Historic Lincoln Park Townhome
Our client purchased a historic town home in Lincoln Park, built in 1889. Our challenge was to maintain the historic integrity of the 19th century home, while completely remodeling the townhouse, creating flow and function for 21st century family living.
Removing the living room wall allowed us to showcase the architectural features of the original 1889 curved staircase, creating a more open & welcoming foyer.
We installed an LVL beam, which carried the structural load between the first and second floors, while opening the living room to the entryway.
We closed off the access to the kitchen from the front door, installing a closet, and completely renovated the original powder room,
adding new vanity and toilet, applying a Venetian Plaster finish to the walls, which added texture and depth.
We created structural arches on either side of the original living room fireplace, adding architectural interest, and creating additional storage and display space for the homeowner. Behind the scenes, this allowed us to run additional electrical to the east wall, providing outlets & power, necessary when restoring older Chicago homes.
Often in homes built in this era, hardwood flooring was nailed directly to the floor joists below, which makes for uneven, creaky floors over time.
We pulled up the original floorboards, updated the joists to level the floor, added a subfloor, and installed new white oak flooring throughout the entire first floor.
Removing the original plaster & lathe ceiling, allowed us to run new electrical for can lights, HVAC and new second floor plumbing.
And finally, we installed acoustic installation into the ceiling, keeping first floor noise from disturbing sleeping residents above.
Our client requested as open a floorplan as possible, so we removed the structural wall between the dining room and the kitchen, adding another LVL beam
to support the weight of the second floor, creating an open floor plan between the two rooms.
After installing the beam, we were able to completely open the dining room to the new kitchen, featuring custom Wood Mode cabinetry, Wolf Range, Sub Zero refrigerator, and quartz countertops and back splash, providing the most up-to-date appliances & design features to in this historic home.
The Master bedroom has been completely transformed, removing the original closets and installing a four-piece master bath suite. We enclosed the fireplace, which allowed for a king-sized bed wall, while maintaining the original charm and warmth of the exposed brick for either side of the bed. Additionally, we removed the original floor, replaced the floor joists, added a sub-floor and installed white oak flooring.
We never know what treasures we will uncover when working in these classic Chicago homes.
Our client is delighted with the newly exposed transom window above the master bedroom door, allowing light to enter from the hallway skylight.
We created a custom master closet for our clients, providing ample hanging and drawer storage, a rarity in homes from the 19th century.
We gutted the existing second floor bath, which gave us additional space for new plumbing, HVAC, and electrical wiring.
We installed new tile floors, fixtures, tile surrounding the bath and repaired & replaced the original skylight trim.
To create a safe and warm family room on the lower level, we insulated and installed drywall, concealing plumbing,
HVAC and added additional can lighting to brighten the space for the family.
Newly created four piece master bath, featuring double vanity sink, deep soaker tub, steam shower.
