A Gut Renovation Transforms an Historic Chicago Colonial Into Contemporary Magic

This home’s backstory could be a movie plot. The current homeowners admired the historic Tallmadge and Watson-designed Colonial Revival home in Oak Park’s Frank Lloyd Wright Historic District, a suburb of Chicago, for years before buying it. In fact, you could say it was love at first sight. Except, the home wasn't for sale. One day, the couple wrote a note asking to be contacted if the existing owners ever decided to sell, and slipped it through the mail slot. It turns out, they did — about a year later. After moving in, the couple wanted to modernize the interior to match their lifestyle, while maintaining the 1920s exterior.

Enter Morgante Wilson Architects, who helmed adding a two-story addition, undertaking a gut renovation and providing interior design.

Here, John Potter, a partner with the firm, explains how the entry's leaded sidelites were replicated to match the original. However, the front door received a contemporary update in a rich shade of blue. John points out the gold light fixture and clear lucite bench as additional contemporary touches.

The new addition included this mudroom, along with the kitchen, family room, master bedroom suite, rear porch and wood-burning fireplace.

Katawna Tyler (who goes by K.) is also a partner with the company and leads its interior design division. She says the mudroom was a priority for the homeowners. "This mudroom is functional and stylish, with painted cubbies ready to store coats and shoes and swing arm sconces that brighten the room," K. notes.

Fun fact: "The fully renovated kitchen was inspired by Martha Stewart’s home in New York," says John. The homeowner is an accomplished home cook, so they chose a navy blue La Cornue range with a custom hood to serve as the kitchen's focal point. They positioned the range beneath a window as a great way to maximize natural light, says John.