Illinois My Houzz: Light and Balance in a 1950s Ranch Renovation
A couple's revamped mid-century American home incorporates Korean culture and the Japanese ‘wabi-sabi’ design philosophy
After previously living in an apartment devoid of direct sunlight, this couple fell in love with a sun-soaked ranch house in Illinois, USA, despite its outdated design. Grace Lee-Lim, who works at an interior design firm, and her husband Seung Lim, who works in business development for a chocolate company, updated their new home with a tender touch. Together with its mid-century American aesthetic, the couple referenced their Korean heritage through design details, alongside Japanese principles of wabi-sabi, or finding beauty in imperfections.
After: The couple installed new hardwood flooring and painted many of the interior walls and trims bright white. They also replaced the doors and light fixtures.
Lee-Lim’s favorite spot in their home is the breakfast table. “Somehow the closest feeling when sitting there is that of optimism, especially when enjoying a cup of coffee in the morning,” she says.
One of the couple’s favorite features is the wall of windows that stretches from the kitchen to the living room. “We lived in an apartment that had no direct sunlight for two years prior to this home, so when I walked in and saw how much natural light poured throughout the space, I fell in love,” Lee-Lim says.
Lee-Lim’s favorite spot in their home is the breakfast table. “Somehow the closest feeling when sitting there is that of optimism, especially when enjoying a cup of coffee in the morning,” she says.
One of the couple’s favorite features is the wall of windows that stretches from the kitchen to the living room. “We lived in an apartment that had no direct sunlight for two years prior to this home, so when I walked in and saw how much natural light poured throughout the space, I fell in love,” Lee-Lim says.
The ottoman that doubles as a coffee table is custom-made. Lee-Lim designed the base and worked with an upholsterer to fabricate the top cushion. The legs are from Pretty Pegs.
“I particularly admire the Japanese aesthetic of wabi-sabi, which is the true acceptance of imperfections, and I aspire to that lifestyle more and more,” Lee-Lim says. “My favourite aesthetic is a mixture of Japanese and Korean design, which embodies minimalism, form, function, balance and the appreciation of nature.”
Lee-Lim designed this floating sideboard and had it fabricated by a local woodworker, Tom Latimer.
“I grew up in Southern California, with primarily one season – perfectly sunny – all year round,” Lee-Lim says. “Living here has made me think much more practically because we have very different needs than those in warmer climates. Our winters are long and dark, so some rooms need more lamps to feel bright and warm, especially during those months. I find that it’s become extremely important for any space that I design to maximise the amount of light that comes in.”
Lee-Lim painted the art above the demilune bar for her husband as a birthday gift several years ago.
Lee-Lim painted the art above the demilune bar for her husband as a birthday gift several years ago.
After: The couple painted an accent wall in Raccoon Fur by Benjamin Moore and painted the wood paneling white.
The couple inherited several hand-painted Korean screens made of mulberry paper from Lim’s father, including this one that hangs above the fireplace.
These traditional screens are often used in Korean culture for milestone events such as weddings and funerals. They include different symbolic motifs, like ducks or lotus flowers.
These traditional screens are often used in Korean culture for milestone events such as weddings and funerals. They include different symbolic motifs, like ducks or lotus flowers.
Both Eastern and Western cultures influence the couple’s decor. “We love to incorporate both because that is who we innately are – Korean-Americans,” Lee-Lim says. “We love the Korean aesthetic, as mentioned previously, but also the vibrant energy and comfortability that is part of American design. We want our space to function as a place of rest.”
After: “We didn’t want to mess with the original footprint of the galley kitchen, so we gave it a fresh update with new cabinetry, lighting, appliances and one of my favorite elements, the white Macaubas quartzite countertops,” Lee-Lim says.
“Although I love white kitchens, I didn’t want it to be so perfectly pristine that it feels sterile. Adding in the natural stone not only affects the actual temperature and feel of the surface, but the lines have a sketch-like quality that softens the look while elongating the space.”
“Although I love white kitchens, I didn’t want it to be so perfectly pristine that it feels sterile. Adding in the natural stone not only affects the actual temperature and feel of the surface, but the lines have a sketch-like quality that softens the look while elongating the space.”
The homeowners worked with general contractors from Falcon Group Sustainable Services to remove the load-bearing wall that separated the kitchen and formal dining room. “It required structurally removing a vertical beam and replacing it with a horizontal one that opened up the space,” Lee-Lim says.
“Having a home makes you understand that every season brings different experiences, such as unavoidable repairs and replacements such as heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems or old plumbing,” Lee-Lim says.
“There’s a point where you have to accept that the house will grow with you over time. The same goes with the interiors, as pieces that I think are permanent to one location will eventually move to a different space to make way for something more necessary at a later point in time. Being able to accept and enjoy these changes are both challenging and exciting for us.”
The standalone stool next to the stove is the Lem Piston stool by LaPalma. “I made this a single-stool counter so that it’s an easy computer station for looking up recipes,” Lee-Lim says.
The formal dining room features a rich, cool colour palette. The top half of the walls are covered in a dark blue-green vinyl snakeskin wallpaper by Phillip Jeffries, while the wainscoting below is painted in Narragansett Green by Benjamin Moore. “It’s nice to have a room that has a sense of formality, in contrast with the rest of the house that is more casual and bright,” Lee-Lim says.
The dark entry wall creates a striking backdrop for a commissioned illustration of the couple’s house by friend, Kristine Steiner.
Instead of keeping their shoes in their small bedroom closets, the couple installed a shelf in the entrance to store them.
Lee-Lim, who studied fashion design, set up a home studio with a sewing machine in this space, which was added to the house in the 1970s.
“The studio is my personal space where I can have a creative outlet – I draw, drape, sew and continue to design clothing,” she says. She painted the doors of the original built-in cabinets black. The table in the middle is a makeshift drafting table for patternmaking and cutting fabric.
“The studio is my personal space where I can have a creative outlet – I draw, drape, sew and continue to design clothing,” she says. She painted the doors of the original built-in cabinets black. The table in the middle is a makeshift drafting table for patternmaking and cutting fabric.
The screen above the sewing machine is another gift from Lim’s father.
“My studio space is very special to me,” Lee-Lim says. “Seung is a huge supporter of my creative ambitions and loves that this space provides a little getaway for me to be in my own world.”
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Don’t miss last week’s Paris Houzz Tour: Big Presence in a Tiny 20-Square-Metre Studio
Tell us
What’s your favourite feature of this home? Tell us in the Comments, save the images for inspiration, like this story and join the conversation.
More
Don’t miss last week’s Paris Houzz Tour: Big Presence in a Tiny 20-Square-Metre Studio
Who lives here: Grace Lee-Lim, Seung Lim and their shih tzu-Cavalier King Charles spaniel dog, Mocha
Location: Wilmette, Illinois
Size: 223 square meters, four bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms
Year built: 1958
“My desire is for our home to feel peaceful and calming for anyone who comes through our doors,” says Grace Lee-Lim. Lee-Lim and her husband, Seung Lim, moved into their 1958 ranch home in 2017, which is located in Wilmette, Illinois, north of Chicago. “We really appreciate that the house embodies the mid-century ethos of using expansive windows to integrate nature with the interior of the home, so that both outside and inside worlds are one,” Lee-Lim says.