A Designer Bought This House to Flip—She Never Expected to Fall in Love

For Kate Marker, an Illinois-based interior designer and the author of The Love Of Home, saying goodbye to her 10,000-square-foot countryside home outside of Chicago was not as hard as she thought it would be. The sprawling estate on acres of land was a real estate jackpot, but Marker was more than ready to downsize. And she had her eye on a historic Cape Cod-style home nearby.

Marker had long admired the 3,000-square-foot, four-bedroom, five-bathroom house in Barrington Village, a Chicago suburb. When the property came on the market, she pounced, though her initial plan was to flip it. “It was one of those houses that I saw a ton of potential in,” she says. Marker soon realized that bringing the house to its fullest potential meant selecting finishes, materials, and accents that she would want in her own home. “I realized that creating a home that I would personally love to live in was the true path to achieving my vision for it.”

As the renovation progressed, Marker fell deeper in love. "You discover all these little, special, unique touches that come to life during renovations—things you hadn't planned from the start," she says. The true turning point came when her contractor vaulted the kitchen ceilings, cracking open a new perspective. "That was when it hit me—I could live here," she recalls. From that point on, she made ambitious renovation choices, like transforming the existing garage into a primary suite and adding an upstairs lounge area for her two teenage daughters.

“Our previous space was so special,” says Marker. “But, as a family of four, we didn't need all that space. We just wanted a beautiful, charming, welcoming home.” And that’s exactly what Marker created.

Entryway

The foyer immediately draws you in, offering a glimpse of the home’s distinct design. “We transformed the foyer into a funky entryway that pays homage to historical charm with checkered floors, wallpaper, and mustard walls,” Marker says. The entryway leads into the living room, where custom millwork adorned with Little Greene Paint wallpaper in the insets sets the stage for an eclectic mix of found treasures and pieces from Marker’s own line, Kate Marker Home.

Living Room

“The light and airy family room showcases one of my favorite elements: the limestone mantel with its elegant, fluted pattern,” says Marker.

The Sitting Room (Pictured Top)

Marker used the home’s low ceilings to her advantage, making the formal sitting room as cozy as possible. “This is one of the largest rooms in the house, and its low ceilings made it easy to create an inviting atmosphere,” she says. “

Kitchen

“The kitchen was originally isolated from the rest of the home, separated by a wall between the kitchen and dining room,” Marker explains. To transform the space, she removed the wall, seamlessly blending the dining and cooking areas. Now, the kitchen not only serves as the heart of the home, where countless meals and memories are shared, but it’s also literally at the center, acting as a walk-through between the dining room and the back family room. "The kitchen used to feel so closed off, with just a narrow entry point," she says. “It was really important to me to pass through the kitchen to get to other spaces in the home.”

With the vision of a modern French bistro in mind, Marker set out to transform the space with lower white-oak cabinetry and upper cabinets painted in Oxford Stone by Farrow & Ball and accented with Armac Martin hardware. The cabinetry is complemented by honed Calacutta Fior marble by Caliastone and Tamazula Granite fabrication, creating a subtle tone-on-tone aesthetic.

Instead of opting for a large kitchen island, Marker made the most of the available space by choosing a peninsula. Although she typically doesn’t favor them, she’s thrilled with how this one turned out. “It really suits the space perfectly,” she says. “I love how the ceiling transitions from a low eight feet to 12 feet and then back again, creating an airy pathway and a beautifully symmetrical moment that guides you into the family room.”

After the kitchen ceilings were vaulted, Marker had to carefully consider her options for illuminating the room. “I never do vaulted ceilings with cans, so hanging six Hudson Valley Lighting pendants gave me all the light I needed,” she shares.

The Iive range serves as one of the kitchen’s standout finishing touches, beautifully fabricated with a Meoded plaster. “We believe you don’t have to sacrifice function for beauty,” Marker shares.

Perhaps Marker’s favorite (and most creative) uses of space in the kitchen is the coffee bar the designer outfitted in her Kate Marker Home tile. “Originally, there was a hexagon window next to it, but we updated it with a round window for a more modern touch,” she says

Paint color: Flint by Little Greene Paint. Ceiling lights: Hudson Valley Lighting. Cabinetry fabrication: Knapp Kitchens. Cabinet paint: Farrow & Ball. Cabinetry hardware: Armac Martin. Café curtains: Barbara’s Design Studio. Range hood cover fabrication: Warman Construction using Meoded Plaster. Pot filler: California Faucet. Range: Ilve (in ivory/brass). Countertop and backsplash material: Calacutta Fior honed marble by Caliastone and Tamazula Granite fabrication. Art and rug: Kate Marker Home. Picture light: Hudson Valley Lighting. Sink: Barclay.

Dining Area

“Creating a central spot to dine and chat with my girls, especially as they grow older, was important to me,” Marker shares. “Our long Haven Dining Table has made this possible, serving both as a focal point and the perfect wood accent piece.”

Bedroom

The garage was converted into the couple’s primary suite, one of the more extensive undertakings in the project. “From the moment I saw this space, I knew it was destined to be the perfect primary suite,” says Marker. “The stunning French doors from Simpson Door Company not only flood the room with natural light but also create the illusion of more space, with the added bonus of extending beyond the walls to our private patio.”

Primary Bathroom

Marker enhanced the home’s historic bones by adding in an arched doorway in the primary bathroom—leading to a standalone tub by Allure and a white-oak vanity fabricated by Knapp Kitchens—to help maintain an open feel. The vintage rug adds a note of texture on The Fine Line tile, bringing together the various tones in the space.

Reading Nook

With two teenage daughters, it was key for Marker to create a space for them to hang out with friends and to do homework. “The girls’ quarters were a fun design challenge for me. Working with low ceilings, we added vertical paneled walls throughout to create the illusion of height. We cozied up the space with our classic poufs, playful light fixtures from Hudson Valley Lighting, Ginger Sparrow pillows, and fun pops of décor from Kate Marker Home.”