Restoring and Reframing a 1925 Masonry Home with a Strategic Addition and Careful Stewardship of Existing Character
Images: Ryan McDonald
BHA collaborated with a homeowner to carefully edit a 1925 masonry home in Wilmette which included a careful renovation and an addition.
For the renovation we employed a very strategic approach where systems were fed in from above and below to the existing plastered first and second floors. This allowed all of the original architectural details to remain while putting in contemporary systems and infrastructure. Only bathrooms and a kitchen that was not original was fully gutted. Windows were replaced with energy efficient versions that matched the original profiles. Finally the entryway was retiled with a pattern that looked original but was custom designed to have no offcuts.
For the addition we found a complementary but different language. Since there was no chance of matching the nuances of coal fired bricks we established a new language of panels, which matches the character while not trying to compete with it. The siding is made from durable materials and the green selected purposely hides this home’s extension in plane sight. The reveal created between the existing and new allows the original to retain its roofline in a seamless way. The addition is continuously insulated and solar ready, allowing contemporary best building practices to support the existing 100 year old home.
The result is a home which celebrates it’s past while being intentionally changed to support current living styles.