$1.5 Million Homes in Florida, Illinois and California – The New York Times

The house sits at the edge of the Northmoor Country Club, with views to the golf course (the owners first spotted it while golfing), about 25 miles north of downtown Chicago. It is about a mile and a half southeast of Highland Parks business district. Ravinia, the site of an annual music festival and the summer home of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, is less than a mile away and has its own commuter rail station.

Size: 4,989 square feet

Price per square foot: $300

Indoors: The architects signature use of brick extends to the floors of the foyer and throughout most of the main level. It covers the large great room, with its two walls of glass and gray (formerly dark brown) ceiling. The sellers installed skylights that were part of the original design, added 16 feet of open steel shelving along one wall and sheathed the brick fireplace in stainless steel plate to lighten the room.

The kitchen was professionally remodeled with white cabinets, smoothly integrated storage (a coffee bar sits behind one wall panel) and stainless steel surfaces and appliances, including a Wolf range. Pocket doors close off the space from the dining room, as needed.

The owners added a wall of shelving to the master bedroom, as well as motorized drapes covering the floor-to-ceiling glass doors opening to a patio and a screened porch. The en suite bathroom was converted from a bedroom and includes two walk-in closets, two vanities, a walk-in shower, a soaking tub overlooking a Zen garden and shower, and a separate toilet room.

One of two main-level guest rooms was turned into an office. Off it is a guest bathroom with a trough sink and a paneled wall that opens to reveal a shower. A closet has been turned into a 400-bottle wine-storage room. The second guest room on this floor is used as a gym; it has hardwood floors, a mirrored wall and a wall of glass opening to the front yard.

The raised basement level has two guest bedrooms and two full bathrooms. Both bedrooms overlook the side yard and one has a private bathroom. The second has pocket doors opening to a tandem room. There is also a laundry room and a walk-in cedar closet, as well as storage and mechanicals rooms.

Outdoor space: The screened porch runs for 31 feet alongside the great room. The exterior rear patio is 56 by 15 feet. Parking is in the original carport next to the main house. The sellers installed snow-melting pavement between the two.

Read more from the original source:
$1.5 Million Homes in Florida, Illinois and California - The New York Times