by Furnishly | Oct 18, 2021 | Design Inspiration, Style
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission.
Name: Annabell Ren and Steven Karvelius
Location: Lincoln Park — Chicago, Illinois
Size: 900 square feet
Type of Home: Condo
Years lived in: 2 years, owned
Creative couple and designers Annabell Ren and Steven Karvelius are two thirds of Chicago-based architecture office, NEW OFFICE (they cofounded it with friend and designer, Elliott Riggen). The office specializes in architecture, furniture, and small renovations, and Annabell and Steven’s own home — a 900-square-foot Lincoln Park condo they found it on Redfin when they were home hunting about two and half years ago — is an amazing showcase of the team’s work.
“As architects, we didn’t want to build a new home in the city, but instead find an existing historical structure to work with. There are plenty of beautiful old homes in Chicago that just need some time and attention to bring out their original beauty,” Annabell writes. “It’s a 120-year-old historic four-flat. Our unit is on the 2nd floor. With its tall 10’ ceilings, south-facing windows and beautiful historical hardwood floor and cabinets, it has beautiful natural light throughout the entire day. The building is in a residential neighborhood in the city, but the windows are all hidden behind the top of tree branches which capture a view of greens. The living room is filled with light and shadow of dancing tree branches blown by the Chicago wind.”
“After we closed this home purchase in 2019, the pandemic came into our life. This home became the place we had to live in 24 hours and the place we had to work from. We jokingly call it our ‘Covid project’ as architects. We spent our weekends and nights looking at our life routine, designing the space and building the built-ins while we couldn’t go outside. The only reason for us to go out was a trip to Home Depot to curbside pick up our construction materials. We spent all our time in the living room, dining, and kitchen designing, drawing, building, cooking, and imagining the day Covid would be gone and we can have our friends in this space.”
Apartment Therapy Survey:
My Style: Function = Fun + Function
Inspiration: Materiality, craftsmanship, and space play with light.
Favorite Element: There’s a balance and contrast between the original dark woodwork and the newly constructed red oak.
Biggest Challenge: Upon move-in, the unit interior was dated and there was very limited storage space. Much of the original woodwork still existed throughout the unit.
Biggest Indulgence: Our time. We managed the cost of materials, but we put a lot of time into the design and building process. We redesigned a lot and spent a lot of time figuring out the details and structure to hide all construction joints. It was so worth it. This is the main reason all designers love what they do: seeing a design that was once only imagination come into real life.
Is there something unique about your home or the way you use it? The two full-height millwork pieces take advantage of the ten-foot-tall ceilings but offer much more than just storage. They’re also used for seating, naps, and lighting. Playfully painted wall murals transform a dated dining room into a multi-functional gallery and dining space. Each shape was created by projections onto different corners and surfaces of the room. When viewed from one vantage point, the shapes are a perfect circle, but from anywhere else, they’re stretched, squeezed, and warped. Utilizing chalkboard paint for the murals allowed us to record messages and sketches for our daily life.
What are your favorite products you have bought for your home and why? The furniture comes from many different places and was procured in many different ways. There are secondhand nesting Kartell coffee tables, auctioned Ufficio Tecnico Spoleto dining chairs, IKEA rugs, and EQ3 lighting. These Kartell coffee tables we found in a secondhand modern furniture store. It is made of three different round tables of different heights. It can be used by stacking on top of each other to become one table and three different tables.
Please describe any helpful, inspiring, brilliant, or just plain useful small space maximizing and/or organizing tips you have: With this kind of historical building, usually the ceiling is 10’. Built floor-to-ceiling storage can save you a lot of space in plan.
Finally, what’s your absolute best home secret or decorating advice? Reuse secondhand. Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, local vintage stores, and local auction houses are all great places to go find pieces that can be reused in your home.
Thanks Annabell and Steven!
This submission’s responses and photos were edited for length/size and clarity.
Adrienne Breaux
House Tour Editor
Adrienne loves architecture, design, cats, science fiction and watching Star Trek. In the past 10 years she’s called home: a van, a former downtown store in small town Texas and a studio apartment rumored to have once been owned by Willie Nelson.
Follow Adrienne
![An Indonesian House That Gets Light To Play With Stone And Concrete [Video]](https://furnishly.co/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/an-indonesian-house-that-gets-light-to-play-with-stone-and-concrete-video.gif)
by Furnishly | Oct 18, 2021 | Design Inspiration
As the future home of a designer couple, this project came into the hands of TIES architects with some very specific homeowner requirements. The couple wanted to integrate their daily working environment as a fundamental piece of the puzzle, where it would merge with the regular routine at home. Because of this desire for a strong work and home life link, the 375 square metre house was constructed upon two leading functions. The essential home office is located down on the first, semi-basement floor, with a welcoming residential area situated upon the level above. It’s here that a towering window wraps a pitched, double-height room, and a breathtaking breeze block wall brings stunning sunlit pattern.
The modern exterior of this project uses a pattern of breeze blocks, which perform a decorative function both inside and out. The blocks were implemented to allow a generous influx of uplifting sunlight to enter the double height living space, where the playful permeation causes aesthetic light play.
Planters front the home exterior on two levels, which work toward blending the contemporary structure with its surrounding green landscape, thus softening its presence on the land.
Large black gates reveal a shaded glimpse of the terraced entryway within. More raised planters and exterior lighting create a magical ambience to welcome the owners home, and to create a lasting first impression on guests.
At the back of the house, the classic gable roof shape is brightly highlighted with a strip of external lighting around its edge. Massive windows break open the side of the building, exposing blissful sky views to those dwelling within.
A towering window wraps the pitched roof above the double-height living room, exposing the space to a clear skyscape. The room is brightened further by light decor pieces in the shape of a soft cream living room rug and a modern sofa. Modern black rocking chairs add dark punctuation to the arrangement.
The wall of decorative breeze blocks provides the living room with a unique focal point. The wall is elevated to allow access onto the concrete roof of the carport where a dry garden is planted.
The lounge area is raised slightly proud of the kitchen dining area, where a small illuminated staircase provides access. The gable roof shape encompasses the entire living space, making it possible to achieve the ultimate ceiling height thanks to the gradient of the slope.
The kitchen emerges from behind flat-fronted, handle-free cabinet doors.
A mezzanine platform is constructed above the kitchen to make better use of the expansive ceiling height in this area.
Access ladders climb up and over the concealed kitchen design. A sun-warmed loft net makes a tempting place for rest and relaxation under a wide skylight.
The owner of the house required the design to place a firm focus on accessibility in order to welcome their senior citizen parents who have walking challenges. Aesthetically pleasing accessibility ramps were built to connect the floors in place of large staircases. The split level ramp optimises and maximises the available area in the house.
The semi-private residential space is located at the front of the house, with bedrooms more secluded toward the back.
The two living volumes are separated by a dry garden that provides additional ventilation and natural light.
A peaceful atmosphere grows from the internal garden, which nurtures a restful pause in the separation between the walls of the two masses.
The external home entryway conjures the same feeling of restfulness with lush green planting and glowing light. Despite its cool, raw concrete exterior, the home has a warm and inviting presentation. This forecourt is also the main garden for the home, although the roof gardens each offer sweeter views and the courtyards sandwiched between living volumes provide more privacy.
The master ensuite bathroom is a darkly decorated space with a black bathtub. A glass wall WC is installed alongside the shower cubicle in a smooth, flush-fitting arrangement.
The ensuite bathroom in its entirety is a glass-walled room, which allows natural light to be borrowed from the bedroom windows.
A unique bathroom basin looks out through the glass wall into the bedroom and the views beyond the outer windows. A ceiling-mounted tap descends upon the shallow, black sink. The dark decor scheme continues through the bedroom to achieve one cohesive look.
Basement floor plan, including the main garden area with terrace, a maid’s bedroom and bathroom, a multipurpose room, and the home office that resides alongside a handy kitchen and dining area.
First floor plan with main open plan living room, dining room and kitchen layout. We also see a kids’ bedroom and guest bedroom on the opposite side of the dry garden here, as well as a storage room and small bathroom.
Second floor plan with the master bedroom and glass wall ensuite bathroom.
Mezzanine plan with loft net, plus another roof garden situated toward the back of the house.
Roof plan.
Section drawing showing the distribution and layering of space along with ramp access. This drawing clearly illustrates the split of space achieved by the dry garden within the walls of the house.
Section drawing from gable end, illustrating the impressive pitch and scale of the pitched roof design.
Check out the home tour video:
[embedded content]
Be sure to subscribe to Home Designing on Youtube for regular architecture and design videos.
Did you like this article?
Share it on any of the following social media channels below to give us your vote. Your feedback helps us improve.
by Furnishly | Oct 12, 2021 | Design Inspiration, Style
During the early days of the pandemic, in the absence of bar hopping and returning things at the mall, I became especially interested in houses. On walks with my dog and drives to the grocery store, I began habitually taking stock of the distinctive mix of window treatments, timbering, brickwork, and roofing details separating one architectural style from the next.
House watching is something of an inexhaustible hobby. There are dozens of residential styles of architecture, according to the National Association of Realtors, and each one represents a specific point in history. While there’s certainly personal preference and popular trends to consider, it doesn’t hurt to take architectural style into account when embarking on any kind of renovation, including a routine paint job.
Modern architecture prioritizes function over form. It encompasses a few familiar architectural styles, such as Craftsman, Ranch, and contemporary homes. Morse says you can go one of two ways with a modern-style home. “Keeping it light is best for resale, but a dark modern home is a gorgeous and striking look,” she says. Think dark grey or black, such as Benjamin Moore’s Graphite, Gravel Grey, Iron Mountain, and Iron Ore.
Morse adds that for a modern home, it’s sometimes best to keep landscaping to a minimum, as it can distract from the clean lines and sleek aesthetic typical of the style. “You want your home to stand out and be bold,” she says.
Traditional homes draw influence from historic styles, such as Colonials, Cape Cods, Georgians, Victorians, and saltbox houses. Generally speaking, Morse recommends a classic color palette for this style family. “I think classic white with black shutters is a win for curb appeal as well as resale. It doesn’t matter if it’s painted brick or siding, it always looks beautiful and never appears dated,” she says.
The most common house style NeJame deals with are Colonials. “Traditionally, the trims of Colonial homes were painted white or cream,” she says. “To increase curb appeal, think about painting the trim and body the same color. Painting window sashes and grids dark colors, such as black, bottle green, and burgundy is another subtle touch that can amp up curb appeal.”
Meanwhile, for homes with shingles, clapboard, or other wooden siding, NeJame suggests “Nantucket Grey,” which is a weathered grey that can be achieved using a bleaching stain. “Traditionally the cedar shingles on Capes were left to naturally weather and grey, but leaving shingles to weather on their own, without protection, shortens their life,” she says. “Today, we can achieve that same weathered look on your shingles using products that also help protect them and prolong their life.”
Transitional-style homes incorporate aspects of both traditional and modern styles. The transitional style lends itself well to a variety of color palettes.
“I think keeping it light with a neutral color, such as Benjamin Moore’s White Dove or Sherwin-Williams’ Agreeable Grey, contrasted by black windows and doors is a gorgeous look for curb appeal and resale,” says Morse. She adds that if you choose to go light, consider light shutters, trims, and sashes as well. “You can also go one shade lighter or darker than the main color so everything blends well,” she says.
Conversely, you could opt for a bolder look with a dark exterior paint, such as Benjamin Moore’s Essex Green. “In this case, keep the windows and doors dark too,” she says. “Dark green exterior looks great with black windows and doors. If you go in this direction I think it’s best if you have plenty of trees and landscaping in the front yard so it blends more with the surroundings. The curb appeal will be fabulous.”
by Furnishly | Oct 10, 2021 | Design Inspiration
What we are about
Our mission is to help people visualize, create & maintain beautiful homes. We bring to you inspiring visuals of cool homes, specific spaces, architectural marvels and new design trends.
Follow us for a daily dose of outstanding homes, intelligent architecture & beautiful design.
by Furnishly | Oct 8, 2021 | Design Inspiration, Style
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission.
Name: Colin Tury and Ellie Ingram
Location: Southfield, Michigan
Size: 1,300 square feet
Years lived in: 5 years, owning
Colin Tury is the co-founder of Midwest Common, an independent Detroit-based design firm. In his words, he lives and breathes furniture, lighting, and interior design. “I have been making and designing things since I can remember. Luckily, I’ve followed my passions and get to do it for a living,” he explains.
This mid-century modern house built in 1959 is the first house for him and his partner, Ellie Ingram, but it didn’t look like the beautiful modern home it is today when they first purchased it five years. The creative couple have put A LOT of work into transforming it into what you see today. “Every square inch of this house has been affected by us and we’re proud of it” he writes. “I know that there will always be things that we ‘need to do,’ but for now it’s turned into a very special place. Also, this house has become a mini gallery for all the wonderful artist and craftspeople we’ve met along the way. All of the artwork in our home is from someone that we personally know and support.”
Apartment Therapy Survey:
Style: Soulful Contemporary
Inspiration: Isamu Noguchi and Dolly Parton
Favorite Element: There are so many moments we are proud of. I personally feel like the glass doors I built between Ellie’s studio and the living room truly transformed the house the most.
Biggest Challenge: Doing everything ourselves while living in it.
What Friends Say: It’s been a running joke that our house doesn’t actually exist because we’ve never truly hosted a formal event here due to ongoing renovations. We will let you know after the belated housewarming party…
Biggest Embarrassment: The only embarrassing thing has been my assumption of how long all of the renovations would take. We are pretty proud of everything we’ve affected thus far.
Proudest DIY: This entire house. It’s hard to believe what it used to look like and the condition it was in versus how it looks/feels now.
Biggest Indulgence: A selfish display of my own furniture and lighting. And dog toys, of course.
Best Advice: Don’t be too critical of your own efforts. Truthfully, you’re the only who really cares.
This house tour’s responses were edited for length and clarity.
Diana Paulson
Photographer
Equipped with an eye for photography and an interior design background, Diana has been blending these two passions to create stunning images for Apartment Therapy.
Follow Diana
