property had been owned by the Shriners, but was out-of-date for its original purpose as an auditorium and was unused. Beautiful stained glass windows adorn the inside and out and a similar green appears as one of the many colors present in the design.

What a difference really good design can make. Everything in the store clearly had its place, nothing cluttered or overworked. There are three levels - I especially loved the long draped fabric against the wall, presenting the escalators. A nice glow of green light cast its spell for the perfect ambiance.