MAKING HISTORY

In a historic home in a Chicago suburb, designer Wendy Labrum deftly honoured the house's past while weaving in modern elements

- JULIET BENNING

Preservation isn’t high on the agenda in Hinsdale, a western suburb of Chicago. In fact, many old homes are getting knocked down in favour of new builds. So when interior designer Wendy Labrum was asked to redesign her clients’ recently acquired historic home, she was eager to lend her expertise.

‘When Chicago was first built, this was a neighbourhood of old money, which is why there are so many beautiful mansions. But rather than take these on, a lot of people are opting to build generic and big boxy new properties,’ says Wendy. ‘My clients had the budget to build something new and fancy, but it’s not what they wanted. They were keen to take something much older and do a period-appropriate and sensitive renovation. This approach can actually be more challenging, though, as the city can make you jump through more hoops.’