Counting the playoffs, Michigan product Colston Loveland leads all Chicago Bears in targets and receiving yards this season, and according to Sumer Sports, he’s the highest-rated rookie tight end in yards per
route run. He’s also one of the top five of all tight ends in Total EPA. He just became the first rookie in NFL history to have 8 or more catches and 100+ receiving yards in a playoff game. Sports Info Solutions lists him as one of the top ten run-blocking tight ends in the league.
On the field, he’s a beast. Or, as Caleb Williams would have it, a “home run.”
Yet when he’s not breaking the hearts of Packers’ fans and proving himself to be the rare tight end truly worthy of a pick inside the top ten, he is also a young man in a new city. Remember that at the time of the combine, he hadn’t yet turned 21.
So in order to get settled into a new home, Loveland partnered with Crate & Barrel, a business founded in Chicago and headquartered in Northbrook, Illinois (their corporate offices are actually only around 20 minutes from Halas Hall). Specifically, he connected with their “Design Desk” service. It’s a wraparound program that gave him consultations, floor plans, previews, and advice. I had a chance to ask some questions about the process and the service’s success in helping Loveland build the home experience he needed.
First, having settled into a few different homes myself, I was curious about the process. It’s apparently a service that is free to anyone (linked here) and it took only a couple of months, involving a dedicated designer handling every step along the way. Asked what the process was like for him, Loveland had this to say:
“As a first-time homeowner, I was looking for help on where to start and worked with Crate & Barrel’s Design Desk to guide decisions room by room, from layout and furniture selection to the final details. My designer helped everything come together into a calm, cozy home that feels relaxing after training days or games.”
I also wanted to know what Crate & Barrel thought they did especially well. “The team is especially proud of the living room, Colston’s favorite space, anchored by big, comfortable seating like the Retreat Sofa and a football wall that adds character while still feeling calm, cozy, and made for bringing people together.”
I’m going to be honest—that seems pretty cool. Of course, that’s my just my opinion. What about #84 himself?
Loveland: “Coming home to the redesigned space makes me feel relaxed, grounded, and grateful, which is huge for my mindset and recovery after games and training.”
I did have one question that was a little personal. Colston’s near the 99th percentile in height. I asked what special challenges went into making someone his size comfortable and if anything just did not work for him?
Loveland: “Comfort was most important to me, so my designer focused on larger-scale pieces, like the Drew Swivel XL Chair, that easily fit someone of my height.”
Now, rather cynically, this partnership probably has a number of levels to it. But realistically, most people have things that they are good at, whether it’s picking up more than twelve yards per touch or simply working a 9-to-5. And also realistically, most of us can probably use a little bit of help in figuring out the ideal use of our living space.
That seems especially important for a young man in the middle of a season that involved losing a game to injury, winning offensive player of the week, and breaking Mike Ditka’s record for most receptions by a rookie for a Chicago tight end. So that’s cool, too.
Note that while the team did not include any pictures of his kitchen, I still do have footage of him serving pancakes.
Go Bears.
