Most people know about Kessler Park, but not as many are as familiar with Winnetka Heights, realtor Laura Wiswall says. Founded in 1890 and replatted 18 years later, the registered historic district is rich with tree-lined streets, Arts and Crafts and Prairie houses, and charm.
Just a 10-minute walk from the Bishop Arts District, “it’s such a beautiful place to live,” Wiswall says. The neighbors are friendly, too. “You just don’t really meet a stranger” here, as folks love to sit out on their big front porches and chat with the passersby.
Nowhere is that more true than 207 S. Willomet Ave. Wiswall says the current owners enjoy relaxing on the porch of their 111-year-old Prairie and host friends. Or invite them to a party on the back deck. Or sit down to a meal in the moody dining room. Or even fix a cocktail in the laundry room/bar. “It feels homey and welcoming to anyone that comes in,” she says of the house.
And for a home built in 1913, it’s been lovingly maintained and renovated over the past century. “It has been beautifully restored,” Wiswall says. “So it walks like a modern property with a lot of historic charm and character.”
Since the current owners moved in 13 years ago, they’ve completely replaced the kitchen, installing custom cabinets, commercial-grade appliances, and Carrara marble countertops. They also converted a full bathroom into a butler’s pantry right off the kitchen. While the front facing single-pane windows in the home are original, storm windows were installed on the sides and upstairs of the house, “which helps tremendously with insulation,” Winswall says.
The foundation was adjusted in 2019, and the gas fireplace has been restored with logs so it works again. This year, the owners also updated all the plumbing and replaced the attic insulation. They replaced all the electrical, installing a new panel and wiring. Additionally, there is a brand-new roof, HVAC, and furnace. And they redid the landscaping.
Aesthetically, the interiors and exteriors have been repainted, and the original hardwood floors have been refinished. The owners also took care to carry design themes across the various spaces. “The home really feels extremely cohesive as you’re walking around,” Wiswall says. They used Carrara marble throughout the house, from the kitchen to the bathrooms to the laundry counter, which the owners use as a bar while hosting parties. All of the hardware throughout the house is solid brass that the owners sourced from England. They also put up new crown molding in places, matching what was already there.
You don’t see this kind of craftsmanship everywhere, Wiswall says, and that’s reflected in the house. “It just has great energy.”
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