We restore things better than they used to be.
Historical Restoration Company in Chicago Area
For more than a quarter of a century, our artisans have been breathing new life into Chicagoland’s historic homes by skillfully restoring and enhancing transitional and interior architectural elements–from original windows and doors to fireplace surrounds and built-in cabinets.
Three commitments make it possible.
We restore architectural elements better than they used to be by working both respectfully and creatively with three fundamental principles of restoration.
Principle 1
We Restore Architectural Integrity
to
Bring a Room to Life
Architectural integrity is the degree to which an existing structure embodies the original architectural design and/or is in keeping with the historical period. While restoring existing architectural integrity is a worthy goal, it is not always possible: The actual structure may not always accord with either the original plans or the style of the period.
The Story / Bringing Clerestory Windows to Light-and Life
Consider this historic Chicago brick bungalow (built 1923). As the exterior photo shows, clerestory windows were intended on the north and south walls of the living room. However, these windows were never built out.
By choosing to restore these openings, we were already improving the building’s architectural integrity. However, installing the windows with clear glass would not have been much of an improvement, given the proximity of neighboring houses. Rather than the blue sky one hopes to see through clerestory windows, one would only have been afforded a view of the neighboring roofs.
Consistent with the historical period, we could have installed traditional stained glass with a period Arts and Crafts design. However, given the size of the window openings, budgetary constraints would have forced us to opt for a simplistic design. And then there is the long, seven-foot sweep of the openings–it suggested an opportunity for creativity!
Inspired by architect Louis Kahn’s claim that ”even a brick wants to be something,” we imagined these window openings might have wanted to become something as well—a view of a landscape, perhaps. Not literal, of course (given the proximity of neighboring roof lines), but perchance something that would inspire the imagination. In addition to the horizontal orientation of the openings, the distancing effect of their clerestory placement also contributed to the suggestion of a landscape.
What we envisioned was a window that would encourage the kind of daydreaming philosopher Gaston Bachelard intended when he spoke of dwelling as a form of reverie: “Daydream,” he said, “transports the dreamer outside the immediate world to a world that bears the mark of infinity.”
How, then, to achieve this imaginary landscape?
The format of a relief sculpture came to mind: a sculptural form that creates liveliness by superimposing 3D figures on a 2D background.
With a single sheet of stained glass as our background, we modified a period Arts and Crafts stencil and resized it to fit the opening, then transposed this design onto quarter-inch Baltic birch. We then hand carved the edges to create this relief-like tree-line sculpture.
Unlike most relief sculptures, though, the stained-glass background became a dynamic part of the scene. The green glass is laced with drifts of
yellow-orange color which, when illuminated by actual sunlight, radiates the dream-like impression of imagined light shining through figurative trees.
From dawn to midday, through afternoon into night, these windows spring to life with the changing light of day. In doing so, they contribute to the design intent for the whole room—not just to finish and furnish a living room, but to bring a room to life!
Beyond being restorative of the original architectural intent, the design is creative. But because this design is consistent with the spirit of the Arts and Crafts period, one might say it intensifies the integrity of the space. The tree motif accentuates the Arts and Crafts commitment to sustaining a relationship between the natural realm and interior space. The use of a period stencil maintains stylistic consistency. The hand carved edges of the trees affirm the period preference of handicraft over machine work. And the use of wood as the material for the project reflects the period’s affinity for natural materials. These large windows–one on either side of the room–enliven the space without overpowering it. The room is restored to a condition that is better than it used to be.
South Side of the House
North Side of the House
Explore more ways on how we integrate Aesthetic Enhancement with Architectural Integrity.
Principle 2 We Integrate Function and Beauty
to
Deepen Well-Being
The integration of function and beauty is perhaps the most distinctive commitment of the Arts and Crafts tradition. We believe integration should be widely applied to all forms of making and re-making, no matter the historical period. Such an integration is particularly relevant for architecture, given its distinction among the arts as a form of beauty in which we also take up residence and in which we then have reason to also be concerned about function.
The Story / Blending Tradition with Modernity
We speak of our residence, or home, as a dwelling place. But dwell, as a verb, is something we can do well or poorly. What, then, does it mean to dwell well? And how can residences be established and maintained to enable this capacity? The philosopher Gaston Bachelard suggests that to dwell well is to exist in a sheltered space in such a deep state of well-being as to encourage reverie. While structural and functional integrity are necessary for physical well-being (shelter), the deeper mode of dwelling that leads to the well-being of reverie must, as do the clerestory windows described above, awakens the imagination. The integration of sound sheltering with imaginal beauty is what enables one to dwell well.
Original windows, for instance, benefit from such an approach because, when properly restored, their inherent beauty is enhanced along with their ease of operability. Consider, for instance, a properly functioning, beautifully restored window through which one gazes on a rush of excited flakes swirling dizzily down, creating a blanket of pure, white snow amidst a winter storm. How can one resist daydreaming in such a dwelling place?
As a dramatic example of how we restore the aesthetic quality of windows in tandem with their operability better than they used to be, consider the original windows and doors pictured here.
For the renovation of their Victorian home, our clients were keen on incorporating modern design while integratively respecting the house’s historic heritage. And these dramatic windows were at the top of their list of
elements to be both properly restored while also being fully integrated into the new, modern aesthetic.
We accomplished this transformation with a simple recommendation that had dramatic impact: Remove the painted finish from the window sashes and doors while letting the frames remain painted. Then refinish the sashes with the same Jacobean stain that had already been applied on parts of the stairwell and all the hardwood floors.
As can be seen here, the impact of the transformation was STUNNING!
Often referred to as a mixed finish, the decision to apply a stained and varnished finish on the sashes while leaving the frames painted is a contemporary design choice. It blends the natural warmth of wood with the crisp, clean lines of painted trim. The decision to stain them the same contemporary stain color that had already been applied on other wood elements accomplished the desired integration, preserving the historic character of the windows while enabling them to harmonize with a modern design scheme. It also made the windows pop. As the client reported years later, every person who walks through the door of their house for the first time comments on the beautiful windows. To note that, prior to our restoration, the windows had not received this same attention is to recognize we had restored them better than they used to be.
Learn more about how we restore operational aspects of windows.
Principle 3We Celebrate the Desirable Effects of Aging
to
Awaken Liveliness
As things age, they become less mechanistic and more organic, hence more distinctive … even life-like. Sometimes this change is a source of annoyance, such as that caused by the finicky door which insists on the key being turned just the right way for the lock to release its grip on the door. At other times, the distinction caused by aging is more endearing. We often describe houses that change in this way as having character or charm. It’s almost as if they develop a life of their own.
According to the Japanese tradition known as wabi-sabi, this aging process is something to be appreciated and cared for rather than neglected, “corrected”. Wabi-sabi is the art of finding beauty in imperfection, impermanence, and the natural cycle of growth and decay.
The Story / From Fragmentation to Historic Re-collection
Wabi-sabi encourages what one might describe as “appreciative aging.” Beyond valuing the beauty found in imperfection and aging, such an orientation recognizes appreciation as a measure of accrual. A good investment is one that appreciates in value over time. According to the wabi-sabi tradition, such is the effect of the natural cycle of aging. As architectural elements age gracefully (because care is devoted to maintaining them), their value appreciates. Just as the aging process has a desirable effect on wine and cheese, so also does it enhance artifacts and elements that were initially well-built and have been maintained in good condition while they are allowed to age gracefully. They achieve an increasing, one-of-a-kind, even life-like distinction as they revert from mechanistic sameness to organic uniqueness.
But while Wabi-sabi encourages appreciation for things as they age, this does not mean things should be allowed to fall into neglect. Graceful aging is what is called for, aging that is accompanied by care.
In most cases, our restoration process involves modest allowances of aging, such as the preservation of an aged patina or sanding out just enough of a scratch in oak trim so that it no longer appears mechanical but, instead, blends into the grain of the wood.
Admittedly, though, the gouge in this window stool could go either way. In our estimation, though, its rough edges have rounded over enough to become almost sculptural, surely qualifying it as an aspect of aging that is worthy of appreciation rather than repair.
In fact, our client would have been upset had we spliced in a scar repair or filled it with epoxy. She understood the organic beauty that manifests as things age. In her own words: “Not everyone has my passion for restoration, but…[Oak Brothers] listens, is interested in the conversation, and makes recommendations based on my design aesthetic. He knew not to polish brass fixtures on a door because I like the patina.” We also knew she would have been upset had we “fixed” this sculptural edge which was forming as it ages.
After
But how far can one take this approach?
As we’ve noted, we typically apply discernment alongside consultation with the client before deciding what elements of aging are worthy of preservation. Modesty, then, most often prevails. But sometimes the possibility of a bolder, more creative approach presents itself. Such a happy accident announced itself when we began removing this garish 1960s wallpaper from the foyer of this historic Chicago brick bungalow.
As can be seen in this fragment we preserved as a ‘witness’ mark (pictured below), the design is not at all consistent with the period of the house.
And that’s when the discovery began! As we started to peel off the out-of place 1960’s era paper, fragments appeared from previously applied wallcoverings that were much older. Recognizing that these were closer to the original era of construction, we began removing the blue paper more cautiously.
Similarly toned and aged layers of vintage design appeared in a surprisingly integrated pattern all their own, taking on a new kind of architectural integrity. That’s when the idea came to us—preserve and enhance the fragments to create a tapestry-like collage!
We began steaming the back sides of the fragments of the top layer of paper we had already removed to recover remnants of vintage paper that had delaminated with the top layer. We then re-pasted them back on the wall strategically to fill out the design. Once we had recovered and reapplied as many fragments as we could find, we filled in the remaining voids with custom tinted paint that matched the background colors of the vintage paper, carefully blending drifts of color to match the shapes of the fragments. We then stabilized and preserved the effect by coating the walls with a special glue designed for stabilizing decoupage, then sealed the surfaces with several coats of flat varnish.
The result is a wabi-sabi–inspired tapestry, a novel wall treatment that demonstrates how working respectfully and creatively with the effects of aging can yield beauty and charm.
While whispering nostalgically of a bygone era, this fresh, one-of-a-kind design offers a blend of history and innovation that restored these walls better than they used to be.
Here’s Some of What Clients Have Said About Our Work
“I was thrilled with the level of detail Jeff and his Oak Brothers put into their work, the consistency in their work and the quality of the products which they used.”
“I have worked with a number of contractors/vendors over the last several years and Oak Brothers has impressed me the most. I employed the services of Jeff Ediger of Oak Brothers to restore the trim in my condo after the roof above my condo had caught on fire. Because the walls in 3 rooms were to be removed, Jeff could not restore the trim in place. He carefully and methodically removed all of the trim and catalogued it to be certain it was returned to its original location…I was thrilled with the level of detail Jeff and his Oak Brothers put into their work, the consistency in their work and the quality of the products which they used. If you hire Oak Brothers you should be aware that you are hiring a careered craftsman or artisan….Yes, as the other reviewer indicated it might be a bit more expensive than other quotes but the time saved by not having to chase up after anyone will make it completely worth it!!! I should also mention that our building association hired Jeff/Oak Brother to restore 27 casement windows and 7 half circle transom windows and he did a fabulous job at that. He resuscitated windows which were withering under years of neglect. They are so beautiful now.”
-Liz Hanson, Rogers Park
“It looked new, but like it belonged there…It just looked like someone had done a really good job of maintaining it…”
“After a fire on the roof of our condo building…we had a number of projects that needed attention, including all of the original trim in our living room and foyer. Those rooms had to be gutted and re plastered. But we really wanted to preserve the original integrity of these spaces. So we hired Oak Brothers to carefully remove all the old trim, strip it down to bare wood, repair it, then prime and paint and reinstall it. They did a stunning job! They even had a special knife made so we could reproduce the original shape of the shoe molding. (It was too fragile to be removed without breaking and was cheaper to reproduce than to strip and repaint.) You could never tell, by looking at it, that the trim had been removed…except that it was in pristine condition! …So the trim looked like new—new-old, that is. It looked new, but like it belonged there…It just looked like someone had done a really good job of maintaining it (which they hadn’t)!”
-Marjan Moyshayedi, Rogers Park
“Only when I found Oak Brothers did I trust that the restoration could be reliably completed…”
“I can wholeheartedly recommend Oak Brothers to anyone who wants top quality work done in restoring the ‘buried treasure’ in their older home. Jeff’s many years of experience and resourcefulness produced results that exceeded expectations. Here are two examples. The mahogany veneer in the dining room of my 1910 flat was badly alligatored, and now, thanks to Oak Brothers, it has returned to its former glory. The living room fireplace had been painted white. Once I had removed the paint, the ceramic tiles were dull and the cement grout stained and pocked. Only when I found Oak Brothers did I trust that the restoration could be reliably completed, and now it’s the focus of the living room.”
– Merry Bolt, Hyde Park
Chicago’s Restoration Specialists
Oak Brothers specializes in custom transitional and interior restoration projects such as windows, doors, stairways, fireplaces, and many other architectural elements for our clients throughout the Chicagoland area.