Inside Our Sixth Annual Whole Home

Whole Home 2023: A Masterclass in Preserving and Refreshing a Historic Estate

For its sixth annual Whole Home, the editors of HouseBeautiful embarked on a ambitious project, partnering with Julie Laux and her build-design team, J. Jordan Homes, to renovate a 13,000-square-foot David Adler estate in Hinsdale, Illinois. Dating back to 1906, the property is a neighborhood gem, and a significant portion of the mission was preservation.

Honoring the Past While Embracing the Future

To achieve this balance, 13 design teams from around the country, each led by a woman, took on a space. The design brief included mandates like "Make it work" and "No, you cannot demo that!" The result is a home that not only honors its legacy but also celebrates the beauty of its original architecture.

A Home for IRL Catch-up Conversations and Cocktail Hour

One of the most striking features of the renovated estate is the abundance of color-filled lounge spaces perfect for in-person catch-up conversations. And, of course, a decidedly noticeable focus on cocktail hour. If Whole Home is trend forecasting for 2024, the prediction seems to be that everyone wants a bit of a break and a martini!

Fresh Perspective on Working within an Existing Blueprint

Joking aside, the finished project offers a fresh perspective on working within an existing blueprint rather than starting from scratch. The designers found clever work-arounds for complicated issues, such as turning dated structural columns into must-have features and using battery-operated bulbs where electricity didn’t exist. It all goes to show that, whether a home is brand-new or steeped in history, if you treat it with care, the future will always look vivid.

Meet Our Design Team

Our all-female design team gave Whole Home 2023 the refresh it deserves.

Sponsors and Partners

Thanks to our Whole Home 2023 project sponsors: Architectural Grille, California Closets, Fabricut, Farrow & Ball, Fibreworks, Hunter Douglas, Kravet, Lee Industries, Minted, Monogram, Morris & Co., O’Brien Harris, Phillip Jeffries, Serena & Lily, Trane, Visual Comfort & Co., and Zephyr.

Committed to the principle of helping everyone live beautifully at home, HouseBeautiful has also partnered with Humble Design, a national nonprofit that provides design services, furniture, and everything that goes into turning a house into a home for families emerging from homelessness, and Wellness Within Your Walls, an internationally recognized resource group created to provide education and guidance on toxins in the living environment.

Tour the Rest of Whole Home 2023

TOUR THE REST OF WHOLE HOME 2023

Conclusion

The renovation of this historic estate is a testament to the power of collaboration and creativity. By preserving the original architecture while incorporating current touches, the designers have created a truly unique and lovely space that honors the past while embracing the future.

FAQs

Q: What inspired the design of Whole Home 2023?
A: The design of Whole Home 2023 was inspired by the historic estate’s original architecture and the need to preserve its legacy while incorporating current touches.

Q: What was the biggest challenge the design team faced during the renovation?
A: The biggest challenge the design team faced was finding original solutions to the estate’s existing structural columns and lack of electricity in certain areas.

Q: How did the design team balance the need to preserve the estate’s original architecture with the need to incorporate current design elements?
A: The design team achieved this balance by working closely with Julie Laux and her team to identify areas where the estate’s original architecture could be preserved, and incorporating current design elements in a way that complemented the estate’s historic charm.

Follow Us on Instagram and TikTok

Follow us on Instagram and TikTok to see more of Whole Home 2023.

Learn More

To learn more about Whole Home 2023 and to see all the makeovers, check out the November issue of HouseBeautiful, on newsstands November 28, and visit HouseBeautiful.com.