Chicago native and NYC interior design star Hilary Matt (hilarymatt.com) gets back to her roots with a new-construction Windy City townhome, expertly crafting a perfect abode for a young family of four.
Custom handpainted Porter Teleo wallpaper on the ceiling adds an edgy accent that, when paired with a chic Bocci lamp and unique art from Dain NYC, brings this living room to life.
When the pandemic hit, Hilary Matt’s clients definitely felt the quarantine blues. “We were using every inch of our three-bedroom condo in the West Loop,” they explain. “While we loved the location and the memories the home could provide, we desperately needed more space.” For the family of four, a multilevel townhouse in Roscoe Village was the perfect antidote, but the black-and-white new-construction home lacked personality. Enter interior designer Matt, whom the couple had been following online for years. “We loved that she was a Chicago girl making it in NYC,” they gush. “Almost every single picture we used for inspiration came from Hilary’s website or Instagram.”
The girls’ playroom is bright and cheery with Designers Guild wallpaper and all-pink accessories.
“By buying new construction, we were able to work with a blank canvas to truly make it our own,” the couple notes. Says Matt, “They wanted a young, fun and funky space that was livable for a young family.” The clients didn’t want to take themselves too seriously, instead preferring for each room to have its own moment and personality. They add, “The builder had picked beautiful finishes so we didn’t feel we needed to waste funds on changing much, only enhancing.”
For the primary bedroom, the couple requested “a moody vibe that felt like a complete escape.”
Her clients’ main focus? “To make the home feel more like their own and not like a spec house that they purchased,” Matt says. The couple agree, adding, “We were always asking Hilary what we could change to make it our own and we really went for it.”
Textured window coverings from Couture Window Treatments add dimension.
COVID-19 notwithstanding, the distance between the project and Matt’s NYC headquarters was of immediate concern. “We thought distance would be hard, but it was actually OK and manageable. Also, I am from Chicago, so I was always happy to go back there,” Matt quips. As for client requests? “They really gave me carte blanche on this house and I loved being able to pour my creativity into the space.”
The girl’s bedroom features a stunning Gucci butterfly chair and a youthful neon sign.
The main-level powder room is a proven fan favorite, boasting green Gucci Swans wallpaper, black and white tile, a simple black mirror, gold Lindsey Adelman sconces, a gold faucet and a Toto Neorest toilet. “If a guest needs to use it, when they open the door you always hear a ‘Wow!’ when they enter for the first time,” Matt’s clients beam. Myriad custom details abound throughout the space, from the grand antique marble dining table made from slabs and the vintage Sputnik chandelier in the dining room to custom handpainted Porter Teleo wallpaper on the ceiling of the living room and Carolyn Ottmers metal flower art in the primary bedroom. The family especially loves the playroom, noting, “It is a place where the girls can truly escape and just have fun.”
Sitting discreetly underneath the stairs, the eye-catching powder room is a must-see design moment.
“I really feel like everything turned out exactly how the client imagined it,” says Matt. “It feels like a one-of-a-kind property.” How does the family feel? “Happy is an understatement. When we enter our home we feel like we are walking into a finished coloring book of our own minds,” they reveal. “[Hilary] listened to every last request and now our house is truly our home.”
A custom marble slab table and vintage Sputnik chandelier from Venfield in NYC add extra elegance, while bold art from Tyler Shields (@thetylershields) and Jenna Krypell (@jennakrypellstudio) complement the room’s purple tones.
Photography by: BY RYAN MCDONALD
