High quality pervades this three-story Tudor, built in 1927 for Alexander Burke on a 75-by-184 lot in River Forest.
“Burke was the owner of a brickyard, so I was told, so he had access to the finest materials,” said listing agent Tom Murphy of Baird and Warner in River Forest.
Today, this six-bedroom house, at 534 N. Monroe, is on the market at $699,999.
The quality of those materials makes this home outstanding. A crowded open house last Sunday found many visitors commenting on the wood floors and woodwork, tiled floors and leaded glass–only a few of the original materials that make the house special.
Just inside the entry is a vestibule with the original floor tile. It opens onto a huge entryway and hallway floored in parquet. On the right of the hallway is a turned stairway that leads to the second and third floors and boasts its original black wrought-iron railing.
Stepping into the 28-by-17 living room on the right presents a stunning view. There, a 28-foot cathedral ceiling lined with curved oak wood beams up the sides of the wall to the peak. The floors are hardwood with a walnut stain. Two walls feature several tall windows. On the far wall is a fireplace, and on the opposite wall is a Juliet balcony, jutting out in a semicircular at second-floor level.
In the middle of the room is a massive crystal chandelier, “imported from Czechoslovakia in 1927,” Murphy said.
Behind the living room is a 27-by-7 sunroom, which leads to a large, two-tiered, brown-stained deck in the back yard. At the back of the lot is a detached three-car garage with a slate roof and copper flashing that match the house’s.
A 9-by-12 bedroom is at the back of the first floor. It has direct access to a bathroom, which also opens to a hallway. A second downstairs bathroom, with green tile and a tub but no shower, is off another hallway.
To the left of the entry is the 17-by-15 dining room, which also has a chandelier and overlooks the brick front porch. A white chair railing divides the walls between white above and dark blue paper below.
Behind the dining room is the 15-by-14 kitchen, which is fairly dark with black counter tops and cabinetry that is stained a dark pine. Leaded-glass fronts grace some of the cabinets. The center island has a range and the lighting is recessed. A breakfast room is off the kitchen.
Winding up to the second floor, the light mauve carpeting on the stairs and hallway becomes dark mauve carpeting in the 13-by-13 bedroom, where the walls are blue/gray. The next bedroom, measuring 16 by 13 feet, has striped wallpaper and a wood floor.
The second floor also contains the 17-by-15 master bedroom as well as the master bath, which has pink tiled walls and a pink-and-white ceramic floor.
The stairway’s mauve carpeting continues into the third floor and a 10-by-13 bedroom. Also on this floor is a 17-by-14 bedroom, with dark blue flowered wallpaper and a light blue carpet. The third-floor bathroom has white tile on the bottom of the walls and flowered wallpaper on the upper walls and ceiling. There’s a bathtub with shower.
The basement has a large recreation room with a fireplace and an intricately tiled floor. Next is the billiard room, with wood slats over a textured green wall covering that matches the green of the pool table, which will stay with the house. Also in the basement are a half bath and a large laundry room.
Taxes last year were $10,204.
