A surprising interior and a modern yet contextual exterior come together in this speculative house. The block where this house is located on Chicago's north side is predominantly comprised of wood frame, gabled one-and-a-half or two-story houses. We took that contextual clue and modernized it, maintaining a somewhat traditional form while streamlining the elements.
The "surprise" space of the home is the dramatic two-and-a-half-story great room, which anchors the front and back halves of the house and provides an amount of vertical space rarely achieved in speculative houses.
The contractor/developer cleverly applied engineered laminated lumber, typically used for structural purposes only, to the stair and fireplace surround. Ripping the beam into strips and applying a clearcoat finish delivers a honey-toned wood warmth to the space and gives the house a visual through-line.
Space that was displaced by the great room was transferred to a third floor study/bedroom/recreation room, which overlooks the great room and has its own covered outdoor deck.
A spiral stair provides egress from the third floor study, a code requirement triggered with the addition of the third floor space.
The covered front porch, a traditional element in northern Chicago neighborhoods, appears here without the typical roof-supporting columns — an effect achieved by cantilevering the second floor.
