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.

Front Door — Marion residence
Front DoorMarion / 2027

The Entry

At the threshold, Marion's character becomes more intimate.

A custom solid-mahogany door, finished in a rich special-walnut stain, introduces warmth and natural texture against the midnight-navy shingles. Traditional lower panels and carefully proportioned millwork establish a sense of permanence, while unlacquered brass hardware will develop its own character with age.

Three-quarter Flemish glass, paired with a fourteen-inch transom, allows daylight to filter into the home while gently obscuring views from the street. The glass's irregular, hand-worked appearance recalls historic glazing, offering privacy without sacrificing light.

Rather than flanking the entrance with matching fixtures, a single restored Arts and Crafts lantern lends the entry a quieter, more individual character. Originally from England's Blackwell Estate at the turn of the twentieth century, its weathered hazelnut-bronze framework surrounds four panels of cream art glass—a small but meaningful connection to the craftsmanship and material honesty that inspired the home's design.

A threshold that introduces the character of the home before one even steps inside.

Floating Console — Marion residence
Floating ConsoleMarion / 2027

A Piece Made for Marion

Tucked into the niche at the entry, a custom floating console was designed specifically for Marion and fabricated in steel and glass.

Steel was chosen for its honesty—raw, tactile, and inherently structural. It reflects the material integrity at the heart of Craftsman design while establishing a language carried throughout the home, from the lower-level steel-and-glass office enclosure to the restrained exterior metalwork.

The glass shadow box brings lightness to that strength. More than a surface, it creates a place for the objects that give a home meaning—collected books, art, heirlooms, and the small things a family chooses to keep close.

Beneath the glass, a discreet drawer offers a place for the things better kept out of sight. Together, the two compartments balance display and discretion, allowing the console to be both personal and practical.

Positioned at the threshold, these objects become part of Marion's first introduction, a changing reflection of the people who live within. The console's floating construction keeps the foyer visually open, while its proportions allow it to feel integral to the architecture.

Designed as part of the home, with room for the life that will fill it.

Living Room — Marion residence

The Front Living Room

A room that honors tradition without being bound by it.

A study in quiet contrast, Marion's front living room balances traditional character with a relaxed, contemporary sensibility.

The coffered ceiling introduces rhythm and dimension overhead, while the richly veined soapstone fireplace anchors the room. Rather than relying on ornament, the architecture draws its presence from proportion, material, and carefully articulated detail.

Designed for conversation as much as quiet moments, the living room offers an intimate counterpoint to the home's more informal gathering spaces—a place to settle in, entertain, or simply enjoy a quieter part of the day.

Dining Room — Marion residence
Dining RoomMarion / 2027

The Dining Room

Designed for both everyday meals and special occasions, Marion's dining room brings together architectural richness and practical function.

A wall-to-wall built-in breakfront anchors the space, its bronzed olive cabinetry extending from floor to ceiling and incorporating concealed storage and integrated beverage refrigeration. An unexpected patterned wallpaper backsplash and warm walnut countertop introduce texture and contrast, while the continuous cabinetry feels as though it has always been part of the home.

Painted wainscoting and substantial crown molding carry the historic tone throughout the room, creating an intimate Mission-inspired envelope.

Despite its tailored detailing, the room is intended to be lived in—equally suited to an ordinary weeknight dinner or a gathering that stretches late into the evening.

A space where everyday function and the pleasure of gathering are given equal consideration.

Family Media Room — Marion residence
Family Media RoomMarion / 2027

The Family Room

Continuing to the rear of the home, the family room offers a more relaxed expression of Marion's living spaces.

Open to the kitchen and dining room, the space is anchored by expansive four-panel glass doors framing views of the garden and pergola beyond. Natural light fills the room, while the direct connection to the outdoor dining area allows gatherings to move easily between inside and out.

A pair of built-in seating alcoves flank the integrated media area, with concealed cabinetry below providing storage without interrupting the softened composition.

Unlike the more formal front living room, this is a space for the unplanned moments—an afternoon spent reading, a quiet evening watching a film, or family and friends gathering around the kitchen before dinner.

A room designed for the way life actually unfolds, with the garden always in view.

Kitchen — Marion residence

The Kitchen

A kitchen designed to work beautifully without ever feeling utilitarian.

Marion's kitchen brings together the warmth of traditional craftsmanship and the ease of modern living, designed as much for gathering as for the work of preparing a meal.

A nearly eight-foot central island anchors the room, its substantial walnut base and stone countertop lending it a furniture-like presence. Seating wraps around the end opposite the AGA, creating an intimate gathering area while leaving the working end unobstructed for cooking and preparation. The arrangement allows conversation to unfold around the island without interrupting the movement of the kitchen. Creamy inset cabinetry provides a quiet backdrop, while tall walnut-and-glass hutches introduce depth and a sense of collected character along the range wall.

Oversized ribbed-glass pendants add a sculptural softness above the island, balanced by natural light from a generous bank of east-facing windows overlooking the backyard. Panel-ready refrigeration and integrated dishwashing preserve the continuity of the cabinetry, allowing the materials and proportions to take precedence over the appliances themselves.

The kitchen's beauty lies as much in its organization as its appearance: generous working surfaces, integrated storage, a discreetly tucked-away pantry, and a layout that allows cooking and conversation to unfold naturally alongside one another.

Range Detail — Marion residence
Range DetailMarion / 2027

The AGA

At the heart of Marion's kitchen, a 48-inch AGA Elise range serves as both a working centerpiece and a deliberate expression of the home's design character.

Finished in glossy black with brushed nickel detailing, the range introduces a striking contrast against the creamy cabinetry and softly veined stone surfaces. Its traditional silhouette and substantial proportions recall the enduring appeal of classic European kitchens, while its combination of gas burners and electric ovens brings modern precision and versatility to everyday cooking.

Above, a restrained plaster-finished hood conceals a Vent-A-Hood ventilation system, selected for its proprietary technology designed to deliver powerful extraction with remarkably quiet operation.

Together, these elements allow serious cooking performance to coexist with the richness and character of traditional design.

An anchor of the kitchen—chosen as much for its character as for its capability.

Appliance Garage Wall — Marion residence
Appliance Garage WallMarion / 2027

The Appliance Garage

Some of the most useful details in a home are those designed to quietly disappear.

One of those elements is tucked into a wall of creamy inset cabinetry, where Marion's concealed appliance garage offers a flexible space that can be tailored to the routines and preferences of whoever calls the house home.

Pocketing cabinet doors reveal generous countertop space, open shelving, and integrated storage. For some, it may become a dedicated coffee and tea station; for others, an additional bar for entertaining or a true appliance garage housing everything from a stand mixer to a food processor.

When closed, it disappears into the surrounding millwork, preserving the kitchen's uninterrupted architectural lines. When open, it becomes a fully functional extension of the room, keeping frequently used essentials close at hand without occupying the primary countertops.

A place for everything, with the freedom to make it your own.

Mudroom — Marion residence
MudroomMarion / 2027

The Mudroom

Marion's mudroom brings an unexpected richness to one of the home's most hardworking spaces.

Warm charcoal cabinetry provides concealed storage, complemented by a dedicated floor-to-ceiling shoe niche and an integrated bench with coat hooks and open shelving. The stacked washer and dryer—one of two laundry stations within the home—makes daily necessities easier to manage without carrying everything between floors.

The oversized 36-inch gunmetal utility sink serves a dual purpose, accommodating everything from household cleanup to washing the family dog. Wakanda quartzite provides a durable countertop and backsplash, while glossy chocolate-brown dimensional tile wraps the surrounding walls, introducing texture and a striking contrast against the darker millwork.

Warm brass fixtures and hardware complete the palette, giving the room a level of material richness more often reserved for the home's principal living spaces.

A room where the practical details of daily life are given the same attention as the beautiful ones.

Pocket Gate — Marion residence
Pocket GateMarion / 2027

Designed to Disappear

Pocket gates at each of Marion's four stair landings are integrated directly into the architecture, providing separation for children and pets when needed, then disappearing completely into the surrounding millwork when they are not.

Rather than introducing temporary barriers into the home's circulation, this small architectural intervention allows safety and visual continuity to coexist.

Thoughtful function. Quietly concealed.

Study — Marion residence
StudyMarion / 2027

The Study

Set apart from the more active spaces of the main floor, the study offers a quieter place for work, reading, and retreat.

A wall of floor-to-ceiling bookshelves introduces a distinctive architectural rhythm, with stepped shelf supports and carefully articulated millwork lending depth and character to the cabinetry. Richly color-drenched walls extend upward to a lacquered ceiling, creating an enveloping atmosphere with a subtle play of light and reflection.

Suspended beneath the glossy ceiling, a sculptural chandelier composed of clustered, textured glass forms introduces a softer, more organic counterpoint to the bookcase's geometric detailing. Its luminous surfaces catch and reflect light against the deep painted surroundings, bringing an unexpected sense of movement to the room.

Despite its expressive details, the study remains an intimate and personal space—equally suited to focused work, an afternoon with a book, or a quiet moment of solitude.

Designed as a true room rather than simply a place to put a desk, it allows work to become part of the home without becoming part of every room.

Powder Room — Marion residence
Powder RoomMarion / 2027

The Powder Room

Small rooms offer an opportunity to be more expressive.

In Marion's powder room, traditional Craftsman detailing becomes the foundation for something unexpected. Walnut wall paneling wraps the lower half of the room, bringing warmth and architectural depth, while an ethereal wallpaper continues above—and across the ceiling—softening the richness of the wood.

At its center, a custom fluted viola marble floating sink was conceived as a sculptural object rather than conventional cabinetry. Unlacquered brass fittings introduce a warmer metallic note and will develop their own patina over time.

The contrast between expressive stone, richly grained walnut, and the softness of the wallpaper gives this small space an identity all its own.

A smaller space with a strong point of view, where materials do the talking.

Primary Bedroom — Marion residence

The Primary Bedroom

A private retreat where architectural volume and everyday comfort exist in balance.

Marion's primary bedroom offers a sense of calm and separation from the more active spaces of the home.

A twelve-foot vaulted ceiling, articulated by exposed dark-stained timber beams, draws the eye upward, creating an unexpected sense of volume without sacrificing warmth. Generous windows invite natural light from multiple directions, while the room's balanced proportions lend the space an inherent sense of order.

The architecture is intentionally allowed to lead. Rather than competing with the ceiling's height and structure, the surrounding finishes create a softer, more intimate setting beneath it.

Primary Bath — Marion residence
Primary BathMarion / 2027

The Primary Bathroom

Marion's primary bathroom was conceived as a quiet retreat, bringing a sense of ease and occasion to the simple moments of beginning and ending each day.

A freestanding soaking tub sits beneath a pair of generous windows, surrounded by olive-gray wainscoting rooted in the home's Craftsman character. Underfoot, contrasting marble forms a striking checkerboard pattern, its graphic quality balanced by restrained architectural detailing.

A glass-enclosed walk-in shower, framed in warm brass, introduces a lighter contemporary element, while a custom wall-to-wall vanity brings natural texture and substantial storage.

Heated floors and a separate water closet complete the room's practical comforts, allowing its more expressive materials to coexist with the ease of everyday use.

A space where the everyday rituals of life become moments of quiet retreat.

Primary Dressing Room — Marion residence
Primary Dressing RoomMarion / 2027

The Primary Dressing Room

More than a walk-in closet, Marion's primary dressing room transforms the daily routine of getting ready into something more considered and personal.

Onyx walls and cabinetry envelop the space, with generous drawers, open shelving, and integrated storage for clothing, shoes, and accessories. Warm wood flooring and brass detailing soften the saturated millwork, creating an atmosphere that feels intimate and refined.

Within the softly illuminated niche, a restored Art Deco makeup vanity introduces a personal, furniture-like element—a comfortable place to sit and prepare for the day.

By giving clothing, accessories, and daily routines a dedicated home, the dressing room allows the adjoining bedroom and bathroom to remain calm and uncluttered.

Luxury is not simply having more space but having a place for everything that matters.

Secondary Ensuite Bedroom — Marion residence
Secondary Ensuite BedroomMarion / 2027

The Secondary En Suite Bedroom

Marion's secondary en suite bedroom offers something increasingly valuable in a family home: privacy without separation from the household.

With its own dedicated bathroom, the bedroom provides a degree of independence particularly well suited to an older child, extended family member, or overnight guest.

Generous natural light, comfortable proportions, and a warm, layered palette create a welcoming setting, while the private bath allows the room to function almost as a smaller suite within the second floor.

Its purpose may change over time, but the underlying sense of comfort and independence remains.

A private space with the flexibility to accommodate different stages of life.

Secondary Ensuite Bathroom — Marion residence
Secondary Ensuite BathroomMarion / 2027

The Secondary En Suite Bathroom

In the secondary en suite bathroom, material and color take a more expressive turn.

Glossy cocoa-glazed ceramic tile wraps the shower walls and continues overhead, creating an immersive composition of texture, reflection, and warmth. A combination of square and elongated tiles introduces rhythm, allowing subtle variations in the glazed surfaces to become the room's defining feature.

The depth of the tile is balanced by a lighter vanity and restrained fixtures, creating contrast without diminishing its richness.

Rather than treating the secondary bathroom as a purely functional addition, the design gives it a memorable identity—one that feels intimate, tactile, and unexpectedly bold.

An intimate, unexpected departure that still feels unmistakably part of Marion.

Shared Bathroom — Marion residence
Shared BathroomMarion / 2027

The Hallway Bathroom

Serving two of Marion's second-floor bedrooms, the hallway bathroom was designed for the practical demands of family life without losing the warmth of a traditional home.

A substantial wood vanity offers generous drawer and cabinet storage beneath a pale stone countertop, while warm brass fixtures introduce a quiet decorative note.

The classic tub-and-shower combination is surrounded by creamy subway tile, while black-and-white octagonal floor tile brings a subtle graphic rhythm to the room. Built-in shelving and concealed cabinetry provide dedicated places for towels, toiletries, and everyday essentials.

The materials are familiar and enduring, selected to create a room that feels comfortable, useful, and appropriate to the architecture around it.

Traditional materials, generous storage, and the comfort of a room made for everyday use.

Lower Level — Marion residence

The Lower Level Great Room

Not a basement. Another layer of living.

Below the main floors, Marion takes on a different character.

A timber-clad ceiling and substantial dark beams establish a tailored yet relaxed atmosphere, giving the lower-level great room an architectural identity separate from the living spaces above.

The open plan accommodates lounging, games, and entertaining without dividing the room into rigidly defined areas. A custom wet bar supports gatherings, while the steel-and-glass-enclosed secondary office maintains a visual connection to the great room, allowing natural light to move freely between spaces.

Beneath the staircase, an upholstered nook creates an intimate place for reading or relaxing, making thoughtful use of a space that might otherwise be overlooked.

Together, these elements create a floor that functions as more than overflow living space. It offers an entirely different way to spend time at home.

Understair Nook — Marion residence
Understair NookMarion / 2027
Understair Nook Detail — Marion residence
Understair Nook DetailMarion / 2027

The Under-Stair Nook

Some of the most memorable spaces in a home emerge from places that might otherwise be overlooked.

Beneath the lower-level staircase, an integrated seating nook transforms an otherwise awkward architectural recess into a hidden gem.

Peacock velvet upholstery, dark paneled walls, and the amber hammered-glass wall sconce create an intimate setting for reading, conversation, or a quiet moment away from the larger gathering space.

A small space, given every bit as much consideration as the rooms around it.

Wet Bar — Marion residence
Wet BarMarion / 2027

The Wet Bar

The lower-level wet bar brings the conveniences of a secondary kitchen into a setting designed for relaxed entertaining.

Honeyed cabinetry, illuminated display shelves, and a softly reflective glazed-tile backsplash create a layered material composition beneath the timber-clad ceiling. A dark stone countertop introduces contrast and provides a durable working surface.

Integrated beverage refrigeration and secondary dishwasher keep everything needed for hosting close at hand, allowing the lower level to function independently of the main kitchen.

Entertaining made easier, without sacrificing the character of the space.

Lower Level Office — Marion residence
Lower Level OfficeMarion / 2027

The Secondary Office

A second dedicated workspace provides the flexibility for two people to work from home without competing for the same space.

Enclosed by custom full-height steel-and-glass doors, the office maintains a visual connection to the lower-level great room while creating a distinct space for concentration and privacy.

Deep green built-in cabinetry combines concealed storage with illuminated display shelving, while the Ralph Lauren plaid wallpaper ceiling introduces an unexpected layer of pattern and texture to the fifth wall.

Suspended above, the handcrafted blackened-brass pendant brings a sculptural quality to the room. Its sharply tapered silhouette and distinctive checkered edge introduce a subtle playfulness, balancing the tailored cabinetry and traditional pattern with a more contemporary expression.

The result is a workspace that feels handsome without being austere—rich in material and detail, yet comfortable and inviting.

Distinct workspaces, each with a character and purpose of its own.

Outdoor Living — Marion residence

Outdoor Living

A room without walls, designed to change with the seasons.

Marion's living spaces were never intended to end at the exterior walls.

Set on a generous 9,200-square-foot lot, the home offers ample space for outdoor living. A spacious patio creates another place to gather—an outdoor room defined by a pergola, layered lighting, climbing greenery, and the landscape surrounding it.

The pergola provides a sense of enclosure without closing the space in, creating an intimate setting for long dinners, quiet mornings, summer evenings, and everything in between.

As vines mature and the landscape settles around the architecture, the outdoor spaces are intended to become more beautiful with time, acquiring the same sense of familiarity and belonging that guides the home itself.

The rest of the house

And the rooms in between.

Garage — Marion residence
GarageMarion / 2027
Lower Level Bathroom — Marion residence
Lower Level BathroomMarion / 2027

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