HomeOpen House: Matt and Sue’s Radical Renegade Craft Condo (Hyde Park)
02. Jun, 2009 
4 Comments
Today’s musical accompaniment is, what else? Renegade by Chicago’s own Styx. Click play on the YouTube player on the right-hand sidebar (if you dare).
When Sue Daly started the Renegade Craft Festival in 2003, she had little idea the event, which was held in Wicker Park, would one day become a national mecca for the DIY community with annual events in cities across the country and a permanent shop on Division Street. Amazingly, during this period of steep growth Sue found time to fall in love, get married and buy a condo in Chicago’s south side Hyde Park neighborhood.
Successful entrepreneurs famously multi-task well, devising clever ways to kill two birds with one stone and get the job done quickly without sacrificing quality. But Sue claims finding a husband wasn’t on her mind when she hired a freelance artist / graphic designer to create the first Renegade Craft Fair poster, although her decision did result in a gorgeous owl print, a man-mate (Mat) and a source for free art to decorate their Hyde Park condo.
Continued . . .
The poster in question (i.e. the first bird)
Mat and Sue loved the third floor unit’s size, views and proximity to the lake, but the dated kitchen needed a complete renovation. While the couple replaced the cabinets, counters and appliances, the most dramatic change came from removing a portion of the wall between the kitchen and dining room, a decision which opened up the claustrophobic space and allowed for the DIY duo to chat with chums while making chow. Adding moldings ensured the modification felt cohesive with the rest of the home. T
he two bedroom, one bath condo feels young, stylish and a bit quirky, so it’s no surprise that Design Sponge asked if they’d be interested in it being featured in a Sneak Peek. I helped with the photography and thought you might enjoy seeing a bit more of their radical Renegade home.
Click here to read my interview with Sue Daly and see photos of her Wicker Park shop.
Click here to view past Open House stories.
I love everything here.
Very cool place.
That is one gorgeous kitchen (and all-around place, for that matter).
I love the little cow head! Great space overall, but the cow head really makes it.