This two-flat in Evanston was constructed in 1910 and boasts many of the exterior details emblematic of Victorian architecture — a style popular when Charles Dickens was writing about Scrooge. The frame building is pale taupe with an expanse of fish-scale siding near the roof. In pleasant contrast, the railing that wraps around the front porch and the steps that lead into the building’s public foyer are painted a deep turquoise.
You might wrap a red ribbon around the banister of the interior staircase that leads from the first to the second floor, where the two-bedroom unit we visited is located.
The 12-by-13-foot living room, like most of the other rooms in the apartment, has shiny, blond, hardwood floors.
One of the living room windows overlooks Dempster Street, the other has a view of a side street and the house next door.
The living room also boasts a walk-in closet. It measures 10-by-5 feet and provides plenty of space for guests to hang bulky winter coats. The closet also has a window and is big enough to hold a desk and computer, if it were to be used as a home office.
An open doorway from the living room leads into the 12-by-11-foot dining room. The dining room also has two windows that offer a view of nearby houses. In addition to the hardwood floor, this room is distinquished by another old-fashioned detail, a plate railing the extends around the room. Both of the unit’s bedrooms are located behind doorways off the dining room. As is the case in many older buildings, the bedrooms are small.
The smallest of the two rooms is 8 by 10 feet and has a window, but does not have a closet. The bigger of the bedrooms is 10 by 10, and has a window and a small closet.
Because these bedrooms are small by today’s standards, this apartment might be ideal for college or graduate students who are likely to spend more of their time studying or socializing than sleeping.
The campus of Northwestern University is about a mile from this two-flat.
The next room to be seen is the 12-by-13-foot kitchen. It is decorated in white and is big enough to envision making trays of hor d’oevres or a dinner to feed a troop of hungry guests.
The kitchen has a white linoleum floor, white cabinets with dark wood trim, a stainless steel double sink and white appliances, including a dishwasher.
People who like to buy in bulk when canned and boxed foods go on sale will appreciate the adjoining pantry. It is about 8 by 4 feet and has plenty of shelves. A door from the kitchen leads into the bathroom, which has a white tile floor and an old-fashioned claw foot bathtub/shower. The bathtub is black with gold feet. It is next to a white vanity topped by a built-in, mirrored medicine chest and a bar of Hollywood lights.
Finally, the rear door in the kitchen leads to an enclosed porch whose windows make it bright and cheery. It provides plenty of room for storing bulky items such as a vacuum cleaner or bicycle. A washer and dryer are located in the building’s basement.
For rental information, call 773-368-6485.
VINTAGE EVANSTON
Address: 1600 Dempster St., Evanston.
Size: Two bedrooms. Rent: $875 a month.
Security deposit: One month’s rent. Utilities: Resident pays heat and electricity.
The building: A two-flat built in 1910. The rental unit is on the top floor.
Parking: One space in garage.
