RAINE MAGAZINE Volume 8 | Innovate

How many of us can remember sitting in our
first grade class trying to come up with
the perfect answer to the question, “what
do you want to be when you grow up?” So
many of us had big dreams of being an
astronaut, a ballerina, Superman, a teacher, a doctor…
even President. Looking back on those times, many can’t
say that they are living their childhood career dreams.
But Eau Claire-based interior designer, Cecelia Cronk,
can.
One of Eau Claire’s most distinguished interior
designers and the founder of CityLiving, Inc., Cecelia
Cronk is known for her unique design style that she
brings to her vast array of projects which range from
residential to commercial. Since its inception in 2005,
CityLiving has experienced amazing opportunities and
growth which has helped to make Cronk one of the most
sought after designers in the Midwest. It’s her core belief
that “exceptional and stunning interior design should
be accessible to everyone” which has given Cecelia an
extensive and very diverse client list that includes large
professional and commercial clients as well as those in
small spaces.
Cecelia Cronk’s design stamp can be seen in
the heart of downtown Eau Claire at the Metropolis Hotel,
a four-star boutique hotel. “The owners of the hotel read
an article about me in a local publication and called me
about the project. They liked my concept and hired me.
I designed the entire interior including 108 individually
and unique guest rooms; the conference room, lounge
and public restrooms. Also, eight of the guest rooms are
specialty suites using large metropolitan cities as my
inspiration.
She first fell in love with interior design the day
Cecelia and her father put together her playhouse as a
little girl. But it was after taking on the daunting task of
designing a nursery for her nephew all by herself at the
age of 15, that Cecelia realized that interior design was
her true calling.
“I went into the basement, found an old crib and
dresser, and re-purposed them into the furnishings for
the nursery,” said Cronk. “The dresser was rather large. I
made an armoire out of the dresser making a space for
hanging clothing, drawers and a dressing table on top.
I sanded and painted the crib and armoire in the same
soft pastel colors and they looked like the set was made
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Raine Magazine Vol. 8 - Innovate
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