Chicago Rehab Project

Do you remember that awesome project in Lincoln Park I was working on? I posted a little something about it a few weeks ago and to refresh your memory, it was a condo that was designed to sell! Basically a total rehab. The kitchen was ripped apart (I won’t share those awful pics) and everything in the 2,000 SF condo needed some TLC.

The project was completed, and SOLD right away (whoo-hoo!). Even though it sold right away, wanted to see it look a little lived in before saying goodbye, So, I went back to the finished project, added some “touches” and brought along a photographer so I can FINALLY start building a real portfolio here. About time, right?

I loaded up the car with a few favorite items and brought along my sister in law, Nicole to take photos. She really captured this space just as I had hoped. I shared a couple sneak peaks already on instagram and Houzz (which I was soooo nervous signing up for btw!!!)

Since this condo was going on the market, the design needed to appeal to a variety of buyers. My goal was for the space to feel beautiful and classic, with a modern touch. Which pretty much sums up my design aesthetic! Sometimes a little eclectic and industrial too but I love mixing traditional, modern and vintage finds to create a timeless space.

The condo is long and narrow and the living area gets the most sunlight. I also wanted the entire space to feel light and bright so picking light colors was an obvious choice. The condo was previously painted a dark charcoal color so the first step was to brighten that up! I chose a light gray-blue that never disappoints (it’s one of my go-to colors…shh). Not only did we paint the walls this shade, but the kitchen island too to add a little contrast.

I went with simple yet classy light fixtures. Since (again) this was going on the market, the fixtures needed to be pretty versatile and not overpowering. We went with a classic light fixture in the dining area, white drum lamp shade with a glass ball accents. For the kitchen, we added 2 globe pendants. I don’t have pictures of the bathroom lights but they were similar to these.

I’ve been crushing on wainscoting EVERYWHERE for awhile now and this wainscoting goes throughout the living, dining and down the long hallway to the bedrooms. It really pulls the condo together and looks beautiful in person.

You really can’t go wrong with white shaker cabinets and nickel hardware. The granite slab though….. I may have fallen in love when I saw it.  You know that feeling when find “The One”. It’s called Brown Fantasy, in case you’re in the market.

It’s okay to be a little jealous of the new homeowners, right?

This is a peek in the master bathroom where we painted the vanity the same color as in the kitchen, switched the countertop for a white quartz (another classic choice) and added hardware, fixtures, lighting, etc. All the existing tile stayed and you can see more in this post.

And that’s me, naturally carrying around flowers… did I mention it was almost 100 degrees out this day? Don’t mind the frizzy hair. A huge thank you to Nicole for taking these photos! (If anyone in Chicago needs a photographer, I highly recommend her!)

Oh and the best compliment I’ve ever received, was when Nicole called ME Em Henderson Jr. If you are unfamiliar, Emily is an interior designer who dishes out awesome tips on a daily basis on her blog Styled by Emily Henderson. Even if you love design half as much as I do, I’m sure you’ll her adore her too.

Here’s one last look.. what do you guys think?

And in case you are curious, you can view the unstyled photos here. Oh, and for the record, I pushed SO hard for a waterfall island.. this would have been the perfect kitchen for it and I’m dying for a client to let me do one!!! Maybe next time 😉

I’ll hopefully be starting my next project very soon and I’m curious, would anyone be interested in seeing the process and progress? OR should I just skip ahead and wait to share the finished project? Please let me know!

Cheers!