round measures of time, so it felt especially perfect to meet with the Barrios on this lovely summer day to revisit their project journey and how the home has been treating them in the last ten years. 

In a classic tale, Carmen and James fell in love not with the house, but its location. Downers Grove is a lovely town all by itself, but this property in particular had perfect proximity to both the local downtown and the Metra. The home, on the other hand, was destined for a significant overhaul. Built in 1922, the original sub-one thousand square foot bungalow had good bones, but important parts, like the roof and basement, were in poor order. 

​With their sights set on a large-scale design project, finding the right architect happened quickly after finding the home. They had met with four other firms before getting the name of Bill from Studio21 Architects. With five architects to choose from, I wanted to know what factors ultimately informed their decision, to which James said, “Bill was the first architect to ask us what we wanted. Each of the other firms had much to say about what they could do, but our needs didn’t really factor into that initial conversation”.
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options for the home’s floorplan, all withing the original parameter of a second story addition, but with variations of sizes of rooms and configurations of space. Carmen and James took their time with each option and not only imagined how each plan would work right now, but also in the future. It was important to do that because of their sons, who at the time were both under ten—kids grow up fast! For the Barrios, this home needed to suit their needs in the long run, both with younger children and as those kids grew into teens and young adults. ​

In the final design, the first floor maintains that wish-listed open-concept floorplan, while still having some implied demarcation between areas. Walking in the front door, we first find the living area, marked out with the fireplace and furniture; architectural elements don’t always have to be walls, and elements like a fireplace or built-in cabinetry can create the feeling of a distinct zone without completely closing in each room.  Further back, we see the dining area, whose zone is marked by the use of a contemporary chandelier over the table—lighting is another design element that can be extremely effective in defining spaces. Continuing to the rear of the first floor, we come to the kitchen. Carmen opted for a classic white color scheme with the goal of remaining timeless in the years to come, and the oversized island serves not only as a perfect gathering spot, but also as another element of defining a zone. 

The last zone on the first floor is that of the office/study area, defined by a sitting area and built-in desks. Carmen and James recounted that this area was originally intended to be a homework station for their sons. It served that purpose well, but in a twist of fate, the pandemic led to a mass exodus from the office and into remote work. Now this area is James’s work-from-home office, which goes to show that even though you can’t plan exactly how the future is going to unfold, designing with the overall goal of longevity allows for flexibility when the world changes! 

Many homeowners that work with Studio21 Architects on home design projects elect to do construction in phases. There’s are reasons aplenty for phasing construction: timeline factors, budget, or simply the needs of ones family. For Carmen and James, the timeline was the biggest player in this decision. When you have your previous home on the market, the clock starts running on finishing your new home’s work, especially once an offer comes in. The Barrios had the major work completed on the addition project by the time their Bolingbrook home went under contract; they ended up moving into their new place with the final touches, like paint and trim, still needing to be done. Beyond the main house, there were other projects that the Barrios wanted to address but, while on the to-do list, were filed under “down the line”. And not to insert my own opinions or anything, but after a second story addition and gut renovation, I feel as though a bit of a break was warranted.

So, the Barrios family moved into their expanded and renovated home, and took a handful of years to enjoy the fruits of their labor before tackling another project. Four years was enough time for the family to team up with Studio21 Architects once more, this time for their garage. In the grand scheme of things, there wasn’t a huge need to start work on the detached garage in 2015 alongside the main house; Carmen and James were the only drivers at the time, and the original garage worked well enough for the time being. By 2019, the two younger Barrios were growing closer and closer to a driver’s license, and as anyone familiar with Downers Grove homes could tell you, the vast majority of the time, you can fit just about one (midsize) car. Their existing garage was exactly that; clocking in at just over 300 square feet, there was not room for much. Detached garages and building departments have a complex relationship, with a push and pull between homeowners needing larger garages and zoning ordinances not leaving much room for expansion. Thankfully for James and Carmen, while their property is quite slender, its depth goes pretty far back. This allowed for an elongated garage, so they could get the space they needed without significantly shrinking their backyard area. 

the arrangement of French doors on the patio side of the garage, which offers a gallery-esque aesthetic for the expertly organized garage and a way to get in and out of the garage with some coverage from rain or snow. 

In this industry, as an architecture firm, the design process has its highs and lows, but there are a couple of moments that rank highly in the rewarding category. Moments like when the client falls in love with the design, or when they see their completed home for the first time. Another of those moments happens much later, when you sit down with them on a lovely summer day to hear about how the last decade has been in this home. Carmen and James told me that their home has been fantastic; it has grown with their family over the years and even as needs changed, their home continues to accommodate. A testament to good design, I’d say! But this author is nothing if not truthful, and I did want to know the good and the bad. Did they have any regrets? Just one thing: a door. During the design process, Bill had recommended that the Barrios added a side door at their stair landing—it would have opened to the driveway, near the garage. Carmen and James told me that, at the time, they could not see why it was necessary, and ultimately, they vetoed the door. They told me that now, they really wish they had said yes; a door in that location would have given them a strategic entrance to come inside from the car, rather than having to always come in the front door. 
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Hindsight is 20/20, as they say, and while that can pertain to an entrance-related regret, it also means that going through a design project will leave you with wisdom for others. With each Project Spotlight, I like to ask what advice one would give a homeowner who wants to start a project of their own. Carmen and James have some great advice. One: Invest in the things you can’t change later. And two: don’t rush your choices, and if you’re feeling stuck, just take a day. 

​The right fit between the client and the architect is so important, especially when it comes to a custom home project. All home design projects take time, but that is especially true of custom homes. We want to create a bond with our clients through trust and open communication—I can’t imagine a homeowner wanting the opposite of that. Like any relationship, the one between client and architect is a two-way street. We can get drawings done in a timely manner, as long as the homeowner is making decisions in a timely manner. Same with construction: we can get your selections delivered when you’re ready to install them, but only if you don’t postpone making those selections in the first place. 

I hate to throw any client under the bus but, in this case, I feel like I must…as a cautionary tale at the very least. And while I was warned against naming names, again, I feel like I must. 

Our worst client? Me.

Okay, maybe I’m not the worst client (although my staff may disagree), but when I was going through the process of designing and building a “forever home” for my wife and I, I doubt that I was an easy client. I’ve talked about my project journey plenty of times before, but as I near the finish line, I might as well throw in one more recap for good measure. My wife and I wanted to build a custom ranch home that suited our needs as we live into our twilight years, and this whole process—from start to finish—has been documented in our YouTube series, Design+Build Decoded (now’s a good time to catch up on episodes, by the way!). 

What was it that made me such a bad client? No, it wasn’t the constant design changes during the Design Phase; exploring all the options and refining the design with tweaks and adjustments is often the difference between a mediocre design and a great one. What is a great design for my wife and I is not necessarily going to be a great design for someone else, and that’s why going through rounds of changes is important in the grand scheme of things. And if it counts for anything, I am extremely happy with our final design, and I don’t think I would change a single thing. 
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The same was true with tile, countertops, carpet, light fixtures, etc.  If I could have followed our own rules, I would have reduced a lot of stress and, quite frankly, frustration that my wife had about last-minute decisions.  I had the big picture in my mind, but more importantly, I needed to transform it from my mind and onto the drawings and selections.  Thank goodness for our designer, Renee Dion.  Without her help, I would have been lost.

​​As I mentioned earlier, this is our “forever” home, so I have no intention of doing this again.  It has been a great experience, one that helps me relate to our clients' concerns and struggles.  I can’t wait to move in; it should be awesome.  The greater question for my staff is this.  Would you take me on as a client?