Home Tour - Manhattan Takes Chicago

INTRODUCTION

As an east-coast transplant myself, I was thrilled when these clients reached out to us as they prepared to move from a Manhattan apartment to a house here in Chicago. With such a big life-change approaching, these clients were looking for allies to help make the process easier and help them get a home set up quickly so that they could minimize down-time and enjoy their new life as a family here in Chicago.

Not only were these clients an absolute joy to work with, but this project quickly became one of our team’s favorites. This home has the perfect balance of bold accents and bright, airy furnishings. Each room is unique and refreshing, yet ties in to the general themes present throughout the house.

THE DESIGN PROCESS

Despite the size and scale of the project (moving from a Manhattan apartment to a 3-story house is no joke) this design process was one of the fastest we’ve experienced! These clients knew exactly what they liked, communicated clearly with us during the initial phases in the design process, and in turn, pretty much signed off on the design right at the first design presentation! The house they were moving into was a new-build with a modern farmhouse charm to it. We wanted to incorporate a design that felt cohesive with the existing architectural details, while adding in some intrigue and drama to really make the space unique and customized for this family.

In the moodboard, we captured elements that the clients responded well to in the early phases of the design process. By tying them together, we were able to capture an abstract of the different elements they like, and to see how they can come together to form a cohesive design in the home. These clients loved bright, airy elements contrasted with bold accents along with black and brass metals.

With every project, our team creates a 3D-model of the home, which is where we live and breathe each day while building our design. This allows us to share renderings with the clients, so they can have that “reveal day” before anything has been purchased or implemented. For this project, we were starting with a blank slate, so we had full creative freedom which always makes a project even more exciting! Below, you can see some before pictures, followed by the 3D renderings of our design for these spaces.

The master bedroom in this house has the most amazing triple-tray ceiling! This space was screaming for some drama, and with the added ceiling height, we wanted to go bold and bring it to it’s fullest potential!

Here’s a 3D rendering of the design we proposed for this epic master bedroom! Like I said, this project has a balance of moody spaces and light, airy spaces. The master bedroom is clearly the former. Our team proposed painting the walls and trim all the same, deep deep blue/gray to create a really dramatic and elegant effect. The clients were nervous at first about such a bold move, but after seeing these renderings of the space, they trusted us and in the end were as thrilled as we were with the results!

The other bedrooms in the house have dramatic ceilings as well, and the daughter’s room in particular had some strong geometric architectural details that we wanted to celebrate and work into the design.

The design for their daughter’s room is light, bright and airy with a playful twist and the MOST adorable dancing flamingo wallpaper in the niche beside the closet.

There are so many beautiful and thoughtful architectural details in this house, including this stunning built-in media wall in the family room. We decided to pull in our light and dark contrast concept to this space to add depth and make the built-ins feel even more special.

To add some drama and really ground the built-in media wall, we proposed painting the wood mantel a charcoal gray, and painting the back of the shelves a light blue-gray, creating a subtle contrast for the items we’d be styling on the shelves.

THE REVEAL

Ready to see the final results of the design? Scroll on!

Like most Chicago homes, when you enter the house, you’re in the formal living and dining room. We kept these spaces light and bright, with a few darker pieces like these navy velvet chairs for contrast, and warm brass and black metals to add some dimension to the space. The goal was to make these areas sophisticated but still inviting.

White roman shades provide privacy for the family while still letting tons of natural light pour into the space. We pulled in a white sofa and a silvery, textural area rug to soften the space and maintain a light and airy feel. When breaking up an open-concept space with furniture, it’s so important to choose pieces that are interesting from all angles. These chairs are stunning and dramatic from front and back, thanks to this delicate pin-tucked detailing along the backs.

As an open concept living-dining area, it was important to choose pieces that tie together and create a cohesive look for the space. We carried the “light and dark” concept into the dining room with alternating chairs surrounding a strong, pedestal table.

In the dining area, we actually incorporated four of the client’s existing gray chairs, and added in four new black chairs that pull in a similar aesthetic while adding some interest and contrast to the space. While the table holds a strong yet quiet profile, the texture on the base adds depth and interest. Above the table, an oversize, sculptural chandelier pulls some drama into the space.

I’m obsessed with the clean lines that the black metal stair spindles pull into the space, and we mimicked that language with a clean, black metal console table.

Beneath the stairs, the clients decided to forego the extra storage space and tuck in a little “princess nook” for their daughter to curl up in to read. This might be my favorite little spot in the whole house!

Remember our concept of balancing bold/moody accents with bright/airy spaces? The powder room was the perfect spot to inject some drama. We blacked out the shiplap along the vanity wall and installed a geometric black and gold wallpaper with a new brass mirror and wall sconce in order to add some bold contrast while keeping things cohesive with the rest of the first floor.

Moving towards the back of the floor, we kept the family room and kitchen open and cohesive with each other. A wood tulip table completes the kitchen banquette area, with some minimal white leather chairs tucked underneath. In the kitchen, we pulled in wood and brass counterstools along with large brass pendants over the island to pull some warmth in.

Here, you can see how that rendering of the proposed design for the family room come to life. By painting the built-in media wall, we added depth and texture to the space, and balanced it out with soft, airy furnishings to create a cozy, well-rounded area for the family to unwind in.

Just like in the front room, we pulled in sculptural accent chairs that look interesting from all angles. The cognac leather and brass base add warmth to the space and balance out the gray sofa and ottoman.

Along the back wall, we pulled in another black metal console table to tie in with the front area. Above the table, we incorporated colorful family photos in a clean, organized gallery wall.

Moving upstairs, we got dramatic with the paint colors on this floor. The ceilings in this house are incredibly high and dramatic, so we were able to get away with really bold, dark colors without the rooms feeling cramped or dwarfed.

To balance the dark blue walls out, we pulled in rich wood tones, a warm jute area rug and a cognac leather lounge chair. Above the chair, custom maps pinpoint the four cities the family has lived, celebrating their journey together in their new home.

Warm wood ladder shelves march up the wall, adding texture to the space with accessories and greenery.

The daughter’s room turned out to be fit for a princess. While we pulled in soft, feminine colors and textures, we also added some bold touches like the black and white blanket and black pom-pom curtains to keep the space edgy and modern.

Natural light pours into the room, keeping it airy and soft, so we ran with a dreamy, light design for this room, incorporating a crystal chandelier and white canopy bed.

In the nook beside the closet, we created a little reading area with a sculptural, pink velvet accent chair, a wall sconce, and dancing flamingo wallpaper!

The master bedroom turned out even more incredible than we dreamed. By painting the walls and trim a dark blue/gray with a slight sheen, we were able to highlight and celebrate the dramatic architectural detailing of the ceiling. At the top of the tray ceilings, we added a light wallpaper with subtle metallic touches in it to reflect the light pulled in from the oversize, gold chandelier.

To balance out the dark walls and black metal bed, we pulled in light furnishings and warm brass details.

The bedding is casual and easy. Again, the ceiling in this room brought the drama, so we were able to pull back on the other areas to balance things out and still create a stunning, bold master bedroom.

Greenery is always a must in every room! This oversized floorplant adds rich texture and contrasts the blue walls perfectly.

To break up the dark walls a bit, creamy white drapes frame the windows and draw the eye up to the ceiling.

We are so excited about this project and I’m thrilled to be able to share it with you all today. Chicago is lucky to have this new family and I’m so happy we got to be a part of their journey to their new home!

If you’re interested in working with us on your own home, please take a minute to fill out a consultation request form and we’ll reach out to schedule a call!

-dgw

Design Team: Kaitlin Hiestand and Devon Wegman

Photography: Dustin Halleck