Some projects require more time than others and aren’t about instant transformation.  They’re about patience, building client trust, and letting a home reveal what it wants to become.  Our recent Park Ridge project, involving a home originally built in 1951, is a perfect example.

Our clients purchased the home in the fall of 2023 and made a wise decision which we always recommend.  Rather than going in making knee-jerk changes, they actually lived in it first.  They wanted to understand how the spaces functioned, day to day, before making any substantive changes.  They got to experience, first hand, where the family naturally gathered and how their three main living spaces, the living room, dining room, and family room, needed to flow together rather than compete.

Because this family came to us through a life-long best friend and former client, the pressure was real.  Referrals like that aren’t just business.  They’re personal.  Our goal was not only to deliver a beautiful result, but to honor the trust behind the recommendation.

Our biggest design challenge was honoring two very different architectural styles and personalities under one roof.  The front of the home carries a strong mid-century sensibility.  While the rear addition, with its vaulted ceilings and exposed beams, leans rustic and relaxed.  Rather than forcing one style to dominate, we focused on creating a gradual transition.  Think of it as a design conversation that starts a little more crisp and tailored in the living room, softens through a transitional dining space, and lands comfortably in a casual and relaxed family room.  Of course, we introduced elements in all three spaces that nodded to the others to create a cohesive transition from one to the next.

Over the course of many months, we carefully selected furnishings that felt authentic to the home and the family.  While most pieces were new, others were sentimental must-haves that needed to be thoughtfully incorporated.

The living room, at the front of the home, set the design tone for everything that followed.  With its mid-century bones and original character, this space called for a more tailored approach, one that respected the home’s 1951 roots while still feeling comfortable and current. Clean lines, intentional furniture placement, and a mix of old and new pieces (including lighting) created a space that feels curated but not precious, anchoring the rest of the home’s evolving design.

LIVING ROOM BEFORE

LIVING ROOM AFTER

LIVING ROOM BEFORE

LIVING ROOM AFTER

The dining area became the bridge between styles, grounding the transition with a gorgeous, new 10-person Canadel dining table and chairs with it’s own transitional, timeless silhouette.  We kept the dark blue walls (accented in other rooms) and added visual interest to the space with new stationary window panels, light fixture and a bold floral wallpaper in the symmetrical niches on the opposite side.

DINING ROOM BEFORE

DINING ROOM AFTER

DINING ROOM BEFORE

DINING ROOM AFTER

Finally, from there, the family room opens up into a welcoming, lived-in space complete with a new power-reclining sectional that affectionately became known as the “Lazy-Ass 3000”.  With the sectional we added a pair of more contemporary, leather swivel chairs (a nod to the mid-century living room) and new coffee table.  With as much comfy seating as the room could handle, the space is designed for large gatherings, movie nights, and everyday chaos.

FAMILY ROOM BEFORE

FAMILY ROOM AFTER

FAMILY ROOM BEFORE

FAMILY ROOM AFTER

And of course, no design decision was complete without considering their four-legged family member.  Durability, clean-ability, and comfort were non-negotiable.  This home needed to look beautiful and function effortlessly, even during big family get-togethers and muddy-paw moments.

The end result is a layered, cohesive home that feels collected rather than decorated.  Mid-century influences guide you through the front of the house, gradually giving way to a more relaxed, casual vibe in the back, where everyone naturally wants to linger.  It’s a reminder that great design doesn’t rush.  It evolves, just like the families who live in it.

Three rooms… two styles and one happy family made this a project one we are so grateful to have been a part of.  And we’re looking forward to more adventures together as their other spaces evolve, as well.

Here’s to your own design evolutions; and if you need a little help along the way, feel free to give us a call.   815-245-2433