Reading the house

We started with what was already there. The softly sculpted plaster arches and the scrolled wrought-iron stair are original, and we kept them. The foyer sets the tone: a carved antique Spanish pine dresser, a rare 1940s Arturo Pani wingback chair beneath the stair, and a scalloped wicker console.

A botanical brief, applied with restraint

Pattern and color sit on the furniture, not the walls. S. Harris botanical fabric covers the reading-nook bench, a floral armchair sits by the garden doors in the TV room, and RaR's Blumenspiel tin flowers carry the brief into the smallest details. Velvets in blue, mustard and ochre run through the living room, TV room and bedroom, set against white plaster.

A reading nook for every day

In an arched alcove off the living room, we built a window bench with hidden art-supply storage, open shelves above, and a desk that folds down from the wall. It's a place for the children to read and draw, and it folds away when the room is set for guests.

Scope: Full interior design, space planning, custom furniture and millwork, antique and art sourcing
Credits: Photography: Suzanna Scott Millwork: Mellon|Winslow
Featured in: aspire design and home, February 2026 · Design Chicago Magazine