This Sophisticated Chicago Maisonette Is Bursting With Bold Color
When James Dolenc and Tom Riker, co-founders of Chicago-based studio James Thomas, were approached for a project in 2023 by a prominent Chicago-based couple, they were given one rule: It can’t look like everyone else’s home.
The home is the sole maisonette in a Lucien Lagrange-designed complex in the city’s tony Gold Coast neighborhood, where the leafy, tree-lined streets are comprised of a mixture of grand mansions, historic row houses, and high-rise apartments. The couple, who maintain multiple homes, sought to replace the apartment’s luxurious but ordinary existing interiors with something totally unique, using their contemporary art collection as the driving force. The wife, part of a generational real estate development business, is familiar with luxury design, and as someone who has seen it all, tapped the design duo to push the envelope. The residence, which has the only private courtyard in the building, has five bedrooms, though three of them are used as a gym, an office, and a playroom for their grandchildren.
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“She came in with a very strong vision, which was intoxicating for us as designers,” James Dolenc tells Robb Report. “She wanted pieces that had relevance to the existing architecture that are high-quality and can support and elevate the artwork. It was very important for her that the furniture wasn’t a backdrop but a supporting cast member to the art.”
James Thomas worked alongside interior architect Chip von Weise and Bulley and Andrews Residential and Restoration, a preeminent construction firm in Chicago. The only major change to the existing residence was the kitchen, which they completely gutted. Much of the apartment was wrapped in dark mahogany and dark paint, so they brightened the space up by painting the majority of the walls white. Riker explains that because the artwork has so much color, they wanted to give it a neutral, calm backdrop.
The building has a distinct Parisian influence, which Dolenc and Riker wanted to honor on the inside, so there is a European vibe with heavy doses of vibrant color to support the artwork. The client wanted each space to sing and shine with personality, especially as the couple entertains quite a bit. “It was a fantastic team with a client that understood—it was not her first rodeo,” Tom Riker says.
“We always feel that color needs to be used thoughtfully,” Dolenc explains. “There aren’t 10 colors in each room. We accented the artwork with textiles and coverings, like the blue chairs in the dining room reflect the same blue in one of the art pieces on the wall. You don’t want to have your eye dance around the room with 20 different colors, which wouldn’t have been supportive of the architecture or the art.”
Communal spaces include the light-filled living room, which features a Juliet balcony and a velvet banquette with a couple of small tables for cocktails or intimate meals. It’s anchored by bright pieces of artwork and sculptural light fixtures by Paul Ferrante, with an additional two chairs positioned for convivial . It’s not your typical formal living room, which was the point, but perfectly complements the formal dining room.
The custom kitchen, featuring a La Cornue range, is filled with brilliant texture, from the marble countertops, backsplashes, and kitchen island to the sleek pewter-hued cabinetry. Details like an elegant coffered ceiling, dark wood floors, and arched doorways are eye-catching design elements that enhance the space. There’s also an informal dining table and TV.
Perhaps the star of the residence is the library, painted a glossy peacock blue hue with a hand-painted tortoiseshell ceiling by a local Chicago artist. The cozy, spirited room connects to a bar painted the same hue and features a groin-vaulted ceiling, silver-leafed walls and pewter countertops.
“The library is kind of off the charts,” Dolenc says. “It was our idea to do the tortoiseshell ceiling. Our client is so sophisticated and was excited when we brought it up. We definitely had to impress her, so we had to be very creative.”
Because the communal spaces are bright and bold, the clients wanted a calm space to retreat to, so for the primary bedroom, a muted gray color palette with printed wallpaper was employed, along with a serene, spa-like bathroom. And, for the playroom for their grandchildren, Dolenc and Riker framed some of the husband’s many classic rock albums and placed them on the wall. Bits of the furniture, including a couple of molded plastic Verner Panton chairs, and accent pieces throughout the room match the colors found in the album covers.
The design duo was particularly excited about the powder room, which Dolenc calls “a jewel box of a space.” It has a Regency-style chest alongside a contemporary blue marble sink. The marble continues on the walls and the floor, and there’s a double mirror. “There’s a lot going on here, but in a good way,” Dolenc says. “It’s a super dramatic space that we think turned out very beautifully.”
Adding to the maisonette’s appeal is a beautiful courtyard that has pristine landscaping and ample seating.
Click here for more photos of the Chicago maisonette.
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