Historic home tour: Elegant updated Chicago foursquare

Historic home tour: Elegant updated Chicago foursquare

• 3.12.2021

I am SO excited to share this home with you! The inspiration for my Instagram home tour series, my friend Hannah Hamburger (@hamb.home)'s 110-year-old home outside Chicago has lots of historic character as well as her high quality updates.

Here are some of Hannah's words:

When looking for a home for our growing family, I craved a home with history, a happy home where we could raise our kids and make our own memories. We took on our 2nd fixer upper in 3 years and set out to honor the history of the 110-year-old home, while still updating and making it function for our family. We've lived here for 2 years, although when we moved in February 2019, we had no kitchen counters, only one working bathroom, and zero interior doors. 

I love that our house has a non-centered front door, so instead of two smaller living areas like most older homes in our neighborhood, we have one large, light filled living room. It's my favorite room and where everyone piles in for movies, fires, and family time.

What a charming exterior. Reminds me of the "Portland foursquare" style home I grew up in.

Inside...

I love every angle of her living room!

I love her use of black, like those black lampshades in the living room. And she went bold in the dining room with a black ceiling.

Here's that kitchen she mentioned. You can tell it was a major renovation!

I absolutely love the blue and white downstairs bathroom she redid.

Another sweet bathroom.

She redid this room for her son's nursery earlier this year. Really special and also on the dramatic side!

Her daughter's room has a memorable wallpaper-look Sharpie pattern accent wall. A labor of love, and it looks awesome!

Her bedroom has some beautiful ceiling interest (and that light fixture), and more rich color.

This bathroom is pretty incredible, too. She says they had to remove a chimney from the basement through the 1st, 2nd, and attic floors in order to have space for this shower.

I've lived in old houses most of my life and I know--you can't often have it all: character/charm and modern convenience and really beautiful spaces you love. I am so impressed with how Hannah has updated this special historic home and made it work for her family!

Check out Hannah on Instagram at @hamb.home. Thanks so much for sharing, Hannah!!