Fifty-foot-wide lots rarely appear in Chicago and most urban areas, making them a valuable find. So, it’s disheartening when a home fails to maximize the potential of that extra width. At our Ravenswood charred wood and glass addition project, an early-aughts rear expansion had severed all connections to the tree-filled rear and side yards.
Our client wanted a home that fully embraced its exterior surroundings, incorporated usable outdoor space with an outdoor kitchen, and provided ample room for large family gatherings. Our design solution involved removing the ill-conceived addition and designing a new split-level family room, kitchen, and dining room, all tailored for family entertaining.
Split Level Charred Wood & Glass Addition
Like some other notable moss projects, Wine Enthusiast Retreat and the Cedar House Among the Trees, the client’s desire to have a space for entertainment led us to a familiar split-level design concept. The addition was designed as a slab-on-grade structure to hold the family room and mud room (with all the storage space needed for the array of sports equipment common in today’s athletic world), which was set four feet below the adjacent kitchen and dining room. The arrangement gives extra ceiling height to the family room with the associated tall glass walls, allowing light to penetrate deep into the interior of the floor plan (a common problem with Victorian architecture). The change in floor elevation makes for easy conversation between the family in the kitchen and the family room.
Another common moss design detail is charred wood siding, known as Shou Sugi Ban. Charred wood wraps the new addition and blends effectively with the black frame design of the doors and windows. The siding is not simply glued to the outside of the building envelope, which is common in less refined construction methods, but instead held off the exterior weather barrier with furring strips. Typically referred to as a ‘rainscreen,’ the design details allow any moisture behind the siding to drain harmlessly behind the charred wood material.
All photos courtesy of Tony Soluri Photography
Bringing the Outside In with a Folding Glass NanaWall
Dissolving the boundary between the interior family room and exterior terrace is achieved with a 14′ wide x 7′ tall folding glass NanaWall that completely folds away, nesting in the corner of the space, out of the way of circulation paths and furniture arrangements. The design blurs the inside and outside spaces, allowing for larger family gatherings to spill easily to the terrace and outside kitchen, effectively doubling the size of the family room.
In our Midwest climate, an insect screen is a necessity, and its requirements and limitations must be factored into the design of the sliding door system. Our design detail creates a seamless pocket for the Phantom insect screen to hide while not in use and be easily deployed when needed. In between all of these small design decisions is the larger structural frame needed to create such a large door opening in the first place. To do this, we coordinate with our structural engineer, door supplier, and insect screen fabricator to make this detail come together so the crew can easily construct at the job site.
Victorian Elegance Meets Modern Minimalism: A Charred Wood & Glass Transformation
A common dilemma is that an older, often 100-year-old original structure needs updating or removal of previous additions. How does the old interface work with the new? We prefer to let the new spaces be perceived as new and simply clean up the vintage portion. Especially important for this project was the landmark property tax status that needed to be maintained. How can we improve a vintage structure’s safety and code deficiencies while considering historically significant details? We ran into this head-on right as you walked in the front door. The intricately built interior wood stairs needed repair to improve safety, and the stained glass window needed repair.
Our design solution replaced the Newell post, fixed worn-out pickets in the railing system, and maintained the stained glass window. The front parlor, foyer, and fireplaces were maintained and restored. The blending between the older front parts of the structure and modern rear portions happens in the circulation space. The placement of reclaimed interior doors, lighting, and artwork subtly implies it.
Approaching from outside the home, the front facade appears as it did 100 years ago. You only get a peak of the charred wood and glass addition when you walk down the side yard. This modern addition marks the north end of the new Family Room. Rounding the corner to the rear terrace is where you fully experience the expanse of glass. Here, you’re fully immersed in the outdoor kitchen and the connection to the tree-filled yard and terrace.
Modern Luxury Kitchen Design With Custom Bronze Exhaust Hood
The centerpiece of the kitchen composition is the bronze hood over the cooktop. The custom range is offset by the off-white lacquer cabinets. But not everything is as white as it seems. Several design details accent the kitchen and contrast with the white finish background. The quartz countertops and backsplash are a great match for the bronze faucet and plumbing fixtures. As an extra design flourish, the island counter is separated from the cabinets by a custom bronze band that wraps the entire island and compliments the plumbing fixtures.
The renovated primary en suite bathroom with the existing conditions pictured below
Charred Wood and Glass Addition Existing & Construction Photos
