Since co-founding the award-winning firm of Morgante Wilson Architects nearly four decades ago, Principals and spouses Fred Wilson and Elissa Morgante have gained a reputation for excellence. They oversee a Chicago-based studio of 20 designers who specialize in architecture as well as interior, furniture and landscape design. The heart of their business is based on designing thoughtfully nuanced projects for both residential and commercial clients.
When and how was Morgante Wilson Architects founded?
Fred Wilson: We met in graduate school at the University of Illinois-Chicago School of Architecture in 1985 and founded the practice together in 1994. I started the firm with two other partners in 1987, just two years after completing graduate school and the same year we were married (also the same year Elissa completed graduate school), but by 1994, both partners decided to pursue other paths in their careers. That opened the door for us to start our practice together.
What is your favorite part about working together?
Elissa Morgante: I think the best part of working together as a husband-wife team is that we implicitly trust each other in all aspects of our personal and professional lives.
An unforgettable family business milestone is:
FW: Starting our interior design practice in 2006 was a turning point in our business. Our work and level of detail have grown exponentially. In addition to allowing us to provide interior design as a valuable add-on or standalone service to our residential clients, it also opened the door for us to expand our portfolio to include commercial interiors, specifically working with multifamily developers on interiors for luxury rental properties.
What are the biggest influences on your design aesthetic?
EM: Some of our best projects are when we weave our different design aesthetics together. Fred favors more traditional architecture and I’m more in tune with midcentury modern style.
Where do you draw inspiration from?
FW: Travel, books, movie sets and nature.
How does your work inform your personal life and family?
EM: Design influences every aspect of our lives. It is both a blessing and a curse. We have designed and built four homes for ourselves, and in total, we have moved and lived in six different homes over the past 38 years. We jokingly refer to our love of design as an occupational hazard. The highlight of it all is now being grandparents and watching the circle of life.
Ten years from now, we hope our family business will…
FW: We hope MWA will continue to be a thriving design practice. As a husband-wife partnership, we take a lot of pride in cultivating a family-like culture in our business, and we’re especially proud to say we have a number of long-time employees who have been with us for more than 25 years. With such a trusted team and leadership in place, it is easy to envision continuing to serve our clients and deliver great designs for years to come.
This or That…
Text or call?
FW: We both prefer a call.
Driver or passenger?
EM: Fred likes to drive in the daytime and be a passenger in the evening. I enjoy both!
Fiction or non-fiction?
FW: Elissa likes fiction, I prefer non-fiction.
Casual or formal?
EM: Casual for both of us.
Project photos by Mike Schwartz. Portrait photo by Andre LaCour.
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