Naperville Home Remodel Gets Personal and Functional
Your home should reflect your personal style and fulfill the needs and activities of your family. If it doesn’t, it may be time for a remodel. This was the case for a Naperville family, who wanted to update their first floor and master suite to suit their tastes as well as add a home office and study space for the children. To bring their new spaces into fruition, they worked with Normandy Designer Chris Ebert.
“This was a whole home renovation, but it was phased into two parts,” said Chris. “We started with the first floor. After that was completed, we turned our attention to the upper level.”
“It’s not uncommon to segment large projects. It can be easier to live through and may work better depending upon the budget,” added Chris.
The first floor remodel consisted of the kitchen and living room as well as a mudroom and study space for the kids.
“Prior to renovating, the kitchen design consisted of arches, ornate details and two large structural pillars that cut up the room,” said Chris. “We got rid of this detailing and opted for a more modern concept”
“Because the pillars were structural, we needed to replace them with a huge steel beam,” added Chris. “Once it was in place, it created the open-concept the homeowners were seeking.”
The new, open floorplan also had room for a sitting area in the kitchen. It has proved to be a favorite spot to enjoy a cup of coffee or read a book with the kids. The custom chairs also swivel, allowing the homeowners to look inside and out.
The remainder of the first floor was really designed around the kids. The living room became more of a reading room. A comfortable sofa and custom bookshelves meant the kids could relax and read for hours. Additionally, a mudroom with hooks, cubbies and a bench was added to keep seasonal items organized and an office space with desks and comfy chairs became a designated area for homework and reading.
The upstairs renovation included the master suite and closet. Chris also carved out some quiet office space within the master suite, which was needed as one of the owners worked from home.
The bathroom originally had the same extravagant detailing as the kitchen, with arches, pillars and a grand double door entrance. This was toned down, and the space was given a more modern, rustic and spa-like appeal.
“The new space includes rustic beams and cabinetry, however, the tile, soaking tub and shower are all very sleek and modern,” said Chris. “The space also has plenty of storage features, including pull out hampers to keep dirty laundry sorted but out of view.”
“We also switched the double door entry so a single door, which allowed us to dedicate more space for storage.”
The closet is a masterpiece itself. Overall, the space is modern with rustic tones that correspond nicely with the bathroom. The original his and hers closets were modified, allowing the space to double in size. These changes made the closet-area large enough to essentially function as a dressing suite. A large hutch piece also helps the space feel less like a closet and the storage was brought down to the floor to provide more organization.
Chris also reconfigured the area to incorporate a discrete office space.
“The office space was originally set up in the closet, but it was out in the open,” said Chris. “We reconfigured the entire bedroom suite so that the office could become its own separate entity, allowing for more privacy. A large gliding barn door closes off the office entirely when needed.”
View the Normandy photo gallery to see more photos of this Naperville home remodel, as well as other Chicagoland kitchens, bathrooms and additions that Normandy has renovated. You can also schedule an appointment with Chris to get started planning your next remodeling project. Or, follow Normandy Remodeling on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for more design ideas and inspiration.
