Service With a Style

By Lisa Arnett
Appears in the February 2024 issue.

Shannon Peppeard has operated her design business for 17 years and opened her retail shop, the Pep Line, in St. Charles two years ago. She’s known for the eclectic array of decorative objects she stocks there—and her ability to put them all together to make a room look just right. “Nobody can style a bookcase like Shannon,” says client Kim Peters, who hired Peppeard for her home renovation and then worked at the Pep Line herself. In Kim Peters’ home, she was set on tearing out a pair of built-ins shelves that awkwardly flanked her bedroom window. Instead, Peppeard suggested running window treatments in between, and after working her styling magic on the shelves, Peters was sold.

Peppeard recently launched a smaller-scale design service called Pep Van Styling to help homeowners with onsite styling and furniture selection. “I started to really listen to customers in my store and they would say, ‘I want one of everything, but when I get it home, I don’t know where to put it,’ ” Peppeard explains. “With the Pep Van, we go to the customer’s home and do a one-hour consultation, look at the rooms they want to concentrate on, and talk about budget. Then we set a date and bring back our van full of artwork, accessories, and rugs.” The service costs $200 an hour with a $2,500 minimum retail purchase.

Photo: Margaret Rajic