The Details on the Warren Home
The Project
This late Victorian Chicago row home is my personal design laboratory, and honestly, my greatest ongoing obsession. Built in 1887, it came with extraordinary bones; intricate door and window casings, original millwork, three original fireplaces, and the kind of architectural character that simply cannot be replicated or ignored. I've been here for four years, and while the main spaces have taken shape, this home is truly never finished. Honestly? That's exactly how I like it. Every room is a living, breathing work in progress, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
The Inspo
The architecture always leads, and in this house, it had a lot to say. Rather than simply honoring the original details, I leaned in completely; the entryway doors got a coat of deep olive green to let them have their moment, and the intricate millwork was treated with the reverence it deserves. A mix of vintage and new lighting, family heirlooms, and an ever-growing art collection gathered over years of very intentional (okay, slightly obsessive) collecting anchor the space, including my grandmother's dining table, a piece I now treasure as the heart of my home. An eclectic mix of vintage furniture keeps everything feeling fresh and very much alive rather than frozen in time.
The Client
The most demanding client I've ever worked for: myself. My husband and I bought this home together, and I was determined to make it truly ours. A place to relax and recharge, a space that inspires us as two entrepreneurs, and a home that was built to entertain. We share it with our dog Carl, and there is always cooking happening, music playing, friends around the dinner table playing cards late into the night, and on any given weekend a rotating cast of dogs giving Carl a run for his money. The art is real, the vintage furniture is custom upholstered, and Carl has never once been told to get off the furniture because beautiful and deeply liveable spaces are never mutually exclusive.