In Our LivingRoom With Marsha McVicker
This In Our LivingRoom series visits LRR client and friend Marsha McVicker in her gorgeous redesigned condo in Hyde Park. Annie and Melissa first met Marsha in helping her sell her single-family home in West Town in 2020 and then with the life pivot in motion Marsha relocated to a large condo in a pre-war building in Hyde Park. Tell Us About Yourself: I am a CEO of a tech company as well as a mom of a 13 year old boy and 2 year old shepherd. Tell us a bit about your experience in selling and buying your previous and current property: During the pandemic, I was sheltering at my cabin in the woods and decided to simplify my city life. LivingRoom Realty was able to get my rambling, eclectic Ukrainian Village house in shape for the perfect buyer – that just also happened to be a female entrepreneur. The property sold within weeks of Annie and Melissa taking over the listing. I had been with another realtor who not only failed to generate any interest but also lost what I thought was my dream next step. What were some of the deciding factors that helped you in your process? I was so frustrated, I had decided to take a breather but my longtime designer and friend suggested I chat with Annie and team. And it was a match made in heaven. Not only did she and her talented team quickly sell my home but she just as quickly found me a gorgeous pre-war three bedroom three bath condo in an impeccably run doorman building with views of the lake in Hyde Park. Living Room Realty understood that this move was much more about a change of scenery but truly a change of lifestyle. They understood that I wanted a fresh start in a neighborhood that offered the lake, parks, shopping, restaurants and art within steps of my front door. This move was all about ease and bringing in more lightness – not only from the gorgeous windows of my corner unit but also in terms of effort. A doorman building gives you a sense of security as well as additional assistance that I never had imagined prior but now can’t imagine living without. What's your favorite thing(s) about your property? The favorite things about my space include the beautiful moldings and architectural details that the previous owner had preserved as well as my Wolf range. I am a terrible cook but I am obsessed with that stove and haven’t even bought a microwave because “take out” tastes better warmed up over gas. Plus the space just flows. It makes sense. My son and I have our own ensuites which is HUGE - every mom of a teenage boy will understand that. Plus the endless closets. There is so much glorious storage. And it's so quiet. You do not hear your neighbors and they don’t hear us. And we are very loud people, with our heels, gaming, barking and music. Original well maintained plaster and brick make all the difference. What was the buying process like for you? The crazy thing about this process is that Annie and Melissa were able to narrow down potential options for me and then take my best friend on a whirlwind day of showings while I was still up north. As soon as they walked into my current condo – they knew it would work for my family. They facetimed me from the bathroom and I drove down the next day. I walked in and had to say YES on the spot because there was another offer. I made an offer and wrote a very personal letter to the current owner and closed within a month. INSANE but it was so right. The entire process came full circle when I re-engaged with Angela Finney, the designer/friend, who introduced me to LivingRoom. She has helped me craft a bright, fun, art-filled, kid and dog proof yet elevated space for us to move into and it’s been a blast. It is obvious art is important for you to have in your space, and there are so many beautiful pieces. Any shoutouts you would like to include? Thanks to Linda Warren who let me buy my first piece of art on a payment plan, I have been collecting for two decades and my art represents the most intimate parts of my life. It includes very cherished pieces from Haiti, where my son is from, as well as art he has selected from Derrick Adams and from artists that have become dear friends like Emmet Kerrigan. It was imperative that the space allowed the talent I have collected to truly shine plus Angela created an amazing headboard that shelves with Steven Teichleman that is art in their own right. Any parting thoughts/words? The space is still in process but it is home thanks to those that helped me discover it as well as those that are helping me make it even more personal but really because of those that I love that inhabit Thank you so much for your time and for sharing your space with us Marsha!
In Our LivingRoom With Alex and Wen
This "In Our LivingRoom" series is with Alex Lin and Wen Liu at their multi-unit home in Bridgeport that they purchased with LivingRoom Realty's Managing Broker Annie Coleman. Wen is a mixed-media sculptor and her work focuses on reactions to the environments and objects encountered to build her sense of security coming from a foreign land. Alex is a data scientist from Atlanta, GA. Wen & Alex met over a shared interest in Gabriel Garcia Marquez and contemporary art. They are the second owners of their property, now a single-family home built in 2008 on a double lot with ample space for their pup and their garden. They loved that it had outdoor space, high ceiling heights in the basement for Wen to have a studio. Wen has an upcoming Solo Exhibition coming this November at the Roswell Museum and Art Center and a Roswell Artist-In-Residence Program starting in April 2022 LR: Tell us about yourselfAlex: Wen is a mixed-media sculptor and her work focuses on reactions to the environments and objects encountered to build her sense of security coming from a foreign land. Alex is a data scientist from Atlanta, GA. Wen & Alex met over a shared interest in Gabriel Garcia Marquez and contemporary art. LR: Tell us about your propertyAlex and Wen: Our property is a brick single family home on a double lot built in 2008. It has similar layouts on the first and second floors with a full basement. We’re the second owners of the property and love that attention to detail and thoughtfulness was used in the construction of the house, as well as a side yard for our chocolate lab to run around in and for us to start our small garden. LR:What were the deciding factors when choosing your area and picking your propertyAlex and Wen:We wanted multi-unit property so that we could receive income and use it towards building equity in our home. We wanted a fixer upper so we could put our own personal touches aesthetically, but didn’t want to touch/worry about electric/water/structural renovations. We were also looking for a brick exterior with a yard and parks nearby to take the pup on walks, close to the CTA, and a basement for Wen’s art studio. After going through neighborhoods with Annie and driving around, we focused our search in the Logan Square/Hermosa and Pilsen/Bridgeport areas as they fit our desires & budget. LR: What’s your favorite thing(s) about your propertyWen: My studio. The basement has 9’ ceilings and good natural light. It was unfinished when we bought it and we spent the first few months finishing it to become the perfect home studio.Alex: Natural light and our yard. Due to the double lot, side yard, and lots of windows, we get lots of natural light throughout the day which is great for our 30+ indoor plants. Having the yard for the pup to run around in and to have a small garden has made COVID a lot more bearable. LR: What would you tell someone who is embarking on the buying process? Alex and Wen: In this process you must be fast and slow. Slow in the sense that you should visit as many neighborhoods and properties as you can to figure out what you like and don’t like and ask as many questions as possible. You also must be fast when you find the right property, especially in this recent market. For us, we visited many properties prior to ours and when we saw it (same day listing became active), we had an offer in by noon which was accepted that evening – and the seller had to cancel almost 20 showings the following day. When we bought the property, we weren’t absolutely in love with it, but it ticked all the boxes for what we were looking for at the right price and so we went for it. As we made renovations and lived in the home for a while, that’s when our love for our house grew. As you invest time and efforts into making your house yours, the appreciation will follow. LR: Tell us about any improvements you made or plan to make and why?Alex and Wen: We completely renovated the 2nd floor as we would live in that unit. Replaced carpet with scratch & water resistance laminate, added a gas line for the stove, and completely repainted the walls + kitchen cabinets. As we bought our house during COVID, we had lots of free time and decided to do most of the renovations ourselves. After the 2nd floor was finished and we moved in, we then directed efforts into finishing the basement for Wen’s studio. LR: Can you tell us about that process?Alex and Wen: It’s a labor of love, and we would probably not do it again by ourselves. There are certain things (such as epoxy floors) where it’s better to leave it for the professionals. Trying to renovate while living in the property is tough, but doable. Luckily, we could live on the 1st floor when renovating the 2nd floor and then the 2nd floor when renovating the basement, but that might not work out for everyone. For example, when we were sanding the drywall in the basement, the entire 1st floor was covered in dust whereas the 2nd floor was okay – there was no way we could’ve lived on the 1st floor while finishing the basement. LR: What would you tell someone who is embarking on the renovation process?Alex and Wen: Overall, our advice would be to budget and plan ahead, leaving room for cost overruns which will almost certainly happen. YouTube is your friend - any project you want to do someone’s probably already done it before and learn from their mistakes! Enjoy the process – we got to know our house and grew to love it throughout the renovation process. Thank you Alex and Wen for sharing with us!
In Our LivingRoom with Abby and Josh from Color Club
Our In Our LivingRoom series takes us to the home of Color Club, a special building Managing Broker Annie Coleman helped clients Abby Monroe and Josh Dihle purchase in 2020. Located at 4146 N Elston, Abby and Josh are the 3rd owners of this space originally built in 1922 by the International Order of Vikings. Josh is a professor at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and Abby is a trained facilitator and community engagement specialist for government agencies. Together this husband and wife team have created a center for art and community. They currently have 10 artists working on-site, two art galleries, a two-bedroom apartment, a ballroom event space, and they aren't done yet! They are honoring the history of the building as it's been used as a cultural meeting space, keeping its cool character, but doing some necessary updating. We're so happy to have been able to help Abby and Josh find their building and can't wait to see how they evolve and grow! Tell us about yourself Abby- We are a husband and wife team -- Josh is a professor at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in the painting and drawing department and Abby is a trained facilitator and community engagement specialist for government agencies. Together, at Color Club, we hope to cultivate a home for creative expression and meaningful gathering. Tell us about your property Abby-We are only the third owners of this impressive and quirky property. The building was built in 1922 by the International Order of Vikings and then was operated by the Chicago Latvian Association from 1958 until 2020 when we bought it! Many original features remain and it has always been a place of celebration and cultural activity. We are excited to maintain that legacy for Chicago's art community by renting affordable studio space to artists of all disciplines and thoughtfully programming creative events in the ballroom, tavern and former museum. What were the deciding factors when choosing your area and picking your property? Abby- We were not very familiar with Irving Park, but we knew it was a gem immediately! The building's existing layout was perfectly fit to our vision for Color Club. It was easy to imagine how we could utilize every space and we liked that it didn't need a complete renovation -- we've really enjoyed restoring it's unique character while adding our own touches. What’s your favorite thing(s) about your property Abby- We love that it's not just ours -- it's been so fun to watch others in our community enjoy the space and use it to foster their own creative pursuits. What would you tell someone who is embarking on the buying process? Abby- Trust your intuition and be patient -- if it's meant to be it will be. This was sage advice from Annie Coleman when we lost another property we thought we wanted. Turns out, something better was right around the corner! Tell us about any improvements you made or plan to make and why We converted the former office back into its original purpose -- a two-bedroom apartment. We opened up and white boxed both commercial storefronts that are now functioning as art galleries. We fortified the roofs and other structural elements. But otherwise, we've mostly kept the various spaces intact. A lot can be done with fresh paint! Can you tell us about that process? Abby- We were very lucky to find a great contractor at the beginning of the pandemic quarantine -- when a lot of tradespeople were not busy. It allowed us to move quickly and get the rentable spaces finished and leased. What would you tell someone who is embarking on the renovation process? Abby- With so much space, we had to map out a project order based on priority and potential for generating revenue. We've been chipping away at it piece by piece and it definitely has taken a lot longer than expected, but it's also important not to rush and to make good long-term choices. We keep saying if we knew everything we know now, we probably would have thought twice about jumping into this massive project, but that's also the fun part -- discovering what the building needs, what it has to offer and seeing it come to life. Thank you Abby and Josh for sharing your story and wonderful space with us!
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