In Chicago, A Sleek Townhouse Pays Homage to Some of Fashion’s Biggest Names
When Dan Mazzarini, founder of New York-based interiors studio BHDM Design, got a call from a college friend to design her family’s forever home, a recently purchased 5,000-square-foot, four-story townhome in Chicago‘s trendy Ukrainian Village neighborhood, he immediately tapped into the couple’s love for fashion and design.
When asked what story they wanted to tell through their home, the couple immediately cited Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, and Tom Ford as inspirations. Like the garments created by their inspirations, the resulting three-bedroom, three-bathroom family home is beautifully tailored. Curtains have just the right break, and accessories are carefully selected to complement rather than compete. Mazzarini worked in collaboration with Vari Architects to bring the fashionable couple’s vision to life.
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“We settled on a mashup of warm and layered, like modern Ralph Lauren, with the sex appeal of Tom Ford,” Mazzarini tells Robb Report. “We spoke in brands as we approached the design process. Part of it is rooted in fashion, but their inspiration also came from their love of travel and their love for a really great hotel room.”
“I say that black is required for every room,” Mazzarini tells Robb Report. “It’s almost like the eyeliner of the decor. They wanted the rooms to be fashionable yet approachable, which led us to this very warm but black-and-white palette. Most of the house’s materials were meant to strike an emotional cord.”
To do this, Mazzarini used just two paint colors throughout the entire home: Benjamin Moore’s Intense White, which is actually a light gray, and Kendall Charcoal. These hues are juxtaposed with sumptuous materials like suede, Macassar ebony wood, and cerused oak.
The main floor is open-plan with a fireside living room, a dining area, and a sleek kitchen. Floor-to-ceiling windows flood the space with natural light. This allowed Mazzarini to incorporate darker hues, which are offset by warm, natural oak floorboards. One of the residence’s most striking areas is the kitchen, crafted with Kenya black stone (a granite chosen both for aesthetic and durability) and vertical grain black ebonized wood.
The second floor houses the study, laundry room, and two bedrooms—one of which is their young daughter’s room. This sophisticated nursery has a pink and white palette featuring Caitlin McGauley wallpaper on the ceiling, a Dash and Albert area rug, an Hermès throw, and a Danish rocking sheep from Povl Kjer.
The study, on the other hand, features more Ralph Lauren-esque decor with menswear-inspired curtains, a Kenya black stone fireplace, and an ebony L-shaped couch that adds a sleek touch to the space.
“There’s a black sofa, but the rest of the room is very light and bright,” he explains of the study. “They didn’t want to be afraid to live in every part of the house, so while it does look put together, it’s also very cozy and draws you in.”
The third floor is dedicated entirely to the primary suite, which features dark and moody hues and artwork the couple has picked up during their travels. To house and do justice to the client’s impressive collection of designer duds, the 300-square-foot, boutique-like closet fits over 100 pairs of shoes and 30 designer handbags. While the well-dressed black-and-white bathroom looks like something out of a five-star hotel in London.
Throughout the home, oversized milk glass windows are installed to retain privacy from the home’s very nearby neighbors. Finally, there’s a detached garage and a rooftop basketball court.
Click here for more photos of this fashion-forward Chicago townhome.
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