When Jim and Michelle decided to downsize, they wanted their new Glencoe home to really deliver in the hosting department, despite its smaller footprint. “Jim and Michelle love to host friends and family, they even come up with fun cocktails tailored to the holiday or event,” Normandy Designer Ashley Noethe says. “With their kids only returning on school breaks, these working professionals knew it was time for a smaller house, but they also wanted a roomy space to ease into this next phase of life as empty nesters.”

The classic colonial bones of their new house offered charm, but the interior needed a major rethink to match the couple’s lifestyle. “We explored an addition, but the property’s zoning was already maxed out, so we had to figure out a way to do it all from the interior,” Ashley says.

By reconfiguring the floor plan, the kitchen, family room, and transitional spaces work together to create a comfortable, casual entertaining experience for hosts and guests alike. The new kitchen is fun to cook and entertain in, with plenty of seating at the new island for guests. The corridor between the kitchen and family room features a high-end bar with a sliding lift-up door that’s home to hidden storage for their spirits and mixers. In the adjoining family room, an updated look for the fireplace better reflects the couple’s style.

There are functional benefits of the new layout too. A walk-in pantry at the edge of the kitchen doubles as a full butler’s pantry with its own sink and sliding door, perfect for extra storage and prep. “We really tried to maximize storage space, since they were used to a much larger home,” Ashley says. The other end of the pantry houses a laundry station, perfect for quick loads after a big night. Around the corner is the new mudroom, which brings a pop of color and extra storage when coming in after a long day. The downstairs powder room got a sophisticated facelift as well.

Along with the first-floor remodel, the upstairs primary bath received a thoughtful redesign. The original shower felt small and dark, despite the ample square footage. “We needed to enlarge the closet and create a shower that wasn’t so enclosed,” Ashley explains. “We had a lot of space to work with, it was just a matter of prioritizing bathroom versus closet space in the final design.” The finished suite feels bright and open, with plenty of storage. A striking black freestanding tub is an eye-catching focal point, as is a glass herringbone accent tile on the vanity wall, fondly referred to by Michelle as the “wall of excellence.”

When it came to identifying the perfect style and finishes, Ashley had a head start. “This was a unique situation where Jim and Michelle were moving into this house to downsize but still had ownership of their previous house. I was able to meet with them there to get a feel for their style, and see some recently completed projects they still loved, it was a little bit of a cheat sheet!” Ashley says.

The overall style is transitional, with a vintage modern feel, Ashley says. “We have equal parts traditional accents as we do modern. The goal was to maintain the connection with the classic colonial style of the home but add a twist to make it feel current.”

By reimagining the layout and layering in vintage-modern details, Ashley created a home that works equally well for quiet daily living and lively gatherings. “This is their long-term house,” Ashley says. “We really wanted it to feel classic, familiar, and flexible for many years to come.”

If you’re looking to revamp your home’s layout and look, set up a time to talk to Ashley about transforming your space into a home that inspires you. Looking for ideas? Click through our photo galleries. Prefer a daily dose of design? We share ideas, photography, and projects on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. Follow along!

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