The contract interiors realm is in a state of flux. Project management was once a major function of architecture and design firms, but it is now largely handled by corporate real estate firms. In recent years, corporate real estate firms such as CBRE and JLL have also hired workplace strategists – typically employed by architecture and design firms – to consult with their clients on better ways to maximize the effectiveness of their real estate investments. Now, with the creation of a furniture advisory team in the Chicago market, CBRE is leading the industry in a brand new concept to bring transparency to the furniture buying component, and it is delivering big results for its clients. With furniture making up the second largest spend in a renovation project, CBRE identified a need to educate clients on the “how to buy” rather than the “what to buy.”