Midwest college town Champaign, IL, is not exactly known for cutting edge residential architecture so when this custom contemporary was built in 1996 it was the talk of the town. Designed by local architect G.T. Hardwick, it was commissioned by a local successful business owner who was retiring and desiring a slice of solitude amongst the trees. It's changed hands a couple of times since and was most recently purchased last year by the inaugural director of the new design school at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. The home was in dire need of updating and so the new owner turned to one of her closest friends, an interior designer and architectural color specialist, to assist with the new design.