Home Of The Year/Best Contemporary Residence Winners: Studio Sven, LHP Inc, Nathan Wright Landscaping
Studio Sven conjures up a dramatic West Loop retreat that perfectly captures a creative client’s personality.
Lawson-Fenning’s Counterbalance chandelier adds visual interest to the kitchen, where Joan Miro’s “Le Cracheur de Flammes” also draws the eye.
“His vision was to create a space that fostered moments of reflection and selfdiscovery— for both himself and for guests.”–Lauren Svenstrup
The parlor pops with Eternity Modern’s Mario Bellini sofa in jeweled plum velvet, dramatic built-in shelves by Helm Design and a Keoka rug by Jaipur Living; in the adjacent living room, Marcantonio’s Gorilla chair adds wow factor.
The Client
Formerly a live/work space with a ground floor art gallery designed for entertaining and a private residence on the upper two floors, the building’s new owner envisioned the three-story building as a more private retreat—think invitation-only events like fire-dancing in the experiential ground-floor space, with more intimate gatherings in the upstairs personal residence. His first step? Reaching out to Studio Sven principal Lauren Svenstrup to make it happen.
Custom fiber art by Kris Clemons Fiiber Works makes the stairway a visual moment.
The Priority
Explains Svenstrup of the client, a new homeowner and bachelor eager to embark on the next chapter of his life, “He wanted a home that would allow him to reflect on the influential phases of his past, including his time spent living in an artist enclave in West Oakland, Calif. His interest in art leaned more toward the experiential than the visual, and his vision was to create a space that fostered moments of reflection and self-discovery—for both himself and for guests. While he dreamed of a home designed for entertaining, his primary goal was to craft a space that truly reflected his personality, hobbies, passions, and achievements—artful, yet a little weird.”
The cabinetry of the wet bar in the first-floor dance studio/event space was built on-site by LHP, Inc from raw plywood, stained black and left unsealed with raw edges for an industrial feel; David Crawford’s sculpture “Marionette” is visible at right.
The Challenge
Time was of the essence, noted Svenstrup. “Our client was living on his sailboat in the Chicago harbor during construction, with the approach of fall adding pressure to complete the project. Before we could design for a new chapter, we needed to clear away the remnants of the home’s past. The property was sold fully furnished, including not just the furniture, but also fine art pieces and even a baby grand piano. To clear the space, we enlisted Rivich Auctions to auction off all the items. However, we chose to keep the Noguchi coffee table from the living room and an appropriately bizarre puppet sculpture featured in the dance studio. The dance floor required some significant engineering. To create a seamless space, we had to raise everything else on stationary platforms, including the kitchen, bathroom and built-ins. Maintaining a continuous plane when part of the floor was designed to move presented some unique challenges. The most challenging yet rewarding aspect of the project was immersing ourselves in our client’s perspective. We invested in understanding Buddhist meditation practices and performance arts to ensure the space truly spoke to his passions.”
In the living room, a custom sofa by Comfort Upholstery in Fabricut’s Lulu Velvet Paprika, rug by Atelier Agahzadeh and the client’s existing Noguchi coffee table combine to striking effect.
“We invested in understanding buddhist meditation practices and performance arts to ensure the space truly spoke to his passions.”
Artwork by New Yorkbased artist Vicky Barranguet stars in the dining room, which also features Sydney chairs by Lulu and Georgia, an Arles table by RH and meditation stones from Pagoda Red.
The Details
From the home’s industrial yet warm overall aesthetic (meant to honor the clients’ years living in an artist’s enclave) to its bold use of color, statement-making textures and wholly reconfigured floor plan, the project is packed with thoughtful and intentional touches—none more so than the primary suite’s dedicated meditation space. “After learning more about his meditation practices, we sought to create a space that felt transcendent and transported him to another place,” explains Svenstrup. “Our goal was to make the transition into this space architectural, framing and isolating it without adding doors. In our research, we discovered a shape in Buddhist culture that perfectly captured the feeling we wanted our client to experience when entering the space. Enter: Moon Gate, [whose shape of a circle (representing yin or heaven) outside a rectangle (representing yang or earth) symbolizes the connection the of the earthly world to the heavenly world].”
One of the home’s true “wow” moments is the eye-catching bedroom, where a fire-themed photograph by Curtis Finger, a pair of large Circus Pouf ottomans by Morlen Sinoway and a custom moongate arch by LHP, Inc are brought to dramatic life by Benjamin Moore’s Polished Slate wall paint and Navy Masterpiece ceiling paint.
The Outcome
Sums up Svenstrup, “Our client was very pleased with how the space came together, seeing it as a true extension of his passions, memories and hobbies. Our design was intended to evolve with him over time. We integrated numerous built-ins and surfaces specifically designed to display the oddities and artwork he will continue to collect throughout his life. To help him develop his personal style, we initially filled the shelves with carefully chosen placeholders, leaving ample room for his collection to expand. This approach empowered him to confidently acquire art pieces that hold personal significance. Every time I’ve visited since the project was completed, I’ve discovered a new treasure or piece of art thoughtfully added to the shelves.”
Benjamin Moore’s Cushing Green paint plays strikingly with the existing wall tile in a powder room photographed by RYAN MCDONALD
The outdoor space beckons with a lounge area featuring Crate & Barrel’s Zuma outdoor sectional, Basil outdoor end tables from Four Hands and Regina Andrew’s Bistro outdoor pendant, all tucked under a pergola constructed by LHP, Inc.
The outdoor dining area features a Lyon table by Moe’s Home and Portia chairs by Four Hands.
Type
Multi-level townhome
Location
West Loop
Builders/Painters
LHP Inc
lhp-inc.com
Interior Design
Studio Sven
studiosven.com
Millwork
Helm Design
helmdesign.studio
Plasterwork
Vincent Grech
vincentgrech.com
Artistic Tile
Kitchen tile
artistictile.com
Barron Custom Furniture
Custom shrine box in bedroom
barroncustomfurniture.com
Comfort Upholstery
Custom living room sofa
comfortupholstery.com
Eternity Modern
Sofa in parlor
eternitymodern.com
Jaipur Living
Rugs in bedroom and parlor
jaipurliving.com
Morlen Sinoway Atelier
Ottomans in bedroom
morlensinoway.com
Redefined Decor
Various accessories
redefineddecor.com
RH
Dining table
rh.com
Studio Nordhaven
Lamps in media room and parlor
studionordhaven.com
Urban Workroom
Window coverings throughout
urbanworkroom.com
Photography by: RYAN MCDONALD
