Name: Jordan Olive
Location: Lincoln Square, Chicago
Type of vintage home: Chicago bungalow
Tell us about this bungalow: Although I do not live in the house, I purchased this home to help maintain the character of the neighborhood rather than it being torn down for another "modern urban farmhouse." I live in the neighborhood in an American Foursquare with my wife and our two children.
Tell us a little more about yourself: I am a member of Chicago's classical music community. I am a freelance trumpet player and have performed with groups such as the Lyric Opera, Joffrey Ballet, and Grant Park Orchestra. I am also an amateur woodworker. I initially found woodworking as a hobby through a friend, but found my passion for it through the shop at the Horner Park fieldhouse and the wonderful instructor there, Eric Boelkens.
My wife is an account director in pharmaceutical advertising and our cheerful children are a 4 year old and an 19 month old.
What led you to purchase the bungalow? I’m a professional musician whose work was impacted by the COVID 19 pandemic. When my work came to a halt, I decided to focus on something else—protecting our neighborhood’s beauty and bringing an artist’s perspective to home renovation. I purchased the home in April 2021 to create a Craftsman home with all of the benefits of modern building technology.
Describe your renovation style for the home in 5 words or less: Craftsman Revival, Greene & Greene inspired.
Where do you source inspiration from? Greene & Greene, Pasadena Tile Company, internet pictures of penny tile patterns and borders.
Bathroom - After & Before
What areas of the home will we be looking at in this Home Tour? The living room, specifically the fireplace wall, the entry, and staircase.
Tell us about the entry and staircase: The entry features a wood panel wall that my architect created. It evokes both the stairs in the Gamble House and many Chicago Victorian houses. This space also has the refinished original entry mirror and front door. Formerly, interior stairs to the basement were made through an opening cut in the dining room floor. To accommodate a single staircase that gave access to the basement and 2nd floor, we removed a 1st floor bedroom.
Any proud DIY moments? Building the fireplace wall: I built the bookcases, the frames for the stained glass, and the mantle.
Tell us more about the fireplace wall: I feel that the Greene & Greene houses in Pasadena are the best examples of Craftsman design inspired by Japanese art and design. In an effort to honor the prior family, we tried to imitate their design. With this goal in mind, I built a pair of bookcases and mantle in the style of woodwork from their houses.
What are your favorite original elements and vintage details in the home?
Original: entryway mirror
Vintage inspired detail: stained glass windows
I commissioned Solstice Stained Glass to build a pair of stained glass panels to go over the fireplace and a third panel for the staircase. These panels all show cherry blossoms.
Any budget-friendly considerations you want to highlight? I hired Darrell, of Chicago Woodstripping, to remove paint from the original entry mirror, front door, basement door, and cabinet doors in the front room of the basement. This allowed me to preserve these elements for about 1/6th of purchasing new.
Any eco-friendly considerations you want to highlight? The house is all electric. The kitchen has an electric range to improve indoor air quality. The water heater is an electric heat pump model, as is the HVAC—it includes an electric heating element to heat the house when the outdoor temperature is too low for the heat pump to draw energy from outdoor air. The clothes dryer is also a vent-less heat pump model.
The new 3900sq ft house is also highly insulated and was able to be heated through construction by a 10kW electric heater, roughly the same power as 7 hair dryers.
List professionals you hired (if you recommend them):
Architect: David Schroeder - (773) 456-3530
Contractor: GTR Construction - (773) 934-0425
Stained Glass: Solstice Stained Glass - (312) 409-6715
Paint Stripping: Chicago Woodstripping - (773) 384-9488)
List sources for furniture, décor or materials (if you recommend them):
What are you planning to do next? Take a few weeks to return to my old life of only practicing trumpet and playing with my kids. Then, maybe find another house project.
Any advice for other vintage home owners? Little things can add up and greatly impact final cost in a renovation. Try to know all the bits that you will be responsible for purchasing. Ask questions—many of our neighbors have great information about the neighborhood, houses, and style.
We invite our members to share photos and narratives about the renovations, restorations, and redecorating they've completed on their vintage homes (not just bungalows!). Submit your Home Tour here, and we will reach out to you about a potential blog post. Not yet a member? Join today!
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