Step inside this beautiful English country manor house renovation in Glencoe, Illinois

Front exterior of white brick Tudor-style home with arched entry and dormered slate roof

❤️ Would you like to save this?

We'll email this article to you, so you can read it later!

By saving, we'll email this post to you for later. Unsubscribe anytime.

When designer Christine Peterson of Midsummer Interiors bought a century-old home on two-thirds of an acre in Glencoe, Illinois, she saw past the dated finishes and disjointed floor plan to what the house could become. Working with architect Dave Szafarz of Downey Szafarz Architects, she reimagined nearly every inch of the almost 8,000-square-foot home, flipping the layout entirely to make room for a new garage, kitchen, and main suite. The result is a home built around soaring steel doors, arched windows, and the kind of thoughtful details only a designer renovating her own house would think to include.

Take a full tour of the finished home below, then go behind the scenes with Peterson herself in our Q&A, where she shares the biggest challenges, her favorite rooms, and a few fun surprises from the renovation. Scroll to the end for a list of paint colors, fixtures, and materials from some of our favorite rooms, so you can recreate the look in your own home.

Exterior with arched entry and cedar shake roof

Exterior front view of white brick English country home

What We Love About This Home

The owner’s suite is the heart of this English country manor house for us, with its vaulted ceiling, gold sunburst chandelier, and dual dormer window seats overlooking the treetops, making it feel more like a boutique hotel room than a bedroom. We also love the checkerboard marble floor in the butler’s pantry, a graphic, old-world touch against the white cabinetry. The black cross-shaped cutouts on the mudroom locker doors round things out, turning a practical drop zone into something special.

Tell Us: What is your favorite space in this designer’s personal home renovation? The converted garage library, the attic bunk room, or somewhere else entirely? Let us know in the comments below. We love reading your feedback!

Note: Be sure to check out a couple of other incredible home tours that we have showcased here on One Kindesign in the state of Illinois: 1960s Colonial inspired home gets a stunning transformation in Illinois and This beautiful Illinois house is family-friendly without sacrificing any elegance.

Twilight exterior view of a white brick Tudor-style manor with slate roof, dormers, and dual dark wood garage doors

Exterior view of white brick manor home with arched front entry, black-framed windows, and cedar shake roof

Front facade of white brick estate home with arched glass entry door and multiple gabled dormers

Front facade detail of cream brick manor with arched entry, dormers, and hydrangea planters

Front facade of white brick home framed by mature oak tree with arched entry and dormers

Beautiful white house with gabled roof, large trees, and manicured lawn.

Garage facade with twin dormer windows, cedar shake roof, and dark wood carriage-style doors

Side view of white brick garage with dormer windows, wood garage doors, framed by oak trees

Arched steel front door with stone surround

Close-up of arched glass front door flanked by black steel windows, stone surround, and flower-filled planters

Close-up of arched steel front door with stone surround, sconces, and hydrangea planters at dusk

Front entry facade with arched glass door, black-framed windows, and dormer above at golden hour

Sunlit view of arched front entry with open steel door, flower planters, and cedar shake roof

Front door detail with arched stone entryway open to reveal herringbone floors and living room beyond

Foyer with herringbone floors and iron staircase

Tall arched steel-framed window and door with brass chandelier and tree view from foyer

Tall arched black-framed door with brass chandelier and wood beam in foyer

Upper landing staircase with black iron balusters, brass chandelier, and herringbone floor below

Upstairs hallway with black spindle railing, wood-capped staircase, and light oak flooring

Understair nook with arched window, wood staircase, and black iron railing detail

Herringbone-floored hallway with black staircase railing leading to arched glass door

Hallway view toward living room with stone fireplace and herringbone wood flooring

Dining room with arched steel window wall

Open dining area with round wood table, white slipcovered chairs, and globe chandelier before arched window

Open dining area with round wood table, white slipcovered chairs, and arched steel window

Dining room with round table facing arched steel window

Open dining and living area with wood beamed ceiling

Living room with stone fireplace and built-ins

Living room with stone fireplace and built in shelving

Living room with stone fireplace, arched built-in bookshelves, and camel leather barrel chairs

Living room fireplace with abstract art, black double-cone sconces, and glass-paneled door

Living room with gray sofas, marble fireplace, glass-front cabinet, and ribbed coffee table

Wide living room view with dual sofas facing marble fireplace and glass French doors

Living room with beamed ceiling opening to kitchen beyond

Great room with wood beams and open kitchen

Wide shot of great room with exposed wood beams, kitchen island, and glass door to patio

Living room view toward kitchen island with beamed ceiling, gray sectional, and marble backsplash

Great room with beamed ceiling, gray sofa, kitchen island, and arched glass doorway beyond

Kitchen island with walnut shelving and brass pendants

Open living and kitchen area with gray sectional, wine fridge, and marble backsplash island

Kitchen island with walnut wood shelving and brass pendant lights

Kitchen counter stools facing marble backsplash and steel windows

Wide view of kitchen island with wood accent and seating

Kitchen with marble slab backsplash, brass pendant lights, and island seating with leather-trimmed stools

Kitchen island with walnut open shelving, marble waterfall countertop, and brass dome pendant lights over a breakfast bar

Walnut kitchen island with open shelving, marble waterfall countertop, and brass pendant lighting

Angled view of walnut kitchen island shelving with artichokes, ceramic bowl, and cookbooks

Open-concept kitchen island with counter stools, brass pendant lights, and marble backsplash wall

Range wall with full-slab marble backsplash

Kitchen breakfast nook with marble slab wall, steel-framed windows, and oak drawer base cabinets

Close-up of three steel-framed windows above marble backsplash and oak drawer cabinetry

Angled view of range with marble backsplash, brass hardware, and steel window overlooking backyard

Range hood with full-slab marble backsplash, gas cooktop, and brass utensil canister

Kitchen range detail with marble backsplash, brass pendant light, and wood cutting boards

Kitchen counter with wine fridge, marble backsplash, oak cabinetry, and steel-framed window

Bright kitchen with walnut island and floor to ceiling windows

Fluted glass pantry doors open to reveal coffee station with black dishware and drawers

Galley kitchen view with white island, oak cabinetry, marble backsplash, and arched pantry doorway

Butler’s pantry with checkerboard marble floor

Butlers pantry with glass front cabinets and marble alcove sink

Butler's pantry with glass-front upper cabinets displaying dishware, marble backsplash niche, and brass faucet

Pantry counter with marble backsplash and brass gooseneck faucet

Butler's pantry with glass cabinetry, marble counters, built-in dishwasher, and checkered marble floor

Close-up of glass-front cabinet displaying dishware above arched marble backsplash niche

Mudroom lockers with brass hardware

Built in mudroom lockers with brass hardware and cutout details

Sunroom with octagonal wood-paneled ceiling

Sunroom seating area with black steel doors and windows

Octagonal sunroom ceiling with wood paneling, skylight, and boucle chairs around round coffee table

Home office and library with arched steel window

View through open glass French doors into home office with arched window and bookshelves

Home office with arched window and built in bookshelves

Home office library with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, rolling ladder, and oversized arched steel window

Home office library wall with rolling ladder, built-in bookshelves, and arched steel window

Powder room with tilting rectangular mirror, brass hardware, and marble console sink

View through open black steel doors into home office with abstract art and wood desk

Built-in home office nook with open shelving, lighted vanity mirror, and desk with brass sconce

Home office vanity nook with built-in shelving, wood desk, and abstract wall art

Tub-shower combo with vertical fluted tile, brass sliding glass door, and marble niche shelf

Owner’s suite with vaulted ceiling and dormer seats

Hallway view through open doors toward bedroom with herringbone-look wood flooring

Primary bedroom with tufted headboard and marble fireplace surround

Primary bedroom with vaulted ceiling, gold chandelier, marble fireplace, and dual dormer window seats

Wide view of vaulted primary bedroom showing tufted headboard, gold chandelier, and arched window nook

Vaulted primary bedroom with marble fireplace, gold sunburst chandelier, and twin dormer window seats

Primary bedroom with tufted gray headboard, geometric rug, and vaulted ceiling with brass chandelier

Primary bedroom with tufted headboard, brass chandelier, patterned rug, and cathedral ceiling

Vaulted bedroom corner with marble fireplace, abstract art, gold round mirror, and dresser

Owner’s closet with light oak built-ins

Walk-in closet with light oak built-ins, drawer chest, and designer boxes on open shelving

Owner’s bath with soaking tub and marble shower

Long double-sink bathroom vanity with marble countertop, brass fixtures, and tall mirrors

Primary bathroom with freestanding oval soaking tub, brass floor-mount faucet, and glass shower

Marble-tiled walk-in shower with dual brass rainfall showerheads and built-in bench seating

Girl’s bedroom with blush pink accents

Cozy bedroom with blush pink bedding, pink accent chair, drum pendant light, and herringbone jute rug

Girl's bedroom nook with pink accent chair, oval mirror, wood desk, and herringbone jute rug

Kids’ bathroom with scalloped tile shower

Bathroom vanity with oval brass mirror, twin sconces, and marble countertop with brass faucet

Bathroom with scalloped tile shower, round mirror, fluted blue vanity, and patterned tile floor

Narrow bathroom with scalloped tile shower, brass hardware, and patterned leaf tile flooring

Attic bunk room with skylights and window seats

Attic bunk room with skylights and built in daybeds

Dormer window nook with green cushioned bench seat and pillows overlooking leafy tree canopy

Wide view of children's bunk room with peaked ceiling, skylights, teepee tent, and bean bags

Row of built-in bunk alcoves under vaulted ceiling with wood beams and woven pendant lights

Built-in bunk nook bedroom with three white paneled beds, green throws, and a woven pendant light

Guest bath with rattan mirror and glass shower

Small bathroom with rattan-framed mirror, marble vanity, brass hardware, and glass shower enclosure

Frameless glass shower with white subway tile, hexagon mosaic accent niche, marble bench, and brass fixtures

Home gym with slatted wood accent wall

Home gym with slatted wood accent wall, mirrors, rowing machine, and yoga mats near large windows

Spa bathroom with glass-enclosed shower, floating marble vanity, and woven rattan basket

Sunken glass-enclosed cold plunge tub with starburst mosaic tile wall and rolled towels

Basement lounge with navy sofa and wet bar

Basement lounge with navy sofa and wet bar area

Game room with wooden dining table, woven leather chairs, domino wall art, and bar lounge beyond

Basement lounge with navy sectional sofa, swivel chairs, wet bar with floating shelves, and wall-mounted TV

Outdoor deck with treetop views

Open French doors leading to deck with outdoor seating and treetop views

Rear exterior with dining porch

Rear patio with arched glass doors, copper roof accents, and outdoor dining table under a covered porch

Rear facade with arched glass dining porch, cedar shake roof, and white shiplap siding

Exterior sunroom bump-out with black-framed windows, copper cupola roof, and cedar shake siding

Rear exterior view of white shingle-style home with arched porch and copper-roofed sunroom

Angled rear view of white manor home with arched dining porch and multiple black-framed windows

Rear exterior of white manor home with covered patio, outdoor dining area, and expansive lawn at sunset

Meet the Designer: Christine Peterson

When designer Christine Peterson took on the renovation of her own 100-year-old home in Glencoe, Illinois, she was both the designer and the client. Her vision was clear from the start: bring the outdoors in, give the house cohesion, and make it functional for generations to come. She shares the story behind the transformation, from a garage that forced a total layout flip to the hand-cut herringbone floor she and her team improvised on-site.

Who worked on this project?
Architect Dave Szafarz of Downey Szafarz Architects in Lake Forest, Illinois, led the architecture. “I love working with Dave because he gets as excited about space planning and aesthetic details as I do,” Peterson says. She served as the primary interior designer, with occasional input from a friend and fellow designer, Crystal Consiglio of Parker Jones Interiors, who is a fantastic advisor and sounding board.

Where is the home located, and how big is it?
The home is located in Glencoe, Illinois, in a neighborhood of mostly historic, older homes. It is just under 8,000 square feet with six bedrooms and eight bathrooms.

What were the goals for this renovation?
This 100 year old house was sited at the top of a hill on a beautiful 2/3 acre. It was super dated though with a disconnected, disjointed layout and a garage that was too small for modern vehicles. We wanted to update the home to make it functional and beautiful so that many new generations would love living in there.

What was the biggest challenge?
The biggest problem we faced was that the garage was too small and was sited within four feet of the side lot line, so it could not be expanded. Ultimately, we decided to flip the entire layout of the home. We built a three-car garage on the opposite end of the home, along with a mudroom, back kitchen/pantry, and secondary office space, and then added a main suite above that. This necessitated moving the kitchen to the other end of the house as well. The other problem we had was that the basement ceiling was low, and we knew we would want space for a workout room and exercise equipment, so we had to dig out a portion of the basement to create light and space for that.

What is your favorite design feature?
A really special design element we love is the use of steel doors throughout the space. There is a huge 16’ tall arched front door and another arched French-style door in the dining room, so you can see straight out to the beautiful front and back yards from almost any point. Steel doors were also incorporated into the kitchen pantry and the living room. Another favorite space is the beautiful back kitchen & pantry. This room features a lovely built-in china cabinet above with a prep sink and hidden second dishwasher and trash below — perfect for stowing the mess of entertaining. The marble checkerboard floor in cream and gray adds to the soft feel and functionality of the space.

What is your favorite room in this home?
One of my favorite rooms in the home is the library, which we made from converting the old garage. We knocked out the floor above the garage and got rid of the goofy, low-ceilinged second-floor room above in order to make a fantastic vaulted library with floor-to-ceiling bookcases surrounding a huge gorgeous arched window. A Putnam rolling library ladder and fireplace add to the cozy, yet light and airy vibe. Another favorite space is the kitchen where we have. 18’ of windows looking out on the back yard and gorgeous cervaiole marble counters and full-height backsplash. The perimeter cabinets are white oak, and the island is painted BM Swiss Coffee diluted by 50%. And finally, everyone loves the great attic playspace. From the treetop views out the comfy dormer window seats to the sun streaming in the skylights to the three adorable built-in bunk beds, we wanted this to be a kid’s paradise!

What window manufacturers did you use?

The windows throughout are Marvin, except for the steel windows, which are from Volcano Steel Windows in Europe.

What inspired the design?
We were starting with a substantial brick home, but it felt dark, broken up, and most importantly, cut off from the outside. I wanted to bring the outside light and natural elements into the space and to give the home design cohesion while allowing each room space to breathe and function on its own.

How long did the project take?
It took us a long time to get permitting, so the overall project timeline was 22 months, but only about 15 months of that was active work.

Any fun details you would like to share?
One fun fact is that the engineered European White Oak flooring that we were using did not come in a precut herringbone pattern, so we just used the shortest lengths of the boards and made a herringbone entry on our own! Another detail is that we found we had some extra unused space in our new garage and were able to make this into a secondary office or “command center” space. This is near the kitchen/great room and wound up being a wonderful placement for all the activity management necessary for a busy family. Also, for anyone out there wanting to use steel doors or windows on the exterior, be sure to get a thermally broken window system! Otherwise, you will wind up with excessive condensation on the glass.

Material Sources

Exterior:
Painted with Romabio Masonry Flat mineral paint in Dove White. Fantastic product that has a 30-year warranty and allows the brick to breathe. It’s like painting your brick with more brick! Steel Windows and Doors by Volcano Windows, sourced by Glenview Haus. Other windows: Marvin Elevate; Front walkway: Bluestone; Gas Lanterns: The Coppersmith Moneo gas with electronic igniter in aged copper; Garage Doors by Nick’s Building Supply in Special Walnut finish

Entrance:
Chandelier is Visual Comfort’s Alexa Hampton Jane light in antique brass; All wood flooring is 7” wide-plank European white oak by Naturally Aged in the nutmeg color. (See notes emailed below about herringbone)

Kitchen:
Pendants are Visual Comfort’s Aalborg Large Stacked Pendants; Cabinetry is custom white oak transitional inset style with soft brass accents combined with creamy colored island (BM Swiss Coffee 50% diluted) and all topped with honed Arabescato Cervaoile marble counters and full height backsplash surrounding 18’ of windows looking out on the back yard. All cabinetry throughout the house is custom-made by Northshore Woodworks. Steel doors with fluted glass from Glenview Haus
All appliances Wolf/Subzero suite. Column fridge on right side of pantry and Column freezer on left side. Kitchen faucets — Main farmer sink is Brizo Litz, and prep sink is Brizo Odin both in luxe gold; Integrated custom shelving unit on end of island is walnut

Pantry/Back Kitchen:
Complete with additional sink, second dishwasher and two refrigerator drawers; Paint color is BM Swiss Coffee 50%; Counters are honed Cervaoile Marble; Flooring is Glacier White Extra-honed marble and Ash Gray honed marble; Pendants are Hudson Valley Sphere No. 1

Mudroom:
Lockers are white oak with decorative cutouts and wire mesh shoe drawers

Family room:
Fireplace is honed super white marble. It is flanked by steel and glass doors

Dining Room:
Custom-made arched steel and glass doors made by Volcano Windows in Europe and supplied by Glenview Hause
Chandelier is Visual Comfort Cristol

Living Room:
Fireplace is by Architectural Limestone; Cabinets custom by Northshore Woodworks painted BM Simply White; Ceiling trim around skylight is white oak

Library:
Arched window by Marvin; Shelves painted Cornforth White; Chandelier is Hudson Valley Troy Sacramento; Fireplace surround is leathered black ocean stone; Rolling library ladder by Putnam

Second office/Command Center:
Custom Cabinetry painted Cornforth White; Ceiling fixture is Mitzi Stella 3-light; Picture Light is House of Troy Slimline 30” Satin Brass Picture Light Wall Light

Main Bedroom:
Fireplace is Volakas marble; Chandelier is Hudson Valley Labra 12 light in gold leaf

Main Bath:
Counters and shower are honed super white dolomite and SOHO Masia blanco tile. Shower floor tile is Bianco Bello penny round. Sconces are visual Comfort Aerin Azalea 16” double bath sconce. The chandelier is Visual Comfort Talia Large Flush Mount. Fixtures are Brizo Invari; Tub is Kohler Mémoires

Attic:
Chandeliers are Pottery Barn Flora Rattan Pendants; Sconces are Crate and Barrel’s Colombe Burnished Brass and Glass Single Light wall sconce; Window seat cushions by Zip Cushions

PHOTOGRAPHER Stacy Zarin Goldberg