More than a century old, this schoolhouse located in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago is home to couple and their five children, renovated by Sullivan, Goulette & Wilson Architects. The architects transformed the 8,500 square foot schoolhouse into an innovative, modern-industrial home with many colorful and functional details and sustainable features. The architects retained and exposed the original interior timber floor joints which had been previously been covered with plaster and drywall for over a century. Most of the wood joists in the basement and roof were also salvaged and turned into new finished flooring planks, countertops, benches and ceiling treatments. The six bedroom, two-and-a-half bath home uses a geothermal system to draw on the consistent ground temperature from wells dug 600 feet deep to cool and heat the home’s interior.

In the picture above, floor cushions have been customized to form a sectional for a family gathering spot just outside the children’s bedrooms, which feature sliding barn doors. What do you think of this awesome home conversion, did the architects do a good job on the renovation?

A well-lit mudroom with ample storage and two benches makes for great entryway for the large family.

The study area features industrial-chic metal chairs, task lighting and dropped bulb lighting.

Frameless cabinets blend seamlessly into the warm wood interiors.

The live-edge kitchen countertop gives gorgeous, unexpected curves to a space that’s filled with sharp edges and angles.

Solar light tubes allows for ample natural light to penetrate the home so the family can use very little electricity during the day.

Salvaged wood caps on colorfully painted drywall walls add brightness and splashes of color to an artfully composed stair atrium.

Nine skylights were installed and strategically placed to saturate dark portions of the house with sunlight.

Splashes of color from exposed ducts, brightly colored towels, kids’ artwork and tiled accent wall enliven the children’s bathroom.

The semi-covered patio is shaded by a nearby tree’s canopy and orange shade sails, enabling the kids a place to play within view from the kitchen.