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Hallway in An Artful Existence with a restrained palette and clean modern detailing, designed to frame the client’s art collection in this North Shore residence, by Lisa Jaffe of Jaffe Architecture

An Artful
Existence

HIGHLAND PARK, ILLINOIS

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An Artful
Existence

HIGHLAND PARK, ILLINOIS

In a Tudor-style residence in Highland Park, a striking duality set the stage: traditional on the outside, contemporary on the inside. The clients—avid art collectors—sought a clean, modern interior that would serve as both home and gallery, offering refined spaces that could showcase their collection without feeling institutional. The transformation began within, crafting a modern interior that reflects both the art and the lives around it. 

To create distinct environments for each piece of art, Jaffe reconfigured the apartment’s interior architecture. Varied wall planes, material shifts, and subtle lighting cues introduce rhythm and focus throughout the home, offering each artwork its own moment while maintaining a cohesive, livable flow. The result is immersive and intentional—every wall considered, every detail aligned with the homeowner’s aesthetic. 

Dining room in An Artful Existence, a gut renovation of a Highland Park home, featuring a restrained palette, clean modern detailing, and a curated art wall, by Jaffe Architecture
Custom millwork volume in An Artful Existence acting as a screen to divide spaces while maintaining openness, concealing a structural column and integrated bar, and providing a backdrop for sculpture and artwork, by Jaffe Architecture
Sculpture displayed within custom millwork in An Artful Existence, where each piece of art is intentionally placed and thoughtfully integrated into the architecture, by Jaffe Architecture

One of the project’s standout solutions involved a formerly awkward column between the family room and great room. Rather than mask it, Jaffe transformed it into a sculptural millwork element— offering a tactile focal point that strengthens spatial clarity and movement. 

Light-filled foyer in An Artful Existence, a gut renovation of a Highland Park home, with clean modern detailing and custom millwork shaping spaces intentionally for the art collection, by Jaffe Architecture

“I was more inspired after 10 minutes with Lisa than I had been after 8 months working with another architect.”

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A consistent material palette—stone flooring in wood-like planks, concealed storage, and trimless detailing—creates a neutral background that centers the art. Practicality is elevated through small gestures: thoughtful bathroom layouts, seamless pathways, and quiet architectural moves that support the rhythms of daily life. 

Guest bathroom in a Highland Park gut renovation with textured tile walls, a floating vanity, glass shower enclosure, and layered warm modern materials that balance function and quiet detail, by Jaffe Architecture
Warm modern kitchen in a Highland Park gut renovation featuring clean wood cabinetry, integrated pulls, stone countertops, and a restrained palette designed around everyday living and the client’s art collection, by Chicago architect Lisa Jaffe of Jaffe Architecture

Collecting and living are inherently intertwined. Our process reflects what matters most to you—without compromise. 

Begin With Intention

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