If Oak Park has a street of dreams, it must be Forest Avenue. For a two-block stretch south of Chicago Avenue, the street boasts Frank Lloyd Wright’s Home & Studio and a wealth of other significant homes, including several more by Wright, set amid wide green lawns and shade trees. One abode that recently hit the market in this distinguished stretch might not have the architectural pedigree of a Wright home — in fact the architect is unknown — but 250 Forest nevertheless holds its own as a striking example of Victorian Stick style.
History
The property on the corner of Forest Avenue and Elizabeth Court was purchased in 1887 by Paul Blatchford, one of seven children of Eliphalet Blatchford. The elder Blatchford was a lead manufacturer and, as executor of the Newberry estate, was responsible for the establishment of Chicago’s Newberry Library.
Blatchford married Francis Lord shortly after purchasing the land in Oak Park and constructed a house he called Plasderw, a Welsh term meaning “home amongst the oaks” (which are still there). He worked for his father’s lead works company, and his family lived in the home until 1890, when they decamped to 333 N. Euclid [See The Curious History of 711 Superior St., WJ Homes, May 25].
Architectural intrigue
The home is one of a handful of Stick-style houses in Oak Park. Stick-style is defined by the long, thin pieces of wood, decoratively applied to the exterior surfaces. 250 Forest is also well known for an unusual keyhole design entering the front porch. Later owners removed the keyhole detailing, but the porch was returned to the original design during the 1990s.
Gloor Realty’s Jan Kerr, who is listing the home for $1,174,500, says of the porch, “The keyhole design is iconic.”
Owner Sarah Chodera noted that and addition was added to the house in 1915.
“It’s pure conjecture,” she said, “but we’ve always wondered if Frank Lloyd Wright was responsible for the side addition. He was working a lot in the neighborhood at the time, and the addition shows some of his Prairie-style hallmarks. The windows in two of the front rooms are casement windows, and the doorways are large and more open than the Victorian-style originals.”
Careful stewards
Chodera and her husband, Marc, bought the home in 2002 and spent their 14 years there meticulously updating the house in ways they thought suited the original style. Updates included restoring the original woodwork, which had been pickled, in most of the first floor rooms. They also restored the massive pair of oak entry doors.
The couple hired local preservation-minded firm Von Dreele Freerksen to help create a modern kitchen that still suited the Victorian style of the home. The redesign took a room with an awkward layout and a low ceiling, and turned it into a kitchen that fit the 21st century but kept elements of a 19th-century room.
The contractor raised ceilings 2 feet to their original height and removed a cramped eat-in banquette that divided the room. Soapstone counters and a tin ceiling are reminiscent of 19th-century style, while the Wolf range, Sub Zero refrigerator and a wine refrigerator make the space suitable for a family that cooks. More light was brought into the space with the addition of a balcony on a stairwell landing. In keeping with their constant attention to detail, the Choderas specified that the new balcony railings match those of the impressive original stair rails.
“We put in maple flooring in the kitchen,” Marc pointed out, “because that’s what the Victorians would have in the kitchen. Von Dreele Freerksen took details from the original fireplace mantle and put them into the vent hood they created for the kitchen.”
The second floor, too, maintained original features and added new conveniences. Each of the three bedrooms on the second floor still sports a transom window over the entry door, and each bedroom retains an original fireplace. The two children’s bedrooms have the original cedar window shutters.
In the master bedroom, the couple reworked the master bathroom and his-and-hers, walk-in closets, which are professionally organized. Custom cabinetry surrounds double sinks, and a separate shower has great water pressure due to the new plumbing installed by the homeowners.
The bathroom with its travertine flooring, Sarah noted, “has a petite claw foot tub, and we love that it’s like having your own spa.”
The third floor has the potential to be another master suite, teen retreat or nanny space. A fourth bedroom, full bathroom and separate zoned air conditioning, as well as many closets makes the space suitable for numerous purposes. In addition, a media room and separate office are also on this floor.
Throughout the renovation process, the couple kept family life in mind. From adding central air conditioning for summer comfort, to an invisible fence for the family dog, the house’s modern conveniences make life easier. The basement was converted to spaces for adults and children with a spacious playroom, a craft room and a wine room with storage for more than 450 bottles.
Location, location, location
For the Chodera family, the toughest part about leaving Oak Park and their beloved house may be the loss of the neighborhood.
“There’s a nice spacious yard that has been great for our kids,” Sarah said. “It’s a 10-minute walk to the Metra, elementary school and high school and so close to downtown Oak Park. I think it’s the best location in Oak Park. While the location is fantastic, one of the most special things about living here has been the neighbors themselves. From the block party in the summer to the progressive dinner in the winter, the neighbors are really great.”
She also touts the enviable views from their tree-filled lot.
“We’ve loved living on a corner lot. Being among the Frank Lloyd Wright homes is like living in an architectural museum.”