Vintage duplex apartment

This celebrated 1930s duplex penthouse by David Adler stands as a quintessential example of his mature approach—an assured mix of Georgian architecture, impeccable proportion, and subtle notes of 20th-century modernism. Long known in Chicago society and once home to Charles and “Bobsy” Goodspeed, the residence originally brought together Adler and his renowned decorator sister, Frances Elkins, creating an interior of rare pedigree and enduring influence.

We had the pleasure of serving as design consultants to the architects of record, Liederbach and Graham, helping guide a restoration that honored the home’s legacy while returning its most distinctive moments to full brilliance. In the living room, Adler’s signature pine walls and the extraordinary paneling around the fireplace demanded a precise architectural solution—raising the ceiling by a full foot and carefully adjusting portions of the upper level to preserve the intended detailing. The arrival sequence is equally memorable: a foyer washed in natural light from an oval skylight crowning the stair. The dining room remains especially sumptuous, illuminated by Baccarat sconces and a chandelier that still uses candles, framed by white marble pilasters capped with nickel crowns and ebony floors with nickel inlay—an Elkins hallmark. To heighten the contrast and drama, we upholstered the walls in a decadent dark green velvet, a finish so convincing it’s often mistaken as original. Upstairs, the bedrooms were conceived as a “tree house” retreat, hovering just above the canopy of Lincoln Park’s mature trees—an intimate, elevated counterpoint to the grandeur below.