First-time homeowners Susie and Mat Daly welcomed the challenge of an early-1900s fixer-upper from the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago. The battle was natural to the couple, who are both rooted in creative jobs. Mat is an artist; Susie is cofounder and director of Renegade Craft Fair, an annual curated marketplace attended by more than 250,000 people that’s committed to showcasing work by indie artists and makers from around the world.
However, when the couple began their home search, they found that most units were being built faster than they were being marketed. The kind of the houses they toured — spec houses stuffed largely with granite countertops and cherry cabinets — was nice, but it felt too neutral. They wanted a space with a bit more background and personality, something that could provide an opportunity for them to add their own creative touches. They found a unit in a multifamily building with rich wood, high ceilings and plenty of light. After incorporating some blazing orange paint and brightening up some details, they finally felt at home in the area.
“It’s such a beautiful area of the city, situated right on Lake Michigan. The structure is amazing; there are so many coastal and parks streets,” Susie says. “It’s kind of a small city within the city of Chicago. I love taking walks along the lake, through the Zen garden and down the quaint streets”
at Glance
Who lives here: Susie and Mat Daly along with their dog, Che
Location: Hyde Park area of Chicago
Size: 850 square feet; 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom
Cynthia Lynn Photography
The kitchen originally came with dark cabinets and appliances. Dealing with a $10,000 budget, the couple replaced the cabinets with a white, traditional design from Ikea and additional Corian countertops.
They added a cheerful orange into the walls to cancel the light backsplash, whilst glass cabinet doors showcase the couple’s colorful Fiestaware. “The gloomy dishes are a collection of Royal Copenhagen Christmas plates given to my mom each year by my father as a present while they were wed,” Susie says. Other personal pieces are sprinkled across the kitchen, such as the cuckoo clock hanging over the stove, from Christkindlmarket Chicago, and pepper and salt finger dishes by Rae Dunn.
Cynthia Lynn Photography
Susie stands in an opening in one of those kitchens wall the couple cut out to allow extra light to flow through the back windows and flow to the hallway and the rest of the home.
The hardwood floors were stained from their first light blond into a dark ebony to match the trim. A mini cow head figurine watches over the little vintage breakfast table.
Chairs: Reed Zinc, CB2
Cynthia Lynn Photography
The hutch in the dining room is an original built in and one of Susie’s favorite features of the home. It retains her parent’s wedding china and a cuckoo clock from CB2. The dining room table and seats are thrift shop finds.
Cynthia Lynn Photography
The Dalys enlarged the passageway between the kitchen and the dining room. Their carpenters created molding in accord with the dark ebony trim throughout the home.
Cynthia Lynn Photography
Two big windows let light flood in.
Cynthia Lynn Photography
The living room has a large, comfy sofa that’s a favourite place for the couple and their pet, Che. “We aren’t home a lot, so when we are, we all like to spend the majority of our time at the living room only unwinding, watching movies,” says Susie. A huge window and a balcony allow for plenty of natural lighting. A classic stained glass piece hangs at the middle of the door.
Cynthia Lynn Photography
The Dalys maintained the walls additional accents of colour with curated accessories. The collage over the sofa is made up of classic pieces, presents from friends and artwork bought at the Renegade Craft Fair over the years. The artists include iamhome, Small Adventure, Diana Sudyka, Sonnenzimmer, Leah Duncan and Amazing Talking Paintings.
Couch: Kivik, Ikea; end table Hemnes, Ikea; side table classic; keep print over side table: Nora Ayogi
Cynthia Lynn Photography
A hallway leads to the front door. To the right is the very initial Renegade Craft Fair poster, made by Mat.
Cynthia Lynn Photography
The media rack doubles as storage to the couple’s classic vinyl collection. The piece over the TV was part of a larger installation by friend Chris Natali that reads, “It’s one major accident waiting to happen, a little bit of whatever you can not really figure out.”
Susie says their next major home improvement project would be to finalize their radiators: “We had [them] refurbished when we moved in, but unfortunately they were flaking paint in a year. I believe in the summer we will take [them] out to have done professionally, and hopefully that’ll fix them once and for all”
Cynthia Lynn Photography
Susie advises other first-time homeowners to be patient with their renovations. “Do not rush into all of your renovations all at one time. Spend a lot of time thinking about various styles, layouts, colours — you only get one opportunity with a lot of renovations you’re going to do, so make certain you’re going to appreciate it.”
Clock: Drum Cymbal Pendulum Clock, Chris Natali; lamp: Pottery Barn; end table: Hemnes, Ikea
Cynthia Lynn Photography
The duvet from the master bedroom was a present from Susie’s sister. The framed print Beside the mattress is by Standard Deluxe, motivated by the Quilts of Gee’s Bend. The cat print over the mattress is titled “Sleeping Akiko,” by Jay Ryan of The Bird Machine.
Nightstand: Charlotte, Pottery Barn; lamp: Macy’s
Cynthia Lynn Photography
The Dalys strove to match the home’s existing ebony tones with their furnishings whenever possible. Opposite their mattress is a Ikea dresser with knobs that are replaced and a mirror that came from Susie’s parents’ bedroom collection.
Cynthia Lynn Photography
Among the recent splurges is a2,500 Murphy bed in their bedroom. “We used to have a pullout couch, and let’s just face it: They do not make comfortable couches or bed,” Susie says. “We invested in the Murphy bed that matches a standard mattress, so it is comfortable for our guests and provides the privacy of their own room. But we could even use it like a room for yoga, exercising, studying and things like this when we have ourselves.”
Murphy bed: More Space Place; seat: Baja Red, CB2
Cynthia Lynn Photography
They updated their unit’s only toilet with new tiles that have a classic feel. They updated the shower with subway tile and glass strip tile, along with the floor tiles come in a pinwheel design. Altogether the bathroom remodel cost $5,000.
Vanity: Fullen, Ikea
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