Houzz Tour: 1960s Home Remodel Marries Old and New
For this Chicago addition and refresh, an interior designer balances splurges and saves
Becky Harris
March 24, 2021
Houzz Contributor. Hi there! I live in a 1940s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe as "collected."
I got into design via Landscape Architecture, which I studied at the University of Virginia.
Houzz Contributor. Hi there! I live in a 1940s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe... More
This Chicago-area couple had bought the husband’s 1,800-square foot childhood home and given it a refresh years ago. But as their family quickly grew from two to six, they needed more space. They added a 700-square-foot, two-story addition that includes a lounge and mudroom on the first floor and a primary bedroom suite and laundry room on the second floor. Interior designer Alessia Loffredo carefully balanced splurges and saves when designing the spaces in the addition, updating the existing kitchen and giving the rooms in the original house a refresh.
Photos by Ryan McDonald
House at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple and their four young children
Location: Outside Chicago
Size: 2,500 square feet (232 square meters); four bedrooms, 2½ bathrooms
Designer: Alessia Loffredo of reDesign home
Contractor: David Ligman of Ligman Construction Group
“The biggest challenge of this project was to marry the new addition and the older part of the house,” Loffredo says. The floors had been refinished within the past few years and the homeowners were happy with them, so she matched them in the addition. “The floor stain was the starting point for the color palette of neutrals and grays,” Loffredo says.
The kitchen, in what was previously the back of the house, was now situated as a central space between the existing dining room and the new lounge. This made it the most important space within the overall scheme. The peninsula on the left marks the spot where the addition begins — the new lounge area is on the other side of it. Loffredo used elements like millwork, the color palette and lighting to create cohesion between the new spaces and the original house.
The kitchen was in pretty good shape — the homeowners had put in new cabinetry and appliances a few years back, and they wanted to leave the layout intact. This was a huge help budget-wise. But the space needed a more sophisticated look to set the tone of the home’s fresh new transitional style.
Loffredo had SemiHandmade reface the cabinets and added the two countertop cabinets on either side of the range for symmetry. She also designed a custom vent hood. “This helped establish the range wall as a focal point,” she says. The splurge-worthy backsplash features hand-glazed tile from Clé.
Loffredo also had her carpenter add legs to the existing island and wrap it in tongue-and-groove paneling. “This dressed it up and made it look custom,” she says.
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House at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple and their four young children
Location: Outside Chicago
Size: 2,500 square feet (232 square meters); four bedrooms, 2½ bathrooms
Designer: Alessia Loffredo of reDesign home
Contractor: David Ligman of Ligman Construction Group
“The biggest challenge of this project was to marry the new addition and the older part of the house,” Loffredo says. The floors had been refinished within the past few years and the homeowners were happy with them, so she matched them in the addition. “The floor stain was the starting point for the color palette of neutrals and grays,” Loffredo says.
The kitchen, in what was previously the back of the house, was now situated as a central space between the existing dining room and the new lounge. This made it the most important space within the overall scheme. The peninsula on the left marks the spot where the addition begins — the new lounge area is on the other side of it. Loffredo used elements like millwork, the color palette and lighting to create cohesion between the new spaces and the original house.
The kitchen was in pretty good shape — the homeowners had put in new cabinetry and appliances a few years back, and they wanted to leave the layout intact. This was a huge help budget-wise. But the space needed a more sophisticated look to set the tone of the home’s fresh new transitional style.
Loffredo had SemiHandmade reface the cabinets and added the two countertop cabinets on either side of the range for symmetry. She also designed a custom vent hood. “This helped establish the range wall as a focal point,” she says. The splurge-worthy backsplash features hand-glazed tile from Clé.
Loffredo also had her carpenter add legs to the existing island and wrap it in tongue-and-groove paneling. “This dressed it up and made it look custom,” she says.
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The designer also added new lighting, faucets and quartz countertops that have the look of marble. “I love natural stone but quartz was better for the budget,” she says. It’s also a more durable finish for a busy family. A small but striking new detail is the cabinet hardware. “I chose oil-rubbed bronze because it feels natural and it will patina over time, which gives it personality,” Loffredo says. “And this is a big family — this finish will never look dirty.”
In a kitchen renovation, Loffredo recommends splurging on lighting and faucets. “These really elevate a space and are worth the investment,” she says. The brass faucet is from Rohl. The clients already had great appliances, including the Wolf range, which allowed for some of the splurges. “If you have the money, put it toward appliances, especially panel-ready refrigerators that you can integrate into a design. It’s worth the investment,” Loffredo says.
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In a kitchen renovation, Loffredo recommends splurging on lighting and faucets. “These really elevate a space and are worth the investment,” she says. The brass faucet is from Rohl. The clients already had great appliances, including the Wolf range, which allowed for some of the splurges. “If you have the money, put it toward appliances, especially panel-ready refrigerators that you can integrate into a design. It’s worth the investment,” Loffredo says.
Browse brass kitchen faucets in the Houzz Shop
Across from the sink, in the lounge, Loffredo dressed up a readymade built-in with a backsplash and countertop. This allows it to serve as an elegant bar. She used the same countertop quartz and backsplash tile she used in the kitchen to connect the spaces.
Wood beams add a natural touch on the ceiling. The glass doors provide an easy flow out to the backyard deck.
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Wood beams add a natural touch on the ceiling. The glass doors provide an easy flow out to the backyard deck.
Shop for tile
The opposite side of the kitchen opens up to the existing dining room. Loffredo gave this space a light makeover with paint, a statement chandelier, new chairs, new drapes and a new rug. “Using an area rug here helps lend a feeling of separation from the kitchen,” she says. She kept her clients’ dining room table but brought in caned chairs.
“We kept the color palette consistent throughout the house for a cohesive feel, but each room can have a twist of its own,” she says. In the dining room, this comes from the colorful, floral-patterned drapes and the glass bead chandelier.
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“We kept the color palette consistent throughout the house for a cohesive feel, but each room can have a twist of its own,” she says. In the dining room, this comes from the colorful, floral-patterned drapes and the glass bead chandelier.
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Previously, the trim had been painted white and the walls were a color. Loffredo flipped this around, painting the millwork a soft gray and the walls ivory. “We kept the color palette the same throughout the house, but you have to test the colors in each room in natural light and at night,” she says. “We will often adjust a white paint to suit the light that’s specific to each room. It takes a lot of time to get this right.”
Across from the dining room is the original living room. The space between them, visible here on the left, is an entry area. The space to the right of the bench used to be a coat closet.
“Because they were getting a new mudroom in this addition, we were able to close off that coat closet and use the space as a pantry for the kitchen,” Loffredo says.
“Because they were getting a new mudroom in this addition, we were able to close off that coat closet and use the space as a pantry for the kitchen,” Loffredo says.
The pantry is just large enough for U-shaped shelving. Loffredo repeated the use of tongue-and-groove paneling inside it. There are electrical outlets in here as well, as the homeowners prefer to use the coffeemaker in the pantry rather than leaving it out on the kitchen counter.
“The builder we used is an excellent carpenter,” Loffredo says. “This is wonderful when you are doing something semicustom. He built these shelves, the vent hood, the island additions, the locker system and more on site.”
Loffredo had a niche cut into the wall to the right of the pantry to create an unobtrusive space for the refrigerator.
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“The builder we used is an excellent carpenter,” Loffredo says. “This is wonderful when you are doing something semicustom. He built these shelves, the vent hood, the island additions, the locker system and more on site.”
Loffredo had a niche cut into the wall to the right of the pantry to create an unobtrusive space for the refrigerator.
Hire a local general contractor
The new mudroom is spacious and has open locker spaces for each child to hang coats and bags and stash their shoes. There’s a coat closet on the opposite side of the room that the parents use. The cubbies near the door serve as a landing zone and provide storage for the parents’ shoes, boots and bags. A mirror hangs above them. The wood on the cubby top and the bench bring in natural warmth. The door leads out to the deck, which leads to the driveway.
“We needed something affordable and durable for the flooring in here so we chose slate,” Loffredo says. “My clients loved the idea of a herringbone pattern, but it wouldn’t have looked right with the way the pattern met different elements in such a small space.” Instead she used a straight grid herringbone pattern, where the tiles meet at 90-degree angles. This pattern meets the corners and lines up with the elements in the room in a way that’s easy on the eye. “This is a great trick,” Loffredo says.
“We needed something affordable and durable for the flooring in here so we chose slate,” Loffredo says. “My clients loved the idea of a herringbone pattern, but it wouldn’t have looked right with the way the pattern met different elements in such a small space.” Instead she used a straight grid herringbone pattern, where the tiles meet at 90-degree angles. This pattern meets the corners and lines up with the elements in the room in a way that’s easy on the eye. “This is a great trick,” Loffredo says.
Upstairs, the addition includes the parents’ bedroom suite and a laundry room. Loffredo matched the moldings to the original part of the house for a cohesive feel.
She used a mix of soft textiles in a range of neutral colors for a relaxing vibe in the bedroom. “Their bedroom is not large and they wanted to fit a king-size bed in here. Keeping things neutral helps it feel bigger,” she says.
She used a mix of soft textiles in a range of neutral colors for a relaxing vibe in the bedroom. “Their bedroom is not large and they wanted to fit a king-size bed in here. Keeping things neutral helps it feel bigger,” she says.
The homeowners’ must-haves for their new bathroom included a soaking tub, a separate toilet room and a double vanity. A splurge was the heated flooring, well worth the investment given Chicago’s long winters. Loffredo balanced the flooring budget by finding an affordable marble tile at a big-box store. She continued the use of tongue-and-groove paneling in here to create cohesion with the rest of the home.
The designer sourced a beautiful readymade walnut vanity to save on the budget. “This one is beautiful and it’s very well made,” she says. She splurged on the faucets and lighting. Arched mirrors, cylindrical and globe-shaped light fixtures and the bathtub add soft curves to the space.
The mirror’s reflection offers a glimpse of the room’s cathedral ceiling. A large wood beam runs along its peak.
The mirror’s reflection offers a glimpse of the room’s cathedral ceiling. A large wood beam runs along its peak.
The new laundry room is cheerful and spacious. “I love the potential for a smaller space. You don’t need a big budget and it’s a good chance to do something interesting,” Loffredo says. “We had some fun in here, like with the penny rounds on the floor.”
The color palette inspiration came from a building she’d admired and photographed in Montreal. “It was this beautiful pale gray and ivory stone and all the trim and moldings were senape [Italian for mustard]. I just loved the way it felt,” Loffredo says.
The color palette inspiration came from a building she’d admired and photographed in Montreal. “It was this beautiful pale gray and ivory stone and all the trim and moldings were senape [Italian for mustard]. I just loved the way it felt,” Loffredo says.
“My clients loved their top-loading washer and wanted to keep it, which meant we couldn’t cover it with a counter. So I designed a countertop space next to the machines,” Loffredo says. She left the bottom open to make room for a hamper. And she reused part of the kitchen’s old countertops, cutting this piece for the top.
Loffredo added high beadboard wainscoting, with a beautiful botanical wallpaper above it. “This wallpaper was the right scale for this small space, and the color palette was perfect with its grays, ivory, blue and yellow,” she says. “My client loves to shop antique stores and thought this boy [in the artwork] looked just like her son. She originally wanted to put it in his room but he didn’t like it, so we found a great spot for it here.”
For her daughter’s room, the mother chose the kaleidoscope-like wallpaper. Loffredo selected the bedding and rug to go with it. She “shopped the house” for the end table. “This had been handed down through the family and it adds a nice touch of wood in here. And it works well as a nightstand,” she says.
Synchronized wallpaper: RoomMates
Synchronized wallpaper: RoomMates
In one of the sons’ rooms, Loffredo reused his furniture but added a new navy quilt and a fun wallpaper. “There’s something soothing and peaceful about a hand-drawn design,” she says. “And this one has firetrucks and policeman and all sorts of fun things on it. He loved it at first sight.” He also loves the vintage duck painting, a good replacement for the boy in the boat that wound up in the laundry room.
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Beautif-would live to knkw the brand of lights sbove the open shelves un the kitchen
SO much to love about this, and I'm not normally a fan of either mid-century or gray. Really wish I could find out details on all the rugs.
LOVE THIS HOUSE!!!