The Chandler condominiums are tucked into Chicago’s treasured Lakeshore East neighborhood. In 2017, the Condominium Association had the opportunity to expand amenities into the large, unfinished ground floor retail space. 

The goal was to offer a practical and sophisticated extension of the home in an intentionally secluded neighborhood: comfortable spaces for leisure and wellness, elegant spaces for hosting and functional spaces for work. Gary Lee Partners was selected to address resident feedback and design a solution that would blend comfort and luxury, creating a cohesive experience across many unique functions. 

This was accomplished by developing a personality for each room and allowing details such as finishes, materials and furniture to tie the large floorplan together. This includes dark accent colors such a teal, burnt orange and navy used on walls and in furniture throughout, paired with lighter base colors for the main walls and natural colored floors. Marble stairs appear at the entrance and tile with a matching tone surrounds the fireplace. The matte black of the kitchen island appears later as a console in the billiards room and again in the library. 

Opened in the spring of 2019, the resulting versatility sets a new expectation for what an amenities center can be. Like a home, people want to spend time there, whether hosting a holiday party or watching the season finale.