What defines a contemporary home or modern home from the traditional? For some, contemporary design is characterized by straight architectural lines, simple adornment or the discipline of form following function. Contemporary home design often emphasizes the individuality of the owner as reflected by the edited choice of materials and smooth and polished surfaces and clean lines. Modern home design, a byproduct of the modernism movement of the twentieth century, grew from the rational use of modern materials, the principles of functional planning and a rejection of historical precedent.
Chicago has a rich history of modern architecture from Mies van der Rohe to Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill and current work by Ralph Johnson.
Tara has a deep appreciation for contemporary and modern architecture with several projects reflecting that passion. However, we know that it is especially important to choose a proper neighborhood and site for the contemporary aesthetic and we point to Highland Park in the North Shore and Lincoln Park and the Gold Coast in the city as locations where someone with a modern aesthetic might first look. Of course, broad expanses of nature-filled land in Barrington and the Northwest Suburbs also provide a unique and secluded setting for a modern home.
Learn more about Tara's experience designing and building Traditional homes.