Sheridan Road, Illinois: Lakefront Architectural Project by Northworks

French Provincial on the Water

Set high above Lake Michigan on the bluffs of Chicago’s North Shore, a new country estate reveals sweeping views over the water. Surrounded by gardens, its timeless aesthetic creates the impression that the house could have been built long ago.

Throughout each considered space, traditional influences abound across material and form. Our team was tasked with designing not just a family residence, but also several outbuildings, as well as a restoration of the bluff and beachfront. A foundation for modern living was a key consideration, resulting in the use of steel and glass openings that open the house to panoramic vistas of land and lake.

Our team worked alongside the client to conceptualize a custom-made home that blends classic French Provincial architecture with the necessary elements of a modern-day lifestyle.

Consequently, formal geometries and traditional tones inform the exterior, enhanced by select materials and clean, restrained lines. Echoing this approach, the interior aesthetic is both classic and refined. An old-world look and feel is created with Belgian oak floors, handcrafted wood paneling, and plaster-finished walls. The desired comforts of a contemporary family home remain at the fore throughout.

Standout features

The interior layout flows gracefully from entry hall to the house’s numerous social gathering spaces. These in turn are open to a spacious terrace, swimming pool, and gardens. The landscape’s midwestern prairie plantings and grasses both soften and enhance the generous waterfront views that come with gazing across the great lake. Beyond the main house, a series of new accessory buildings can be found, including a working greenhouse and a heated pool pavilion. Lastly, a boathouse is discreetly buried into the bluff on the beach below.

On reflection

Though the project was approached with distinctly formal architectural language, a sense of comfort and warmth prevails throughout the estate. The result is a sophisticated family home crafted in a classic style for 21 st -century living.

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