A study in contrasts

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January 2020 View more

Gridded windows by Pella provide visual interest, while letting ample light into the front of the home. “We opted for bronze over black; it has a little more warmth and is a little softer,” says Heather VanHoven, interior designer with Oakley Home Builders.

A limestone surround and a striking pair of gas lanterns frame the home’s front entry. The light tone of the stucco exterior was selected to complement the limestone and contrast with the darker charcoal roofing.

A gridded glass Haas garage door provides a stunning focal point. “With it being a forward-facing garage, we were looking for a ‘wow’ factor on the front of the house,” VanHoven says. “You can’t see through it, which is good for privacy, but it gives you that reflective quality.”

When Kelly and Andrew decided to upgrade from their Chicago condo to a single-family home in the west suburbs, they took a recommendation from coworkers and met with Oakley Home Builders.

“To find out we could stay in our price point and build exactly what we wanted with Oakley, it was kind of a no-brainer for us,” Kelly says. As luck would have it, Oakley co-owner Ryan Dunham found a property near his home in Glen Ellyn that checked all their boxes. “We fell in love with the quaintness of the town and the schools and everything,” Kelly says. “And we figured it’s not a bad thing to live close to your builder!”

Their five-bedroom, six-bathroom home with a limestone and stucco exterior is a blend of their differing styles: Kelly is more traditional and adores French-inspired design, while Andrew’s style skews toward California modern. “So we like to say our home is Paris meets L.A.,” she says.

“We wanted our house to feel warm, but at the same time sophisticated,” Kelly says. For the kitchen, she envisioned cabinets in a dark, moody hue. After much consideration, Heather VanHoven, interior designer with Oakley Home Builders, suggested Benjamin Moore’s Iron Ore. “We looked at so many different paint colors; we looked at stains. When Heather found that color, I was just like, ‘That’s it!’ ” Kelly says. The charcoal inset cabinets contrast with the light countertops, brushed nickel hardware, and white oak flooring, which continues into the formal dining room. There, Kelly’s affinity for Parisian-inspired style shines in the herringbone floors, ornate molding, and glamorous glass chandelier from Hinsdale Lighting.

“We just wanted it to feel like a spa, light and airy,” Kelly says of their master bath. Oversize Calacatta Gold marble tiles give the space a clean, modern look. “They were going for a marble that was more warm, versus one that has more gray,” VanHoven says. “And we went more contemporary with the cabinets, lifting them off the floor.” Chrome fixtures and a sleek oval freestanding tub by Signature Hardware ($2,249) complete the spa vibe.

Photos Courtesy Oakley Home Builders