Pops of color, textured walls and a sparkling kitchen island make this home by KitchenLab Interiors a standout on the city’s northwest side.
Chairs and a rug from West Elm add visual interest to the warm and welcoming sitting room.
THE PROJECT
Word of mouth has been one of the best methods of gaining new clients for KitchenLab Interiors’ Rebekah Zaveloff—especially when it comes to this full four-bed, four-bath renovation in Logan Square. A prior client recommended the designer to the homeowners, and the rest was history. “It was hugely flattering because [designing] is truly my passion,” Zaveloff says. The project? A 2,820-square-foot graystone that was built in 1900 and then renovated in the ’80s. “The character had been just completely removed,” she admits. “The space didn't flow the way a vintage, turn-of-the-century home would be laid out.”
A colorful painting by Sally Ko Art (sallyko.com) makes the second-floor landing really pop.
THE PRIORITIES
A wow factor upon entering the abode was an absolute must for the clients, according to Zaveloff. So they focused on the first floor first. Zaveloff replaced the front door and added salon-style rooms from the original floor plans that had been taken out by the previous owners. New floors transformed the home with beautiful gray oak veneer. The front room was made into the music room, as the husband is a musician. In the space, a graphic black-and-white palette takes center stage, along with an edgy rock aesthetic thanks to artwork of Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash (not to mention a custom-made record table). Zaveloff describes the rest of the home as midcentury modern mixed with rawer accents. “There is this industrial influence where what was needed is in each room; it’s not overlayered.” Other priorities included a full kitchen demo, the guest bathroom, the first-floor powder room and a full renovation upstairs.
The kitchen features a stunning quartzite waterfall center island plus industrial-chic stools by Industry West.
THE CHALLENGE
The biggest challenge Zaveloff ran into was the pandemic. Having started the renovation process in winter 2020, her team was further into the project when everything shut down, but it still caused them to run about two months behind schedule. Luckily, the clients hadn’t sold their previous home yet, which alleviated the pressure for a timely move-in.
The primary bedroom is highlighted by furniture from ABC Home, Ethnicraft and Jayson Home with drapery by RH.
THE OUTCOME
Although some furniture was still back-ordered when the clients finally moved in, they were thrilled. “In a way, it was one of our bigger reveal jobs,” notes Zaveloff. “The before and after is just crazy.”
Because the clients didn’t have strong feelings about the design of the bathrooms, Zaveloff was able to go all out, resulting in a vibrant Benjamin Moore Chrome Green vanity and cabinets in the guest bathroom, eye-popping David Hicks wallpaper in the powder room and a textural white backsplash in the primary.
Photography by: MICHAEL ALAN KASKEL
