ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL 2025 ADVANCE NATIONAL COVERAGE: Cynthia Bolton-Smith’s Chicago-based CCS Interior Design Group is steadily acquiring a global presence
Andre Johnson 
She considers a field before she buys or accepts it — expanding her business prudently — with her profits, she plants fruitful vines in her vineyard. (Proverbs 31:16 Amplified Bible)
SUCCESS BY DESIGN
Cynthia Bolton-Smith doesn’t mind recalling her sometimes strenuous upbringing.
For what it’s worth, she’s gone to great lengths throughout the years to embrace it, thus grasp a thorough appreciation for such life-altering rearing that, much to her delight, has greatly helped shape her into the trailblazer for whom she is widely known today.
“I grew up poor and I knew early on that I wanted more out of life than what I saw around me,” said Bolton-Smith, recalling how her life’s competitive drive has helped propel her to ultimately delve into the ever-evolving world of entrepreneurship. “I wasn’t content to just survive. I wanted to thrive, to create a life filled with beauty, purpose, and possibility. That desire fueled a deep competitive drive within me, not to outdo others, but to outgrow the limitations that were placed on me.”
Indeed, it has for Bolton-Smith, the esteemed mastermind behind CCS Interior Design Group, her Chicago, Illinois-based luxury interior design firm that officially went into operations in March 2008 and is located at 332 South Michigan Avenue.
SALUTING WOMEN WHO SHAPE OUR WORLD
MORE ON BOLTON-SMITH: https://ccsinteriordesign.com/
Armed with nearly two decades of experience in professional interior designing, Bolton-Smith’s CCS Interior Design Group customarily specializes in high-end residential and select commercial spaces.
As part of Making Headline News’ 2025 Essence Music Festival advance national coverage for “the party with a purpose” event July 3-7 in New Orleans, Bolton-Smith emphasized, among things, her distinctly unique craft is centered in large part on what she describes as design timeless, sophisticated spaces, many of which are functional and “stunning,” thus reflecting the unique lifestyles and aspirations of her clients.
“From Chicago to the Caribbean, we create curated spaces with global style, tailored for modern living,” Bolton-Smith said. “I love the storytelling behind design. Every space I touch tells a story about how someone wants to live, relax, entertain, or create memories. I also love the freedom to express bold creativity, collaborate with extraordinary artisans, and see my clients light up when their vision becomes reality.”
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Generally, CCS Interior Design Group has become a fixture for attracting a steady international presence.
“Our design expertise transcends borders,” Bolton-Smith said. “Headquartered in Chicago, we proudly serve clients across the north suburbs, Downtown Loop, and South Loop neighborhoods. But our reach doesn’t stop there. We bring our signature luxury design to elite destinations across the U.S. and internationally. Whether you’re designing a penthouse in the city, a secluded private estate, or a breezy oceanfront retreat, our team delivers elevated, highly personalized spaces that reflect how you live and how you aspire to live.”
In essence, CCS Interior Design Group’s mission is centered primarily on steadfastly elevating lives through design, Bolton-Smith acknowledged.
“Your environment should support your dreams, reflect your story, and make every day feel like a well-lived experience,” Bolton-Smith, an award-winning interior designer, explained. “I also aim to inspire future designers, especially women and people of color, to see that there’s space for them in this industry at the highest level.”
In a nutshell, Bolton-Smith is quick to point out, representation matters.
“When people see someone who looks like them, leading in spaces they’ve been told they don’t belong, it plants a seed of belief,” Bolton-Smith said. “I want to be that light for the next generation, showing them that success, style, and service can all exist in one powerful package.”
Interestingly enough, Bolton-Smith relishes the life-altering impact her late son has had on her life, particularly with regard to her diligently fulfilling her lofty aspirations, a trend that has enabled her to emerge as one of the interior design industry’s finest of its kind.
How else to explain her sustained global success?
“He was my greatest inspiration,” Bolton-Smith said of her late son. “He was my heart, my motivation, and the reason I kept pushing forward, even on the hardest days. Losing him changed me, but it also deepened my purpose. He was proud of my work, and I carry his spirit with me in everything I do. His memory fuels my passion and reminds me why this work matters — not just to create beautiful spaces, but to live a life of meaning and intention.”
MASSIVE THING OF BEAUTY
By all accounts, Bolton-Smith also paid homage to others whom, throughout the years, have become part of her village.
“I’m also inspired by my family, especially the women who taught me resilience and grace,” Bolton-Smith, the first African American President of the ASID Illinois Chapter, said. “And by every person who ever told me, ‘You can’t,’ because those voices only made me more determined to show that I could.”
Not to mention every challenge which, according to this well-respected interior designer, became a steppingstone, of sorts.
“I worked relentlessly to pursue my education, sharpen my skills, and prove, first to myself and then to the world, that I belonged in this industry,” Bolton-Smith told MHN. “I knew that the only way to change the narrative was to write a new one for myself.”
And what a miraculous, incredible journey it has become.
And still is, for the record.
“That mindset led me to become the first African American president of the ASID Illinois Chapter,” Bolton-Smith said of her rise as a thriving, progressive entrepreneur in her own right. “That wasn’t just a title. It was a powerful testament to what persistence, passion, and purpose can do. It showed that breaking barriers isn’t just about recognition, it’s about creating access for those who come after you.
FULFILLING HER DIVINE PURPOSE
“That same competitive spirit continues to drive me as the CEO of CCS Interior Design Group,” Bolton-Smith continued. “Whether I’m designing for a client in Chicago or transforming a luxury home in another state or the Caribbean, I’m always striving for excellence because I know what it means to come from nothing and build something extraordinary.”
That, after all, essentially sums up why she doesn’t mind recalling her sometimes challenging upbringing, one that has greatly helped enrich and shape her life.
For the rest of her life.
CONTACT BOLTON-SMITH: https://ccsinteriordesign.com/
For more information about Chicago Businesswoman Cynthia Bolton-Smith of the CCS Interior Design Group, to inquire about her services, to schedule her for a public appearance or speaking engagement, call 872-400-1096 or connect with her via social media under: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cynthia.bolton.smith.2025/; Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ccsinteriordesigngroup/; Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/CCSInteriorDesignGroup/. Send email to: cynthia@ccsinteriordesign.com.
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Andre Johnson is the award-winning Founder and Publisher for Making Headline News. A 2000 graduate of the University of Memphis School of Journalism and a former staff reporter of sports for the Memphis Commercial Appeal newspaper, Johnson covers the NBA Southwest Division from Dallas, Texas. To reach Johnson, send email to makingheadlinenews@gmail.com or to memphisgraduate@yahoo.com. Also, follow him on Twitter @AJ_Journalist or Instagram at @makingheadlinenews.
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