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This beautiful vintage home has been restored after years of neglect. It was built in 1896. The original owner was Otto Noef.

The style is Queen Anne which is indicated by the complex geometry of the structure. The living room has many walls and the dining room has a bay that extends to the second floor. From the street the home is both gracious and whimsical with the side gables, the large front dormer and the bay on the side that extends to the second floor. The home is flooded with light because of the number of windows. The front door is original with a large pane of glass that lets light into the first entrance way commonly called the airlock- a useful thing to have in a cold climate.

Entrance into the reception hall is gracious with a central table and antique re[production of the original light fixture above the table. The ceiling is covered in Anaglypta wall paper that is embossed. The original fixture was a combination of gas and electricity. The woodwork in this room and the other first floor rooms is oak in a golden color. At the back of the room is the elegant staircase to the second floor. The wood used in these homes in the late 19th century is from the old growth forests of Michigan and Wisconsin, and is irreplaceable.

The front parlor or living room has many walls and a beautiful reproduction of the original gas fire place. The pink tiles on this fireplace surround were taken from the original hearth. Additional decorative tiles, found at Architectural Artifacts on Ravenswood, are antique Argentinian porcelain.

Between the living room and the dining room is a very large pocket door. The dining room includes a large bay area and is also filled with light. The light fixture is a replacement. In addition to the pocket door there are two more doorways in the dining room. One opens into the reception hall and the other opens into a back hallway leading to the kitchen. This door is unique because the inside facing the dining room matches the oak woodwork of the dining room while the other side facing the back hallway is a high quality pine. There is a half-bath just off the kitchen.

There are a variety of doors in the home due to the remodeling and restoration. The originals have two vertical panels and then a centered cross panel and two smaller panels below. The next design was the five panel door which is shown in the kitchen to the pantry and the lower level. You may visit the lower level which has been made into guest rooms with a two-sided fireplace. Perhaps the most unique part of this is the staircase, which is tucked next to the stone foundation. Foundations like this were the norm in the 19th century in Chicago; brick and then concrete were common in the 20th century.

The kitchen was designed to cover the entire back of the house and this design usually presents a problem in arranging cabinets and eating areas. Because there is ample space in this home, an L shaped arrangement leaves most of the room open, showing the beautiful maple floor, the stainless steel counters and the cherry cabinets. A breakfast table covered in stainless steel faces the large back porch. There are three huge windows facing the porch so the room is flooded with light. The back door is original.

You are welcome to step onto the back porch and visit the yard. The garage was built in the 1990s, and enhanced with dormers and full size door shutters. A screen porch is attached to the garage. A terrace has been installed in the center of the backyard and is ideal for a lovely dinner party.

As you make your way up the staircase, please note the elegant oak spindles. The steps open into a hall that runs from the front of the house to the back. The front bedroom is the master bedroom, with a dressing area and a connection to a master bath. This was done before the current owner bought the home, and the master bath probably replaced a small bedroom.

Down the hall above the dining room is another bedroom with the same bay windows. To the back of the house is a bathroom that requires a step up. This may be because of the pipes needed for the original construction of the bathroom, which has an original claw footed tub. The tub seems to be the vintage of the home, but it may have been installed later.

At the back of the home is a room that has been made into an office, with great attention to matching the oak wood to the other wood in the home. The sun porch facing the rear is also finished in matching oak. All the replacement windows and doors are in keeping with the vintage of the home. From this room is a staircase to the third floor, which will not be open because of the winding stairs. It is set up with two more guest rooms, and is quite spacious.