Jack Mattern founded Modify on Chicago’s North Shore in 2002 with a simple vision: create beautiful spaces that really work for the client. It was a challenge in a place where land is scarce; homes are full of history; and the weather can be less than cooperative. Sky-scraping condominiums and hundred-year-old buildings dot the landscape of the north shore. The historical structures were often peppered with character including uneven floors, crooked (but charming) doors, or plumbing that needed to be replaced. Creating a larger space generally meant building up or digging down – or when that wasn’t possible – redesigning the layout to increase functionality. In 2007, the business moved to Atlanta. The vision of marrying beauty and function grew with the addition of Julia Mattern to the team. While Jack started building construction at the age of 16 helping his dad convert a house into four apartments, Julia’s design eye was being cultivated through her love of all things art. Julia and Jack shared the idea that “spaces can be redeemed” by learning how clients want to live in their home and by really understanding the clients’ personal style. The transformation of the space then becomes about bridging the gap between the reality and the dream.