'Windy City Rehab' Season 3: Alison Victoria works on 'landmark' property to deliver dream house
The Bells' Beverly house, which, despite the episode title, is not in the suburbs, requires an upgrade, and host Alison Victoria has some suggestions. In the newest episode of Season 3 of 'Windy City Rehab,' the HGTV star is thrown a curveball in terms of house design when she finds out the property she's been working on is "landmarked".
The Beverly area on Chicago's South Side in the suburbs is the universe of 'Windy City Rehab.' It isn't, but the most recent episode of the third season is named "Suburban Stunner," so it logically follows that presenter Alison believes she has left the city after she passes 95th Street. On Thursday night's episode, Alison and her lead designer, Kristy, brainstorm together to come up with a solid design idea for the Beverly property. Alison furnishes the house of their dreams to the homeowners after they entrust her with its makeover.
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Owners, Lenny and Danielle Bell lived in New York City for 13 years before returning to Chicago with their two young kids to purchase a property. They paid $491,000 for their four-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bathroom Beverly house. When they met Alison outside the property, the designer pressed on repainting the house black and white and putting new windows right away. Alison could see that the home had a lot of meaning and something extremely unique about it.
Built in 1912, the home appeared old on the inside, with flowered wallpaper covering the walls and rooms sectioned off on the main level. However, because the Bells did not want an open concept, Alison proposed integrating the living and dining rooms to improve flow and leaving a long passway between those areas and the kitchen. Danielle Bell had previously planned her ideal kitchen, which needed to be altered to be functional. The Bells desired a genuine "oasis" for their bedroom upstairs, complete with a large wardrobe and private bathroom. They also had a leisure room off their bedroom, which Alison intended to expand onto the flat roof to install those facilities.
Alison appeared confident in sticking to the couple's $250,000 restoration budget without pulling down too many walls. Lenny and Danielle Bell are ideal clients. They know what they want, but they rely on Alison's expertise.
The speed bump during "rehab"
While Alison and lead designer Kristy persuaded Danielle Bell to pick a lighter tone for the wood flooring throughout the property, demolition began. She gladly consented. Alison was meeting the general contractor at the property when she received a text message from architect Jeremiah, who reported the house was "landmarked." As a result, the relaxation room addition had to be abandoned.
While on the line with Lenny Bell, Alison asked, "How did we get this far and now landmark comes up?” Lenny wondered if he may return the receipt for the purchase. While Alison advised the couple to consult with a lawyer about their future steps, demolition on projects with licenses continued.
The big reveal
Lenny and Danielle Bell came in with their eyes closed and yelled with delight as they saw their new house for the first time. Danielle Bell dazzled with her ideal kitchen, which included a butcher-block island and fabricated stone countertops. The passway now featured built-ins on both sides, which were painted green to match the green stained glass.
The leisure area off the main bedroom had been divided upstairs into a nice-sized closet and a complete bathroom for the parents, while the children had their own bathroom on the same floor. “Working with Alison was a dream,” Danielle Bell remarked. Alison's careful mix of bringing in new things but also unearthing old stuff from corners of Chicago where no one else would look is really, truly masterful, as per the husband. Despite not getting the upstairs expansion, the couple remained within their $250,000 budget.
Watch the Season 3 finale of 'Windy City Rehab' on HGTV next Thursday at 9/8c.