Chicago, IL (Edgewater)
2000 sq ft
Full gut reno
with Kokokino Interiors
Mid-century style gains depth and personality in a renovation that riffs on 60s sophistication with a vibrant attitude — perfectly suited for a client with a lively sense of color and a gift for fun.
Eight-foot ceilings, old-school aluminum windows and a long, curved wall might seem like hefty design hurdles; but for the En Masse team, they represented a hint at things to come. Taking the “worst” elements of the existing mid-century shell, the team created the star attractions of the renovation: a radiating pattern of white-oak-clad “fins” to emphasize the the apartment’s curving exterior architecture and an array of slender puck lights to turn the low ceiling into a constellation.
“There’s something cool about taking what’s already there and making the most of it.”
- Mike Shivley
White oak paneling fit within the project budget while delivering a warm modernism that makes clear reference to the building’s design heritage. A newly open floor plan brought the blue of Lake Michigan into the entire space, inspiring the brilliant blue of the kitchen millwork. Patterns in tile, ribbing on paneled walls and cork flooring bring rich texture to the space, creating a layered backdrop to the client’s vibrant sense of color.
