In Chicago’s bustling Logan Sq., one couple has reworked their 1,000-square-foot brick warehouse loft into a surprising instance of contemporary industrial design. Profiting from the house’s hovering 14-foot ceilings, they meticulously renovated their kitchen and toilet, embracing a light-filled, ethereal aesthetic that breathes new life into the historic house whereas honoring its industrial roots.
A pair takes benefit of sky-high ceilings of their Chicago warehouse loft
- Householders: Leah + Brian Olson posted their dwelling transform on Sweeten
- The place: Logan Sq. in Chicago, Illinois
- Major renovation: Renovating the kitchen and bathtub in a 1900s brick warehouse, upgrading home equipment, and opening up the house much more
- Home-owner’s quote: “It (provides) a way of accomplishment residing in an area that we spent a lot time and thought planning out.”
“After” images by John Laning. Stylist: Rebecca Eden.
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Profiting from the excessive ceilings
Dwelling for Leah and Brian Olson is a Logan Sq. loft. They fell in love with the vitality of the neighborhood and the 1900s crimson brick warehouse, transformed in 2006. “We like the commercial look,” stated Leah, “uncovered brick, ductwork, excessive ceilings—about 14 ft.” The advertising advisor shares the house with Brian, a civil engineer, and Rex, their golden Labrador Retriever. “The rooms really feel sufficiently big, although the house is a compact 1,000 sq. ft.”
However time takes its toll on partitions, flooring, and elegance. “We wished to renovate,” stated Brian. “We felt it was time to replace our residing house to extra trendy requirements.”
Extra to the purpose, stated Leah, the place felt a bit drained. “From the urgency perspective, we wished to exchange bed room carpeting. Refinish the hardwood flooring. Paint.”
“I used to be most enthusiastic about lightening up the house,” stated Leah. “We had a lot of early 2000s brown and beige finishes. With our excessive ceilings, we knew we wished it to breathe extra.” They posted their Chicago loft renovation and had been matched with a Sweeten contractor who additionally related them with the Chicago-based inside design agency Lydy Designs.
The kitchen leads the best way
However from the “want” perspective, the kitchen topped the record. The couple began with the kitchen. As soon as they dedicated to changing cupboards as an alternative of refinishing, the method escalated. “We determined to do the lavatory as properly,” stated Leah. “We wished it extra lightened up and ethereal.”
They chucked laminate counters in favor of marble-look porcelain. Comparable porcelain backsplashes maintain the look seamless. They upgraded home equipment that embrace an induction vary as an alternative of fuel. An above-the-range microwave now has a extra smooth range hood.
Their designer, Amanda Lydy, supplied a few ideas to match their Pinterest likes. The colour story, appear and feel, and sorts of finishes, knowledgeable their decisions.
Although there aren’t any structural adjustments, the brand new look is dramatic. As a substitute of darkish cherry cupboards, there are actually flat-panel matte black cupboards, dressed with polished nickel pulls and handles. Open shelving above the sink retains on a regular basis necessities at hand. Shelving in an in-base cupboard swivels out for simple entry to pots and pans. “There was an excellent quantity of storage earlier than,” stated Leah. “However now there are good useful additions. A brilliant helpful pullout for spices, so that they’re not all shoved in a cupboard. I just like the (new) microwave placement undercounter in a drawer (subsequent to the fridge).
“Simply having a shower day by day, it’s an oh-wow for me.”
A burnished gold faucet lends an understated elegant be aware. An architectural sconce in the identical end sits above a counter bumped out a few foot off of the peninsula. “The prolonged counter is sweet for setting issues out or prep,” stated Leah.
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A relaxed vibe within the toilet
The footprint within the bathtub stays the identical. However as an alternative of a tub/bathe mixture, there may be now a roomier bathe. Changing very busy brown and white patterned marble is a comfortable white and grey stone lookalike.
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The 12” x 24” inch porcelain tile paves the partitions in a gloss end. On the ground, the end is matte for slip resistance. Radiant warmth retains the floor toasty. “It’s pleasantly refined,” stated Leah. On the bathe ground, the matte-finished tiles are laid in a herringbone sample. Rainshower, twin heads, and a hand wand lengthen the showering expertise.
White cabinetry additionally visually expands the house. Burnished brass taps lend the precise dress-up contact. “Simply having a shower day by day, it’s an oh-wow for me,” stated Leah.
Selecting new wooden flooring
Though enhancements to the remainder of the residing house are largely beauty, they’re impactful. Notably with the flooring. With a brand new hardwood set up within the bedrooms, there was a necessity for continuity to the present flooring. Their Sweeten contractor labored with Leah and Brian on a coloration to exchange the present yellowing crimson oak.
“We didn’t need something too gentle or Scandinavian,” Leah defined. “Or too darkish. The canine sheds. The Roomba (vacuum) goes day by day.” They settled on a 50-50 ebony and traditional grey stain, completed in a water-based polyurethane.
This set a extra refined backdrop for brand spanking new furnishings and wall colours. “We had been aiming for one thing subtle that also felt contemporary and clear,” stated Leah. “We didn’t need something too fashionable or too referential to previous kinds, like mid-century.”
In the lounge, there’s a palette of soppy grays and cream. Brian loves the large improve for the flatscreen TV. As a substitute of sitting on a stand, it now mounts on a bracket that swivels and tilts. So he can watch TV when he’s grilling on the balcony. LED lighting behind the monitor creates a glow, one other fave characteristic.
An enormous window allows a number of gentle within the dwelling workplace, so the couple went darker on the wall with a wealthy navy. A lighter, extra trendy desk and storage make work extra environment friendly. A wing chair and ottoman present a comfortable spot to learn. An vintage grandfather clock is a household heirloom. Within the bed room, slate blue partitions complement a brand new white upholstered headboard outlined in nailheads.
Home-owner recommendations on a Chicago loft renovation
“I like being within the kitchen,” stated Leah. She discovered the house enjoyable and particular and not a chore. “Our dwelling matches with the stage of life we’re in proper now,” she stated. “It (provides) a way of accomplishment residing in an area that we spent a lot time and thought planning out. All the pieces feels lighter, extra open.”
“It’s a journey,” says Leah. One which Brian particularly loved. “I geeked out throughout the entire dwelling renovation, seeing how every part was taken down and put again collectively.”
Leah shares their renovation suggestions:
- For those who’re doing it as a pair, be sure you’re on the identical web page
- Be open to designs you might not assume you want
- Anticipate the surprising by way of value and points
- Simply breathe
Thanks, Leah and Brian, for sharing your new Chicago loft renovation with us!
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Renovation Supplies
KITCHEN RESOURCES: Kitchen wooden flooring in Ebony and Traditional Grey: Minwax. Kitchen cupboards: Studio41. Eden knob and Lily pull cupboard {hardware} in polished nickel: High Knobs. Porcelain counter tops in Calacatta Borgo: Terrazzo & Marble Provide. Backsplash in Anatolia/Traditional Calacatta in shiny end: Virginia Tile. Blanco PRECIS sink: Blanco. Moen Align faucet in brushed gold: Moen. Miele fridge, dishwasher, range in chrome steel: Miele. Lighting from Alora’s Altero assortment in classic brass: Crest Lighting. Paint in Caviar, #6990: Sherwin Williams.
BATHROOM RESOURCES: Epic Sequence in Alaska Gray matte end ground tile in matte end and wall tile in polished end: Virginia Tile. Rainshower, wall bathe head and arm, hand bathe, quantity, and thermostatic management in vintage brass; Hex Fashionable sink faucet in vintage brass: Phylrich. Kohler Caxton vainness sink: Kohler. Toto one-piece rest room: Toto. Eden knob and Lily pull cupboard {hardware} in polished nickel: High Knobs. Customized mirror: Ashland Mirror & Glass. Thomas O’Brien’s Katie cylinder pendant in vintage brass and white glass: Circa Lighting.
BEDROOM RESOURCE: Paint in Slate Tile, #7624: Sherwin Williams.
OFFICE RESOURCE: Wall paint and closet doorways in Naval, #6244: Sherwin Williams.
