It isn’t always ideal for clients to prescribe a distinct aesthetic vision for their home. After all, that’s where creatives earn their stripes. But when the clients possess exquisite taste and enlist an aces design team, the result can be magic. Such was the case with this gracious dwelling for a family of Francophiles tucked away on a quiet street in Elmhurst. “They came to us with a very strong lean toward a French-influenced house,” recalls designer Amy Storm, who worked closely with architect Brian Fergon and general contractor Craig Ross to craft the new-build dream home from scratch. “We sank our teeth into their desired European influence and incorporated it into every space.”
The fact that the clients had strong feelings on the architectural interiors, from desired rooms down to the material palette, made for an energized project kickoff. “Right out of the gate, they knew they wanted dark herringbone floors, a glassed-in sun room that pulls in light all day, arches and decorative millwork, paired with natural stones and textural finishes,” the designer recounts. Occasionally, centuries-old muses can present a problem. “As it goes with projects heavily influenced by European details, many times they won’t work because they don’t meet code in the U.S.,” Storm says. “So, things like a stair railing with big, beautiful designs have to be reimagined to comply. But challenge accepted.”
Home Details
Architecture:
Brian Fergon, Fergon Architects LLC
Interior Design:
Amy Storm, Amy Storm & Company
Home Builder:
Craig Ross, Ross Builders, Inc.
"Layers on layers on layers is our love language."
—Amy Storm
In the showstopping kitchen, pendants by The Urban Electric Co. hang above dual islands—one for prep and one for dining, replete with backless stools by Lawson-Fenning. The La Cornue range, honed Aella marble counters from Terra Stone Gallery and polished nickel Top Knobs hardware all nod to French influences.
While the initial vision skewed heavily French traditional, Storm and team pushed the scheme in a more contemporary direction befitting the locale and vibrant young family in residence. Yes, there would be details like applied moldings and floor-to-ceiling paneling, but they would be presented in a simplified, modern format. “Groin vaults in the central hall, a large metal-and-glass wall with doors connecting the kitchen to a conservatory, and arched openings that lead from the great room onto a covered veranda all showcase modern interpretations of French elements,” Fergon elaborates.
That Storm’s entire office had recently taken a team trip to Paris was a happy coincidence, and the staff raided their photos and experiences, plying favorite restaurants, museums and design destinations for inspiration. “Along with our clients’ input, we concepted around those colors, patterns and textures to create a highly detailed DNA package,” the designer notes. The Europe-meets-the-Midwest narrative lifts off in the entry, where a sweeping spiral staircase and geometrically patterned floors composed of four separate marbles compete for star of the show before ultimately declaring a truce. White oak paneling with sleek profiles in both the family and formal dining rooms brings a fresh disposition to a beloved mainstay of Parisian interiors. And the design story undeniably reaches its climax in the kitchen, whose airy volume feels even more expansive and sunlit thanks to the aforementioned attached conservatory framed in iron and floored in classic marble checkerboard tiling. Antiqued brass hardware, delicate stone profiles, black-stained herringbone wood floors and a French range make no mistake of the kitchen’s formative influences while simultaneously anchoring the home within its environs. “Layers on layers on layers is our love language,” Storm says.
Upstairs, a warm wash of vanillas, creams and taupes carries a timeless European sensibility into the primary bedroom. With its plush seating area separated by arched openings and crowned by a limestone fireplace surround, the suite gives the feel of a boutique hotel in the 16th arrondissement. “There is something so lovely about the idea of having a glass of prosecco on a chaise with the fire going while you take time to get ready for a night out on the town,” Storm muses.
Down to the last detail, the project speaks to carrying a cohesive inspiration through from start to finish—not to mention, the power of a unified team. Ross says it best: “The homeowners’ vision, the design team’s creativity and our craftsmanship came together seamlessly to create a space that is not only stunning but deeply personal.” Proof that a bit of je ne sais quoi goes a very long way.
The sun room’s checkerboard marble floors are one of the home’s most classic European gestures. Brownstone Furniture dining chairs, featuring handwoven rope, teak and rattan, add a note of natural beauty.
Tour The Home:
Checkerboard marble tiles from Viking Flooring Solutions draw attention in the entry, where Rachel Donath ottomans and a Century Furniture table rest at the foot of the curved staircase.
In the nearby family room, a Kravet sectional faces an Arteriors coffee table and Eichholtz chairs.
RH chairs clad in Jab Anstoetz velvet rim a table base from Mr. Brown London topped with a custom marble slab in the dining room. Overhead hangs an Arteriors chandelier. The artwork is by Karen Parisian.
A Winfield Thybony metallic paper on the ceiling sets the dining room aglow. Drapes of Threads linen soften the lines of the elegant oak paneled walls. The sconces are by Visual Comfort & Co.
The Paris-inspired wet bar is an entertainer’s paradise. Artwork by Karen Parisian picks up on the hues of the Okaw Valley Woodworking-fabricated cabinetry, painted Farrow & Ball’s London Clay and trimmed with Modern Matter hardware.
In the showstopping kitchen, pendants by The Urban Electric Co. hang above dual islands—one for prep and one for dining, replete with backless stools by Lawson-Fenning. The La Cornue range, honed Aella marble counters from Terra Stone Gallery and polished nickel Top Knobs hardware all nod to French influences.
The pantry is wrapped in cabinetry by Okaw Valley Woodworking, coated in Farrow & Ball’s Down Pipe and adorned with Top Knobs hardware and leathered granite countertops. The Jaipur Living runner and window shade of Clarke & Clarke fabric offer playful pops of color.
The sun room’s striking view of the kitchen highlights Interlude Home stools and the range’s custom marble-clad Best vent hood. The black-stained French white oak floors, which feature throughout the home, are Purezawood.
A peaceful seating area off the primary bedroom features Lee Jofa chaises paired with Bunny Williams Home tables. Above the limestone fireplace fabricated by Terra Stone Gallery is a commissioned piece from Nino Studio framed by Visual Comfort & Co. sconces.
Arhaus chests and an Arteriors table lamp join the primary suite’s Baker bed. The bench is by Ambella Home, and the chandelier is Visual Comfort & Co.
A Vanguard Furniture sectional and Noir coffee table compose a cozy lounge area nearby. Overhead, a Capital Lighting Fixture Company chandelier brings balance to the vast ceiling height.
The sun room’s checkerboard marble floors are one of the home’s most classic European gestures. Brownstone Furniture dining chairs, featuring handwoven rope, teak and rattan, add a note of natural beauty.