What happens when the physical evidence of your passions proves to be chaotic and uncomfortable in the space you call home? When Mark Epstein, a Chicago options trader with many diverse interests, found himself in that position, he got professional help to unify and humanize his space from Susan Fredman, a Northbrook-based interior designer.
Epstein, a third-generation vegetarian, accomplished chef and theatrical benefactor (he is a founder and board member of The Voltaire Theater, which will reopen in March in Edgewater), bought a 3,500-square-foot loft five years ago, mostly because of its proximity to Whole Foods Market. He installed his trading office at one end, then started outfitting his living quarters in collaboration with Chicago furniture-maker and woodworker Denis Michelson. The developer of the loft complex had introduced the men when Epstein bought the place, and Epstein was so taken with Michelson’s work that he had him tackle project after project in the loft.
First came a sleek home entertainment center to fuel Epstein’s passion for film. It had to hold state-of-the-art audiovisual equipment and serve two separate spaces: the living room and the bedroom. Michelson devised a unit that became the partition between the areas yet had a revolving centerpiece that could face either way. Next came a kitchen with top-of-the-line appliances and handsome cabinetry, since Epstein employs a professional chef and likes to cook as well. After that, Michelson did the woodwork throughout the loft, from banks of shelves and storage units in the office to built-ins, cabinets and chests.
The results were stunning, but one cannot live with shelves, cabinets and a fabulous kitchen alone. “I wanted to create more of a home experience in the space, and I needed places to sit, eat and entertain,” he says. “And even though I had these great individual components, none of the rooms were finished or cohesive.”
The place needed rugs, upholstered pieces, lighting. “I didn’t know the first thing about that part of the process,” he admits. So he asked Fredman, whom he had met on a yoga retreat six years ago, for advice. He ended up hiring her to finish the job.
“Everything already there was exquisite in its own right, but these were all strong, dramatic pieces that immediately engaged the eye,” says Fredman. “While most rooms have one or two focal points, these had so many that the spaces had no balance. I wanted to soften all the hard edges created by all the built-ins and woodwork, establish a more human scale in the place.”
For starters, Fredman put a strapping sectional sofa in a neutral hue in the living room, turned diagonally to face the entertainment center. “I thought the sofa was so huge it was going to overwhelm the room, but it ended up being perfect in the space,” says Epstein. “He needed something that could hold its own against the other components in the room, which were handsome but bold,” Fredman explains. She used the same philosophy in the bedroom.
In the dining area, Michelson had outdone himself with curved, built-in sideboards and buffets made of burnished cherry, but Epstein needed a dining set. Fredman found dining chairs and had Michelson fabricate a table.
Of the results, Epstein admits he overlooked a few things from the start. “I thought a great home theater, kitchen and master bedroom would be all I needed, but I really needed Susie to finish the place.” Of course, it’s not totally done. A bar is being installed adjacent to his home office, so he can have entertainment in every room.
Resources: Interior design: Susan Fredman & Associates, Northbrook. Millwork, cabinetry, custom-built furnishings: Denis Michelson, Out of the Woodwork, Chicago. Lighting consultant: Alena Appia, Sharpsburg, Ga. * Living room: Sofa–custom designed and fabricated by Susan Fredman, covered in chenille–Area International, Merchandise Mart; rug–Tri-Par, Mart; bar stools–Pastel at Mallin Co., Mart, covered in cotton–Area International. * Dining room: Table, cabinetry, lighting suspension system and fixtures–Denis Michelson, Out of the Woodwork; artwork on wall–personal collection; dining chairs–Bernhardt Contract, Mart. * Bedroom: Headboard–designed and fabricated by Susan Fredman, covered in quilted cotton–Area International; side chests–Denis Michelson, Out of the Woodwork; duvet–custom made by Susan Fredman, fabric–Area International.
