Milena Fay
principal
Milena Fay is the Principal Interior Designer and founder of Matte & Gloss Interiors, a full-service interior design studio serving Chicago and the North Shore. Her passion for design began early, shaped by an instinctive appreciation for environments that inspire calm, beauty, and a sense of belonging.
Her creative foundation was established through formal training in graphic design, then expanded through more than a decade of living and traveling throughout Asia. Ten international relocations—most notably her time living in Japan—offered an immersive education in space planning, cultural nuance, and the art of living well within thoughtfully designed interiors. These experiences continue to inform Milena’s approach to residential interior design, resulting in homes that feel balanced, intuitive, and deeply personal.
After returning to the United States in 2012, Milena earned her degree in Interior Design and refined her expertise through roles with Stark in Michigan and Lisa Patrella Interiors. She later co-founded Roeser-Fay Interiors in Glencoe before launching Matte & Gloss Interiors in 2019—a studio grounded in experience, collaboration, and trust.
Peace of Mind + Outcome-Focused Interior Design
Milena’s design philosophy centers on creating homes that are as functional as they are refined, while ensuring the process itself feels clear and well supported. Through a highly collaborative, process-driven approach, she guides residential interior design projects from concept through completion. By working closely with homeowners, architects, and builders, Milena manages complexity, coordinates details, and removes uncertainty—allowing clients to feel confident at every stage.
Her work blends global influence with artisan craftsmanship, balancing elegance and comfort to create interiors that feel timeless, livable, and enduring. The result is a home thoughtfully designed around the way life is lived—a sense of home, elevated by timeless journeys.
WHY OUR CLIENTS LOVE US!
















• Milena is warm, professional, trustworthy, transparent and timely.
• She understands that this is your home, and the design has to fit your style and functionality.
• She is solutions-oriented—she will find a way to get you want you want—without compromising quality or breaking the bank.
• She will take your ideas and transform them into something that is even better than you imagined!
Lastly, this was our first experience doing any sort of remodeling/design work, and it was a learning process for us. The scope of the work was ever-evolving, and Milena was patient and respectful as we hemmed and hawed over what projects to undertake. She moved at our pace, which was sometimes a snail’s pace, and other times a “I need this done immediately” pace. When we thought something might be too onerous or costly to undertake, she always came prepared with an “easier” or more economical solution, and never pushed an idea on us. But, she never compromised on quality, and I’m thrilled with the end results. It’s very satisfying to walk into our house and feel like the space truly reflects our (sometimes quirky) tastes, and not simply a page out of a design catalogue. Designing/decorating your home can be full of ups and downs, and she handled all of that with grace and practicality, and I look forward to working with her again!"