A grand home demands an impressive entry, and when Annette and Steve Lamon designed their dream home, they made sure to include an impressive first view.
A stone and granite paved walkway leads visitors to their mahogany front door. The limestone floored foyer includes a sweeping, curved staircase with mahogany details and wrought-iron balusters. A St. Regis style chandelier hangs from the 18-foot high ceiling.
The staircase was an important part of the plan for Annette.
“When we set out to build this home, there were so many design details to consider, but I knew I wanted a stone staircase from the very start.”
In the mid-1990s when Dominican University sold off some its previously undeveloped priory land, the Lamons took advantage of the opportunity to build from the ground up. With the help of architect Stan Leonard, the Lamons created a 20-room, 8,000 square foot French Provincial Style dwelling that perfectly suited their family’s needs. The brick and stone home is situated on .38 acres and overlooks eight-acre Priory Park.
Annette says the home was built to comfortably house several people.
“We built the house with the idea of multi-generational use,” she explains. “We have three children, and at the time we built the house my mother was spending weekends with us and my in-laws were in their 80s. Ultimately, my mother did move in and lived with us for five years.”
The home includes five bedroom suites, an elevator and living and recreational space spread over four floors. Annette notes that the house took one year to plan and a year to build, and the couple tried to make it comfortable for the family as well as appropriate for large-scale entertaining.
She recalls a party they had for her husband’s work colleagues shortly after moving into the home in 1996.
“It was a hot summer night and we had 90 to 100 guests coming over for dinner. The power went out in River Forest, and we were frantically trying to light candles and think of ways to keep the house cool. Luckily, the power came back on shortly after our guests arrived, but ever since then, we’ve had a whole house-generator, so we never have to worry about power outages.”
In fact, the house is well prepared to take on any kind of entertaining needs. Annette remembers the days when her now-grown sons would walk to Little League games and bring friends back home for lemonade on the outdoor patio. A screened in porch offers a built-in outdoor kitchen and eight-person hot tub. In the 4,300 square foot basement, a theater room provided hours of entertainment for the Lamons. A spacious wine cellar features custom racks and temperature controls.
The basement also includes a billiards room and separate room that has been used as a gym. When Steve missed his golf time during the winter, they installed an indoor putting green on the third floor of the home.
Such bells and whistles are impressive, but the thoughtful touches put into the rest of the house truly made it a home for the Lamon family. Before they moved in, the Lamons allowed the house to be used as the 1996 Decorator’s Showhouse, so each room was meticulously decorated. The family worked with local designer Jean Stouffer.
Stouffer helped them plan a true chef’s kitchen that opens to a family room and includes a breakfast area overlooking the park. Like all of the cabinetry throughout the home, the kitchen cabinets are custom-made Amish cabinets. A large island features a prep sink and bar seating. For the cook, there is a six-burner Viking range, double ovens, Sub Zero freezer drawers, two dishwashers, and a warming drawer. A butler’s pantry offers even more space for preparation and storage.
The adjacent family room has barrel vaulted ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows facing the park. The fireplace has a 20-foot stone mantle. A cherry-paneled library was also custom designed by Amish craftsmen. A beamed ceiling, mantle and walls of paneled wood create a cozy atmosphere. In case that craftsmanship is not enough, the library features a secret door leading to the basement wine cellar.
Annette notes, “My husband had to have that. You can’t even tell it’s there, but it’s a fun passageway leading to the basement. We had an art student paint custom murals on the secret passage’s stairwell.”
Also on the first floor, the master suite is not without its luxurious touches. Ten-foot tray ceilings, a fireplace and windows overlooking gardens create a restful atmosphere. The walk-in closets offer plentiful storage, and the master bath features a Venetian glass tiled floor, a burnished silver ceiling, double sinks, dressing table, Jacuzzi tub and separate steam shower.
The second floor features two bedroom suites and two additional bedrooms that share a Jack and Jill bathroom, as well as a spacious playroom area. Annette says all of this space was perfect for her children as well as keeping her mother comfortable.
“The elevator was great when my mother moved in with us, and we also really used the upstairs space. She had her own bedroom suite, with a private bathroom. We created a tiny kitchenette for her off of her bedroom so that she could have her morning coffee without coming downstairs. We set up the playroom with all of her dining room and living room furniture when she moved in with us. She called it her sanctuary. It was like she had her own apartment within our house.”
The Lamons’ children have now grown and Steve has retired, so they no longer need to house multiple generations under one roof. They have listed the house for $2,485,000 with Peter Tortorello and Sam Tarara of Koenig and Strey.
But for Annette, she says she has mixed emotions about moving on.
“It’s been a great house, it really has. We don’t need so much space anymore, but this is a great house for a family. I can see anyone with children and in-laws who like to visit truly loving this home like we have.”