LETTING THE LIGHT IN
This couple ended their house hunt with the three-story townhouse where they were already living. It just needed some updating.
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When Irene Guo and Mark Licurse started looking for a new home, they kept coming back to the three-story townhouse where they were already living. Licurse bought it in 2011, Guo moved in 2016, and they loved their Graduate Hospital neighborhood. The house had some flaws when thinking about their future and raising a family there, but it had a lot of potential.
“The main idea behind the renovation was to make the space more entertainment-friendly, with a large dining area on the first floor and a retreat on the third floor,” said Guo, a nurse anesthetist.
They also wanted to allow in as much natural light as possible, something difficult in a rowhouse sandwiched between homes on either side. They brought in Bellweather Design-Build who gutted the first and third floors, and installed large windows and tall patio doors. Now, bright light streams in throughout the day.
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“When walking through this space, you’d never feel like you were in a townhouse,” said Stephanie Hoffmeier, a Bellweather designer.
The spiral staircase leading from the top floor to the roof deck definitely wasn’t child-friendly, so they replaced that with an indoor staircase that heads to a newly built pilot house, which is similar to a rooftop deck.
“That allowed us to create a grand space to become our new living room,” said Licurse, director of education and outreach at the Laboratory for Research on the Structure of Matter at the University of Pennsylvania.
The couple enthusiastically embraced the renovation process, but the timing – 2021 into 2022 – was especially challenging. Pandemic-related issues caused unforeseen problems, and at the same time, the pair was planning their wedding. They couldn’t live in the house while the work was being done, but were fortunate to find a rental two doors down.
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They used that time wisely. Licurse is very handy and enjoys woodwork, so while they hadn’t planned on renovating two of the bathrooms or building intricate shelving and bench seating in the kitchen, he took on those projects during the delay. He also built two bathroom vanities and carved out a secret laundry chute hidden within a laundry basket, which leads from the third floor to the second-floor laundry room.
The reimagined house is now about 2,700 square feet, 300 square feet larger than before the renovations, with three bedrooms — one they use as an office/library — and three full bathrooms, with a “California coastal minimalist vibe,” said Guo.
On the first floor, Bellweather created a new kitchen and dining area. Both Guo and Licurse enjoy cooking and like the kitchen to be neat and orderly. The plugs are hidden and drawers and appliance garages keep everything off the counters.
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Licurse designed and built an oak bench to fit perfectly into the breakfast nook. The pair found their Saarinen Tulip dining table, made of polished Carrara marble, at Knoll, a furniture store in Logan Square. The unique black lamp, created by Constance Guisset for Petite Friture, resembles an upside-down French hat.
“These pieces were a splurge, but for us, furniture is like artwork,” said Licurse. “If we come home and smile looking at it every day, we know it was worth saving up for.”
The second floor includes a guest room, laundry, bathroom, and a library/office. Their primary ensuite bedroom and a large living room make up the third floor, where the builder pushed back one wall and raised the ceiling to 14½ feet. One full wall contains oak slats, to bring interest to the blank wall, akin to a piece of art.
Inspired by the woodwork made by Tim Lewis, who built their first-floor cabinetry, slat wall, and bar, Licurse created shelving with a matching style next to the wet bar and surrounding the TV.
Though Guo and Licurse lived — literally — around the corner from one another for several years, and took similar routes to their jobs at different hospitals, it took a dating app to finally connect them. They married in March 2022, and now their home is a true collaboration.
“I had a style that wasn’t horrible but I appreciate Irene’s touch,” joked Licurse. “She’s the dominant force of anything that looks good and I go along for the journey.”
Is your house a Haven? Nominate your home by email (and send some digital photographs) at properties@inquirer.com.
Staff Contributors
- Photographer: Alejandro A. Alvarez
- Photo Editor: Rachel Molenda
- Digital Editor: Katie Krzaczek