Sneak A Peek At This Airy Amy Storm-Designed Hinsdale Retreat

By J.P. Anderson

Amy Storm & Company designs an airy, light-filled retreat for an active young couple making a home for themselves in Hinsdale.

The kitchen nook beckons with a Sonneman pendant above a custom table by Hoosier House Furnishings.

THE CLIENT

Passionate athletes both, the city-dwelling clients knew it was time to decamp to the suburbs. Their choice? A new-construction home in Hinsdale designed from top to bottom by the team at Amy Storm & Company. “They really wanted a youthful, urban, simplistic feel to the home,” notes Storm. “They equipped us with imagery of spaces they admired, gave us their essentials and then trusted us to deliver the design. They were very open to plan revisions, which included anything that would bring more natural light into the space and look casually modern.”

Highlights of the home’s entry include a Davis & Davis rug and Kuzco light fixture. Photographed by Stoffer Photography Interiors
Highlights of the home’s entry include a Davis & Davis rug and Kuzco light fixture.

THE PRIORITY

“The kitchen was a major focus, and we redesigned the entire space from the original architectural set,” adds Storm, who worked in tandem with senior designer Kelsey Demetralis and junior designer Emily Siwik on the project. “They wanted a hidden pantry, very intentional storage and some perks that were new to us, including a zip water faucet, which required a closet space behind the cabinet to hold the CO2 tank (which makes the water fizzy) and a ‘secret’ pass-through to get from the kitchen to the dining room through the pantry.”

Boasting custom cabinets by Wood Quality Cabinets and stylish lighting by Sonneman, the kitchen is a natural gathering spot. Photographed by Stoffer Photography Interiors
Boasting custom cabinets by Wood Quality Cabinets and stylish lighting by Sonneman, the kitchen is a natural gathering spot.

The stylishly appointed basement dazzles with a Porcelanosa tile hearth surround.

THE CHALLENGE

As always, lighting is crucial to the success of a home’s design, and that presented Storm’s team with their primary challenge. “Our clients wanted a more simplistic lighting package, which to them meant fewer recessed can lights and more concealed lighting,” Storm explains. “They also preferred to only have LED decorative lights. We thought it was interesting that we didn’t have to specify any lightbulbs, because all of the lighting was integrated. Making those selections was challenging because we were limited by what is available in the marketplace and what worked with the house and our clients’ design DNA. The challenge was fun because we explored lots of new vendors that we’ll hopefully tap into for other future projects.”

In the dining room, a chic Luke Lamp Co. fixture, Osborne & Little wallpaper, a table by Restoration Hardware and chairs by Baker draw the eye.

The basement bar enchants with sophisticated pendants by Shades of Light, tile by The Fine Line and Difiniti quartz countertops in Invisible Light.

THE DETAIL

Storm’s favorite touch? The staircase, which was conceived “on the They” during a site visit. “Our clients came with some new inspiration ideas and we were able to create a very dramatic and custom look, with a floor-to-ceiling railing system that looks like a piece of art if sitting in the family room, and a combination steel-and-wood stair system that was consistent with the design DNA of the project. And, most importantly, we kept them within budget.”

Custom cabinetry by Wood Quality Cabinets, tile by Virginia Tile and a jute rug by Amy Storm & Company make the mudroom pop.

THE OUTCOME

“Our clients are so happy,” Storm says. “They had our team and the builders over for dinner shortly after they moved in, and we celebrated with them as they used the house the way they had intended. It was a really special moment for all of us to look back at the process, [knowing] we were successful and had fun doing it together.”

In the primary bath, dramatic lighting by Sonneman and glam 3D wall shower tile in Night Diamond by Virginia Tile set a sultry scene.