Brookfield, Illinois
This house saw such a transformation -
we jacked the house up, raising it 24 inches above the foundation in order to give the existing basement a ceiling height that could be considered living space. but the foundations were good, as was the rest of the structure. We also added the attic dormers, giving the house a second floor.
Master Bathroom Remodeling
Here is another view of the same bathroom with the custom art glass and the walk in shower. The tile in the shower is a glass mosaic which has a aqua marine tone, perfect for the water theme.
Master Bathroom
Its hard to get a good photo in such a small space.
The skylight above provides good light, the pedestal sinks allow the stone to be seen clearly, and if you look closely, the shower glass has custom underwater art. We have since installed the wall sconce light fixtures which look fantastic.
We did this as Architects and Construction Managers.
Kitchen Remodeling
To make this kitchen work, we needed to add a small breakfast room so that the kitchen could spill out and have more light.
Kitchens and Baths
Here is a nice small custom kitchen.
They are stock cabinets with granite tops.
Nicely done.
Downers Grove, IL
We added a master bedroom to this house and they ended up getting a two story family room as a bonus. The photo is taken from a second floor loft which overlooks the family room.
Kitchens and Baths
Here is a very nice kitchen.
The cabinetry is hardwood, the countertops are soapstone, the appliances are stainless steel, the floors are hardwood and the window is new.
Brookfield, Illinois
This is a view of the rear of the small house. It was a very small cottage, with 2 bedrooms and one bath on the first floor. We added a stair and dormers in the attic and moved the bedrooms upstairs. Now the house has 3 bedrooms and a full bath on the second floor, 1 bedroom and a full bath on the first floor and a full finished basement.
We had to jack the house up 24" on the existing foundations which were in good condition, but the project was well worth it making a very small frame cottage a great looking contemporary home.
Winnetka, Illinois - Before
When we first started this project, the Owner wanted a finished basement. Then we started talking about remodeling the kitchen and the first floor office which was located in the side porch. Of course, the master bathroom was small so we decided to do a two story addition in the rear. The finished product is the next slide.
This is a great example of how a simple house can see much change.
Winnetka, Illinois - After
Here is the after photo -
We added a two story addition to the rear, with a new master bedroom and bath, a stair to the attic with an attic office and dormer, a new front entry porch, cedar roof and all new exterior finishes. We also did some consultation on landscaping in the rear yard.
Harding Road - Lombard, Illinois
Take a 1950's split level and double the area of the ground floor. Put a new roof on it, with solar heating panels and geothermal heat loops.
What do you get?
A very green, energy efficient 2008 house.
That meets the needs of a modern homeowner.
Belle Plaine - Park Ridge, Illinois
Design can take an existing building that has no character and give it clarity and elegance.
This is a brick ranch built in the 1950's,
with a frame second floor, built in the early 1970's.
We did a complete exterior renovation.
And made the house look fantastic.
Grace Street - Lombard, IL
Some additions are VERY utilitarian.
Here, the existing garage was structurally unsound and needed replacement.
For some strange reason, the owner did not want more bedroom space, which would have cost very little to provide for this house. We could have easily had a higher roof pitch and extended the second floor over the garage.
But the Client is usually right.
Warwick Road - Winnetka, IL
Architecture is about the scale of details and their affect on the person approaching the building.
This project has a great plan, with good detailing.
And it relates very well to the garden which was designed by the Homeowner.
I like this photo.
Warwick Road - Winnetka, IL
Here is a one story addition to another very historic house. The addition cannot be seen from the street, but it made a drastic improvement to the flow of the first floor.
This is a Kitchen and Breakfast Room, with a screened sun porch. It also has a mudroom and a powder room. We also did a general remodeling of the master bedroom suite, adding a master bath.
This project received awards for
Historic Preservation
North Craig Street - Lombard, IL
This client had a life long love of
"Mission" architecture and has several books
on Greene and Greene. However, she lived in a very standard 1950's frame ranch. IT was basically a rectangular box with vinyl siding.
So we added a new stone entry stoop, wrapped stone around the base and gave the house a new look. It really is a nice remodeling project.
Crystal Avenue - Lombard, IL
We have done several custom deck additions.
I this case, we did not add any addition to the house. But the owner wanted to change the front of the house. We added the covered entry porch and resided the entire house.
I wonder if the landscaping is done yet?
School Street - Lombard, IL
Not all projects are great design.
Some are just simple additions on simple houses.
In this case, there was a one story addition added probably 25 years ago. The Owners needed a new master bedroom. So we added a second floor. The owners did not want to make any changes to the rest of the house.
So we made the project work.
And the Client is happy.
Highland Park, Illinois
This house is one of our proudest achievements.
This was not a simple project. The house is listed as a National Historic Structure and need a complete gut remodeling, with all new utilities and a complete basement waterproofing system.
The finished product brought us awards for
Historic Preservation.
It is by no means our most important project,
simply a great example of our love for buildings.
Northbrook, Illinois
Sometimes Landscape Design can be the MOST important change that has the biggest affect for the least amount of money.
In this case, we put much emphasis on the front door, with the new stone entry bay, the stone entry stoop and raised planting beds.
The landscaping is well done and matches the facade.
Northbrook, Illinois
Some modern tract homes are built with very little texture. In this case, the dryvit exterior was bland and lacked any real character. We stipped the dryvit from the center bay only and replaced it with a stone facade. We also wrapped the stone around the base and built a new entry stoop.
Of course, the landscape design made a huge difference.
North Main Street - Lombard, IL
Sometimes, the biggest problem with an addition is finding a roof line which requires the least amount of work to the existing house.
In this case, the sloped roof at the rear gave a very contemporary addition on a very traditional house.
The back wall of the house is almost entirely glass.
The interiors are fantastic and can be found on this blog.
Garden Design is also a very important part of making a house look like it belongs in the neighborhood.
Marcus Drive - Lomard, IL
Here is a typical second floor addition to
a fairly standard 1940's cape cod. The exisitng house was 1-1/2 storys. We tore off the entire roof and replaced it with a new second floor addition. The front entry porch was a bonus because of the second floor overhang.
Doing a project like this gives you a great opportunity to give the house an entirely
New Curb Appeal.
This house still needs new landscaping.
When it is done, it will look great.
Glen Valley Road - Glen Ellyn, IL
This is a fairly typical 1970's "colonial" house
with a two story main house and a very big garage in the front. The Owner wanted a new master bedroom and a sitting room in the front yard.
We added the bedroom above the garage, we added a "gazebo" type sitting room and a new front entry foyer. The entire addition is in the front yard, creating an entirely new look for the house.
A word of caution -
I do not recommend dryvit construction.
Elmhurst, Illinois
OK, I have to admit, I did not design this house.
But I wish I did. It is a very nice addition that uses all the same design language that I sell to most clients.
The best parts are the heavy timber entry porch and the stone fireplace, the rest speaks for itself.
N. Elisabeth Street - Lombard, IL
A neighbor wanted to reside his house, but did not trust his siding guy. So he came to me for advice. Its a good thing.
We added details at the dormers and made the front entry porch more impressive. We also added simple lines around the windows and reduced the size of the shutters. Then, to top it off, we redid the front entry walk and added landscaping.
Remodeling does not need to be expensive.
But good planning always helps.
Abbotsford Road - Winnetka, IL
Sometimes, big additions are not necessary to make a house special. Sometimes, all you need to do is reside the house. Of course, when you do decide to put new siding on, be sure to call the Architect first. Careful detailing makes all the difference.
We raised the entry roof about 18 inches,
we added simple railing and bollard details above the roof, we ran trim boards horizontally at the level of the brick base, and provided new trim details at the window. It looks like a new house.
We also added a new detached garage and a deck.
Benton Street - Downers Grove, IL
Take a typical 1950's split level -
Add a master bedroom above the existing top level, increase the ceiling height of the living room and dining room, add a stone fireplace and covered front entry stoop and you get an extreme home makeover.
The exterior design was changed by the homeowner who preferred to have an all brick elevation. I preferred to have mix of brick and siding. but he did not skimp on the copper roof and dormer details. The interior is fantastic.
Wilmette, Illinois
This is a simple project -
The existing house had an nice attic with tall ceilings and an existing stair. But the attic was unusable because of all the sloped ceiling with very little usable space.
We added the front dormer to match the existing entry bay, as well as two side dormers and a master bathroom. The brick for the addition was salvaged from the rear so that it matched perfectly. It looks like it was ALWAYS there.
Brookfield, Illinois
There is nothing simple about this project.
We took an early 1900 farm house on the bank of the salt creek, raised it approximatly 5 feet and installed a completely new basement with attached garage in the rear. We resided the entire house to make it more historically significant and did a major remodeling on the interior. The basement is a seperate apartment, with handicap access at the front and rear.
Two years later,
We did a similar project across the street.
I believe its a good looking house.
Glen Ellyn, IL
Another Nice Project.
A typical 1950's Brick Ranch - One Story.
The owners wanted a new Entry Foyer.
We took the opportunity to add stone to the brick,
added some garden walls and light bollards,
a nice skylight above, and a brand new look.
Again, simple project, happy clients.
Wheaton, IL
This was a nice project.
A typical 1950's brick ranch house, 1 story.
Adding a 2nd floor, 4 bedrooms and master suite.
Complete Exterior Remodeling.
Simple Design, Happy Clients.
York Street - Elmhurst, IL
Here is a fairly typical american mcmansion
built on a typical suburban street. Although
I was the architect on this project, I have to say, this is not my proudest moment. Still, its a good plan that I have built probably 5 times with different exteriors. If that is what the home owner wanted, I do my best to satisfy.
Custom Home Design is more than giving the customer what they want. Our Motto:
Customer Satisfaction is the difference
between getting what you asked for and
getting what you Dreamed of.
Summerdale St - Chicago, IL
What makes this home special is the attached 3 car garage at the rear of the house. Not only can you walk into the house from the garage, but you have three levels of exterior garden space to choose from accessible by the basement, the first floor and the rear stair.
Two interior stairways, 10 foot ceilings, a fantastic master bedroom suite.
Unfortunately,
The fence in the front yard is a distraction.
Poplar Street - Elmhurst, IL
This house is a very nice home, inside and out.
It has a fairly traditional exterior, but inside
there are several changes that make it special, including two story spaces and a sitting room in the master bedroom suite.
I am glad they built the stone entry bollards.
North Orchard St - Chicago, IL
This is a new construction house in Lincoln Park, Chicago.
The lack of an alley required a front garage. The Owner wanted a very traditional, renaissance like stone exterior.
3-1/2 Stories with 2 Master Bedroom Penthouses
with views of Chicago's Loop and Lakeshore.
Home Street - Park Ridge, IL
This is a fairly traditional house built for an young eastern european family in Park Ridge, IL. We had orignally designed the quoins as brick, which would have made the design simpler, and there was also a roofed entry porch, which was eliminated for budget reasons. The changes that were made by the builder affected the exterior appearance, but the house is a nice plan.
Columbia Street - Elmhurst, IL
Although this is not the best photo of the house,
with a poorly maintained landscape and children's toys everywhere, the house is not bad.
For a typical suburban speculative developer, the conservative house plan is considered the norm.
This house turned out well, there are much worse.
Actually, I have talked to the current Owner about making minor alterations to the exterior which would make it much nicer.
North Lowell St - Chicago
This is new construction on a 30 foot chicago lot. While most Chicago addresses have alleys, this lot had no alley, requiring a street garage access. The design is a modification of a fairly typical 25 foot wide chicago house, but the garage section is designed as a split level, with a large tall ceiling family room in the rear. Very comfortable on the inside.
North Hamilton St - Chicago, IL
Mirror Houses on a city street in Chicago.
The original designs were very nice, the siding contractor did not do as good a job as we had hoped, but overall they are very nice original floor plans.
They are very comfortable on the inside.
Hinsdale, Illinois
This is new construction on a very difficult site.
It is at the end of a dead end street, bounded by a state highway and a creek bed, on a hill with a very short driveway. The plan appears very traditional (it is) but fits on the site very appropriately. It is a nice house on the inside too.
New Construction in Chicago
Yes, this is New Construction.
Many people look at this and think it is Historic Preservation, but in fact, this was a ground up project.
It is in the Lincoln Park Neigborhood of Chicago
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