A home in the heart of the Frank Lloyd Wright Prairie School of Architecture Historic District recently hit the market with an asking price of $1,350,000. Built in 1886, the Swiss Chalet Victorian style home has an interesting architectural pedigree that predates the arrival of Wright in Oak Park by a few years.
The home was designed by architect Theodore Vigo Wadskier who was born on the island of St. Croix in 1826. He was educated at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen. In 1850 he came to the United States and settled in Philadelphia.
There, he had a thriving architectural practice with partner Peter Nicholson. The two published The Practical Sculptor, Comprising a Series of Original Designs for Monuments, Mantles, Balustrades, Adapted to the Present Taste and Style of Architecture in 1852.
In 1857, Wadskier moved to Chicago where he built numerous churches, businesses and residences, including the Unity Church on Dearborn Street in 1867.
Many of his designs and his own personal savings were wiped out in the Chicago fire of 1871, but Wadskier continued to work throughout the Chicago area. He died in 1897 and is buried in Philadelphia alongside his wife Louisa.
Wadskier designed 520 N. Oak Park Ave. in 1886 for William M. Luff, a Civil War veteran who served in the 12th Illinois Cavalry. In 1886, Oak Park had a population of roughly 3,400 people.
Over the next 140 years, the house saw a lot of changes. Some of them, like updated heating, were positive. Others, like 1970’s wallpaper, were not.
When the current owners bought the house in 2021, the home was in good shape structurally, but it was in need of quite a bit of updating. The husband notes, “It needed pretty much everything. We replaced windows, electric, plumbing and HVAC systems.”
They painted the house a cheerful blue, inspired by a watercolor painting of the home that they found in the basement, which depicted the house in a similar shade of blue.
Credit: Baird & Warner-Oak Park/River Forest 
Credit: Baird & Warner-Oak Park/River Forest 
Credit: Baird & Warner-Oak Park/River Forest 
Credit: Baird & Warner-Oak Park/River Forest 
Credit: Baird & Warner-Oak Park/River Forest 
Credit: Baird & Warner-Oak Park/River Forest 
Credit: Baird & Warner-Oak Park/River Forest
The wife notes, “We wanted to bring it back to life but not change the history of the home. It’s such a beautiful home. It just needed some love.”
Wherever they could, they maintained original details like the inlaid hardwood floors and the original millwork. Other than the kitchen at the rear of the house, they didn’t alter the layout of the rooms. The original fireplaces in the living room, entry and formal dining room, all remained in place and were updated cosmetically.
The couple completely updated and expanded the small kitchen, opening it up to a room on the rear of the house, and added a wall of windows to the backyard.
Baird and Warner Realtor Cathy Yanda, who is listing the house for the owners, says of the yard, “It’s almost half an acre and 21,000 square feet. It’s one of the biggest lots in Oak Park.”
On the second floor, in a nod to family life, the couple used the wall of closets in the large landing to conceal a washer and dryer. They also updated the bedrooms and remodeled the full bathroom for their family of four.
The third floor was a blank slate for the couple. The wife says, “We really saw an opportunity here.”
Credit: Baird & Warner-Oak Park/River Forest 
Credit: Baird & Warner-Oak Park/River Forest 
Credit: Baird & Warner-Oak Park/River Forest 
Credit: Baird & Warner-Oak Park/River Forest 
Credit: Baird & Warner-Oak Park/River Forest 
Credit: Baird & Warner-Oak Park/River Forest 
Credit: Baird & Warner-Oak Park/River Forest 
Credit: Baird & Warner-Oak Park/River Forest 
Credit: Baird & Warner-Oak Park/River Forest
They finished the attic level with a large bathroom, including a soaking tub, and added two bedrooms. Now, the space could function as a primary suite floor with a bonus office space, or as a teen suite or floor for guests.
The entire process took about a year to complete, and the couple’s efforts were rewarded with an Historic Preservation Award for residential rehabilitation in 2022.
Alongside the modern updates, many vestiges of Victorian grandeur remain in the house: 10.5-foot ceilings throughout the house; restored pocket doors and two massive front doors, which were salvaged from the Chicago Pullman Estates. The combination of vintage and modern makes an ideal space for a family.
While the couple is selling to take on another opportunity, they say that the house turned out even better than they dreamed. The wife says, “It has such a nice flow, and we love how the kids can just run around the space.”