Fall Head Over Heels With This Light-Filled Chicago Oasis

Designers find clients in many ways, but Kate Marker might have one of the more unusual stories. Twelve years ago, she needed an emergency chiropractic appointment and received a referral from a mutual friend. “He saved the day for me,” Marker says of her now client, who came to her home on an early Sunday morning to ease her pain. “We became friends, and I met his wife soon after. She’s just the most wonderful person.”

A few years later, the friendship evolved into business when the couple called upon Marker for her design expertise on their starter home for their growing family and miniature Australian labradoodle, Annie Peach. Eventually though, the couple and their children outgrew that first dwelling and needed more space. “We wanted a house with more property and something we could renovate to make our own,” the wife says.

They knew they found the one when they saw this two-story 1960s Colonial-inspired abode surrounded by towering oak trees in Barrington Hills. But it was far from move-in ready in terms of aesthetic, functionality and overall layout. So, the owners called on what they refer to as their “dream team,” composed of Marker, architect Tom Donahue and builder Matt Warman.

The team turned their eyes first to changing the layout and ceilings. “It was very compartmentalized,” Donahue notes. “And the 8-foot ceilings made it feel closed. We wanted to bring in light, create more of an open floor plan and vault the ceilings where we could.” The whole footprint of the home was reimagined; the primary suite was swapped with a guest room, and the kitchen and laundry room were relocated entirely. Ceilings were raised by 4 feet in the breakfast nook, guest rooms and primary suite to allow for maximum light, and walls were torn down to foster a more natural flow.

In another major move, the team shifted the front door and added a glass vestibule to create a focal point at the entrance. “Rather than walking in and looking at a staircase, which was the previous layout, we created a seamless procession through the house with views all the way to the backyard,” Donahue explains. The space also provides a moment for pause with its thoughtful mix of materials. “It has so much natural light,” the husband muses. “I love how Kate used heated limestone tile and vertical wood.”

The layered atmosphere found in the foyer is a theme that continues throughout the home. “Kate likes to work with a neutral palette,” Donahue notes. “She’s very good at creating interest with texture.” See the family room with its slipcovered seating, faux-raffia coffee table and stone side table. Or the primary suite, where pine beams mingle with a rope light fixture and sea-grass-wrapped bed.

For the color scheme, Marker underscored the neutral palette she’s known for with terracotta accents and an unexpected moss green in the mud and laundry rooms. Blond woods and organic- inspired wallcoverings offset the rich hues. “I was thinking ‘Barrington country,’” she says. “We wanted to bring the outdoors in, make every space have meaning, and have it be the right fit for their family: livable, attainable and full of texture, with a modern country feel.”

Perhaps there’s no better example of that than the bright and airy breakfast nook, where a cozy banquette and swivel chairs allow for gathering in front of the fireplace during chilly Chicago winters. Summers are just as enjoyable in the space thanks to French doors and a plethora of windows that drench the room in natural light while providing sweeping views of the backyard. “We wanted a place where we could bring people together,” the wife says. “We have so much space in our kitchen that we can all gather to start and end our days.”

Though Marker was given free rein on the design, there was continual dialogue with the couple, which is what made it a success. “We designed a space that reflects their personalities,” Marker says. Her clients couldn’t agree more. “I love the transformation of each room,” the wife adds. “We are head over heels in love with this house and so thankful to call it home.”