Bridging the Gap

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Classic Chicago flat transformed into a single-family home

This project is a deconversion and a full gut renovation of a classic northside Chicago two-flat into a single-family home. This project is also an exploration of bringing together two distinct styles into one cohesive and harmonious design. The homeowners arrived with different visions. She liked the existing historic facade with the quaint room-to-room feel. He desired modern and open spaces with walls of glass. Our integrated approach of architecture and interior design made it possible to retain the cozy layout of the home while introducing modern amenities to satisfy both parties. Interior design was the through line in this process, weaving together historic textures and materials with furnishings that looks and feels modern, truly allowing for a combination of new and old.

As you move through the home, the architecture tells a story of healthy juxtaposition. The traditional character preserved at the front gradually gives way to a clean, modern addition at the rear with a floor-to-ceiling glass wall. This is where an expanded kitchen, dining room, and living area connect with a steel and wood bridge to a garage roof terrace, nestled under the canopy of a maple tree.

Natural light became a defining element of the design. By replacing the original rear brick wall with an expansive wall of glass, the once-dark rear of the home is filled with daylight and a seamless connection to the outdoors. By contrast, the front rooms in the home maintain a moody character with punched-opening windows that borrow light into adjacent rooms.

A combination of painted wood and modern cabinetry, character-grade wide-plank oak flooring, and eclectic furnishings bridges these two distinct styles into one harmonious home to reinforce the home's central purpose: a place for rest, family, and joy.

Contact Elements Architectural Group to request a consultation, or ask us a question.