After 14 years as design director at Nate Berkus Associates, Sasha Adler set out on her own with Sasha Adler Design in Chicago to create interiors for both residential projects (from homes to private planes) and commercial spaces (like the GOOP stores in Chicago and in Austin). But this prewar project overlooking the city’s tony Lincoln Park wasn’t new to Adler. “It’s actually quite serendipitous,” she explains. “I had the opportunity to work on the first iteration of the apartment in my previous role with Ferguson & Shamamian Architects. At the time, the team embarked on a thoughtful renovation, developing a layout and vocabulary of finishes and introducing authentic elements that were respectful of the original architecture.” Adler helped source the antique furniture from Belgium and France and designed bespoke hardware (including a jewelry-like chain doorstop) and hand-selected the custom de Gournay wall covering in the dining room. “I still remember the name of every paint selection used throughout the home, which everyone was teasing me about when we needed to repaint certain areas,” she laughs.
In the living room: a custom tufted banquette designed by Adler, the client’s own table, a Dimore Gallery Lamp with silk fringe shade and a François-Xavier Lalanne Mouton de Laine stool below an Alex Katz painting.
Sasha Adler met the new owners as the parents of children at the same school as her own. “When they reached out to discuss the design of their home in 2018, I had just launched my own design firm, so I was so thrilled to have the chance to revisit one of my favorite projects,” she says. “Upon re-entering the home after almost a decade, I was relieved to see that everything not only stood the test of time, but the finishes and selections were all things I would reach for again today.” The new owners and their three young children wanted a space that was comfortable and flexible enough to graciously entertain 75 guests (pre-COVID-19) for the evening.
For the furniture, Adler and her team sourced one-of-a-kind pieces from across the globe, including antique dealers, auction sites, 1stDibs, Chairish and the Marché Aux Puces in Paris. They also worked with artisans to create some of the custom pieces. The homeowner and Adler both share an affinity for the color green, so different tones are threaded throughout the home.
In the master bedroom, an antique chest and marble fireplace are paired with a set of vintage glass and brass tables and a bed. A Holland & Sherry area rug complements a vintage striped kilim rug.
The thoughtful owners had worked with art advisor Erica Barrish to build an incredible art collection, which includes pieces by Alexander Calder, Cindy Sherman, Elizabeth Peyton and Frank Bowling. “They were looking to curate a collection of furniture that complemented their art,” says Adler. “Throughout the home, I reached for unique, collectible lighting, furniture and objects that spoke to the clients and strove to create a dialogue between the architecture and the art collection.” Because of the couple’s children, the space couldn’t feel too precious or museum-like. “I almost died when the Lalanne Mouton de Laine arrived at their home and they told me their kids were taking turns riding it,” says Adler. “I really love that they live with their pieces.”
Click through the gallery above for an inside look at this home designed by Sasha Adler.
