The views from the three-bedroom corner unit on the 56th floor of the Park Hyatt Residences on Michigan Avenue are always in flux. Light and the color of the lake and the sky shifting by the hour. “As an artist, I like that every day is different — the sky, the people, even the sounds on the street,” says the owner, a self-taught painter who shares the apartment with her husband. After their children moved to the city, the empty nesters followed suit and quickly homed in on a large space just steps from shopping, restaurants and nightlife. “It was the first unit I walked into,” she says. “There’s a constant energy here. It’s not like stepping into the same river twice.”
To help them tailor the interior design to their taste and lifestyle, the newly minted urban dwellers turned to James Dolenc and Tom Riker of the design firm jamesthomas, who came highly recommended by a friend in Glencoe. “This place was kind of a whole new change of life for them, and they were really excited,” Riker says. “She had some very bold pieces of art, and we wanted those to pop without competing with the furniture and fabric.”
To create the sort of luxurious yet unobtrusive backdrop the owners envisioned, Riker, Dolenc and senior designer Constance Mueller worked together to select a neutral palette with taupe, cream, champagne and gray tones. Even the dark hardwood floor has been refinished in a gray wash. “I told the floor guy that I wanted it to look like muddy water,” the wife says. “On a rainy day, those puddles have the most interesting colors and depth.”
That palette continues into the kitchen, redesigned in collaboration with de Giulio Kitchen Design. The dated, dark cabinets were replaced with custom Siematic cabinets lacquered in off-white. “White would have been a little too stark,” Riker says. “This was a really soft and pretty color that went well with the floors.” A mirrored tile backsplash from Ann Sacks reflects both the natural daylight and the shadows from a pair of Moroccan-style mother-of-pearl pendants. “The pendants brought in a little of the bling that our client liked,” Riker says. “They feel very dressy and also a little artistic.”
There are many such moments throughout the sprawling apartment. A Venetian glass chandelier reminiscent of ’50s design creates a touch of vintage glamour in the foyer. The vestibule’s walls are covered with a handmade Nepalese lokta paper with flecks of mica from Maya Romanoff. “It has an organic quality,” Riker says. “The space is kind of this fun play of traditional elements with pieces that have a more contemporary feeling.” In a small powder room, they added another wall covering with a large floral pattern in shades of gold, taupe and white. “This client is not a big floral person, but we pushed her out of her comfort zone with something that felt kind of glam and unexpected,” Riker says.
Also unexpected is the accent wall in the dining room, which the designers created using antiqued mirrored squares connected by a decorative metal rosette. On each side of the mirror, there is a matching beaded sconce. “It was a big blank wall, so that was a way to reflect some of the views, dress up the space and provide some architectural and visual interest,” Riker says.
To add interest and texture to the formal living room, the designers installed a new limestone fireplace and replaced the built-in cabinets flanking the hearth with architectural moldings and metallic panels. On the opposite wall, they incorporated a custom media cabinet for the TV, which includes shelves to display accessories from the owner’s collection. The walls were left blank to be filled in by the wife’s abstract paintings. “Art is like the jewelry,” she says. “Layering adds dimension. It’s sort of like the concept of umami in food. It draws you in.”
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Although the owners enjoy curling up on the sectional sofa to watch TV, their favorite place to spend time is a cozy area off the kitchen and dining area with two velvet chairs and a plush ottoman in front of the windows overlooking Oak Street Beach, which was the site of their first date more than three decades ago. “To be able to look at that every day and just think about 35 years ago is really kind of fun,” she says. “For us, this is like heaven. It was probably one of the best experiences I’ve ever had working with a designer.”
Creating luxurious layers
Tom Riker of jamesthomas says layers make a home feel complete and personal.
*Not everything should be upholstered, Riker says. To break up the soft upholstery in the living room, the designers brought in a metal and glass coffee table and a painted dining table.
*For depth and texture, think about pillow fabric, drapery trim and wall coverings.
*Artwork and personal effects, including candles and coffee table books, make a house feel like a home. “That’s the layer that is so essential to having a house feel complete and personal,” Riker says.