Inside Our First-Ever Digital Concept Home, The Art of Living at 1760 Washington

May 30, 2023

The Art of Living Concept Home has undergone a few changes since Inspired Luxury Homes’ initial idea to design a 3D virtual spec home was born. From the beginning, it was meant to be what Inspired Interiors Founder and Principal Emily Mackie called a “total home solution,” or a space that would look, feel, and function better than today’s run-of-the-mill new builds.

Our team harnessed cutting-edge 3D rendering technology to design and tour the home virtually from start to finish, right down to the grow-your-own-produce space in the pantry. Originally, we hoped to sell the home from these renderings, which won Rethinking the Future’s Global Architecture & Design Award for impacting the future of interior design.

Our vision became grander when Aspire Magazine and Modern Luxury North Shore came on as collaborators, encouraging us to make The Art of Living a physical show home. Because so few new construction projects are run by women, the publications agreed that building the first female-developed show house would be truly groundbreaking. We finally began construction located at 1760 Washington Avenue in the desirable Wilmette neighborhood, one year ago. Being able to walk into the finished space today is nothing short of breathtaking.

While we were thrilled to welcome the public through the doors before the lucky homeowner moves in, our physical show home concept was unfortunately shut down by the Village of Wilmette, which denied the special use permit necessary to host fundraising events and tours. This obstacle (and many more, as a woman-run firm in the world of high-end residential construction is bound to face!) only made us more determined to stick with the project. That’s why we’re incredibly proud to introduce our first-ever digital concept home.

The silver lining of this journey is that now, more people than ever will have access to The Art of Living. Our virtual tour will accomplish everything we set out to do in the first place: invite design leaders and enthusiasts to experience innovative residential construction, design, and decoration, inspiring them to reimagine the possibilities of what a home can be.

We hope you experience The Art of Living through our virtual tours, available on our Instagram @InspiredLuxuryHomes. (You can even shop the products inside the home from our highlights!) In the meantime, here’s what to expect from The Art of Living at 1760 Washington.

Design Inspiration

The third floor family room at 1760 Washington

After two decades of designing clients’ homes, Emily was tired of seeing the same handrails on stairs, the same white kitchen cabinets, the same finish on the floors—the same cookie-cutter builds, again and again. “Why can’t everything be a little bit different?” she thought.

While Inspired Interiors pushes boundaries on every project, specializing in tailor-made design that reflects each individual homeowner, 1760 Washington had a different challenge: to stand out with features that embrace the future of home design while using just enough restraint to appeal to the masses—oh, and incorporating products from 36 different partners.

In what ended up being essentially a “Chopped” cooking challenge for an interior design team—three dozen very special brands gave us the opportunity to showcase their unique products, and we blended them into one cohesive design—we created a five-bed, five-and-a-half-bath home that inspires people to live their lives more fully through everyday moments. That’s what we call the art of living.

Partners and Product Selection

The stunning chef’s kitchen features custom countertops by Cambria

More than three dozen brands joined us to marry their top-of-the-line furnishings, finishes, décor, and technology with our functional, attainable, and gorgeous home. To name just a few…

Skyline Window Coverings featured their motorized treatments allowing the control of natural light and privacy at the touch of a button, from the north-facing breakfast nook to the luminous living area.

3D wave tiling from Virginia Tile is the backdrop for a relaxing bath or shower.

Virginia Tile allowed us to play with unforgettable tiling, including a dramatic 3D wave pattern behind a bathtub and a relaxing beach glass mosaic that creates a stone pebble effect on shower walls.

Cambria’s stunning quartz countertops align with our “always custom, never cookie-cutter” philosophy—see them in the high-end chef’s kitchen!

The kitchen is complete with a Moen touch-technology smart faucet for the busy home chef.

Moen’s touchless-technology smart faucets give the kitchen unmatched, seamless convenience, while voice-activated showers make the luxurious bathrooms even more enjoyable.

Our full list of vendors: Backyard BBQ Store, Becker Works Ltd, Bosch and Thermador, Brown Jordan Outdoor Kitchens, Cambria, Caracole, Davis Audio & Video, dmf Lighting, Eastern Accents, Elkay, Emtek, Fabricut, Floor & Decor, Gemini Builds It, Hoiland Studios, Inspired Closets Chicago, Krugg USA, Loeber Motors / Porsche, Moen, neat METHOD, nightlight, Northshore Fireplace, Oscar Isberian Rugs, Scavolini, Schmitz Door Service, Skyline Window Coverings, Studio41 Home Design Showroom, TOP Cabinetry, UNILOCK, Victoria + Albert / House of Rohl, Virginia Tile, Visual Comfort & Co., Williams Ski & Patio, Workshoppe Chicago and YORK Wallcoverings. Sherwin Williams is the exclusive paint and coatings sponsor of the home. Media Partners are Modern Luxury NS and Modern Luxury Interiors Chicago.

tREND AND SPECIAL FEATURES

Virginia Tile’s stunning lotus pattern was our top choice for the primary bathroom.

With so many different products on display in this four-story, 5,000 square foot home, we decided early on to organize each room by a focused theme and identity. Take the bathrooms, for example: We’ve got relaxing spa, recycled content/eco-friendly, a teenager’s tech-friendly paradise, and a garden-themed space with lotus flower-inspired tiling, lush plants flanking the tub, and tons of natural light flooding into the soothing room. Krugg illuminated mirrors give you plenty of light to do your makeup without adding clunky wall sconces.

Each bathroom features sleek illuminated mirrors by Krugg.

Speaking of high-tech mirrors, technology plays a huge role in this home. 1760 Washington has a fireplace you can turn on from your phone and a smart dishwasher that orders its own pods. Just as much thought went into the “unplugged” spaces, such as the closets designed by Inspired Closets Chicago, complete with built-in hamper space and racks for ties, belts, and bags. These features are meant to give people new ideas for their own home projects, asking themselves, “How can I elevate my everyday life through design?

A Visual Comfort chandelier completes the celebration-worthy formal dining room

The Art of Living is equal parts functional and visually stunning. Upon entry, you’re greeted by a gorgeous formal dining room with the Cadence, a three-tiered waterfall chandelier by Visual Comfort, as the centerpiece. The fixture creates a soft glow throughout the room, a blue Oscar Isberian rug adds a touch of luxury underfoot, and Caracole furnishings invite guests to gather and create lasting memories.

Every space in this home was designed with life’s most meaningful moments in mind.

Empowering homeowners to enjoy fun, meaningful moments in their living spaces is core to our Inspired Interiors ethos. That’s why 1760 Washington has no shortage of activity-oriented rooms. Work out in the basement’s fitness studio, catch up on “Ted Lasso” in the home theater, or have a romantic wine night for two on the balcony overlooking the baseball field. The back garden can entertain company of all ages thanks to a state-of-the-art Brown Jordan outdoor kitchen, an inviting pool surrounded by countless nooks for tanning and reading, and a firepit for s’mores and socializing. And because we never take ourselves too seriously, the home office doubles as a poker room at night, while the doggie bedroom has all the accessories your furry friend could ever need.

To take virtual tours, view the products featured in The Art of Living, and see what’s new with our exciting virtual show home, follow us on Instagram. Though only one family will move into 1760 Washington, the breakthrough 3D rendering technology we used to design it is available to all of our clients! Get in touch with us to visualize your dream home from start to finish before construction begins.