Five students from the Harrington Institute of Interior Design walked away with top honors in a “Thomas O’Brien” rendering competition, jointly sponsored by Marshall Field’s and the Harrington Institute. The winning renderings will be featured in a Marshall Field’s window at Randolph and State streets beginning June 17.

The design competition called for students to design rooms around the “Thompson Side Chair” from the Thomas O’Brien collection, manufactured by Hickory Chair.

The top honor went to Craig Schiller, of Park Ridge, who received a $1,000 scholarship for his first place design. Margarita Jacobs, of Homewood, was awarded a $500 scholarship for her second place design, and Eun Hee Kim, of Skokie, received a $50 gift certificate to Harrington’s books store for her third place design.

Runners up included Maki Yamaguchi of, Chicago, and Veronica Riley, of Chicago.

The judges for the competition were: Molly O’Donnell, manager of Marshall Field’s State Street store’s interior design studio; Rob Price, regional representative from Hickory Chair; Michael Kerley, regional director of Marshall Field’s interior design studio; Lisa Lenior, Chicago Sun-Times fashion editor; and Sue Kirkman, dean of education at the Harrington Institute.

Entries were judged on the basis of presentation, creativity, fabric selection, harmony, placement of chair and how well the chair worked with the overall interior design or intent of competition.

"The judges were extremely impressed with the amount of time, creativity and energy the students put into the competition," says Sue Kirkman, dean of education for the Harrington Institute. "Many of the contestants even came in on Saturdays to work with Harrington faculty, Peter Klick, on their projects."

Thomas O’Brien, a noted New York interior designer, has designed furniture for such clients as Giorgio Armani, Ralph Lauren and Donna Karan. He is co-founder of the So-Ho design firm Aero Studios, and has created a special line of furniture for Hickory Chair, one of America’s premier producers of fine traditional furniture. The line is sold exclusively in Chicago at Marshall Field’s.

Founded in 1931, the Harrington Institute seeks to foster an environment that maximizes students’ intellectual and artistic potentials. The majority of faculty are practicing interior designers, architects and fine-art professionals. Harrington is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design, and the bachelors of fine arts program is accredited by the Foundation for Interior Designer Education Research. Harrington is also recognized by the Illinois Board of Higher education.