LIFESTYLE & ARTS LET THE MAGIC BEGIN
From PG 24
Guest Powder Room. Photo courtesy of Dustin Halleck
and botanical scents that invite a long soak in the tub—an oasis amidst everyday life. In the dressing area, off the main hall, she removed the closet door to open up the space, creating a vibrant mustard colored alcove where she installed a large painting by artist Megan Borah. The walls adjacent to the art pull a floral pattern design directly from the art—the custom wallpaper was made just for this space. In each of the three spaces, Minckley used wallcoverings she printed in her Chicago studio, designed by the artists of Relativity Collective. The walls of the dressing room are adorned with her colorful chameleon botanical print, which is paired with a bold black and white geometric pattern on the ceiling by Stone Textile Studio. “I chose some atypical color combinations, because I believe in living with vibrant and happy colors in Chicago’s gray climate,” she says. The bathroom is wrapped in hues of green “Palm Flower” wallpaper, inspired by African textiles and designed herself for her fourth collection. The shower curtain features another of Relativity Textiles own globally eclectic patterns, Gaar Gold, and on the ceiling yet another wallpaper by SydMayme. The vastly different patterns and colors of the wallcoverings, shower curtain, and fabrics all serve to complement one another, rather than compete, and invite the eye to all areas of the unique space. Originally wanting to replace the 1960s linoleum tile with cement tile from Mexico, Minckley realized that it would require too much reengineering. Her solution was to paint both the linoleum and the neighboring wood floor, and all of the trim in both areas, in Benjamin Moore’s Mediterranean Teal. It’s bold yet soothing, and serves to integrate
the powder room, dressing area, and alcove. A red hand-painted border around the floor adds another element of visual interest to the room. “Globally inspired design means transcending our geographic location and pulling in stories from around the world,” Minckley says. “This home’s guest powder room allows you to stamp your design passport on several pages.” EAST COTTAGE KITCHEN: Lori Lennon + Associates, lorilennon.com Having participated in more than 70 showhouses around the country, including the Lake Forest Showhouse & Gardens, interior designer Lori Lennon believes that the psychology of a space must be right if the design is to work. “I study every aspect of design and the psychology of designing any space rather than follow the trends,” she says. “The kitchen always has to be logical and meet the needs of the client before I get into the aesthetics, such as what colors make them happy and the lighting that is so important.” In designing the “little kitchen” in the guest cottage, Lennon wanted people to get a sense of an organized kitchen. “It’s very important to balance the room,” she adds. This proved to be a bit of a challenge given the small space and the fact that the window wall is off center. But she tapped into her many years of design experience, flanking the off-center window with matching 12-inch-tall cabinets, as well as designing the base cabinets below with panel fronts to create a bit of an illusion of symmetry. After selecting a black and gold Hallman Industries professional range with five brass Italian burners, Lennon incorporated that same theme around the lower cabinets. “It looks like the range is continuing around the kitchen,” she explains. The upper cabinets are white, as is the white porcelain refrigerator that appears to run to the ceiling thanks to more clever cabinetry woodwork. The black and white contrast throughout adds to the symmetry of the room. Despite its small footprint, Lennon embraced the additional challenge of utilizing all of the space she could get. “I found products that can access the corner cabinets, with pull outs on each side of the kitchen that have access to the blind corner. On the upper cabinets, she added small baskets that pull out to access small corners. Lennon has learned over the years that the only way you can achieve a wonderful kitchen is with custom cabinets and the right lighting, which she calls “mood lighting.” In this case, utilizing natural sunlight and putting additional sunlight into the kitchen with the correct lighting makes all the dif-
ference. As do the extra touches she’s added, including a gold star above the refrigerator to give it a little glamour and the wallpapered ceiling in blacks and grays with hints of subtle metallic gold. “It isn’t distracting but rolls around and encompasses you as your work in the kitchen,” she says. This is truly a small but mighty gem of a kitchen in the darling East Guest Cottage.
East Cottage Kitchen. Photo courtesy of Marcel Page Photography
EAST COTTAGE PRIMARY BEDROOM: Lauren Collander Interiors, laurencollanderinteriors.com The timing for Lauren Collander Interiors’ debut in the Lake Forest Showhouse, which coincides with the opening of a new design studio in Lake Forest, couldn’t be more perfect. With a decade of experience in both boutique hotel design around the world and in residential design, it is only fitting that Collander designed the primary bedroom—
a tranquil sanctuary—in the East Guest Cottage. “The idea that this cottage is intended for the homeowner’s most cherished guests was an inspiration for our design choices,” Collander says. “We wanted to create a luxurious and memorable experience to live your best life, so we focused on thoughtful details that provide everything a guest needs to feel special.” And that it does. When you enter the bedroom room, you are enveloped in the shimmering bronze cork wallcovering by Phillip Jeffries, which covers the walls and ceiling that follows the angled roofline. The cozy, inviting, and serene atmosphere offers surprises around every turn with an inviting bed and sleeping area—set apart as it sits atop a gorgeous Alexander McQueen silk rug by the Rug Company—on one side of the room, and the former large-closetturned lounge space on the other. “We transformed the space that was once an enormous closet, too large for a guestroom, into a dramatic lounge, dressing vanity, and closet,” explains Collander. “We are thrilled to be showcasing a Vladimir Kagan curved sofa in this area, loaned by Holly Hunt, which perfectly balances the strength and softness of our concept, Embodiment of a Woman. It adds a bold yet elegant touch to the room.” The high-gloss custom dressing vanity, tucked away and adjacent to the closet with its sumptuous deep blue wall covering, was created to provide a space for one to pause and dress with intention. With its thoughtful cabinetry by Trim Tech Designs, each drawer has a carved-out niche for specialty items. Bold, yet soothing. Comfortable and elegant. The boutique hotel-inspired guest cottage reflects Collander’s global, yet local, flair. "My team and I are thrilled to be a part of this community and participate in such a meaningful event,” she says.
East Cottage Primary Bedroom. Photo courtesy of Dustin Halleck
28 | SATURDAY MAY 6 | SUNDAY MAY 7 2023
THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND