Thoughtful Refresh for a Historic Home in Illinois
A couple — a boutique owner and a contractor — unearth structural gems original to their 1880s Chicago-area Victorian
Julie Sheer
July 1, 2019
Houzz Contributor; journalist with more than two decades of experience as a graphics editor and writer at the Los Angeles Times and Chicago Tribune; outdoor guidebook author; lover of all things outdoors, nature and wildlife. Follow me at https://westcentric.wordpress.com/
Houzz Contributor; journalist with more than two decades of experience as a graphics... More
When Laura Kitsos and husband, Michael Mariottini, were in the market for a new house in Oak Park, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, they looked at more than 50 homes. But they could not find a house they liked. The urban-like suburb is known for its historic homes and for being the birthplace of architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s Prairie School. When their real estate agent alerted them about a new listing, the couple quickly went to the 1880s-era Victorian home and decided to buy it as soon as they walked in, even though it was pretty run-down. “Our Realtor knew we’d like it, and pulled out a contract,” Kitsos says.
Photos by Rachel Loewen
House at a Glance
Who lives here: Laura Kitsos, owner of Gem Jewelry Boutique; Michael Mariottini, a general contractor; sons Noah, 20, and Ben, 18; and dog Coco
Location: Oak Park, Illinois
Size: About 2,200 square feet (204 square meters); three bedrooms upstairs plus two in the basement; 3½ bathrooms
The home was in rough shape, but since Mariottini is a contractor, the couple knew they could faithfully restore it. During the two years of the main renovation, they discovered some hidden architectural features they brought back to life, and have since filled the home with their own personal treasures. They also added space to the second floor, creating a master suite. Kitsos used photos she found on Houzz for inspiration during the process. She got hooked on Houzz years ago when a friend was custom-building a home in Hood River, Oregon.
The dining room has a mix of old and new furnishings put together by Kitsos, similar to how she curates jewelry for her business. The bubble chandelier, dining table and chairs were purchased new, as was the rug, one of the few in the home that’s not vintage. She picked up the sideboard at a thrift store and refinished it. “I buy what I love and put it together. I don’t believe in going to one store and buying everything in one fell swoop. I like to curate,” Kitsos says.
How to Create and Use Ideabooks
House at a Glance
Who lives here: Laura Kitsos, owner of Gem Jewelry Boutique; Michael Mariottini, a general contractor; sons Noah, 20, and Ben, 18; and dog Coco
Location: Oak Park, Illinois
Size: About 2,200 square feet (204 square meters); three bedrooms upstairs plus two in the basement; 3½ bathrooms
The home was in rough shape, but since Mariottini is a contractor, the couple knew they could faithfully restore it. During the two years of the main renovation, they discovered some hidden architectural features they brought back to life, and have since filled the home with their own personal treasures. They also added space to the second floor, creating a master suite. Kitsos used photos she found on Houzz for inspiration during the process. She got hooked on Houzz years ago when a friend was custom-building a home in Hood River, Oregon.
The dining room has a mix of old and new furnishings put together by Kitsos, similar to how she curates jewelry for her business. The bubble chandelier, dining table and chairs were purchased new, as was the rug, one of the few in the home that’s not vintage. She picked up the sideboard at a thrift store and refinished it. “I buy what I love and put it together. I don’t believe in going to one store and buying everything in one fell swoop. I like to curate,” Kitsos says.
How to Create and Use Ideabooks
The homeowners brought useful skills to their home’s renovation. Mariottini, pictured here with Kitsos, works as a general contractor on high-end homes in some of Chicago’s most historic neighborhoods, and hired a carpenter, woodworker and historic-cabinet maker to work on their home.
Kitsos has a great eye for design. “I collect antiques, and I love flea markets. It’s something I’ve been doing my whole life,” she says. While she was working in Portland, Oregon, managing a furniture boutique, her boss urged her to pursue a hobby in her downtime. So she started making and selling jewelry, and now has a jewelry business of her own, presenting the work of artists across the U.S.
Kitsos has a great eye for design. “I collect antiques, and I love flea markets. It’s something I’ve been doing my whole life,” she says. While she was working in Portland, Oregon, managing a furniture boutique, her boss urged her to pursue a hobby in her downtime. So she started making and selling jewelry, and now has a jewelry business of her own, presenting the work of artists across the U.S.
The couple returned the exterior of the home to its former glory by removing layers of old siding. There was aluminum siding, and deteriorated shingles beneath that, and finally the original clapboard, which they spruced up, replacing sections that had rotted. While restoring the unique peaked windows, they made a lucky discovery: A unique Gothic-style border with scroll detailing had been hidden by shutters. “There was this border around the windows, and we had no idea it was there,” Kitsos says.
Find a general contractor near you on Houzz
Find a general contractor near you on Houzz
Before Photo
Before: Here’s what the exterior looked like before the aluminum siding was removed. The clapboard underneath wasn’t in the best shape. “We ended up pulling off probably more than a third of it, because it was rotting,” Kitsos says. “We ended up restoring and replacing it to match the original wood. We painted it a gray color and put on a new roof.”
Drawing: Ducar Associates Architects
This is the floor plan for the first floor and basement.
This is the floor plan for the first floor and basement.
Before Photo
Before: Here’s a view from the former dining room into the living room, showing two of the things Kitsos definitely wanted to change: “Carpet was everywhere, and curtains were everywhere.” The space had features worth saving, however, including handsome wood molding. “The molding is all original, which is beautiful,” Kitsos says. But some of the molding had to be restored. “We had it stripped and painted with brushstrokes so it looks older and not caked with paint,” she says.
After: During the renovation, the couple discovered another hidden architectural feature: Paneled pocket doors were stuck in the wall between the dining room and living room. “They’re really beautiful. We pried them out, and they had a million coats of paint,” Kitsos says. The couple had the paint stripped off and liked the natural finish so much that they kept it, adding a sealer.
The new flooring is oak stained black. When they moved in, Kitsos says you could see through the floors into the basement. The existing surface was white pine subflooring; the couple installed new oak atop the old pine.
The antique Asian chest seen here is from a consignment shop in Oak Park. The couple bought the painting of the nude at a flea market in Paris on their honeymoon. The big geode is a crystal, and the two lions are from an antiques store.
A Beginner’s Mini Guide to Buying Antiques
The new flooring is oak stained black. When they moved in, Kitsos says you could see through the floors into the basement. The existing surface was white pine subflooring; the couple installed new oak atop the old pine.
The antique Asian chest seen here is from a consignment shop in Oak Park. The couple bought the painting of the nude at a flea market in Paris on their honeymoon. The big geode is a crystal, and the two lions are from an antiques store.
A Beginner’s Mini Guide to Buying Antiques
Here’s another look between the pocket doors into the dining room. The piece of art in the middle was painted by a Lithuanian artist; Kitsos bought it at a local show for her 30th birthday. “I collect art, and I buy myself a major painting for every big birthday,” she says.
This cozy corner of the dining room is anchored by a reupholstered armchair. The art of ravens above it is by local artist Sandra Dawson, who exhibited the piece at a library series on Edgar Allan Poe.
Wall paint: Collingwood, Benjamin Moore
Hire an upholstery professional near you
Wall paint: Collingwood, Benjamin Moore
Hire an upholstery professional near you
The distinctive peaked floor-to-ceiling windows are a dominant feature in the living room. The pink tufted velvet sofa is from the family’s previous home, and the lamps in the living room are mostly vintage. Kitsos says some of her favorite artwork is in this room. The colorful art next to the fireplace, on the left side of the photo, is a portrait of Picasso by artist Peter Keil.
Wall paint: Chelsea Gray, Benjamin Moore
Wall paint: Chelsea Gray, Benjamin Moore
This tufted lavender sofa has vintage tapestries and pillows that Kitsos bought from dealers. The Moroccan rug also is vintage.
The edge of the fireplace, with its original marble mantel, and the TV above it are on the right side of the photo. Kitsos is debating how to camouflage the TV. She says if she had it to do again, she’d buy an “art TV” that displays art images when the television is off.
How to Hide Your TV in Plain Sight
The edge of the fireplace, with its original marble mantel, and the TV above it are on the right side of the photo. Kitsos is debating how to camouflage the TV. She says if she had it to do again, she’d buy an “art TV” that displays art images when the television is off.
How to Hide Your TV in Plain Sight
The open shelves next to the fireplace are used to display some special items. The abstract art is of son Noah and was painted by a friend for the cover of an album Noah did. A friend saw the painting at a gallery and called her, and she bought the original portrait. The green articulated antique lamp is one of two from Chicago’s Randolph Street Market that spotlight the art and are hardwired into the wall as sconces. Other special items on the shelves include a silver jewelry box from Kitsos’ grandmother and Kitsos’ dad’s ashes.
Three tall, slim black bookcases anchor the other side of the living room. More of Kitsos’ favorite items line the shelves. “There’s a lot of curious stuff I’ve collected over the years…iconic symbols, Buddhist pieces, a few things I picked up at that Paris flea market,” she says. The antique doll heads are from Midland Art and Antiques Market in Indianapolis. The number five is from her husband, who gives her a number for each wedding anniversary. Kitsos’ aversion to curtains lets the windows display their beauty curtain-free.
Before Photo
Before: Before it was gutted, the kitchen was pretty basic and in need of some updating, which included replacing cabinets that were likely from the 1940s and installing a dishwasher. “We hand-washed dishes for a year,” Kitsos says.
Find a local kitchen contractor on Houzz
Find a local kitchen contractor on Houzz
After: The kitchen got a complete makeover. New molding was created to match molding in the rest of the house, and the couple had new cabinets built. They used honed marble for the countertops and backsplash. Kitsos says she finds the marble easy to maintain, despite its reputation as being a bit high-maintenance. “It’s not perfect, but that’s what I love about it. It ages enough to look lived in and doesn’t look shabby. There’s something about marble that’ll never go out style,” she says.
The island seats four and is where the family eats most meals. “If we have people over, we’ll use the dining room. We’re outside in the summer on the deck every night,” Kitsos says.
The family uses this nook as an extension of the kitchen. Kitsos says she enjoys having her morning coffee here, and it’s a comfortable and sunny spot for entertaining. “If we have people over, it’s like a kitchen that has living room furniture,” she says. “It gets a lot of east light, and the sliding door opens onto the deck, so it’s kind of an in-out room.”
Kitsos says they were initially puzzled by what to do with the large wall in this space. They considered built-in shelving but lucked out and found, in her words, a “really tall, massive cabinet” that’s only about 12 inches deep, has plenty of storage and fits perfectly. The unique sconce next to it is an antique Italian candle fixture from the Randolph Street Market in Chicago.
Kitsos says they were initially puzzled by what to do with the large wall in this space. They considered built-in shelving but lucked out and found, in her words, a “really tall, massive cabinet” that’s only about 12 inches deep, has plenty of storage and fits perfectly. The unique sconce next to it is an antique Italian candle fixture from the Randolph Street Market in Chicago.
Behind the wall with the massive cabinet is a narrow mudroom in a hall that leads to a petite powder room. The powder room was supposed to be wallpapered, but then Kitsos liked the distressed black look of the primer so much that she kept it and skipped the wallcovering. The painting of the woman is from Midland Art and Antiques Market, and Kitsos “tattooed” it with drawings of an eye, a crown and a diamond, a nod to her jewelry business.
Drawing: Ducar Associates Architects
Here’s the floor plan for the home’s upper level, where a master suite was added.
Here’s the floor plan for the home’s upper level, where a master suite was added.
The Ethan Allen bed in the master bedroom is a modern take on 18th-century styling, and Kitsos calls it her “dream bed.” The painting of the girl on a swing above the bed was inherited from Kitsos’ grandmother. The dog painting is from an estate sale in Dallas.
Wall paint: Ozark Shadows, Benjamin Moore
Wall paint: Ozark Shadows, Benjamin Moore
Here’s a peek into the master bathroom from the bedroom.
Before Photo
Before: This is the previous upstairs bathroom. It had no shower, only this claw-foot tub.
After: Everything in the master bathroom was custom-built. The couple found rectangular slabs of marble and used it for the floors and walls. The vanity counter is a marble remnant from a stone shop.
Find a local bathroom designer
Find a local bathroom designer
“The claw-foot tub is original to the house. We ended up building the bathroom around it,” Kitsos says. The couple repainted the outside of the tub but didn’t need to reglaze the inside.
Here’s another look at how well the tub’s dark exterior contrasts with the marble walls.
Before Photo
Before: This was a small bedroom upstairs that eventually became the sons’ bathroom.
After: The sons’ bathroom features white subway tile with dark grout on the wall and hexagonal tile on the floor, a handsome contrast to the gray walls, painted in Kendall Charcoal by Benjamin Moore.
A bright white pedestal sink with spindle legs next to one of the home’s original peaked windows gives the sons’ bathroom a vintage feel.
Before: The standard rectangular front door had a decorative piece above it with a peak that matched the shape of the home’s windows. During the renovation, the couple discovered a transom window under the peaked decorative piece.
After: The homeowners had a new front door made, shaped to match the peaked windows, and stained it a high-gloss black. They also had a screen door made in the same shape, and new molding installed.
The stairway from the foyer to the second floor has new elements, including a banister and spindle posts. “I wanted it to look like a Brooklyn brownstone banister. I found a picture of that main post and ended up having our woodworker emulate the same curves,” Kitsos says.
The stairway from the foyer to the second floor has new elements, including a banister and spindle posts. “I wanted it to look like a Brooklyn brownstone banister. I found a picture of that main post and ended up having our woodworker emulate the same curves,” Kitsos says.
Everything on the back deck is new, as well as the deck itself. The backyard was “in rough shape,” Kitsos says, and new sod and plantings were put in.
Here’s the front porch, which was rebuilt during the renovation. The sign is from Kitsos’ mother, who got it in rural Indiana and hung it on the front porch of her parents’ summer cottage on a lake.
Kitsos, son Ben and dog Coco relax on the front porch. The homeowner says she most enjoys the family-friendly aspects of her home and neighborhood: “To me, it’s just so livable and cozy and feels like such a great family house. I love the location. We can walk to everything. And I love having a front porch and back deck.”
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See more photos of this home
My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more projects.
More on Houzz
See other home tours
Find an interior designer
Shop for home products
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I don’t get this current fad of doing away with window coverings. Curtains, shades or shutters finish a window. Window covering provide a much needed feeling of enclosure — and privacy — at night.
What a beautiful home. Love all the art work.
This is one of my favorite homes..love the colors...so many personal touches that make it feel so homey and welcoming...My eye keeps going back to the colors in the dining room, so much thought and intention.