Designer Laura Tribbett and her team at Outline Interiors completely transform one of the first condos to sell at The Residences at The St. Regis Chicago.
“In the common spaces, we kept things light and airy with neutral materials,” Tribbett says.
THE CLIENT
When an empty-nest couple decided it was time to downsize from their single-family home in Lakeview to a chic new abode at the just-unveiled Residences at The St. Regis Chicago, they turned to Outline Interiors to work their magic on the space.
A work by Sam Francis hangs in the entry across from a console table sourced from Bernhardt
“This was a fun collaboration between OI and our amazing clients,” says Laura Tribbett, OI’s founder and principal designer. “The shift from a large, spacious home to a modern condo downtown allowed us to juxtapose the contemporary lines of the unit with the clients’ unique artwork, furniture and accessories sourced during their travels. The client[s] [were] ready for a more streamlined interior to serve as a clean backdrop to their dynamic art collection.”
The den is dressed in Benjamin Moore’s moody Hale Navy hue.
THE PROJECT
“We started working with the client in the summer of 2019,” Tribbett says. “They had recently put earnest money down on the unit [as one of the first buyers in the building], sold their single-family home and were moving into a rental apartment while the building construction continued. … [Architect] Studio Gang did a beautiful job on the building, so we primarily focused on the furnishings and that extra soft layer to warm up what otherwise could feel like a stark home.” OI swapped out builder-grade lighting fixtures, installed new layered textured wallcoverings, added a soft layer of window treatments and lacquered the den in a dark navy blue to breathe life into the abode. The design created an atmosphere that serves as a canvas for the owners’ eclectic decor and art collection, which includes works of various media by artists Fernand Léger, Lisa Lala, Donald Sultan, Georges Braque and more.
Artworks (from left ) by Yaacov Agam, Donald Sultan and Hunt Slonem hang in the kitchen and dining room.
THE PRIORITY
To bring the clients’ vision to fruition, OI needed to slightly alter the floor plan. “The layout of the guest bedroom did not allow for the client to have a bed, closet, desk and Peloton (all COVID essentials!) in the same room, and they wanted to have more reach-in closet space in the primary bedroom,” Tribbett says. “We flipped the guest bedroom closet to open into the primary bedroom to create two adjacent reach-in closets. We then designed and installed a custom builtin in the guest bedroom that served as a wardrobe, as well as a desk. This allowed for the ideal programming of that room to take place in a way that felt purposeful.”
The den’s built-in features a dazzling Artistic Tile backsplash and hardware from Rejuvenation.
THE CHALLENGE
The trickiest obstacle throughout the project? “Honestly, probably just providing directions to vendors, installers and delivery drivers to find the loading dock!” Tribbett says. “The loading dock is on ‘lower Lower Wacker Drive,’ and this caused endless confusion to the point that our team made a PDF map with directions to share ahead of site visits.” It was a true Chicago debacle, indeed.
In the living room, a custom OI sofa with Great Outdoors fabric, table and floor lamps from Circa Lighting, and a Georges Braque artwork on the wall
THE DESIGN
The OI team took cues from the clients’ extensive art collection, the picturesque east and south views from the 22nd floor, and the serene blue and white hues that bounce off the lake. “In the common spaces, we kept things light and airy with neutral (but pet-friendly) materials that complemented the artwork,” Tribbett says. Sleek Theodore Alexander coffee tables complement a Caracole bench dressed in custom reupholstery atop a custom Stark Carpet area rug in the living room. Step into the dining room, and an RH table with Four Hands dining chairs sit in front of the clients’ vintage sideboard, which was refurbished by Chicago brand MegMade. “In the den and the guest bedroom, we went a bit moodier with the wall colors, custom built-ins and dynamic wallpaper,” Tribbett adds.
Phillip Jeffries wallpaper, RH sconces and Interlude Home bedside tables in the primary bedroom.
THE OUTCOME
“[These] client[s] [were] not afraid of color, and [a] favorite phrase throughout the design process was ‘I’m game,’” Tribbett says. The space emerged as a comfortable yet elegant abode, fit for hosting friends and family, and serves as the backdrop to the clients’ incredible art collection. Although a downsize, the move proved to be a bespoke upgrade in the end.
Photography by: PHOTOGRAPHED BY MARGARET RAJIC
