Walnut Hills Is Booming With House Flips Like This One

This neighborhood is full of houses coming back to life, like this one on Cleinview.
5933

3048 Cleinview Avenue

Photograph by Ross Van Pelt

Walnut Hills is a mecca of rehabilitation. From new storefronts and coffee shops to breweries and bars, the neighborhood is seeing a revitalization of sorts. But businesses aren’t the only slice of new in the neighborhood. The housing market is booming, and renovations like this one on Taft and this one in nearby Evanston are beautifying the city one property at a time.

Photograph by Ross Van Pelt

This house on Cleinview was stripped down to its bones, says current owner Kimberly Nickoson—and we’re here for it. “The home was a complete renovation,” Nickoson says. “On the first floor, a few interior walls were removed to allow an open floor concept.” When you walk in, that’s immediately noticeable. The dining room leads to the kitchen, which leads to the living room with the staircase to the second floor, all in view from the front door.

The dining room features a geometric-patterned wall with an exposed brick fireplace and original hardwood floors. Further down the hall, the kitchen is fancy. But first, a small seating area at the foot of the staircase is a nice touch or can serve as a bar area or small dining table.

Photograph by Ross Van Pelt

“A large fireplace that divided the kitchen and the family room was completely removed,” Nickoson says. “The remaining fireplaces on the first and second floor have been repaired and are now functioning wood fireplaces—which was really important to me.”

Photograph by Ross Van Pelt

Photograph by Ross Van Pelt

The kitchen has the geometric elements, gold hardware, minimalist light fixtures, and stainless appliances. An eat-in bar is almost standard these days, but you don’t often see a built-in hutch with drawers and glass doors—perfect to display fine dishes or stow away items used less often. Down the hall, the living room offers similar elements like the dark gray trim around the windows.

Upstairs, the original hardwood continues into each room, including the master bedroom. The attached bath is one of the best spaces in the home and Nickoson’s favorite. “We love, love, love the master bathroom,” Nickoson says. “[It] includes a very large shower and floating jacuzzi tub.” The outside of the shower has a detailed tile design and the shower itself is massive with two shower heads and a bench inside. A double vanity offers a large amount of space with several drawers for storage, plus loads of light from the fixtures above. The home is technically three bedrooms, but the third floor can serve as a fourth or a work-from-home oasis with built-in seating, a closet for storage, and ample space. What more could you want in a historic flip?

Click through our gallery to view more photos (by Ross Van Pelt) of this home:

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