The First Impression
An exterior designed to belong.
Marion's first impression is intentionally restrained.
From the street, the expanded residence retains the quiet Craftsman language of the original home. Its familiar proportions, substantial hipped roof, and traditional window arrangements allow the increased scale to settle naturally into the surrounding historic streetscape.
Deep midnight-navy shingles lend richness to the exterior, while warm alabaster trim defines the windows, columns, and architectural edges. Reclaimed Chicago common brick and limestone introduce materials with their own history, grounding the entrance in a sense of permanence.
Layered greenery, flowering hydrangeas, and low plantings soften the architecture, creating a natural transition between the house and the street.
Nothing was intended to announce what was added. The goal was for the home to feel as though it had always been this way.