Warm Bucktown Home Refresh by Set Setting Studio

The Client

A longtime friendship between Jennifer Kranitz, founder of Set Setting Studio, and the client, a mother of two, set the foundation for this Bucktown home refresh—one that began to take shape after Kranitz returned from Mexico and shared photos of handcrafted pieces she’d discovered, sparking immediate inspiration. Having lived in the residence for nearly two decades, the client found that its early-2000s developer finishes no longer reflected her evolving aesthetic. As her daughters prepared to leave for college, she saw an opportunity to reimagine the home, envisioning a space that felt more refined, layered and reflective of her next chapter.

A Float wide chandelier from Ladies & Gentlemen Studio sets the tone in the entry, reflected in a custom mirror above the client’s existing bench.

The Priority

Rather than pursuing a full-scale renovation, the goal was to transform the home through a series of thoughtful interventions— introducing warmth, texture and a more tailored sense of expression while keeping the construction scope intentionally light. Kranitz focused on layering materials, incorporating elevated lighting and refining key surfaces with custom details to gently shift the atmosphere and bring greater depth to the existing architecture. “Design at its best doesn’t just shape how a home looks, it shapes how it’s lived in,” says Kranitz. “The intention here was to create spaces that feel both expressive and deeply comfortable for the rituals of daily life.”

Clé’s zellige tile makes a statement in the kitchen, paired with counter stools from Four Hands.

The Challenge

Balancing an outdated interior with a desire to avoid major construction required a more restrained, highly intentional approach, notes Kranitz. “The design strategy became one of thoughtful transformation rather than demolition—reimagining surfaces, introducing custom elements, and layering tactile materials that would soften the architecture and bring a sense of richness to the spaces.” In the kitchen, for example, a standard stainless-steel hood and drywall backsplash were replaced with a custom curved hood clad in handmade zellige tile, while leather pulls were designed for the existing cabinetry to replace the oversized aluminum hardware—subtle yet impactful interventions that shifted the room’s overall character.

In the daughter’s room, Soeur by artist Carla Sutera Sardo is set above custom paneling fabricated by Product Construction with Gio plaster plant stands from West Elm serving as sculptural nightstands.

The Details

“I’m especially proud of the moments where simple interventions created a strong visual and emotional shift,” explains Kranitz. “In the family room, we covered existing stained cabinetry and a dated tile fireplace surround with a smooth black plaster finish, which immediately grounded the space and gave it a sense of quiet drama. Another favorite moment is the double-height dining room wall, which had remained empty for the decades they had lived there. We explored art options to anchor this wall but nothing resonated just right with the clients, so instead we designed a composition of geometric forms cut from MDF (medium-density fiberboard) and applied directly to the wall before being painted to match. The installation carries the wall, introducing subtle architectural interest while remaining restrained enough to let the rest of the room breathe.”

In the dining room, a wall treatment designed by Set Setting and fabricated by Product Construction sets the backdrop for a vintage chandelier above a table draped in a custom cloth by Basia Frossard Projects, with a Mini Papilio chair by B&B Italian from WPA Chicago adding a sculptural contrast.

The Outcome

“The client was thrilled with how dramatically the atmosphere of the home shifted without requiring a full-scale renovation,” says Kranitz. “Most meaningful to her was that the house finally felt like a true reflection of who she is.”

Design Details

Type

Single-family home

Location

Bucktown, Chicago

Interior Design

Set Setting Studio

setsettingstudio.com

Builders/Millwork/ Painters

Product Construction

productionconstruction.com

Plasterwork