Chicago Church Becomes a Home for a Music Lover
Tim Gray’s living room was once lined with pews. Today, the recently renovated space has an open-concept lounge feel with exposed timbers and pops of rich color. But from 1920 until about 2004, the structure in Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood was a church.
Though two owners worked to convert the building to single-family use before Gray bought it, he’s the first to live in the completed house. And with the help of designer Dan Rak, who found inspiration in Gray’s love of music and the building’s history, life is echoing off the soaring ceilings again.
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Outstanding
Really tranquil space and beautiful design. Glad you found a designer who "got" you :)
I love this place - what a wonderful place to call 'home'. Was any of the furniture purchased from Houzz? Especially the orange/ green chairs?
Thanks!
Maybe Arlo G. will stop by to play with you... LOL Great lookin project (home). Nice work.
The house and the furniture look amazing! As are the exposed brick and wood beams. Nicely done!
Love everything about the color palette, the use of the different materials and the sophistication. Please call me if you ever sell!!
AMAZING! Fell in love with the dog, too!
beautiful design, honoring the architectural framework, with color, art, and most importantly the clients personality. Inviting, practical , and unique, loved this!!!
God forbid that it should look as if this guy just took up residence in an abandoned chapel. Naturally it would not do to retain ecclesiastical trappings in the repurposing---pews, crosses, monstrances, and the like (which I happen to love reused in more inherently domestic environments). But it is nice how the doors and windows have kept their Gothic headers and look hip in the process. The transformation of this structure is intelligent and way cool. The only thing is that I was hoping to hear the owner is an organist and kept the building's original instrument, but that, I guess, would be a pipe dream.
@gguilf Here's a Houzz Shop ideabook that can point you to some of the items in the home. Enjoy! https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/115924763
Amazing job! I love the main social area not only is open but it gives you different spaces within the main space. Also the natural light, the materials used work perfect!
I know how he feels. I am sooo lucky to live in the house that I live in!
Great color on the front facade, and the iron fence. Beautiful.
A masterpiece
Is the brushed nickle panel over the stove an exhaust fan? If so, that is the coolest. So much more non-intrusive than an exhaust hood.
Perfection!
Love this!
This is the first and only church conversion that I have ever thought was really well designed. I wouldn't want random people walking in though.
Excellent design. Beautiful tribute to the church’s past while bringing it into the present.
Absolutely beautiful renovation... and critically important, big dog friendly!
Really nice. |n almost all of Canada high cielings mean accessive $ spent on heating a home and needing help to do the big Spring cleaning, infact lots of regular cleaning too. Open concept homes keep you from closing off the unused rooms once the furnace is turned on for 6 months. As we must act responsibly towards the environment to save our resources and ourselves such a huge and lovely home is only wishful thinking for most of us.
Excellent decor that works with the structure - some I've seen just appear to violate the building. But to me a church should always be a church, although he appears to respect its heritage.
“Look at the style of the architecture that you’re working with,” Rak says. “You can certainly inject some more contemporary leanings if you’d like to, but overall you just need to be cognizant of the architectural style and the history, that it’s respected.” Wish more designers would embrace this philosophy when working with buildings as have seen many on Houzz that sadly don't do this. A designer with this attitude would definitely win me over.
what a beautiful pad...
and awsome acoustics!
Definitely a guys den ,very well designed by a guy for guys.
I am a girl through and through I love romantic,color and plants.