Houzz Tour: Modern Update for a Traditional Home
A mix of abstract art, fun wallcoverings and contemporary furniture freshens up this suburban Chicago family home
The young professional couple had loved high-rise condo living in Chicago’s Lincoln Park and had begun raising their family there. But with their children growing older, they felt it was time for a move to the suburbs. The bones and airy floor plan of the traditional house they bought in Winnetka, Illinois, were ideal, but the aesthetic didn’t quite match their style. Enter interior designer Jeannie Balsam, who infused the family’s traditional suburban home with a fresh, modern aesthetic.
Balsam and her team switched up the lighting fixtures throughout the house to project a modern aesthetic. In the foyer, the sconces are from The Urban Electric Co.
A console table, with two ottomans covered in faux ostrich leather tucked underneath, makes for a convenient spot to drop off keys and mail.
Browse cube ottomans
A console table, with two ottomans covered in faux ostrich leather tucked underneath, makes for a convenient spot to drop off keys and mail.
Browse cube ottomans
Also in the foyer, detailed woodwork for the staircase and classic wainscoting contrast with abstract artwork, modern sculptural decor and a contemporary furniture piece.
“The No. 1 way to infuse modernity into a house is to use the right wallpaper,” Balsam says. In the living room, she added a classic grasscloth wallcovering from Phillip Jeffries.
Three small cocktail tables from Century Furniture are lined in a row to create a larger piece. The modern flame-stitch drapery fabric and trim is from Schumacher and Co., and the sofa upholstery is from Perennials.
Three small cocktail tables from Century Furniture are lined in a row to create a larger piece. The modern flame-stitch drapery fabric and trim is from Schumacher and Co., and the sofa upholstery is from Perennials.
When the couple bought the house, the kitchen cabinets and island featured natural wood. They had it painted white to brighten and lighten up the space.
“We brought in contemporary pendants, window treatments and the fun striped bench at the table,” Balsam says.
“We brought in contemporary pendants, window treatments and the fun striped bench at the table,” Balsam says.
Upstairs, off the main hall, is the laundry room. Here, Balsam introduced a whimsical wallpaper with cartoon foxes from British company Scion.
“We decided the master bedroom really needed to be designed as a retreat,” Balsam says. To soften the edges of the peaked ceiling, she added a Phillip Jeffries metallic raffia wallcovering. “The minute we did that, the proportion and scale of the room changed and became super soothing,” she says.
Storytime happens on the CAI Designs sofa at the end of the bed. The upholstered headboard and Schumacher draperies add to the room’s serene aesthetic.
Storytime happens on the CAI Designs sofa at the end of the bed. The upholstered headboard and Schumacher draperies add to the room’s serene aesthetic.
The master bedroom sofa faces the fireplace, which received a oil-rub bronzing. The bookcases were existing.
The lounge chair is from The Charles Stewart Co.; the chair’s windowpane plaid upholstery is from JF Fabrics. The cream-toned floor covering is from Deerpath Carpet & Rug.
The lounge chair is from The Charles Stewart Co.; the chair’s windowpane plaid upholstery is from JF Fabrics. The cream-toned floor covering is from Deerpath Carpet & Rug.
In the guest bedroom, a gray upholstered headboard is enlivened by the Phillip Jeffries wallcovering. “We simply took the house’s good bones and loosened them up a bit,” Balsam says.
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Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A professional couple (he’s an orthopedic surgeon; she’s a clinical psychologist) with two young children
Location: Winnetka, Illinois
Size: 3,500 square feet (325 square meters)
Designer: Jeannie Balsam of Jeannie Balsam Interiors
For this family of urban transplants, an aesthetic face-lift of their suburban clapboard home was a must. “The house wouldn’t feel like a home to them until it had a more contemporary, modern style,” Balsam says.
The family room next to the kitchen was one of the first spaces Balsam took on. Comfort, durability and functionality were key. A khaki-colored vinyl wallcovering, woven window shades and drapery from Osborne & Little combine with a bright blue rug. “It’s a happy blue and super forgiving for stains and dirt,” Balsam says. The area rug picks up the blue abstract artwork above the sofa. The lantern light fixture is from Idlewood Electric.