Emerging Designer Clair Van Der Swan Creates a Chic, Personalized Retreat For A Return Client

By J.P. Anderson By J.P. Anderson | December 4, 2024 | Home & Real Estate, Home & Real Estate, HBCH Home, HBCH Home Tours, Home & Real Estate Feature, Home Feature,

Emerging designer Clair Van Der Swan crafts a luxurious new home for a return client.

Featuring Liaigre’s Augustin sofa and Visual Comfort & Co.’s Melange small elongated pendants by Visual Comfort, the inviting, stylishly appointed great room offers striking views into the newly open kitchen. PHOTOGRAPHED BY TONY SOLURI

THE CLIENT

While completing a project in Naples, Fla. for her first U.S. clients, Clair van der Swan received the highest compliment an interior designer can get: an immediate next commission for the couple’s new Chicago home, not far from where they first started a family almost 50 years prior. Given a blank slate and envisioning a clean, simple, modernist aesthetic, the Chicago-, L.A.-and Miami-based rising talent took on the new project with aplomb.

Leather finish Alaska White marble countertops and waterfall island, custom cabinets designed by Clair van der Swan and Shaker backless stools covered in black cowhide by Ambrozia create serious drama in the kitchen.

THE PRIORITY

Simply put, says van der Swan, the top priority for the project was to make the home feel personal and luxurious, with the utmost comfort.

CB2 Foley faux mohair Grey dining armchair in Dove and Gino Sarfatti’s Model 2065 lamp for Astep beckon in the dining area, which also features the artwork “Let yourself go” by Tatyana Vafina.

Adamo and Eva plates by Fornasetti line the hallway leading to the primary suite, where an untitled work by Anish Kapoor draws the eye. PHOTOGRAPHED BY TONY SOLURI
Adamo and Eva plates by Fornasetti line the hallway leading to the primary suite, where an untitled work by Anish Kapoor draws the eye.

THE CHALLENGE

The designer’s vision to transform the home’s cramped gallery kitchen into a spacious, statement-making kitchen- living area faced one serious obstacle, notes van der Swan. “The city’s as-built plan didn’t show any structural wall there, but as soon as demolition began, we [discovered that] the wall between the kitchen and living room was load-bearing.” Usually the story would end here, the designer notes, but the team was determined to make it happen. Faced with the structural engineer’s proposal of installing large, obtrusive beams that lacked the sharp, clean lines desired for the project, they got creative. “We incorporated angle iron at each corner, giving the columns the crisp, refined look that aligned with our design vision. The result is a seamless marriage of form and function—an elegant and structurally sound centerpiece that defines the space.”

The moody primary bathroom features Fontanelle sconces by Jonathan Browning for RH, custom Calacatta Antica countertops and a custom vanity designed by Clair van der Swan.

“THE RESULT IS A SEAMLESS MARRIAGE OF FORM AND FUNCTION—AN ELEGANT AND STRUCTURALLY SOUND CENTERPIECE THAT DEFINES THE SPACE.”

The moody primary bathroom features Fontanelle sconces by Jonathan Browning for RH, custom Calacatta Antica countertops and a custom vanity designed by Clair van der Swan.

THE DETAILS

“Several features in this design make a bold statement, blending craftsmanship with an inviting atmosphere,” notes van der Swan. “The custom oak doors, meticulously crafted with mortise and tenon joints, reflect both precision and timelessness in their construction. In the plastered music room, the mood is set by the unusual rope lighting. And in the kitchen, we took a different approach to the marble. Instead of the usual polished or honed finishes, we wanted something unusual, so we selected leathered Alaskan winter marble slabs. This finish offers a tactile warmth that contrasts beautifully with Chicago’s long winters, The marble’s story doesn’t end there—it frames the built-in Miele coffee maker and the wine cellar beneath, bringing an extra layer of sophistication and practicality to the kitchen. These are details we’re particularly proud of, as they seamlessly marry aesthetics and functionality.”

A vintage terra cotta planter from France and the artwork “Selenite Cube Grid” by Bradley Duncan add visual interest to the great room.

THE OUTCOME

Was the project a success? Take it from the satisfied clients themselves, who say “We are very proud of our dream design team—we are waking up every day and loving our home.”

A Cortana fabric panel platform bed with footboard by RH, Stand By pendant lamp by Aqua Creations and Phillip Jeffries’ Amalfi silk wallcovering in Tirreno Blue make for a decidedly cozy primary bedroom.