Inside our West Loop Home

Some homes need a full gut. This one just needed intention.

Our clients here are dear friends. Katie is a fashion designer with a sharp eye and strong opinions. Her partner had plenty of thoughts too. They came to us with a brand new duplex full of beautiful developer finishes, but it didn't feel like theirs yet.

We didn't gut it. We listened.

We learned how they actually live. Where they land in the morning. How they unwind at night. The way they entertain. The routines that matter to them.

Then we made moves.

The entry had great bones, but no soul. We ripped out drywall to open the stairwell, added custom metal railings, wrapped the walls in wallpaper, and hung a mirror to reflect it all back. Now when you walk in, there's a moment. A real arrival.

Off the living room, there was a closet doing nothing. Now it's a proper bar. Chevron tile, floating glass shelves, oak cabinet. Their friends know exactly where to go.

The living room came together around a pair of lamps Katie loved. We built from there. A seating arrangement that works for conversation. A double-sided fireplace anchoring the space, with their red panda artwork above it. Yes, red pandas. It's their thing.

They couldn't agree on one dining vibe, so we gave them two. His and hers. Different energy, same home.

The media room looked challenging on paper. It looked tight. But we pushed forward with a full color drench, blackout drapery, steel and glass doors, and a big sectional you sink into. We call it the escape room. It works beautifully in real life.

What could've been a guest room became their wellness space instead. Peloton, yoga, meditation. Katie had the idea for wall-to-ceiling paneling that wraps into a nook. We washed everything in soft pink. Guest rooms get used three times a year. This room gets used every single day.

And then there's the bedroom. We took a closet and turned it into a beverage center. Lined in stone, hidden behind a panel. Coffee in the morning without going downstairs. A nightcap without leaving the room.

Katie told us one of her favorite things about this home is that they use every single space, every single day. No dead zones. No rooms that exist just for photos.

That's the goal. A home that works as good as it looks.

Take the video tour:

The Entry

The Living Room

Double-Sided Fireplace

The Dining Rooms

The Bar

The Wellness Room

The Media Room

The Beverage Center