26 | HOME & DESIGN
Mansion is worth its salt The Morton Salt estate was designed by David Adler.
■ by simon murray While studying at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris, American architect David Adler bought a bicycle. He used it during his travels across the European countryside, studying the bucolic expanses of France, England, and Italy. Along the way, Adler took note of the differences in the grand country manors that seemed as much a part of the landscapes as the rolling verdant hills. One hundred years ago (or approximately seven iterations of the Morton Salt girl ago), Adler was commissioned to re-create a French provincial style manor by Jean Morton Cudahy, scion to the Morton Salt Company and her husband, Joseph, in Lake Forest.
“This French country estate is steeped in history.” | Akos Straub Joseph Cudahy — owner of a Chicago meat packing company, and a successful businessman in his own right — asked Adler to travel across Europe once again: this time to collect furnishings that conformed to the neo-classicism of the Louis XVI style design of their home (think the Palace of Versailles). Adler returned with decorative arts and paintings that complemented the magnificent chandeliers, gilt moldings, 24-karat-gold Sherle Wagner bathroom fixtures, herringbone parquet flooring, and custom marble throughout. The Cudahys named it Innisfail, a nod to their Irish roots (Inis Fáil is the ancient name of Ireland)
according to the book “Classic Country Estates of Lake Forest”, by Kim Coventry, Daniel Meyer, and Arthur Miller. And though they would later move into another mansion designed by Adler in favor of a more secluded area, Innisfail still stands as regal and majestic as it did a century ago. The 11,000-square-foot estate is located on two acres on Sussex Lane in Lake Forest and includes a swimming pool, tennis court, outdoor terrace, and botanical gardens — the last one influenced no doubt by Jean Cudahy’s father, Joy Morton, a naturalist, founder of the Morton Arboretum and creator of Arbor Day. Today, Countess Barbara Pagowska-Cooper, president of the American Institute of Polish Culture, owns the property. When the home first hit the market in June 2010, it was listed with an asking price of $7.9 million. The Coopers have since updated the electrical, plumbing, heating, and air conditioning — while staying conscious of maintaining the original enduring qualities of Adler’s work. The price is now listed as $8.9 million, which, according to Coldwell Banker luxury real estate broker Evan Smith, is due to “the appreciation of the market [that] has increased the value of the home along with the complete renovations done throughout the home” over time. Adds Smith’s co-broker Akos Straub, “This French country estate is steeped in history.” With 17 formal rooms, eight bedrooms, 10 bathrooms, a library, and staff quarters, Innisfail has been compared to the much larger Fleur De Lys mansion in Los Angeles, which sold this year for $102 million. ■
The interior touches are elegantly done.