Jess Cooney Interiors is a full-service interior design firm that is unparalleled in its ability to handle every aspect of a clients needs for their home and to make dreams a reality.
About Us
Employing a practical approach to design, we focus on incorporating high-quality materials and finishes to create spaces that are both beautiful and functional.
Our firm provides an all-inclusive design service, employing our team of architects, contractors, project managers, and designers to cover varied scopes of work. We offer our clients comprehensive oversight of their project, from conceptualization through construction to the final touches. Implementation is grounded in our strong local network and long-cultivated relationships with top Berkshire talent.
We’re committed to quality in process as much as we are in the result.
Jess Cooney
principal & founder
As principal and founder of Jess Cooney Interiors, Jess has lead her team as head designer on construction and custom furnishing projects for the past 21 years. Jess and her team have received national attention for their designs and have been featured in Architectural Digest, Martha Stewart Living, HGTV and are often spotlighted in the New York Times and Boston Globe for their ability to create smart functional tranquil spaces.
Jess is passionate about renovating older homes, smart green new construction, and designing custom built-ins and furnishings for her clients and their families. Jess has built a team of designers and support staff whose focus is on execution of every detail of her firm’s projects and effective long distance communication throughout the process. Her vast knowledge of construction and custom furnishings paired with her down-to-earth sensibility has brought success to her ever-growing firm. Her signature style is a mix of smart, durable design - clean lines, modern sensibilities, and rustic elements. Clients of Jess Cooney Interiors crave laid-back elegance complete functional storage solutions for kids, dogs and house guests to throw their feet up for the weekend without any worries.
Jess lives in a historic home in Great Barrington with her husband, three children, and two dogs. She is an active member of the local community. She is the Vice President of the Berkshire Hills Soccer Club, an active board member of the Railroad Street Youth Project, Berkshire County Youth Soccer League, a sponsor of the Berkshire International Film Festival and a board member of the Great Barrington Fair Grounds Committee. Jess attended Holy Cross College where she was nominated as an All-American Soccer player. She started her design career in the Mountains of Colorado in 2000 and then relocated her family back to the Berkshires in 2003 to open her own firm. In her free time she enjoys hiking with her dogs and each year traveling the globe to a new destination for design inspiration.
“We continue to look around and marvel at the transformation that you engendered. JCI knows us better than we do ourselves.”
–JCI Client
DESIGN ASSISTANT
Shi-Anne Phillips
FURNISHINGS designer
Emma Sims-Biggs
project manager
Grace Mendel
Senior project manager
Benjamin Anderson
senior project manager
Leila Hirvonen
SENIOR FURNISHINGS DESIGNER
Rachel Duchesne
creative director
Lauren Creswell
DESIGN ASSISTANT
Shi-Anne Phillips
FURNISHINGS designer
Emma Sims-Biggs
project manager
Grace Mendel
Senior project manager
Benjamin Anderson
senior project manager
Leila Hirvonen
SENIOR FURNISHINGS DESIGNER
Rachel Duchesne
creative director
Lauren Creswell
Lauren Creswell
Creative director
Lauren has been part of the studio since 2018. She has a varied background that includes experience in the fields of urban design, policy, and visual arts. After earning her MPA at The University of Texas at Austin and working for a historied architecture and design firm in Austin, she decided to move closer to her native New York to continue pursuing her interests at the intersection of design and problem-solving.
DESIGN ASSISTANT
Shi-Anne Phillips
FURNISHINGS designer
Emma Sims-Biggs
project manager
Grace Mendel
Senior project manager
Benjamin Anderson
senior project manager
Leila Hirvonen
SENIOR FURNISHINGS DESIGNER
Rachel Duchesne
creative director
Lauren Creswell
Rachel Duchesne
Senior Furnishings Designer
Rachel brings extensive experience from her long tenure in high-end residential interiors and private club design, building on her early experiences in commercial design including daycare, office, medical practice design. During her professional career, Rachel has also enjoyed teaching Interior Design RISD in Providence, RI and Capital Community College in Hartford, CT. Rachel earned a BA in English Literature with a Minor in Art and Religion from Bucknell University and her Masters of Science in Interior Design from Drexel University. Born and raised outside of Philadelphia, Rachel spent a major portion of her career in coastal Rhode Island. She has been fortunate to call the Berkshires her home for the past five years.
DESIGN ASSISTANT
Shi-Anne Phillips
FURNISHINGS designer
Emma Sims-Biggs
project manager
Grace Mendel
Senior project manager
Benjamin Anderson
senior project manager
Leila Hirvonen
SENIOR FURNISHINGS DESIGNER
Rachel Duchesne
creative director
Lauren Creswell
Leila Hirvonen
Technical Designer
Leila joined the team in 2022 after relocating to the Berkshires from Brooklyn to be closer to her upstate roots. With 13 years’ experience at NYC design firms and a master’s degree from Pratt Institute, she has worked on a wide range of projects from private renovations through large-scale LEED and WELL certified new construction projects. Influenced by Scandinavian design tradition, she enjoys crafting warm, layered, livable spaces with an eye toward sustainability and longevity.
DESIGN ASSISTANT
Shi-Anne Phillips
FURNISHINGS designer
Emma Sims-Biggs
project manager
Grace Mendel
Senior project manager
Benjamin Anderson
senior project manager
Leila Hirvonen
SENIOR FURNISHINGS DESIGNER
Rachel Duchesne
creative director
Lauren Creswell
Benjamin Anderson
Senior Project Manager
Benjamin Anderson was born and raised in Illinois and moved to New York in 2010, where he earned a Master’s Degree from the New York School of Interior Design before moving to Hudson, NY. With a deep appreciation for how personal spaces shape daily life, Benjamin focuses on creating spaces that feel both grounded and inspiring. His approach blends functionality with warmth, emphasizing authentic connection between people and the spaces they inhabit. He brings a thoughtful balance of comfort and sophistication to each project. Benjamin believes that a well-designed home doesn’t just look beautiful; it reflects who you are and supports how you live. Benjamin has been with the studio since 2020. He is also trained in CAD and 3D Rendering.
DESIGN ASSISTANT
Shi-Anne Phillips
FURNISHINGS designer
Emma Sims-Biggs
project manager
Grace Mendel
Senior project manager
Benjamin Anderson
senior project manager
Leila Hirvonen
SENIOR FURNISHINGS DESIGNER
Rachel Duchesne
creative director
Lauren Creswell
Grace Mendel
Project Manager
Grace manages JCI’s long-distance projects across the US. She is a graduate of Grinnell College in Iowa, where she earned a BA in English. While her focus is on orchestrating complex construction projects from concept to completion, she collaborates closely on all aspects of the design process. A native of the Berkshires, Grace is currently based in Los Angeles. She joined the JCI team in 2022.
DESIGN ASSISTANT
Shi-Anne Phillips
FURNISHINGS designer
Emma Sims-Biggs
project manager
Grace Mendel
Senior project manager
Benjamin Anderson
senior project manager
Leila Hirvonen
SENIOR FURNISHINGS DESIGNER
Rachel Duchesne
creative director
Lauren Creswell
Emma Sims-Biggs
Furnishings Designer
Emma is a Berkshire native with a background in fine art and a BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. After working in the fine arts space in Chicago, her love of design led her to the retail and buying sector of home furnishings. She joined Jess Cooney Interiors in 2024 as a furnishings project manager with an in-depth knowledge of fine furnishings and beyond.
DESIGN ASSISTANT
Shi-Anne Phillips
FURNISHINGS designer
Emma Sims-Biggs
project manager
Grace Mendel
Senior project manager
Benjamin Anderson
senior project manager
Leila Hirvonen
SENIOR FURNISHINGS DESIGNER
Rachel Duchesne
creative director
Lauren Creswell
Shi-Anne Phillips
Design Assistant
Shi-Anne is currently a student at the New York School of Interior Design and will graduate in 2025 with an associate's degree in Interior Design. Shi-Anne assists with marketing and provides design and administrative support to project managers and the furnishings team.
Our Team
Our Studio
JCI took on the renovation of their flagship studio in 2018 and converted what was once a gas station turned vintage lighting store into their home offices. The new space showcases their designs as well as many of the local craftsmen's and artist’s work that they collaborate with. A mixture of vintage lighting, modern art, and clean lined upholstery greets you as you enter the front doors. A full design studio and sample library along with conference rooms and private offices complete the space.
Causes we Support
Our firm has deep roots in the Berkshire community. We value our relationships with the local businesses and organizations that provide critical services to our community's most vulnerable members:
We support these groups through design initiatives, collaborations, and fundraising efforts.
