For Maureen Dixon, living in Kenilworth, Illinois, a suburb about 15 miles from downtown Chicago, is a breeze compared with her previous life in Chicago's Lincoln Square/North Center neighborhood.
In 2017, she moved to the Lake Michigan community with her husband, Brian, and their three young children, and has lived here ever since.
“I wanted the life I envisioned, the community, the church. I wanted to be friends with my neighbors,” Dixon said. “I wanted my kids to be able to ride their bikes and not have to worry about their safety.”
Dixon spent about four weeks visiting open houses in Kenilworth and Winnetka while searching for the home when she made the unexpected discovery.
“The house we bought was the first one we saw,” Dixon said of the six-bedroom 1927 Colonial in East Kenilworth that the family purchased for $2.675 million.
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She fell in love with the cul-de-sac lot, the large backyard, and the bones of the home. The property had a homey feel, but it also felt lacking and in need of renovation. For example, Dixon wanted to open up the existing kitchen and let in more light.
“We loved the character of the house. We didn't skimp on anything,” she said of the home's graceful arches and other architectural details. Previous owners had added to the house but not lost its charm. The Dixons were determined to preserve the property's charm, making only cosmetic updates, but “stripped it down to the bone” when they renovated.
The Dixons enlisted Chicago-based Imparfe Design Studio to handle the renovation. Planning began in 2019, renovations began in 2020, and after eight months of construction, the project was completed in March 2021. While the scope was a complete remodel from top to bottom, much of the time, effort and budget was spent on designing not one but two kitchens.
“To maximize the kitchen layout and storage within the home's footprint, we closed off one of the two patio doors to add an additional coffee and breakfast area,” says Imparfait co-founder Rebekah Zaveloff. The team also closed off a wall leading to the basement stairs to make room for a pantry, then opened one up to create an archway between the kitchen and living room. “To fulfill our client's dream of having two kitchens, we transformed a former office into a romantic, atmospheric butler's pantry.” The Dixons now have a showpiece kitchen, one that “doesn't feel practical.”
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“We went to great lengths to ensure this space looked just as inviting as the rest of the home, from the beautiful stone mosaic backsplash to the glass chandelier above the island,” Zabeloff continued. The design team carried that charm over to the butler pantry, where muted cabinetry and Farrow & Ball wallpaper take center stage.
The oversized living room presented its own design challenges: The large square footage made planning a functional yet attractive layout a challenge. Dixon says Zabeloff envisioned three separate areas, including a sunroom with a chaise lounge, that would give the space a hotel lobby feel.
“You can curl up by the fireplace and read in a corner, or sit at a separate games table as a family and play board games,” she says. “Our living room now is beautiful and inviting — the polar opposite of the stuffy living rooms I was used to seeing.”
Storage was also on the wish list—a must-have for a family of five. Built-ins abound, so things can be tucked away. “With two working parents and three young children, we have a lot of needs, but we don't want it all on display,” says Dixon. The design team also renovated the entry hall, expanded the mudroom, and remodeled the bathroom to create Jill and Jill for their two daughters, installing a dramatic tile pattern in the master bathroom. The result is a spacious home that retains its character while fitting the family's lifestyle and tastes.
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Mansion Global got in touch with Maureen Dixon to find out more about her family's renovation experience.
I would describe my aesthetic as follows… Elegant. I love pretty things, but I understand that they must be welcoming and kid-friendly.
My tip for anyone embarking on a renovation project is… Make sure you set realistic expectations about how long it will take and how much it will cost, and once you decide to move forward, enjoy and embrace the process.
The thing that surprised me the most was… Reveal the history of the home and the character of the previous owners. The home was built in 1927 and the most recent owners added on to it just before we purchased the home. For example, it had about 70 phone lines. Apparently, the previous owners in the 1990s were day traders and had phone lines to accommodate their trades.
My favorite room after the renovation is… The living room, of course. It connects to the kitchen and is the lifeblood of the home, connecting the spaces where we all spend a lot of time.
The most dramatic change is… The kitchen. It's a completely different place. The layout has been completely gutted and reoriented.
The only material (or product) I found was… Tiles. Before the renovation, I thought the tiles were just functional, but it turned out they were an important design feature.
The only expense I hadn't anticipated was… The cost of the cabinets. When we received the quote for the cabinets, it was $225,000, which caused us to reconsider our original budget. But in the end, we are so glad we invested in high-quality cabinets that are beautiful, timeless, and very functional.
We decided to renovate instead of build a new one… We moved from a new build home in the city and wanted a home with more character. Our house had a unique look and feel, but we kept the key elements and blended them with a more contemporary aesthetic.
The renovation ended up costing me money… Approximately $1.3 million.
