When your clients opt for a bar room in lieu of a living room, you know it’s going to be a fun project. This one began at conception: a new construction Tudor with an unexpected edge for a family of Chicagoans making the move to the suburbs. Working alongside the architect and builder from start to finish, WLI shaped an easy-living family home with moments of character that made their transition out of the city feel natural.

With both family and friend-nights in mind, we conceived a clubby, vaulted-ceiling lounge space anchored by a generous bar and plush rust-colored sofas. Adjacent is a handsome paneled library, providing contrast and quiet.

The dining room is anchored by a dramatic landscape mural wallpaper, deepened in tone to bridge the moodiness of the bar room with the brighter kitchen beyond. Here and throughout, the studio’s signature layering of patinated antiques and vintage pieces lends weight and history to a brand-new envelope.

The kitchen was, by Wendy’s own account, a leap of faith — and a feat. Brick-pattern tile, tongue-and-groove ceilings, reclaimed beams, and furniture-style antique cabinets all had to land in concert, and they did. The result feels cohesive and grounded, aligning with the clients’ vision while pushing it just a bit further.