A PLACE FOR EVERYTHING AND EVERYTHING IN ITS PLACE 

Designer Elizabeth Smolcich of Mason & Brass Design Studio creates homes for 21st-century lifestyles.

Charm. Character. Curb appeal. Anyone looking for a new home will certainly include these on their wish list. Interior designer and builder Elizabeth Smolcich of Chicago-based Mason & Brass Design Studio also values these attributes. But as a pro, she knows there’s more to good living than crown moldings and hardwood floors. “Function and flow are the essential foundations of any home. They are what make everything make sense.”

One of Smolcich’s latest projects is this traditionally styled home in Glenview, on a dead-end street near where she grew up. “This new build was designed to feel like it had always belonged here,” she explains, “a classic home with timeless charm, starting with a big front porch where you can sip coffee in the morning or unwind with a glass of wine in the evening, waving to neighbors as they pass by.”

Smolcich excels at creating reasonably sized residences that live well above their square footage. “People want more space, but bigger doesn’t always mean better,” she notes. “Most of the houses I build to sell are around 3,500 square feet, and buyers always say they feel much bigger. That’s because I maximize the floor plan, allowing me to include four bedrooms, each with an en-suite bathroom and a den on the second floor. On the first floor, I design kitchens open to the main living area. I love a formal dining room, but most dining rooms are rarely used, so instead of squeezing one between a home office in the front of the house and the kitchen, I situate the dining area at the back of the house with a view of the yard.”

Spaces that one might not typically find in a home of this size include the mudroom between the garage and kitchen, and a butler’s pantry with its own oven and dishwasher. The dining area features a built-in sideboard, and the home office just off the foyer is equipped with custom, floor-to-ceiling oak bookcases. Smolcich didn’t neglect the basement, installing blackout shades and low-voltage lighting to set the stage for a home theater and fashioning an amply proportioned wellness room, complete with a sauna. “I don’t cut corners to save money, I look for ROI in function and joy,” states Smolcich. “Heated bathroom floors, foam-insulated roofs, and wallpaper are always worth it. When people are comparing similar new builds, it’s these small, thoughtful details that truly set a home apart.”

Keenly attuned to how people use their homes, Smolcich generally sells hers with the first-floor living spaces fully furnished. “I design the furniture layout before we even send plans to the architect. Every inch is intentional, from how groceries are unloaded to how families gather and grow.” She takes a balanced approach when kitting out these interiors. “The main areas of the home must exude a sense of cohesiveness. I love the dramatic, but a family room, for example, is all about comfort and coziness, so I don’t overdo things there. But I infused drama in the home office, the powder room, and the butler’s pantry. These are spaces where you can go a little deeper and not put off a potential buyer.” She covered the ceiling in the home office with Dutton Plaid wallpaper, equipped the powder room with a substantial oak and marble vanity, and spun a moody aura in the butler’s pantry, combining a steely blue paint treatment with brown suede limestone countertops.

“When we brought this home to market, just like always, the house called out to its perfect owner,” shares Smolcich. “This time, the story was especially touching, a family relocating from California after losing their home in the Pacific Palisades fire. They were drawn to Glenview, the town where one of the owners grew up, and this house welcomed them home. To top it off, after losing all their belongings in the fire, finding out the first-floor furnishings were included in the sale was a relief. We really love what we do, and that good energy passes through to the homebuyer.”

For more information, visit masonandbrass.com.