Home Tour - River North Renovation

INTRODUCTION

This project. I’ve never had such bittersweet emotions about a project ending as I have with this one. This project started two years ago, when I sat down with the client to discuss the work she wanted to do to her home. We instantly hit it off, and before long we were hanging out looking at photos of my wedding dress for my upcoming big day and talking about summer travel plans. These clients were SO much fun to work with, not only because we became friends almost right from the start, but also because they fully trusted us from start to finish and that translated into an incredible design and made the entire process fun and enjoyable for them…even when they move into a 1-bedroom apartment with their kids for 5 months!

I think a big part of what made this project so special, was the fact that we spent two years working with these clients. After the first design presentation, they had an opportunity to buy the unit next door to them and blow through the walls to completely open up their main living space and create a true guest room, office, and home-gym for their gymnast daughter. We hit the drawing boards for a second time and I am so incredibly thrilled with how the space turned out.

THE DESIGN PROCESS

Right from the start, the main goal was to create a space that felt light and airy, warm and inviting, and introduce natural textures and unique light fixtures. Throughout the design process, the clients traveled around the world and brought back ideas from each place, such as light fixtures that inspired them in Spain, and bar cabinets from their hotel room in Iceland. We incorporated each concept into their space, telling a story about the family and adding special moments throughout the space. The light fixtures in the home truly act as the jewelry of the design, reflecting and refracting light to add delicate, tasteful sparkle every direction you turn. Light, rift-cut oak floors create a smooth, inviting backdrop for the crisp, white walls and black metal accents. Greenery pulls nature in and adds texture throughout the home. We also strategically dropped ceilings in certain areas throughout in order to add recessed LED lights and brighten up the space even more.

BEFORE

The before and after photos for this project are so dramatically different. The biggest change was obviously opening up the wall between the two units, and obtaining an uninterrupted view from the east side of the unit all the way across to the west side. We also brightened the space up and made it feel much more modern and fresh with light, airy finishes and clean, modern profiles. Before construction began, our clients painted messages all over the apartment, celebrating the ten years they’d spent in it together so far and the exciting transformation it was about to go through. To kick things off, we had a demolition party, complete with tequila shots, where the family took a sledgehammer to the demising wall separating the two units. While so many people (myself included) can feel disrupted by a renovation project, these clients truly embraced this chapter in their lives and made the most of every moment, from demolition, to the “adventure of staying in a 1-bed together” all the way to their magical first few days living in the new home together.

The original kitchen was dated, dark and did not provide enough storage or cookspace for this family.

In the nook where the original refrigerator was, we incorporated a wine storage accent, since this area would become the dining room in the new layout.

The original bathrooms were dark and dated, they needed to be completely brightened up!

The original master bath was also dated and dark. We actually opened up this window and made it even bigger between the master bedroom and bathroom, allowing tons of natural light to spill into the bathroom. For privacy, we incorporated a roller shade on the bedroom side.

The original living room had so much potential (I mean, the views are literally what Chicago dreams are made of) but it needed fresh new furniture and cleaner, sleeker lighting and finishes.

THE REVEAL

Okay, time for the reveal, and we have a TON of photos to get through. I am so emotional about this one, you guys! I have been looking forward to sharing these photos with you since I first started developing the design almost two years ago and I am so incredibly proud and thrilled with how this design turned out. Scroll on, let’s do this!

The new living room provides an inviting and luxurious first impression for people entering the apartment, as well as a rounded out space for entertaining or family time. Low profile furniture maximizes the views of the city and lake, and light, bright materials keep the space feeling airy and fresh.

The coffee table is the glue that ties this room together! Custom made by our client’s friend, this piece adds a level of luxury and practicality that can’t be beat.

In the entryway, we incorporated a large gallery wall for family photos. At the end of the hall, we carved niches out of the wall the same size as the frames to continue the illusion of the gallery wall while providing space for sculptural pieces of art that the family can change out with time.

Overall we kept the palette really neutral in this space. The client is a fashion stylist and blogger, so we wanted her outfits to be the “pop” of color in the space. However, we couldn’t resist pulling in this luxurious hand-painted silk pillow to add an unexpected pop of blue.

All of the furniture for the project is minimal and sleek but we introduced subtle touches of drama to keep things interesting. The metal strapping details on the lounge chairs in the living room create interest from all angles. The lines carved in the dining table pick up that same language, and tie into the graphic patterns of the rug beneath it.

This light fixture was inspired by a piece our clients saw on a trip to Spain. They requested a piece that would “reflect light into the space”, so we had to take advantage of this corner by introducing a piece dripping in glass channels that reflect and refract light throughout the space and add the perfect sparkle when it’s turned on.

The two-toned dining chairs add a soft contrast to the space and tie in with the finishes we introduced in the living room. The table, a stunning piece made in Paris (and well worth the wait) adds unique, sculptural angles to the space and is the perfect match to this bold, graphic area rug.

In the corner of the dining room, we tucked in a bar cabinet and wine-accent wall. We introduced mirrors whenever possible to bounce light throughout the space and enhance the views.

Remember this view from the before images? The niche that used to house the refrigerator was the perfect spot to build in a custom wine-storage wall with stunning custom metal doors.

This kitchen is truly the heart of the home. It sits right where the two units used to meet, and has an unobstructed view from the east side of the building, all along the north side and over to the west side of the building.

The intent for this kitchen was to keep things clean and simple. The refrigerator and dishwasher are both integrated into the back wall, disguised as cabinetry, while the ovens are tucked on the inside of the island, out of sight. The upper cabinets are raised a little higher than normal, so that the hood can be completely flush with the bottom of the cabinets, creating a clean, straight line, and celebrating the dramatic stone backsplash.

Dripping glass pendants are staggered across the island, creating a soft, subtle sparkle in the kitchen without blocking the view of the city.

We kept the lower cabinets a soft gray with contrasting black metal hardware. The upper cabinets are stained the match the floors, creating a cohesive and warm aesthetic. Here, you get a glimpse of the ovens tucked on the inside of the island.

In the city, every single space needs to be maximized for function! On the backside of the island, we tucked additional lower cabinets, and installed soft leather tab pulls so that they don’t bump people’s knees when sitting on the island counterstools.

To maximize the views of all three sides of the building, we kept the west side of the kitchen open, and tucked a homework station on the backside of the peninsula. This space continues the lines of the kitchen into the back hallway and creates a dedicated space for the kids to work, while still allowing the family to be in the same space.

This master bedroom is one word: dreamy. Along the back wall, we installed a custom upholstered headboard. To keep the nightstands clear, we dropped sculptural pendant lights above them, adding interest to an otherwise quiet wall.

A storage bench at the foot of the bed provides additional storage for bedding. Between the bedroom and master bathroom, we opened up the window in the shower, allowing natural light to pour into the bathroom. Above the window, we have a simple white roller shade that can provide privacy when necessary.

Along the opposite wall in the bedroom, we built-in a custom dresser and makeup area for the clients. We kept things clean and simple and maximized storage.

The master bathroom is infinitely brighter (remember the before picture with the blue mosaic tile?). We pulled in textural white and gray tiles with a bold accent on the shower and tub floor. A freestanding tub provides a luxurious spot to unwind and a modern touch to the space.

The vanity is clean and minimal but introduces a warm, textured wood to the space to carry in the tone of the floors in the rest of the apartment and keep things cohesive.

The client’s closet is a showstopper, and we can’t take all the credit for it. We worked with ClosetWorks to design a functional space that meets all of their needs. The added mirror along the back of the shoe walls and a dripping crystal chandelier add some drama to the space, but as a stylist and fashion blogger, our client really brought the space to life with her perfectly styled dream-closet.

All of the bathrooms on this project are cohesive, with coordinating vanities, textural tiles and dramatic light fixtures. In the powder room, we made things a little moodier with darker paint and a really textural wall tile, emphasized with the fractured light from the dripping pendants.

This might be my favorite moment in the apartment. The combination of the tiles and pendants is magical and the effect it creates is simply dramatic and elegant.

This fashionista needed an inspiring office-space of her own and we had so much fun designing this one. I’m a firm believer that every space in an urban home need to do double duty, so this office is perfectly setup for her day to day needs, but the addition of the sofa-bed allows the space to transform when needed if guests are visiting.

It’s hard to pick a favorite bathroom on this project, but this one might be mine. We carried in a bold, wood-look tile as an accent wall in this room, creating a dramatic pattern along the vanity wall to balance out the black and white throughout the rest of the space.

We strategically centered the pattern of this large-format tile on the vanity, creating a strong, textural backdrop for this bathroom.

Okay this bathroom also might be my favorite, I lied. In here, we pulled the wood tones in with the vanity, and kept the rest of the space soft with crisp white tiles and a sculptural, gray tile backdrop in the shower. The vanity lights in here create a cohesive feel with the rest of the home and add some sparkle along the modern white tile wall.

Wow, this actually makes me so sad because it means this project is officially over!! Two years, and I could not be more thrilled with the final design as well as the friendship we developed with these clients along the way. I hope you guys enjoyed this home tour half as much as I enjoyed sharing it with you!

-dgw

Photography: Dustin Halleck