Houzz Tour: A New Layout for a Characterful Family Home
The challenges of this 110-year-old house were met with clever updates that have added comfort and preserved character
After living in a modern duplex in Chicago, in the US, Hannah and Ryan Hamburger were ready for a comfortable place to call home. “It was great for living in the city, but definitely not home. We wanted to find something that felt homey. It was really a feeling rather than a look,” Hannah says.
They were driving around the North Shore neighbourhoods of the city when they spotted an open house in Winnetka. Hannah jumped out and went inside the 110-year-old house. “I took a look around and realised the floorplan was perfect for what we wanted, but it did need work,” she says.
They were driving around the North Shore neighbourhoods of the city when they spotted an open house in Winnetka. Hannah jumped out and went inside the 110-year-old house. “I took a look around and realised the floorplan was perfect for what we wanted, but it did need work,” she says.
Hannah, seen here with Maya and Ryan, provides data and analysis for litigation consulting. Ryan works on business development and strategy for Instacart.
The couple’s business and tech skills, such as Hannah’s love of spreadsheets, came in handy during the renovation, along with design inspiration from Houzz.
Ryan’s organisational skills kept the design projects on track. “My husband takes on a lot of projects, so we knew going in what was needed. He’s good at knowing which walls could be opened up, and has a spatial awareness of what should be where. I came in on design stuff,” Hannah says.
“We picture our family living here for many years, in a cosy and older home with character,” she adds.
The couple’s business and tech skills, such as Hannah’s love of spreadsheets, came in handy during the renovation, along with design inspiration from Houzz.
Ryan’s organisational skills kept the design projects on track. “My husband takes on a lot of projects, so we knew going in what was needed. He’s good at knowing which walls could be opened up, and has a spatial awareness of what should be where. I came in on design stuff,” Hannah says.
“We picture our family living here for many years, in a cosy and older home with character,” she adds.
The opening between the living room and dining room, seen here, was widened, and the walls and woodwork took on a refined and modern look with new paint. The couple prefer a comfortable traditional style with modern touches.
The flatscreen television is mounted prominently on one of the living room walls. “We’re not a hide-the-TV family. We like TV, and my husband really wanted a comfy couch,” Hannah says.
Walls painted in Agreeable Gray; woodwork painted in Pure White, both Sherwin-Williams.
The flatscreen television is mounted prominently on one of the living room walls. “We’re not a hide-the-TV family. We like TV, and my husband really wanted a comfy couch,” Hannah says.
Walls painted in Agreeable Gray; woodwork painted in Pure White, both Sherwin-Williams.
The bespoke U-shaped corner sofa was the starting point for the design of the living room. It’s upholstered in a durable and plush ecru material, which their dog, Zoe, is enjoying in the photo here.
“Everything had to be kid-friendly,” Hannah says. “We had the fabric tested to make sure it was kid- and pet-friendly. Our dog ran in the mud and then went on the couch, and the mud came out.” The mirror and art on the fireplace mantel are charity shop finds.
“Everything had to be kid-friendly,” Hannah says. “We had the fabric tested to make sure it was kid- and pet-friendly. Our dog ran in the mud and then went on the couch, and the mud came out.” The mirror and art on the fireplace mantel are charity shop finds.
Windows tend to be a defining feature in historic homes, but the existing ones in this one weren’t original and were most likely fitted during the 1940s, Hannah says. “They were really draughty and didn’t function that well,” she explains. “We ended up replacing most of them with ones in a very similar style. We tried to stay true to the original windows.”
The couple finished the walls with picture frame moulding to add texture and character. A wide space between the windows cried out for something to fill it, but finding something to fit was a challenge.
“I knew I wanted it to be black and white or greyscale in order to not overwhelm the space, but I couldn’t find anything to fit horizontally that wide,” Hannah says. She ended up commissioning a watercolour from Victoria Bradley, an artist she discovered online.
The couple finished the walls with picture frame moulding to add texture and character. A wide space between the windows cried out for something to fill it, but finding something to fit was a challenge.
“I knew I wanted it to be black and white or greyscale in order to not overwhelm the space, but I couldn’t find anything to fit horizontally that wide,” Hannah says. She ended up commissioning a watercolour from Victoria Bradley, an artist she discovered online.
A second-hand tan leather swivel chair and a blue and red rug inject colour and texture into the living room’s otherwise white palette. The home’s hall and staircase are seen at the far end of this photo.
The couple had the cupboard removed and the bathroom downsized to a cloakroom to give the kitchen more space.
Against the wall where the cupboard used to be, they placed an antique chest under a mirror with a frame they painted gold. The wall has a stencilled design that Hannah says was inspired by a discontinued Serena & Lily wallpaper.
Against the wall where the cupboard used to be, they placed an antique chest under a mirror with a frame they painted gold. The wall has a stencilled design that Hannah says was inspired by a discontinued Serena & Lily wallpaper.
Need a pro for your home renovation project?
Let Houzz find the best pros for you
Let Houzz find the best pros for you
In the old layout, the windows were too low to have cabinets beneath them. “Troubleshooting the nuances of an old house,” Hannah says, was just one of the challenges the couple encountered. Brown also dominated the previous kitchen palette, from the terracotta floor to the slatted wood cabinets.
Contractor Kaleb Wilson closed off two of the windows and shortened the third to accommodate cabinets with a hob and worktop space. A handsome new island with a white quartzite top and turned wooden legs replaced the old one. New wood flooring replaced the old square terracotta tiles.
The white quartzite worktops kicked off the kitchen’s new design. “That was the first decision we made in the kitchen. We saw the slab, and it was beautiful. We knew we wanted dark cabinets, and searched for a colour that looked good. It all developed from there,” Hannah says.
The new bespoke Shaker-style cabinetry is by Keith Wilson of Whispering Pines Woodshop. The cabinets are painted in a classic blue-grey to contrast with the pale worktops. “We worked with [Kaleb] to design the cabinets,” Hannah says. “We wanted to stay true to the age of the home, so we leaned toward traditional in the decisions we made,” she says.
Worktops, Precision Stone Design. Cabinets painted in painted Iron Ore, Sherwin-Williams.
The new bespoke Shaker-style cabinetry is by Keith Wilson of Whispering Pines Woodshop. The cabinets are painted in a classic blue-grey to contrast with the pale worktops. “We worked with [Kaleb] to design the cabinets,” Hannah says. “We wanted to stay true to the age of the home, so we leaned toward traditional in the decisions we made,” she says.
Worktops, Precision Stone Design. Cabinets painted in painted Iron Ore, Sherwin-Williams.
Now, new cabinets with a wine fridge and storage have replaced the old fridge.
Here’s a closer look at the wall where the windows were removed. Hannah turned to Houzz to figure out how she wanted the splashback to look. She browsed images of kitchens with various grout and spacing configurations, and chose a white, organic-edge metro tile with minimal spacing.
A bespoke extractor fan sits above a new range hob. “I knew I wanted a certain number of burners. I wanted gas, and I wanted it to be more of a range top, and this one got really great reviews. Instead of sitting on top, it slides in. There’s room for pots and pans underneath,” Hannah says.
Range top, ZLine Kitchen and Bath
A bespoke extractor fan sits above a new range hob. “I knew I wanted a certain number of burners. I wanted gas, and I wanted it to be more of a range top, and this one got really great reviews. Instead of sitting on top, it slides in. There’s room for pots and pans underneath,” Hannah says.
Range top, ZLine Kitchen and Bath
This small area in the dining room between the kitchen and living room is the perfect spot for a drinks trolley. “We like to entertain. I like cooking and entertaining, and my husband is in charge of drinks,” Hannah says.
The homeowners are particularly pleased with how the main suite turned out. “I really love our bedroom,” Hannah says. “It’s a great space, and it’s really cosy. The picture rail and gallery rods make it really easy to change art.”
The dark paint on the lower two-thirds of the wall is on-trend, though at first Hannah thought it might be “a little out there.” When she showed it to her father during a video chat, he assumed it was existing paint that would be changed. “He said, ‘They’re going to cover the black, aren’t they?’” Hannah says.
Upper walls painted in Pure White, Sherwin-Williams. Lower wall painted in Cheating Heart, Benjamin Moore.
The dark paint on the lower two-thirds of the wall is on-trend, though at first Hannah thought it might be “a little out there.” When she showed it to her father during a video chat, he assumed it was existing paint that would be changed. “He said, ‘They’re going to cover the black, aren’t they?’” Hannah says.
Upper walls painted in Pure White, Sherwin-Williams. Lower wall painted in Cheating Heart, Benjamin Moore.
The fireplace was removed and the windows were raised so white bespoke cabinetry could fit underneath.
So the homeowners could open the cabinet closest to the window on the wall with the bed, the window was changed from a double to a single. “We made a last-minute decision to close up half of that window to make the drawers functional,” Hannah says.
The renovation involved taking an area from the bedroom to give the bathroom more space, and adding a wall to enclose the toilet – the wall behind the white bench in this photo. Art hangs on gallery rods from a picture rail, similar to the art on the opposite wall, reflected in the mirror.
The renovation provided the bedroom with a wall of built-in wardrobes. The wardrobe next to the bathroom was removed to give space to the new main bathroom, which stayed in the same location.
The main bathroom features a tub and shower area, with glamorous glazed ceramic metro tiles in a glossy green encasing the walls and ceiling, and marble scalloped tiles on the floor.
The couple created a kind of wetroom, with a freestanding bath in the 6ft-square shower area. The marble floor tiles will be sealed every year, Hannah says.
The couple created a kind of wetroom, with a freestanding bath in the 6ft-square shower area. The marble floor tiles will be sealed every year, Hannah says.
A crisp white double vanity unit now sits beside the shower area. “The bathroom is everything we really wanted. That was a big transition. The main bathroom was not really a main bathroom,” Hannah says.
Eliminating a fireplace in the living room downstairs helped give the homeowners the main bathroom they wanted. The fireplace had a three-floor chimney that extended from the basement up through the main cupboard. Removing that chimney and cupboard freed up space for the new bathroom. “It took up so much space, so it was an easy choice. It allowed us to have both a shower and bath,” Hannah says.
Eliminating a fireplace in the living room downstairs helped give the homeowners the main bathroom they wanted. The fireplace had a three-floor chimney that extended from the basement up through the main cupboard. Removing that chimney and cupboard freed up space for the new bathroom. “It took up so much space, so it was an easy choice. It allowed us to have both a shower and bath,” Hannah says.
This handsome guest bedroom is used by Hannah’s parents when they visit from Cleveland. The couple added colour by having the walls painted in Slate Tile from Sherwin-Williams. “Most of the house’s paint colours were traditional or neutral, and we wanted to take one space and make it a little bold,” Hannah says.
Hannah had her mother in mind when it came to decorating the guest bedroom. “My mother’s favourites are the outdoors and sunsets, so I collected those [artworks] for her,” Hannah says. She found most of the art by thrifting and buying at online auctions.
The couple added an en suite bathroom to the guest room, taking space from what was previously an office. They split the old space between the new bathroom and a laundry.
The home’s exterior was in good shape and needed only paint touch-ups; the shutters are now painted black. “The porch was a big selling feature for us,” Hannah says. “It’s a really nice space and felt very inviting. Maybe one day I’ll get a porch swing.”
Tell us…
What’s your favourite room in this family home? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
Tell us…
What’s your favourite room in this family home? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
Who lives here? Hannah and Ryan Hamburger, their 3-year-old daughter, Maya, and their dog and two cats
Location Winnetka suburb of Chicago, USA
Property A turn-of-the-century house with five bedrooms and three bathrooms
Size About 3,000 sq ft (279 sq m)
Contractor Kaleb Wilson
The couple purchased the home, started renovations two months later and moved in four months after that. They hired local general contractor Kaleb Wilson and, to refresh the walls and exterior, a local painter.
Instead of giving their vintage home a modern, open-plan layout, the couple widened some of the doorways in the main living space to open up the floorplan. They took down one wall on the main floor and injected light and comfortable decor touches, while staying close to the home’s traditional roots.