Castles, neighbors and decorating ideas
Beverly home tour continues more than 40-year neighborhood tradition
A Spanish revival style home at 10301 S. Hoyne Ave. gave new meaning to the adage, “A man’s home is his castle” Sunday. The second stop on the Beverly Area Planning Association’s Home Tour, the house built in 1927 features a two-story stone turret, a living room with a 20-foot cathedral ceiling, plaster walls textured with Spanish detailing, impressive archways and elaborate indoor iron gates.
A two-story addition includes a modern kitchen, master bedroom and spacious European bath featuring an open shower, modern tub and gray marble floors.
It’s no surprise the addition’s newer masonry matches the original brickwork perfectly. Second-generation homeowner Joe Oswald is a remodeling expert and author of “The Homeowner’s Guide to Contracting, Building, and Remodeling.” He’s also a local historian.
Cheryl Lockhart, a Beverly resident since 1998, had already purchased Oswald’s book. Touring Oswald’s home gave her the chance to see his advice put into practice.
“When you see the craftsmanship here and the detail, you really become more interested in maintaining homes and preserving their history,” she said.
Oswald seemed glad for the chance to discuss his book and his home, but he also seemed to like that the event drew neighbors together.
“I just saw somebody I went to kindergarten with,” he said. “The guy said he remembered coming to a birthday party at my house. I hadn’t seen him since!”
Oswald’s home isn’t the only castle in his life. Born in 1971, he attended kindergarten at the preschool operated in the historic Givins Castle at 103rd Street and Longwood Drive.
Sharita Webb, Kim Smith and Mae Taylor, all residents of the Beverly/Morgan Park area, also seemed to appreciate being with neighbors and scouting for home
remodeling ideas.
The American foursquare house at 9050 S. Hoyne prompted them to compare notes on the tour.
“I love seeing the different décor and home styles,” Taylor said.
“This is right up my alley,” added Webb.”
Webb and Taylor, who had planned the outing as a birthday present for Smith, appeared pleased when Smith said, “I love it all!”
Like the tour’s other stops, the foursquare possessed plenty of wow factor, manifested as a formidable stone porch with room enough for a swing and comfy seating.
The home’s insides also wowed visitors with substantive oak woodwork, most original and some new, all matching impressively in the wake of remodeling for a more open, modern floor plan.
Mary Wolf, a 31-year resident of Beverly, came searching for ways to transform her kitchen. She liked the white tile, light gray and blue color-schemes featured in a couple of the homes.
“Everything was so light and airy,” she said.
Having biked to several locations with her husband, Marti Jatis, a resident of Beverly who’s the executive director of Smith Village, found ideas for updating a bathroom. She also came wanting to show community spirit.
“I love the architecture and history here,” she said. “Plus, I wanted to show support for BAPA and the neighborhood.”
BAPA’s Home Tour has become a 40-plus year tradition, though the event was canceled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
To prevent spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, BAPA asked tour goers to mask up, socially distance, and wear disposable shoe coverings made available
at each location. No photos were allowed inside of homes.
No one seemed to mind any of this. The beautiful fall day allowed for open windows and indoor breezes.
Beyond those who attended and others who volunteered, local businesses showed their support and used the tour to highlight their wares and services.
Area greenhouses supplied floral arrangements. Open Outcry and Goose Island supplied beer samples.
At 10001 S. Seeley Ave., Chef Won Kim, owner of Kimski in Bridgeport, used the kitchen for searing chewy rice cakes in hot peppers and sesame oil. Besides producing mouthwatering appetizers, the demo proved the home’s practicality for cooking and entertaining.
Built in 1927, the yellow brick Craftsman house also featured beveled glass windows, vintage French doors and woodwork expertly blended with newer built-in shelving. Last year, the home’s owners transformed the basement level into a modern entertainment center with plenty of seating, a TV, fireplace and pool table.
The nearby cottage style home at 10001 S. Damen Ave. told home remodelers that rooms can shed their original roles and take on new purposes. What had been a living room became a casual dining space featuring a fireplace and open access to a modern kitchen.
On the second floor, a former master bedroom became a living room space. An adjoining upstairs office morphed into a cozier and more whimsical sleeping space with a skylight above the bed offering a view of oak branches swaying in the breeze.
The homeowner, a musician, designated one downstairs room as a music room. In keeping with a musical theme, Vinyl Sunday with Beverly Records played recorded music outside the home.
Last on the tour was a spacious Prairie style home at 9005 S. Hoyne Ave. It featured plenty of large rooms and open spaces for congregating and entertaining, including a bright and spacious kitchen.
The home displayed a tasteful color pallet of soft grays and light blues that included a muted lavender tone in the nursery. Calumet Paint & Wallpaper supplied the paints, applied by Groff Painting in keeping with decorating by RMH Interior + Design.
At the back of the house, an outdoor family room with TV and fireplace offered a generous space to relax.
In all, the tour included six stops, but the first was not a residence. Even so, Morgan Park Academy’s neo-Gothic Alumni Hall at 12153 W. 111th St. probably represents home to the private school’s students and alumni.
Much like the first home on the tour, the grand fireplace in the school’s two-story library seems reminiscent of a Medieval castle. The historic dining hall even features a large Canterbury Tales mural.
Outside, on the school campus, Bernadette Molloy, president of Molloy & Associates, staffed a table with giveaways.
“The home tour is great because it’s exposing people to our community and the great variety of homes available,” she said.