Name: Sam and Candice
Location: Skokie, IL
Size: 1500 square feet
Years lived in: 1 — rented
In 2006, our color contest winning entry was the home of Peter and Marilyn in Skokie. Six years later we're revisiting this near north suburb with the great views, sun-drenched warmth and simple yet strong interior colors of Candice and Sam's place.
With more windows than walls, this couple has a good problem: limited space for hanging cherished objects and new pieces, but views that stretch for miles (and that let in the kind of incredible light that shows any bit of dust). To deal with these home realities and sink into their new home and surroundings, they've put clear limits on what comes into their home, made some slow and big purchases that really stand out against their outdoor backdrop, and they clean like crazy. This couple strove for a contemporary look that was cozy and livable, and they've accomplished it, despite only living in their place for a year (and that year has been about wedding planning first, home design second). Congrats on both, Candice and Sam!
Apartment Therapy Survey:
Our Style: Contemporary
Inspiration: We love modern and contemporary design. We wanted to make our home have that modern look and feel, while keeping it cozy and livable. All the credit goes to my wife though, she really did everything for our apartment, and I just followed her lead.
Favorite Element: We were lucky enough to get a place with a great view, so we've tried to obstruct it as little as possible. We love our travertine coffee and console tables, which were actually floor models so we got them at about half price. We also love our big white Natuzzi sofa in the living room. They shipped it in from Italy, and we waited 6 weeks for it. When it came in, there was some scrapes on the leather from shipping damage, so they were nice enough to ship it back and send a new one. We ended up waiting 2 months for it, but it was worth it!
Biggest Challenge: The biggest challenge about our place is that there aren't enough walls. Because so much of our apartment is windows, we had a very limited space to hang artwork or mirrors. We're always wishing we had more room for art because we keep finding pieces we love, and nowhere to put them.
What Friends Say: They really like being here, but they say our place looks too clean all the time. Because of how our place is designed, it seems to get messy really easily, so we always find ourselves cleaning and letting our OCD get the best of us!
Biggest Embarrassment: The telescope in our master bedroom is all for show — it's totally useless. My iPhone can see/zoom farther.
Proudest DIY: Our entertainment center. It took many failed attempts before we put it together properly.
Biggest Indulgence: The 3 matching clocks in our office. We paid way more than we'd like to admit for them.
Best Advice: Take your time! We literally saved thousands of dollars finding floor models and shopping around. We saved tons on our furniture because we bought at the right time.
Dream Source: Homegoods — my wife and I spend way too much time here. They surprisingly have a lot of original pieces that you wouldn't expect to find there, most of them one of a kind.
Resources of Note:
ENTRY/LIVING ROOM
- • Milano Sectional White Leather Sofa: Natuzzi
• Travertine Top Coffee table: Crate & Barrel
• Matching travertine top console table: Crate & Barrel
• Wooden side table: World Market
• Entertainment center and bar: IKEA
• Entryway artwork: Dania
• throw pillows: Crate & Barrel
DINING ROOM
- • Strut Dining Table: Crate & Barrel
• White leather dining chairs: Dania
KITCHEN
- • Antique style coffee bar: World Market
• Krups Silver Art Collection coffee and espresso machines
• Wall mail holder: CB2
BEDROOM
- • Low profile king bed: Create & Barrel
• Night table: World Market
• Dresser drawer: World Market
• Dresser: IKEA
• White leather arm chair: Homegoods
• Lamps: Homegoods and Dania
• Chrome desk lamp: West Elm
• Office chair purchased: Hotel Furniture Wholesaler
• Antique brass/wood telescope 1920s replica ordered from Toronto
OFFICE/GUEST ROOM
- • Glass office desk: West Elm
• White shelf: IKEA
• White day bed: West Elm
• Grass plants: CB2
• Yellow and white lamp: World Market
• Steel antique side table: Homegoods
• Throw pillows: Homegoods
• White mesh office chair: Hotel Furniture Wholesaler
• Karlsson white international clocks: Crate & Barrel
• Misc. desk accessories (tray, notepad, pen holder): West Elm and Chiasso
• Green book holders, custom made in our garage
• Floor lamp: West Elm
• Decorative cube-art custom made for us by one of our clients
Thanks, Candice & Sam!
Images: Marcin Cymmer
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I mentally rearranged the living room - moving the bar to where the console table is and putting a nice reading chair where the bar was. That spot just screams reading nook to me. Then I noticed that there are almost no books in the apartment :(
Gorgeous views though.
Love all the light and they seem to have a great handle on the aesthetics. A little more curious about the surroundings -- an office building on one side and vast expanse of scrub brush on the other? Really interesting juxtaposition.
I love Home Goods as well. It's my go to place when I want towels or an item in a specific color. They usually have some great pieces of furniture as well.
YES more carpet! lol. Not being sarcastic at all, I like hardwood as well but enjoy seeing other flooring as well.
I love love love the use of the yellows and greens. Love the windows too, the lack of shades/curtains seems to make it bigger. Ohhh and can't forget the white-faced clock. Very cool.
Too bad the telescope is more so a paper weight than anything else. :(
I just feel like it's not very home-like. I'd be afraid to mess something up.
I really like that it's uncluttered, and the walls of windows are great. It does sort of feel like a hotel to me, though. They achieved the contemporary look, it just seems a bit sterile to me, except for the daybed in the office.
Nice views, but the Christmas tree must have been missed in editing. I really don't like when people move items in the middle of a photo shoot. They should just leave it how it is lived in.
I love this building! So happy to see a tour inside of it
It's a really gorgeous space- I wonder if I would like it as much without the windows and view, that's really the most interesting part.
NMS, but definitely a well-edited aesthetic. I'm disappointed in the utter lack of whimsy or playfulness. That adds a note of anonymity and sterility. But maybe it's the goal?
I was wondering about window coverings too, but I *think* I see horizontal blinds (aluminum miniblinds?!?) pulled the whole way up at the top of each window.
ITA about the kichen -- it doesn't seem to fit with their style at all, but they are renting, so that's probably not the kind of thing they can/would want to pull out and replace.
That couch is MAJOR. I would be afraid to sit on it, lest it become wrinkled or soiled.
Ahhh I drive past this building all the time and had always wondered what the interiors looked like. When I finally looked up its website, it was a navigation headache so I gave up. It's nice to finally see what it looks like on the inside, and the view of Harms Woods is incredible.
I can't recall the building's name now, but it's right off of the Edens on Old Orchard Road.
Feels really well edited, but a little impersonal (or maybe I'm just jealous because it is so tidy!) The living room could really use a rug to warm it up and provide contrast for that white couch.
Wow, it looks very comfortable. And the walls of windows are great.
I live in Chicago and often pass this building when venturing north, always figuring that the views must be spectacular -- and they are! It's great to actually see what the space looks like from the inside looking out -- thanks for sharing!
I covet those floor-to-ceiling windows and views! And I just love the space. I always find the "IT'S SO IMPERSONAL/STERILE/ETC" comments funny. What's impersonal to you might be extremely special and meaningful to another. Not to mention they've only lived in the space for a year! C'mon people, lighten up. You ain't living there.
The space itself -- windows, the views, the beautiful wooden floors -- is very nice, but the interior looks staged for sale.
To have that much light and only one plant!
oh. this place just wrapped me up in a warm blanket of happy zen. i've always wondered how best to decorate/arrange things in an all-window condo -- this is a fantastic example. thank you for sharing.
A bit too modern for my tastes, but it's very nice nonetheless. I can appreciate the clean lines and lack of clutter. I'm on a major decluttering mission and this apartment just makes me feel like it's completely doable. Kudos to your wife on a job well done!
so this is a pretty rude suggestion, but i'm going to throw it out there anyway. has AT ever considered including how much rent is (if the space is rented) or the overall cost (if the space is owned) for these house tours? part of me is just nosy, but i also think it could be a really interesting added feature for those who are looking for homes in the same area. i know you've had a comment thread about people sharing the average range of affordable/acceptable housing in their areas, but this would be a more tangible, specific way to show the cost of housing in different cities/suburbs.
They have some lovely fabrics here but I second whoever said it could use some more plants. It's a bit sterile - it doesn't 'tell' you much about the owners other than they're very tidy! It doesn't feel very cosy to me, although I do appreciate the clean lines of it all.
LOVE LOVE LOVE everything about this tour! These folks have obviously carefully collected pieces they really love that they want to keep for a very long time. I could be very content there. It looks so calm. If I had a view like that, I would let it speak for itself as well instead of trying to "fill up" the space. A nap on the chaise lounge of that sofa with the sunshine coming in the room would be awesome! And a glass of wine in the evenings on that bacony probably melts the whole day away. Lucky you! :)
@ALRSMITH - I like that idea as long as it doesn't get too specific. I wouldn't want to tell strangers how much I'm paying for rent, and I'm sure others don't either. It's easy enough to do a little digging and find the typical range one may expect to encounter when apartment hunting but I would be opposed to specific prices. Maybe something like:
For rentals:
Under $1,000
From $1,000 to $2,000
$2,000 and up
For purchased homes:
Under $400,000
From $400,000 to $600,000
$600,000 and up
And of course, it'd be optional.
What I'd be more interested in, actually, is how much renovations cost, particularly ones done professionally and not DIY.
Love the idea of disclosing rent as an optional piece of the interview, particularly for unique homes where prices in the area might not reflect the true value. Here in NYC it's usually a very casual topic of conversation. "Nice to meet you! What do you pay for your West Village walk up?!"
I've driven by this building a million times and always wondered what the units looked like inside. Fun tour!
I'd also be interested in PI's suggestion of giving a roundabout price range of homes toured.
Wow - if I lived here I would not have my sofa facing the tv - those views!
HHRI you said the same thing about my apartment " No books" I wanted to throw one at your head.
POSTED BY WMJR
A hardbound book, please...
Who is this old, frustrated HHRI to impose books upon people?
It feels very office-y to me.
I think the place desperately needs some (lots) drapery.
Such a beautiful space, absolutely love it. I'd love to watch a thunder & lightning storm out those windows.
@bitts
That couch is MAJOR. I would be afraid to sit on it, lest it become wrinkled or soiled.
... but it's leather?
It's a great space, with all the windows and light.
I love the simplicity of this home...not to mention super jealous of the wall to wall windows! Sadly where i live, in five years time those wall to wall windows would need to be replaced cause of our seasonal temperatures :(