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8/16/2023

The cross's "just right" Design+build home

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project spotlight

the cross's "just right" design+Build home

Last month, we talked about dream homes—crafting, curating, and constructing the home of your dreams from the ground up. However, to say this is the unequivocal route to achieving a dream home wouldn’t really be true. Many other roads lead to Dream-Home City, and to celebrate this sunny (and rainy) August, we are excited to shine the Studio Pages spotlight onto a home that embodies this exact path.
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7/12/2023

DESIGNS THAT STOOD THE TEST OF TIME: NORTHWOODS

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DESIGNS THAT STOOD THE TEST OF TIME

A RUSTIC & REFINED NORTHWOODS HOME

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​Unwittingly, the theme of this month’s newsletter has turned into the Dream Home. Speaking for myself, building a dream home lands among the top three dreams of mine, and I doubt that I am alone in admitting that my dream home has been carefully cultivated in my mind since I was very young. The idea of a dream home may even be a universal human desire; a home provides a sense of safety and security, can act as a canvas to 
reflect one’s personality, and can make daily ​life more comfortable and more joyous. When I was younger, anytime I saw a design that I loved or a home feature that piqued my interest, I mentally filed it away for that time in the future when I could build a dream home of my own.

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6/19/2023

pROJECT sPOTLIGHT: fAIRVIEW sTATION fLATS

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project spotlight

fairview station flats

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This month, in the spirit of keeping things fresh and interesting, we shine the Studio Pages spotlight upon the Fairview Station Flats, an eighteen-unit apartment building nestled right in the center of Downers Grove’s “second” downtown. If you are a veteran reader of our newsletter, you may recognize this project when it was merely a set of drawings, and for our local residents, 
you may remember what used to be in the new building’s spot. The site originally housed a gas station and auto repair shop which had long fallen out-of-use. Craig Ross of Ross Builders came to Studio21 Architects with the idea of an apartment development with condominium quality, and due to the site’s proximity to the train station, it turned out to be the ideal spot to work with. With its location, the tenants at the Fairview Station Flats can enjoy easy city access with the METRA station just footsteps away.

In contrast to many of the apartment complexes that have popped up in recent years, Ross wanted smaller-scale, boutique living, with more focus on the amenities within the units themselves. Instead of communal pools or workout spaces, they opted for higher-end units with spacious rooms and high-end finishes. Open concept kitchens with islands large enough to accommodate seating, in-unit laundry rooms, and patios/balconies with privacy lent by sleek aluminum fences are just some of the features that make this apartment building appealing. One amenity in particular that proves itself very useful are the twelve indoor garages. With a mixture of one-car and two-car garages, and some units having direct access to them from their units, Chicago renters would immensely enjoy this feature, especially in the wintertime!
Before every stunning final product comes to fruition, there are unique circumstances that might require a creative solution during design and construction. One aspect that necessitated some creativity related to the site’s shape; the site was relatively small and on top of that, it was square. If you were able to take a bird’s eye look at most apartment buildings, they, for the most part, are situated on a longer, more rectangular, property. This project’s architect, Studio21’s Gregg Stahr, worked meticulously to ensure that everything worked within the space, 
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THE SITE BEFORE DEVELOPMENT
while also designing with the developer’s ideas in mind. Storage space also involved creative design solutions. Most of us can agree that apartments generally lack in the storage department, but in the spirit of condominium quality, Stahr worked to incorporate enough storage in each unit that would make any tenant feel organized.

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6/15/2023

Designs that Stood the Test of Time: The Murray's modern farmhouse

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designs that stood the test of time

the murray's modern farmhouse

Trendy versus timeless is a debate that seems to bring everyone to their own, unique conclusion. We think that there is no better person to ask than the clients who have actually gotten to live it. The Murray's home was completed seven years ago. Read more about their home, and if it's still as timeless as they originally hoped. 
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  Architects are often asked for their opinions on various aspects of design—which, of course, they love as they have plenty! One of the most asked-for opinions, though, regards timelessness and longevity. What design choices are going to last? Will my design stand the test of time, or in twenty years will it look absolutely dated? In this debate of trendy versus timeless, there are so many conclusions to come to and opinions to be 

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6/15/2023

project spotlight: the stahr renovation

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project spotlight

being your own architect: the stahr renovation

In 2015, after many years of renting various homes in various locations, resident Studio21 architect, Gregg Stahr, and his wife, Tiffany, decided to take the proverbial leap into homeownership. They chose a small Cape Cod-style home in Wheaton, for two reasons in particular: First off, Tiffany had lived in Wheaton before, and from her experience there, she knew that the town was a perfect place to raise their children; Second, the home itself—albeit small—provided everything they needed at 
the time for their family. It was also a nice upside that the original home was set up well for an eventual remodel and add-on.

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Copyright © 2015 Studio21 Architects. All Rights Reserved
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Meet Our Team
  • Portfolio
    • Residential Projects >
      • Lake
      • Waterbury
      • Orchard
      • Roselle
      • Vine
      • York
      • Weathersfield
      • Skyview
      • Sequoia
      • Morningside
      • Florence
      • Bunning
    • Multifamily Projects >
      • Benton Terrace
      • Fairview Station Flats
      • Birch Place
      • English Rows
    • Commercial Projects >
      • Therapeutic Health
      • Midwest Badminton
      • Mia's Cantina
      • Continental Toyota
      • Peak Running
      • Twisted Olive
      • Just Crumbs
  • Services
  • Resources
    • SELECTING YOUR EXPERT ARCHITECT
    • DESIGN DISCOVERY REVIEW
  • Firm News
  • Contact