When flipping through those glossy decorator magazines that feature the impeccably appointed homes of the fabulously wealthy, do you sometimes drift into a delightful daydream of what your own fantasy apartment would look like?
Would it be too much to ask for a stunning view of the Eiffel Tower and all hardwood floors throughout? Couldn’t it possibly be situated on a beach and have French doors through which one would walk to a white, sandy shore and blue waters beyond? Wouldn’t it be spectacular if it had leaded glass windows that would look out upon a landmark building designed by a legendary architect?
Fantasy takes all different forms and is as individual and specific as the people who might conjure these wonderful dreams. Fantasies are almost, by definition, unreachable, and yet, some are entirely possible–particularly if you have the money to afford them.
An Eiffel Tower view would require a move to Paris, and those French doors might make a room awfully drafty on a winter day in Chicago. But, that last option–the apartment with a view of a building designed by a famous architect–is entirely within reach.
There’s a coach house apartment in Oak Park that not only offers a view of a Frank Lloyd Wright-designed building, but was created by the architect himself. The coach house stands at 325 Forest Ave. in the near west suburb that prides itself as a keeper of the tradition of the Prairie School of architecture.
What more could an architectural buff ask for than to live in a structure designed by Wright? Imagine pointing out to visitors this building’s architectural details that are particularly representative of a Wright structure. For example, an architectural history book notes that the siding on the coach house is Wright’s first use of board and batten. Rough-sawn boards are cut at an angle and set against the building’s cream stucco exterior so rain drips properly from them.
Go inside this two-story building and climb a spiral staircase to the second floor, where a cozy fire can be lit in the woodburning fireplace in the large living room. Here, there are hardwood floors, a beamed ceiling and the original leaded glass windows that offer a view of the adjacent main house, designed in 1895 by Wright for an Oak Park attorney. Next door to the main house is another large home that was remodeled by Wright for the attorney’s daughter in the early 1900s.
Although the fireplace is not original to this building, it adds a warm, comfortable touch entirely in keeping with the rustic atmosphere of this structure, which was once a stable. The building’s owner, Paul Hamer of Oak Park, is currently remodeling the rest of the coach house, which has four bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths and a two-car garage.
Hamer promises to add new conveniences, such as expanding and updating the kitchen, while staying true to the Wright influence that is such a prominent part of this building’s history.
“I’m going to continue with Wright accents (in the remodeling) like adding light fixtures that have a copper patina in the kitchen,” he said.
The remodeled apartment will be available in June and will rent for $1,250. For information, call 708-383-1504.
Get cookin’
While some people might revel in living in such an historic structure, others may have simpler needs–perhaps a special room in which to keep cherished books or a large kitchen that would make it easy to organize and prepare an elegant buffet for a holiday party of, say, 50 or 60 family and friends.
It would not be outside of the realm of possibility for a gathering of that size, or even a larger one, to take place in the majestic apartment at 1420 N.Lake Shore Drive on Chicago’s Gold Coast. It encompasses 4,027 square feet and has not a library, but a kitchen that measures 13 1/2 by 16 feet. This completely updated cooking space features two of everything: two sinks, two ovens, two refrigerators and two dishwashers.
Laurie Leli, manager of the building, said room for the extra sinks and appliances remains from the days when this apartment may have been inhabited by an extended family that would have wanted separate kitchens. These two spaces are now one, however, and have been updated with almond cabinets and green marble counters shot with veins of gray. There is an adjoining butler’s pantry and a window over the sink that ensures that this space will never be too stuffy or intimidating.
When guests do come knocking, it would not take much more than a single step inside the front door of this luxurious unit for them to recognize that they are entering a truly unique space.
This apartment, which is on the 15th floor, has an entry gallery–a long hallway with an elegant coved ceiling highlighted by decorative molding and a hardwood floor that has never been marred by the puncture of a nail. The smoothly built floor, which extends throughout the apartment, is of a tongue and groove construction, which means it was made without nails.
At the end of this 7 by 28-foot gallery is a large coat closet that has been converted into a wine cellar.
Of course, one must also feed the mind. And that could be accomplished in this apartment’s wood-paneled library. Measuring 15 1/2 by more than 20 feet, it features a bay of three windows. The room has decorative molding at the ceiling and built-in cases for displaying books, statuary or other mementos. One’s eye is drawn, however, to the stunning view of North Avenue Beach and Navy Pier that can be seen from the room’s windows.
That same lake scene can also be appreciated from the living room, which is next door. At 20 by 31 feet, it might even be large enough to allow people to dance the night away during a holiday party. They could cut the rug by the light of a fire emanating from a fireplace at the room’s center that features a white mantle with decorative molding and the original green marble hearth.
Partyers would retire next door to the formal dining room for a glass of holiday cheer or an hors d’oeuvre selected from a buffet table situated beneath the elegant chandelier, which hangs at the room’s center.
This apartment’s master bedroom and four other sleeping chambers–as they were once so charmingly called–are at the rear of the apartment in the “private quarters.” Each of the bedrooms has its own adjoining bathroom. The private quarters also has numerous closets and dressing rooms. There are 14 of these closets or dressing areas to be counted throughout this apartment, which rents for $5,920. It is currently available and may be seen by calling 312-951-0229.
Views for days
Swinging open the door of one closet, Leli noted, “The faint aroma of perfume (from the clothing of a previous inhabitant) is still in these closets.” Such an elegant waft of smells encourages one to imagine the lives of the people who might have once occupied these luxurious quarters.
Perhaps they spent their evenings at the opera, at charity balls or formal dinner parties. Such speculations also might be prompted by another fantastic apartment we visited, a few miles north in the Belmont Harbor neighborhood at 3240 N. Lake Shore Drive.
Like the building at 1420, it was erected during the height of the golden age of jazz and of Prohibition–the 1920s. It comprises two towers and 19 floors. Gargoyles on the building front gape at passersby and share this exterior space with decorative medallions that evoke images of Old Greece.
Such a mix of architectural metaphors only serves to heighten the appeal of this building, which may have once been home to the wealthy scions of Chicago industry or perhaps of a sophisticated couple like Nick and Nora Charles of the old, black and white series of Thin Man movies.
The lives of those film detectives was nothing if not charmed and elegant. And this apartment, which has two stories, would have been the perfect backdrop to their witty banter and crime solving ways.
Upon entering this apartment, which is nearly as large as the one at 1420, one is standing in a large foyer. It features glossy oak floors and a staircase with a decorative white banister that leads upstairs.
Straight ahead is the living room. There is a bank of large windows in this space that looks out on Lake Michigan. In a setting that seems right out of a magazine, it is possible to see the gray lake waters while still standing rather far away, in the foyer.
The lake view is not the only highlight of the living room. It also has a fireplace with white mantle and decorative medallions, as well as twin, built-in shelves on one wall that would allow for the display of two matching statues. Imagine hanging an evergreen garland along the mantle or tucking a tall Christmas tree in one corner to celebrate the season.
The lake view, which includes Belmont Harbor, might be highlighted with twinkling lights, if one desired. The view can also be appreciated from the formal dining room that adjoins the living room. Not many people can claim to have such a spectacular view from a room so mundane as the bathroom. But that is, indeed, the case here. The bathroom, which is next to the dining room, has a separate vanity area and large windows that, once again, allow for a lake view.
The kitchen, which is down a hall from this well-appointed bathroom, is also spectacular in its own right. Its view looks south and west to a cityscape of church steeples and Victorian three-flats. There are oak cabinets throughout, as well as brand new appliances and an adjoining laundry room.
Of course, back in the days when this apartment was built, the occupants would have hardly been doing the laundry themselves. On the second floor of this duplex is a cluster of small rooms and a bathroom that would have been allotted to the maid and butler. Today, these rooms would make a private, yet convenient home for a live-in nanny or au pair.
Children would sleep in any of three large bedrooms that are at the rear of the second floor. Like the kitchen, these bedrooms also have a southern exposure. The fantasy of not hearing teenagers clamoring for bathroom time could be realized in this apartment. Each of the bedrooms has its own bathroom.
The largest of the bedrooms is, of course, the master bedroom. It is directly above the living room and, once again, features the spectacular lake view. Details near the top of this red brick building, such as the gargoyles, limestone accents and a copper verde rooftop, can be observed through side windows from this vantage point.
The master suite also features an adjoining dressing room, bathroom and several closets including one lined with cedar. The adjoining bathroom is just as light and bright as the one downstairs and one might even catch a glimpse of sailboats bobbing up and down in Belmont Harbor through its windows.
These rooms with views will not come inexpensively, however. The rent for this apartment is $6,500. For information, call 312-649-7157.
Create your own fantasy
While grandiose always plays well in a fantasy, perhaps your dream is not so much about big, as it is about convenience and individuality. A much smaller unit, in a place such as Presidential Towers, might suit you to a tee.
A new program being offered at Presidential Towers allows residents to decorate an apartment to their own specifications, down to the drawer pulls on cabinetry.
The “Custom Home” program lets residents choose from a selection of carpets, wallpapers, counters, floorings, light fixtures, faucets, shower doors, closet organizers and other such items to decorate a space that is entirely to your liking. The cost of such upgrades can be paid for over the length of your lease, which can run from one to three years.
“People are so used to the vanilla block (unit) with the globe light in the hallway. They want something that’s unique,” said Joanne Moran, the leasing director.
The cost of such upgrades varies greatly. A brass drawer pull goes for $1 while kitchen counters in a beige and black granite would cost $1,200. Such extras might make a space like the one we visited seem more like home.
While this apartment is much smaller than the other “fantasy” ones we saw, it has something extra to recommend it–convenience. There is hardly a modern service to be imagined that cannot be found in this four-tower community on the fringes of the Loop. A health club, florist, three restaurants, beauty salon, candy store, cappuccino bar, video store and ATM are just a few of the conveniences that are housed in the 100,000 square feet of commercial space in this mini-city. It’s a smaller fantasy and one that’s likely to be more affordable–at $875 to $959. For information on Presidential Towers, 555 W. Madison St., call 312-902-2006.
