De Golyer Vintage Condo

This apartment consisted of a 2,600SF space including two bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms, a formal living room, kitchen, day room, and a formal dining room showcasing original quarter figured anigre millwork. Our scope involved the upgrading of the kitchen and day room to create a more functional and elegant space including custom millwork cabinetry, historical restoration of the living room and dining room, aesthetic upgrade of the bedrooms, and a gut rehab of the master bathroom.

Designed by renown architect, Robert Seeley De Golyer, this building was announced as “the largest and finest apartment building in Chicago” by the Chicago Tribune in 1926. Taught at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris, De Golyer applied his French training to this structure using principles from Beaux-Arts Classicism. The stately facade of the building incorporates classical columns, limestone, and brick to accomplish a styled elegance. The common areas of the building surrounded a central court to provide an element of privacy. The purposeful design of the common areas was intended to distinguish this high rise residence from a hotel.

While the Classicism exterior and ingenuity of the public areas drew attention from the architectural community, the crowning achievement of this residential building was the interior design. The apartments in this building strongly reflected Beaux Arts Concepts: Bien distribué, bien disposé, et bien composé (well distributed, well disposed, and well composed). The highest and best use of each unit was paramount in its design, taking advantage of any and all views of Lake Michigan while applying great attention to detail regarding form, function, and size. De Golyer was recognized as one of the premier architects of his era primarily for his skill in space planning. In 1926, each apartment included wood burning fireplacs, linen rooms, cedar closets, silver vaults, and servants call bells.

The unit had been in the family for over 40 years, and when our client’s aunt passed the unit down to the next generation, our client was beginning a new phase in her own life. A professional designer by trade and a recent empty-nester, she wanted to create an environment that would maintain the historical integrity of the space while making upgrades that would maximize its function, bring focus to the beauty of Lake Michigan, and create a home reminiscent of Old Hollywood.

The client and Integro knew that we had to make small, calculated changes that would bring the Old Hollywood glam to life. A design that would seamlessly mix the old with the new—a careful restoration that would meet the needs of the client, the schedule, and the budget.

In addition, the client was selling her home which meant that she and her dog, Moose, could possibly need to occupy the space at any phase of the project.

Our scope involved restoring the millwork to its original glory. Many of the original mouldings were in disrepair or missing. Modern lighting was added to the delicate millwork to brighten the space. We also restored the original hardwood flooring, circa 1926. To restore the millwork, we custom fabricated the wood and plaster moldings. We matched the historical aesthetic and perfectly patch repaired. This was complicated and meticulous work that had to be completed with care and respect for the historical integrity of the space in order to blend seamlessly with the existing finishes.

The seamless elegance of our final produce at this residence is no exception to its history. The design of this space incorporated the Beaux-Arts architecture of the apartment with mid-century modern decor: an “Old Hollywood” impression with a mid-century flair.