Two years ago, we went and photographed a house tour of the just-about-to open "Smart Home" at the Museum of Science & Industry on a gray, rainy morning. We made another visit there this week and it couldn't have been more different weather wise - it was bright, sunny and the first breath of spring seemed to be in the air. Things inside the home have changed radically as well - it's got a whole new interior design, put together by Midwest Living.
Carol Schalla, Senior Home & Projects Editor for Midwest Living designed the new interiors and the Smart Home's 2010 style is quiet, soft, light and "green" in materials and motifs. The colors are warm whites and beiges with plenty of dark brown to ground them. Natural textures abound, from wooly thick pile rugs to pillows in varying textural styles, from soft knits and fuzzy fur to spiky twisted felt and strips of raffia.
Wood is celebrated throughout the interior design, in the furnishings as well as decorative pieces such as thetwig chandeliers and a driftwood candelabra. Several pieces were designed especially for the Smart Home from reclaimed wood which was rescued after a very old bur oak tree located on the museum grounds fell during a storm last year. The side table stumps, dining table and headboard all use wood from this tree, which we found to be very much in keeping with the ideals and aesthetics of the Smart Home design.
Resources:
Living Room
Sofas: Lee Industries, soy based cushions, recycled fiber filling for pillows with organic fabric covers, fsc and sfi certified wood frames, water based finishes
Area Rug: 100% wool from West Elm
Fireplace: EcoSmart Vision
Driftwood Candelabra: Roost
Dining Room
Dining Table: Barefoot Design
Twig Chandeliers: Deanna Wish Designs
Lounge
Stump Tables: Terry Karpowicz
Chairs: Lee Industries, soy based cushions, recycled fiber filling for pillows with organic fabric covers, fsc and sfi certified wood frames, water based finishes
Home Office
Think Chair: Steelcase, cradle to cradle Gold level certified
Vintage Metal Barrister Bookcase: Room Service Chicago
Carpet Tiles: FLOR
Bath
Wallpaper: by York Wallcoverings, includes real dried magnolia leaves
Shower Tile: Blazestone, 100% recycled post-consumer glass
Sinks: Concreteworks, made of fly ash aggregate and recylced toilet porcelain aggregate
Floor Tile: salvaged marble from the Wrigley Building renovation
Bedroom
Wallpaper: Seabrook, made from natural paper and grasses
Dresser: Design Workshop, made from oak from sustainable forests in North Carolina, no paints or solvents used in finishing
Headboard: Terry Karpowicz
Organic Pillows and Sheets: West Elm
Garage
Bike: Belleville by Trek, made of eco-friendly materials
Kayak: 10 ft. kayak that folds into a backpack and weighs only 24 lbs
Composter: Nature Mill
Tech & Green Features:
Kitchen:
Countertop with Built in Power Source/Charging Station Pad: the pad, by eCoupled is a source of "Intelligent Wireless Power". Simply place your phone or iPod on the pad for it to charge, special wireless appliances (such as the blender shown in the slideshow) will work when placed on the pad. The pad distinguishes between types of items set upon it to determine correct charge and will power down when the job is complete, using near-field inductive coupling.
Lounge:
Kill-a-Watt program on flatscreen helps to reduce the amount of overall energy consumption by measuring usage thoughout the home and displaying information in several different formats.
Photo Nook:
Digital Frame by Nix saves energy by only turning on and advancing photo slideshow when a person is present - it works by motion sensor.
Bath:
Showertime timer can help reduce water usage. User can decide the amount of water to be used for each shower and timer will alert the user once that amount has been reached.
The newly designed Smart Home just opened to the public yesterday. To visit or for more info, check out on the Museum of Science and Industry website.
Images: Janel Laban
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Comments (44)
It's a nice place except for that fireplace. At least they could have used fake wood or something to give it some warmth. It just looks like a giant box. Do not like.
It's an ethanol gel fireplace. No logs, faux or otherwise, necessary.
I would have wall-mounted it, though.
My favorite piece is the lawyers metal bookcase I feel like the rest of the interiors are I made some money and went out and bought everything "new" to coordinate.
Holy moly! What color of yellow/green is that with the bike on the wall? I desperately need to paint my apt, but can't figure out what colors to use. I love that color!
Michelle
http://cheeseloversinternational.blogspot.com/
b-o-r-i-n-g
It's awfully neutral...
Beautiful!
It might be neutral but it works flawlessly because all the natural elements are doing the pop pop pop!
It's nice to redo the interior if it is for the better. In this case, the interior looked MUCH better before IMHO.
Love this from top to bottom. Beautiful!
I agree. What a bore. Needs pops of colors. Too much neutrals and earthy colors. SMART need not be DULL.
a bit "too".....
love the reuse of wood from the tree, but....
A bit on the slow side. Definately needs pops of color.
How "smart" and environmentally friendly is it to redecorate a home whose interiors are only two years old? I would hope they have a big disclaimer on what they did with all the previous furnishings and accessories.
Initially I thought some of the comments above were a bit harsh in terms of the boring-ness of the design. But now that I've had a look myself, I tend to agree. I think individual elements are elegant in their simplicity, but it is too restrained, too conscious of sticking to a design brief. It looks like what it is: a show house, not a home. For me, the overall effect is one of sterility.
Waw.. watch the beauty of this house,i really like that, the house s color. and anything will be perfect in this house,
Livea
I liked the tulips the best, just wish they were yellow or apricot color.
I have to agree @Zoee. "a bit too..."
It's also "not enough of..."
I really like the office, especially the barrister bookcase and the little wooden set of drawers/file cabinet. I love the neutrals - they make a statement on their own without pops of color, which if done incorrectly can look obnoxious.
This is obviously a highly stylized installation, intended to be so.
Lots of lovely lessons here whether you thinks it "pops" or not.
This would be an INCREDIBLY easy space to personalize, and "seasonalize".
I agree with everything Patrick said.
I'm also a fan of the barrister bookcase. I'd love to know where I can get one like that. It's probably wildly expensive though.
Per the credits, Room Service Chicago.
Really interested in learning more about the "wireless" appliances--this seems like really great technology. Will be looking for this at KBIS this year.
what a pretty, clean, and simple home. and it has a good balance of pure and lived in. thank you for sharing! my entire goal.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/twigandleafbotanical
COLOR!
Thanks Patrick (the other one), I saw that, but I am in the UK. So what I meant was where can I get a metal one HERE. Lots of wooden Globe Wernickes to be had here, but not a metal one.
Nice office and bathroom, and I'll always love stairs like that....*drool*
does anyone know if that west elm rug in the bedroom is something that they will be selling or is a previously available item? I can't seem to find it on their website.
It appears to be the Bello shag, still on the first page of their rug offerings this morning...
anybody know anything about the white candle holder on top of fireplace?? I love!
Where's the headboard from? I tried googling Terry Karpowicz, but didn't find much.
i envy people who can have white furniture!
Where can I find the prints that are in the living room?
I believe it is wonderful! Their may not be big splashes of color, but there is plenty of warm with some of the greens and the warm, natural wood color.
It would be easy to just add little hints of personalization at an time because the pallate is already so wonderful.
I absolutely love the main living area.
I'm curious. Were you going for an 80's modern look?
Because I'm feeling the 80's especially in the living room.
LOVE the Grey wall behind the stairs!
What color is it???
Fantastic! The grey and wood combination is so elegant. And the combination of textures and subtle colours. Something to aspire to.
LOVE all the texture in the living room! That's what really pops for me, but I actually do like the color (or lack of) scheme.
I just love all the textures of the rug and the cushions in combination with the wood!
Some cool elements...love the wood pieces and natural feel of the place, but it also has a bad eighties modern vibe...especially with those large glass willow prints in the living room with the 'boring-box-as-centerpiece'. I think my tacky aunt had a similar print in her 80's contemporary home...v bad.
I was inspired by that cool twig chandelier. So I went outside to collect some twigs & branches & gave it a shot: http://www.flickr.com/photos/45376228@N06/4431403639/in/set-72157622957781422/
very nice background, but desperately in need of personalization. a few *personal* knick-knacks could help.
love the green walls.
The proportions, the palette, the materials, the light. Dead on PERFECT.
I'm trying to figure out how one would dust that twig chandelier.
Anyway, that coffee table, dinning table and headboard are unbelievably beautiful, but I would think the cost to have anything like them custom made would be prohibitive to the average consumer. It's probably too late to ask Santa.... huh?