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This 1910 Prairie style stucco house was designed by Frederick Schock of Schock and Swanson Architects. Schock was known for his amazing Queen Anne’s in the Austin neighborhood of Chicago. It has been the home of local Architect Thom Greene and his wife Nadeen for over 22 years. They restored and renovated the home from 1994-1998, including a new Arts and Crafts style three story addition to the rear. The porch stairs and tapered planter piers were added also. The enclosing of the porch occurred in the 1920s. At the second floor level, the front façade is symmetrical, with the large central bay balanced by smaller stained glass windows.
The front door and much of the wood trim in the home is birch. New stained glass was designed and installed into the original front door, in keeping with the Prairie Style stained glass pieces that fill the reception hall and living room, which are one open space. The staircase has its original tapered birch newel post in a carved four square design. All the birch woodwork was striped and stained in a deep rich brown. The oak floors are original. At the south end of the living room is the fireplace, which had been painted over, now revealing the classic original green tiles.
The dining room has a south facing bay window. Around the room is a plate rail replicated from the original that was discovered under the front porch. The wall paper is Bradbury and Bradbury. The back wall of the dining room was the end of the original house with French doors opening onto an open porch. Because of its weak structure, it was replaced with the beautiful three story addition. This family room features a wood burning fireplace of river ledge rock, which is positioned in a cantilevered bay. The new wood windows add to the Prairie design. The stained glass lamp shades flanking the fireplace were designed based on the original stained glass in the living room windows. At the back of the room is the door to the small back Prairie style covered porch and stairs to the yard, brick patio and pond. The garage is 1920s.
The kitchen was expanded during the remodeling with both the floor and the new custom cabinets are cherry wood. The bay window over the cooktop is new. Arts and Crafts tiling is on the back splash with laminate counter tops and mahogany edging. The sink is in the original position in the kitchen. To accommodate the new powder room, the pantry was removed. The china hutch is original, which was restored. The new Arts and Crafts powder room, built by Thom, was added to replace the old remodeled powder room that was part of the staircase to the basement. It has been designed with prairie style colored tiles and a bead board wainscoting.
On the second floor, you will see three bedrooms and two baths. The front bedroom was probably the Master bedroom with the two stained glass windows, one is inside the closet. In this room is the staircase to the third floor studio and roof top deck on the addition. The original floor plan had three bedrooms. With the addition of the Master Suite, there are still three bedrooms, because the master bath was added in one of the original bedrooms.
This home was featured in three different issues of Better Homes and Gardens, and in the Chicago Sun Times.
As you complete the tour please exit through the rear family room to the back yard and view the home from the far back yard.