“Into the Attic” Renovation

The client, in Old Irving Park, is constrained by the limited space in their 1908 wood-framed house. For this renovation, we opened the attic, creating a new primary suite and connected workspace. The steep-pitched roof presented both significant opportunities and challenges for space planning, with ample overall height in the space at its peak, but significantly less usable space on the edges.

We’ve taken the existing primary bedroom on the second level, created a workspace with built-in millwork and stairs, and connected it to the new bedroom suite in the attic. This creates a tremendous double-height space with lots of light and a tall built-in storage/display piece that becomes a center point in the room, doubling as a railing to the bedroom above to tie the space together. The new primary suite provides the client additional privacy, respite, and space to suit their evolving needs. Along with the second-floor workspace, the new built-in shelving adds significant storage and display space for quilting, and other precious objects.

A large walk-in closet is situated behind the bed, maximizing functionality of the difficult to use area under the lower portion of the steep-pitched roof. We also use the roof pitch to create a bathroom with a cathedral-like ceiling and a tub/shower area bathed in light through a new skylight. The bathing area includes a tub, shower seat, and stand-in shower with tiling surrounding the area to create a spa-like feel.