Gracious House was founded by M. Grace Sielaff, of M. Grace Designs, an award winning interior design firm in Chicago, together with Debbie Auer of Auer Design Associates.
Grace’s mission to raise awareness to help prevent child abuse began in 1985 after she spent several weeks touring Asia, where the vast number of children who were victims of extreme poverty, child labor, physical abuse, and sexual abuse struck her.
This year, in an effort to give back to her community and make an impact on the lives children in need, she set out to fuse her passion for design with her passion to help protect children and promote healthy families. She conceived and laid the foundation for Chicago’s first cosmopolitan Designer Showhouse with the launch of her non-profit charitable organization, Gracious House.
After a thoughtful search of eligible organizations, which matched the mission of Gracious House, Grace reached out to Prevent Child Abuse America. Together with Jim Hmuorvich, President and CEO of Prevent Child Abuse America, they set out to build a team and search for a spectacular downtown property as the stage for the Designer ShowHouse.
Mission Statement:
Gracious House is a 501(C)3 organization from the State of Illinois whose mission is raising awareness of epidemic poverty, neglect, and abuses of numerous children throughout America. The organization which is lead by a group of Chicago Interior Designers working along with design industry professionals will conceive and produce Designer Showhouse Projects on an annual or semi-annual basis. The projects will be a means of financially supporting the efforts of organizations who work directly with families and abused children by administering family education, help, and preventive solutions leading to healthier children and nurturing environments.
Vision Statement:
The Gracious House projects will be platforms for the broader interior and architectural design industry to present innovative concepts and ideas in the context of the home as a beautiful, safe, healing, and nurturing environment.
Gracious Showhouse Team
Debbie Auer, IIDA, Co-Founder and Showhouse Chairperson
Debra Auer brings over 26 years of experience in project management and luxury interior design services. Debra worked in Detroit for fifteen years, ten of which she owned her own practice. She was responsible for all phases of project development from client contact to interior design concepts throughout construction documentation and installation. Prior to starting Auer Designs Associates, Debra worked for one of Chicago’s leading architectural / design firms as senior interior designer and project manager, coordinating all aspects of the project through the construction phase. She has extensive experience with furniture design and specification, interior architectural modifications and finish selections. Published work includes “Showcase of Interior Design,” Midwest Edition, and “Nursing Homes, Long Term Care Management Magazine Design” ‘98.
M. Grace Sielaff, Allied ASID, Founder and Showhouse Chairperson
Chicago based interior designer M. Grace Sielaff grew up in White Plains, New York, studied Interior Architecture at the School of the Art Institute in Chicago, and received her bachelors degree at Loyola University of Chicago. An active member of the Chicago Chapter of ASID, for more than a decade, and is the recipient of the ASID Design Excellence Award from the American Society of Interior Designers. She has served as board member at the Chinese American Service League, and has earned several service volunteer awards from the Chicago Conservation Corp., (C3), and the Chicago Department of Environment. In addition Grace was invited to design the living room at DreamHome, the Design House at the Merchandise Mart in 2009, and has been published in Design Bureau Magazine, Luxury Home Quarterly, Modern Lusury Interiors, Chicago Luxury Home and Condo, StyleChicago, and Spectacular Homes, Chicago’s finest Interior Designers.
