My love for a well-appointed stoop started in New York City. As a wide-eyed 22-year-old wandering the West Village, I fell for the charm of brownstones dressed for the season — every doorway telling its own little story.

I’ve always had an eye for style and design. Growing up, I redecorated my bedroom as often as my parents would allow. In college, I taught myself Photoshop to plan out dorm layouts and color palettes, and later, I worked in fashion in New York — an experience that sharpened my sense of detail, composition, and storytelling through design.

When I moved to Chicago’s Gold Coast in 2015, I carried that same dream with me. I’d walk the neighborhood streets, coffee in hand, admiring the stately limestone steps and beautifully styled entryways, imagining the day I’d have one of my own to decorate.

Fast forward to 2022: my husband and I settled in Roscoe Village, and for the first time, I had steps to style and pots to plant in. What started as a few planters of flowers quickly became a full-blown passion for gardening, design, and seasonal decor. That first fall, I became obsessed with finding unique heirloom varieties — those lumpy, ghostly, perfectly imperfect pumpkins that add so much character. I spent weekends driving across state lines to source them, and somewhere along the way, a business idea began to bloom.

That’s how Gold Coast Stoops was born: a seasonal styling service that brings Chicago stoops to life with locally sourced heirloom pumpkins and thoughtful design.

What started with fall installations soon expanded thanks to our customers, who wanted that same elevated look through the holidays. Today, Gold Coast Stoops offers seasonal styling beyond pumpkins — creating cohesive, design-forward entryways that evolve with the seasons.

What began as a small creative experiment has become a true labor of love — built on local partnerships, intentional design, and desire to bring beauty to everyday spaces. It genuinely makes my heart happy to help people celebrate the seasons with warmth, beauty, and ease.

Because your front steps deserve a little magic. ✨

— Jessica