Vintage Furnishings Play With Bold Color In A Chicago Escape

Designer Kelly Rosen Lagrange knows what she likes: rich color, cozy vibes and plenty of natural light. “I don’t love a neutral space, and I don’t love a bright space,” she says, describing how she approached the palette in her own home, a co-op in a 1929 Gold Coast building. “I have a strong point of view,” she says, “especially in my own life.” See the bold purple walls in the dining room; splashy coral and yellow accents in the living room’s artwork; the deep-green kitchen; and the mustard banquette in the breakfast area.

The designer and her husband, Christophe Lagrange—Chicago natives who met as first-year students at Latin School of Chicago—were seeking a spacious vintage diamond-in-the-rough that they could renovate to their exacting vision. Both have personal expertise on the matter: Rosen Lagrange grew up in a historic Gold Coast building, while Christophe—the son of an architect and interior designer—was raised in a Louis Sullivan-designed home in Lincoln Park.

Fans of classical architecture, when the couple found this full-floor co-op with windows on all sides, they saw potential—along with views of Lake Michigan and the landmark “Cardinal’s Mansion,” the city’s legendary Queen Anne-style archbishop’s residence. The pair tapped architect Steve Rugo, a longtime friend who’s worked on numerous projects with both families, to help them bring their vision to life. “Steve was like our architectural historian,” Christophe says. “We knew he would be able to pull out the right trim details and baseboard profiles and have appropriate historical references for balance and scale.”

Together with general contractors Michael Saltenberger and Molly Gray Saltenberger, the team rejiggered the entry positioning, recast the former library off the foyer as a dining room and brought more symmetry to the procession of rooms. To introduce traditional nods, Rugo explains, “you want to create spaces that flow but are also defined the way anything of classical inspiration would be—you might create an enfilade of doors and take advantage of passages that open toward windows.” He made use of both techniques here, adding, “It’s no different than great houses in Europe.”

Rosen Lagrange knew that referencing the architecture was key to the interiors. “The way you finish a space has to relate to whatever is happening on the exterior or the time period,” she says. “But we needed it to feel younger. That happened through the furnishings.” Throughout the home, she mixed vintage European finds of a lighter, more relaxed feel with contemporary selects and statement lighting to keep it fresh. Stonework, such as the green-and-burgundy-veined marble in the kitchen and the clean-lined violet-accented stone on the living room’s fireplace mantel, adds a modern touch.

Variations in texture lend interest and keep color from feeling one note. The mustard-hued kitchen banquette is swathed in a wool-cashmere blend, while a pair of vintage light-blue French armchairs—also in a wool-cashmere upholstery—shares space in front of the living room fireplace with antique Italian lounge chairs covered in nubby wool. Enveloped in tactile fabrics, the primary bedroom boasts walls wrapped in wool, a sea green silk rug and dark-green mohair draperies.

While the saturated hues Rosen Lagrange adores can be found throughout the home, “some rooms needed an even stronger point of view,” she says—most notably, the dining room. After all, the couple loves to entertain, with Christophe often cooking 10-course meals for their guests. The space’s glossy aubergine millwork is tempered with traditional details, like dentil crown molding, and rich layers, including the walnut-and-bronze dining table and silk wallpaper on the ceiling. “That dining room was one of the best decisions we made in the apartment,” Christophe says. Rosen Lagrange agrees. “It always feels cozy and kind of sexy,” she says. “It’s even better at the end of the night, when the candles have dripped all over the tabletop and there’s a mess of red wine glasses. It’s a vibe.”

Whether it’s this late-into-the-night entertaining or early mornings with their daughter at the breakfast table, “Everything feels right,” Rosen Lagrange muses. “We’re a young family enjoying our home and bringing friends here. It feels good—warm and inviting.”