The den has been painted Railings by Farrow & Ball. It is a sophisticated color and makes for a cozy room! A flashback to where we started:
Remember where we started? The original listing photo was a bright gray bedroom.
And, where we are today. A completely refreshed base for what will be a den.
The choice of color was an easy one, working with the fireplace surround, but I was in suspense leading up to the big reveal and wasn’t disappointed. Walter and his team from Tapia’s Works did an impeccable job.
Den painted Farrow & Ball Railings matches the fireplace surround nicely
You may recall that a prior owner had painted around the mirror, leaving the space beneath a surprising shade of pink! We cleaned that up this time around.
The windows are original curved glass from the late 1980s
We sprayed paint over the fireplace with Farrow & Ball Wimborne White for a beautiful finish
A sprayed finish is the way to go for smooth surfaces like doors, and detailed surfaces like molding, with a brush sprinkled in as needed for more detailed trim. I must say that I am a true Farrow & Ball subscriber after seeing the finish compared to the prior paint.
The bookcase will provide great visible storage once we are in decorating phaseThe radiator will be left uncovered. It didn’t look as bad as I was expecting
We still need to identify a good spot to hang a television and make a decision on drapes.
The finished color is so sophisticated relative to the gray we had previouslyCozy plaid draft stoppers filled with balsam pine by SewSixThree on EtsyThe mirror from prior owner is back in place and the perfect fit!
Now that the base is complete I am considering furniture ideas and searching for the perfect plaid rug. Let me know if you have any ideas!
The custom floors have been in production for approx 4 weeks now and I just got my first peek at them! I misunderstood the timeline and had thought they would be delivered in 4-6 weeks, but both the production process AND shipping EACH take 4-6 weeks. Needless to say, the floors are not here yet!
As a reminder, the rendering of the stones we selected, for our specific floorplan, looked like this:
Production just came back with a swatch of floor for approval before they start to produce the entire footprint. Here it is:
It has a nice neutral look to it, while being bold and forward. It will go really well in this traditional home. The only stone that is missing from this swatch is the rubicon black (stripe), but otherwise this is the finished product.
I’m very excited for these floors to be installed.
The den is draped in a lovely shade of Wimborne White paint. Walter and his team from Tapia’s Works carefully painted the detailed mantle, trim and ceiling. The den is now ready for a coat of Railings which will be a dramatic update for this space and make it a super cozy place to hang out.
The window boxes and trim have been painted Wimborne White
I’m excited about this room because it will be painted Railings, a softer alternative to black. You may remember what the room looked like before we got started. The brick on the fireplace was the inspiration for the wall color.
Hmm… a pink surprise underneath the mirror…
It is funny to me that the previous owner painted around the mirror, but not underneath it. The mirror was purchased from the prior owner for $500 and will be re-hung once the painting is finished.
We will not be keeping the pink square!
I am excited to move into an era of paint that is NOT gray. I am tired of the gray paint that I have been enjoying for the last 10 years (aren’t you?!).
The bookcase has been taped off and the door has been separately painted
The finish of Wimborne White on the trim is Estate Eggshell and the walls will be painted Estate Emulsion, a chalky finish.
Original details of the fireplace have so much character
One of the neighboring units did restore their mantle to original wood and it was gorgeous, but out of budget (and time!) for us to restore, so we have kept with white paint and will enjoy the character with fireside drinks with family and friends!
The dining room can be closed off from the living room and hallway by two original sets of wood pocket doors. The ceilings in this house are 10 feet and this room will have a chandelier when the paint is squared away. Here is the dining room today
The dining room has beautiful original wood pocket doors
The room will be painted lacquer olive, Wendy’s Green from Farrow & Ball. The molding and trim will be painted Wimborne White to make it easier to update the wall color in the future, although I do love a full high-gloss (including ceiling!) room.
There are two built in bookcases and a large street facing window
The mantle is marble and was sourced from New York by the previous homeowner. The previous owner also refinished the doors, so they are in good condition.
I haven’t written much about the den, but it is a room I am really excited about. The den is one of many rooms in this home that are circular, but is unique because all of the window panes are original and curved as well. The windows face Astor Street with great eastern exposure and the room has a wood burning fireplace and a beautiful original wood mantle.
The den is in the back of the house, clustered together with the master bedroom and bathroom, the entirety of which can be separated from the rest of the house by closing a door. Originally, this room was a bedroom but it was less functional without a closet and seemed better suited as a space to relax. The vision for this den is to be cozy and dark, while also warm and inviting. Here is the den today:
The original fireplace inspired the color of paint
The mirror above the fireplace was purchased from the original homeowner for $500. I think it is a great mirror for the space, is beveled and is the perfect size.
The room will be painted Railings by Farrow & Ball
The walls will be painted Farrow & Ball Railings, a softer alternative to black that complements the fireplace brick.
These windows are original curved glass and have a great view of Astor Street
Similar to the other rooms, the window boxes will be kept Farrow & Ball Wimborne White.
The guest bedroom, along with the rest of the house, is getting a fresh coat of paint, starting with the molding. Of course, all of the molding and ceilings will be painted Farrow & Ball Wimborne White. We chose Wimborne White because it is beautifully suited to the warm eastern exposure of the home. All of the painting and wallpaper hanging is the work of Walter from Tapia’s Works, and his team. As you can tell from the photographs, Walter and his team have done an exceptional job prepping the space and protecting all surfaces.
I was a bit skeptical that the Farrow & Ball finish was truly superior to the less expensive paint options, but as many would agree, it is. There is a beautiful texture to the paint and depth of color that was very noticeable to me, particularly after looking at the shiny paint that had been applied so poorly prior. For a historical home like this, I wanted the paint to be perfect and it is looking great so far.
Wimborne White sprayed on the trim in the guest bedroom
The walls of the guest bedroom will be papered in Bird & Thistle.
The floral radiator also got a coat of Farrow & Ball paint
One of the best tips I received while planning out the paint colors and wallpapers was to keep the window boxes consistently painted white, including the empty box below. The molding was a unique challenge that this tip solves nicely for. Each of the windows will be framed out as its own piece, with white trim and box underneath. Wallpaper will flank each side.
The entire window box has been painted white and the walls will be papered Bird & Thistle
The window treatment will likely be a mix of natural grass and custom curtains, made from Bird & Thistle fabric to match the wallpaper. I have been keeping an eye out for fabric on Ebay and Chairish that is discounted and am expecting I will find something over time.
Walter and team from Tapia’s Works have protected the built-ins
The built-ins were not wood, so they will not be painted. Instead, the shelves will be finished with wood moldings on the face of the bookcase and filled with “things”.
The entrance to bathroom and closet have been sealed and the doors have been painted
It is exciting to see the painting come together so quickly and the finishing being done so well by Tapia’s Works, who have been great to work with on this project.
I love this master bedroom because it is tucked away in the back of the house, so it is quiet, but it also has great street views thanks to the space afforded by the side alley and the angle of the bay windows. Today it is wallpapered in this lovely floral print. This wallpaper will be stripped and Farrow & Ball Wimborne White will take its place. Here is the bedroom in the listing photos:
The master in the listing photo
Here is the bedroom today:
Cedar lined closets with brass knobsWallpaper to be stripped and room to painted Farrow & Ball Wimborne WhiteWallpaper to be stripped
The closets are cedar lined and afford plenty of space, although one of the uppers is HVAC…
A custom set of mahogany drawers are being made in TN. The drawers will look similar to this piece from Primitive. I’m still searching for the perfect hardware.
Custom mahogany dresser in process, similar to this one from Primitive
The wallpaper stripping will happen this week, followed by the painting of the entire apartment including ceilings.
The reason why we selected Wimborne White for the master is because a large colorful piece of art will be hung on the bedroom wall, away from direct sunlight, and white is the best suited backdrop. The art will be hung where the TV is placed in the listing photo. The stacked drawers will be placed between the bay windows that are unfortunately not captured well in the pictures above but are located next to each other with a gap between.
The Gucci wallpaper came today and I’m impressed. The paper came in this gorgeous gift box tied with a bow! I took a risk on this paper without seeing it in person first, but was drawn to the pattern which was inspired by vintage fabric and think that the cream backdrop with red flowers pairs nicely with the white paint throughout the adjoining rooms and the red stone that I am considering for the kitchen.
Gucci wallpaper, boxed and ready
The paper inside was just as beautiful and was carefully wrapped and labeled. The texture is woven and has a nice feel and the print is fine and clear. My only complaint would be that the cream is a slightly more yellow tone than the online photograph led me to expect, but I did compare it to the white paint swatch and it does work, which made me less worried.
Gucci Herbarium wallpaper is beautiful and has 115+ sq ft. / roll of coverage
The coverage of this roll is not insignificant – it is 33 feet long and 3.5 feet wide, or, 115.5 square feet of coverage. It is $190 per roll and can be found here.
The master bathroom demo is underway and all floors and the privacy wall have been removed. The master bathroom previously had hex tiles and a very traditional look and feel with 1930’s style fixtures that will be kept.
The master bathroom floors and privacy wall are goneThe Perrin & Rowe fixtures will be updated to an unlacquered brass from WaterworksThe floors will be replaced with a custom Kelly Wearstler for Ann Sacks geometric design
All fixtures will be replaced with Waterworks unlacquered brass Highgate and Easton Classic fixtures.
Waterworks Highgate Faucet with White Porcelain Lever HandlesWaterworks Highgate Thermostatic Valve Trim
The hand shower will be removed and an in-wall shower head will be added. The fixtures have been delivered as we wait for the ceramic trim and baseboards to arrive with medicine cabinets, lighting, ceiling fan and geometric floor design to be ordered.
This bathroom is teensie. Let’s flash back to the listing photo:
Listing photos are always so perfect
Here is the bathroom today:
The bathroom, prior to renovation
The bathroom is nice, but it doesn’t have a tub and the floor tiles are not our favorite, so I will change them when we add the tub. The shower hardware is mixed brands and even has two “hot” knobs instead of one hot and one cold (why did that happen!?). We will keep the sink and toilet to save some money on this project.
I will be working in a space that is 6’1″ x 4’10” at its longest points.
The bathroom is approximately 73″ deep
And I will be fitting in a bathtub.
Width is 58″ from tile to tile, and the standard bathtub is 60″
We have started shopping for tiles and I’m tired of the all whites and grays. I am really working on getting away from what we’ve been seeing and selecting different things for this home.
This is NOT what I will be doing
Here are some different tile patterns that I liked at Waterworks (with different color schemes):
Kelly Wearstler for Ann Sacks Doheny SmallKelly Wearstler for Ann Sacks Liaison Collection
We will add a better vanity and have already removed the existing mirror and shelf. I will be selling everything that is salvageable on Ebay and Chairish.
The shelf and mirror have been removed and will be replaced with a lit medicine cabinet.
There are two medicine cabinets that I think are great for this space. The Astoria Medicine Cabinet from Restoration Hardware has a 1930’s look and is $455, or $364 for members for the polished chrome. It is 18 1/4″ wide x 30″ tall.
The small Astoria Medicine Cabinet from RH is the right dimension and has a 1930s look
The Kohler Verdera Medicine Cabinet is $911 (or $683.25 if you shop at Build.com) and is 20″ wide x 30″ tall. It has awesome lighting and would remove the necessity to put a light over the mirror, which would be nice. And yes – these lights DO make you look better!
Kohler Verdera has electrical in the cabinet which helps keeps counters clean
Instead of replacing the toilet which is from the Duravit 1930’s Collection, we have ordered the soft close cover and will keep it and the matching pedestal sink.
We have removed the hooks and will replace the base board with a ceramic version
To replace the toilet and sink it would cost $1,500+ so we are keeping the budget lower by keeping. However, we will replace the sink tap and drain.
The mirror and shelf have been removed the sink hardware will be replaced (the finish is chipped)
We will be replacing all of the sink and shower hardware, adding the bath filler and tub, re-tiling the floors, replacing the toilet seat and adding a medicine cabinet. My next step is to have my plumber price out this work and confirm that we can fit a 60″ bathtub in the space!
MY CHICAGO HOUSE. 