Idea Home 2004: Naperville

The hip roof with dormers allows a partial third story without raising the roof higher than other homes in the neighborhood. Vintage style comes from the cat-slide curve over the porch and the wood-shake look of the GAF shingles.

To visually separate the upper and lower levels, we chose lap siding for the first story and shingle siding for the second. The double-hung style of windows fits in with the nearby older homes.

We used floor-to-ceiling windows in main rooms for ultimate sunlight and garden views. Higher placement of smaller windows allows light in areas where privacy is an issue. Gutters are held in place with white, simple vintage-look aluminum brackets.

Manufactured stone on the foundation and chimney of our home replicates the mined limestone used on older homes in the area. Patio pavers and steps leading to the storybook front door replicate an English stone pathway.