You may not think much of this home in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood from the outside. The red brick and limestone structure cuts a stately, purposely demure profile. However, from the moment you step inside, the residence opens into a welcoming, modern mix of rich color and pattern, anchored by the owners’ contemporary art collection.
To highlight the artwork, which includes works by Banksy, Damien Hirst, and Roy Lichtenstein, James Dolenc and Tom Riker, co-founder of the firm James Thomas, designed a comfortable and refined family home that allows it to stand out. The firm had worked with the clients on several other properties, and for this one they pursued a layered aesthetic focused on textured materials, contemporary forms, and soft colors.
Playing-card wallpaper flanks a vestibule outside the library.
Nick Johnson
“This house feels incredibly sophisticated,” Riker said in a statement. “But there is no room that is off limits or precious. Every space is truly lived in and loved. The art is just part of that story.”
