Chicago Coach House
Type: Residential - Renovation
Location: Chicago, IL
Size: 500 SF
Status: Completed 2024
Team: Studio Becker Xu - Architecture & Interiors
Zak Rose - Millwork Fabrication
Jackson & Green - Construction
The process of renovation is an act of intentional inclusion, of re-collecting elements past and present into a singular space of belonging.
In this modest adaptation of a small 19th-century Chicago coach house, idiosyncrasy and history are embraced as opportunity. This design brings together a collection of architectural features, old and new, into a cohesive room of many functions.
Existing elements, like an oak hardwood floor, solid oak stair, and glass block windows, were gently refreshed with creativity & care, while other elements, like an outdated kitchen lacking storage and a mechanical soffit dividing the room, were reimagined to maximize functionality. When integrated with a custom partition for storage & display, the once-unsightly soffit transforms into a purposeful line drawn through space, framing zones for both utility & leisure within this limited urban footprint.
Before & After:
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/c74520ea246ca0ee6807f5d1b1f18d811b434d5f1bf395aa441a316fca464975/IMG_6909-copy.jpg)
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/8009231572ad03c2b68be0931e6dd8aa7d9256bb807bd739f437b30f044c3c15/IMG_6857-copy.jpg)
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/a840b39f9f654b6a760362bc868dbf22a80c079b63d100606a5d186b3cc1636a/IMG_6856-copy.jpg)
Published in Dwell+ (June 2024)