The Hemingway House
Project Designer: Loria Hartman, Naperville Senior Designer
Often when couples become empty-nesters, they choose to downsize. Not for clients Nichole and Claude, however, who found their dream home in this sprawling estate in Lake Bluff, Illinois. The home was a historic one, a charming colonial style home built in 1941 for Hadley Richardson Hemingway, the first wife of Ernest Hemingway, and their son Jack. The rich history of the house and its incredible location, complete with a private beach on Lake Michigan, made this an opportunity they couldn't pass up. The home was much larger than their previous home and needed a lot of updating, leaving them feeling overwhelmed with the project.
After browsing our website, they came across the portfolio of Naperville Smithe designer Loria Hartman and liked what they saw in her work and experience. They reached out for her help. "That was one of the best decisions we made concerning our new home," says Nichole. "Loria went above and beyond to understand what we wanted and always offered a variety of options for us to choose from."
Loria got to work, honing in on their style and creating some floor plans from the listing measurements. Once they moved in, she went on several home consultations to measure and get a better scope of the project. She selected the furniture, fabrics and finishes, and completed the project with rugs, accessories, lighting and one of her specialties, window treatments. It was important to keep the stunning views as a focus in each room, but also give them privacy when needed. She found solutions including motorized Hunter Douglas blinds and beautiful drapery panels that coordinate with the style of each room. This, in tandem with their smart home automation system, provides simple use and programming across the entire house to operate window treatments either on a schedule or “as needed” operation.
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Their Dream Home
The project was extensive - this historic house built in 1941 features a 14,000+ square foot floor plan, complete with a large pool, several guest rooms, rooftop balconies overlooking Lake Michigan, and a private beach. The house itself is on higher land than where the lake is, so it even has a funicular car to bring them down to the beach. There is plenty of room for family and friends to come and stay as well, including 3 guest suites within the home and a separate guest house. Nichole and Claude have 4 dogs enjoying the comforts of their new home, and have their own yard to run and play.
Entry and Dining Room
Nichole and Claude were looking for a more modern feel that still works well with the classic style of the house. Right when you walk in, you see a stunning cabinet drawing you in. Just off the entryway is arguably the most showstopping room - the formal dining room. A modern live-edge table is paired with stunning blue velvet chairs, topped off by the glam chandelier. The blues were brought into the design to work with the unique blue marble fireplace that was part of the original architecture.
Kitchen
The kitchen was another big project in the renovation of the home. Nichole and Claude worked with Loria to update to their style, selecting new flooring and tile, updating the cabinets from a dark cherry to a clean white, and selecting the furniture and lighting.
Living Room
Between the dining room and pool area is a large living room - so large it needed to be divided into several spaces. Loria coordinated the different sections including a tv area with a sectional, a more formal seating area overlooking the lake, a small sitting area, and bar area, so they visually flow with color and style.
Primary Bedroom
The primary bedroom is a very large space with an expansive wall of windows and doors, a private deck that looks out to Lake Michigan, a unique green marble fireplace, and built in coffee bar. Nichole and Claude wanted a modern yet comfortable look for the space, and it was important to incorporate the green marble into the design. The main wall was a perfect spot to bring in a modern edge to the space with a black textured accent wall and a showstopping bed. The window treatments were also done along the balcony, including power shades on the doors and windows that simply disappear visually when not in use.
His & Hers Office Spaces
Claude and Nichole both spend time working from home, so separate office spaces were important. Each space reflects their personal styles. Claude's room overlooks the Lake Michigan side of the home, and brings in rich blues and cognac colors of water and earth. Nichole's office is colorful and glam, with a fun modern desk, a comfortable spot to kick back with a good book, and bright pops of fuschia.
Guest Rooms
Claude and Nichole have 3 grown children, so having comfortable guest rooms was important. They wanted friends and family to visit and feel welcomed. To us, the guest rooms feel more like hotel suites than regular rooms, each having sitting areas, desk spaces, and luxurious beds to make their guests feel at home.
Guest House
The property even features a lovely guest house, complete with a living room area, dining, and kitchen. It's the perfect place for family and friends to visit, yet have their own space, with easy access to the lake.
A Dream Home for Dream Clients
The transformation of the home was an incredible one, and Nichole and Claude could not be happier. "We are so grateful to Loria each and every day because we get to wake up in our dream home, because of her passion for design and expertise," says Nichole. "Not only did Loria nail it, but her communication and friendliness throughout the whole project was done with excellence. We get so many compliments from people on how much they love the furniture and entire design in every room, and we owe our thanks to her for this."
Loria is just as pleased with the results. When asked what her favorite part of the project was, she said, "I honestly can't even choose. But if I had to, I would say the "autonomy of choice" they gifted me. From the start, they trusted me that I would bring their vision to life and allowed me to seamlessly do the whole house, which is such an honor and a privilege. They were absolutely lovely and we became very good friends during the process."
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