Ragdale House
Award-winning full restoration of an iconic Arts and Crafts style house.
The Ragdale House is a significant 19th-century Arts and Crafts style house designed and built by prominent Chicago Architect Howard Van Doren Shaw in 1897. Preservation Architects and Architectural Historians at JLK worked closely with the City of Lake Forest and the Ragdale Foundation for over ten years to meticulously restore the exterior and interior of this significant National Register-listed house. All work was designed and carried out in conformance with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties.
JLK conducted diligent archival and on-site research, reviewed original drawings and historic photographs, carried out several surveys to catalogue and document existing conditions, and prepared a Historic Structure Report (HSR) to guide the restoration of the house. The project presented several challenges, including the need to structural reinforcement and modifications to achieve life safety code compliance. JLK collaborated with the City of Lake Forest to determine an alternative life safety code compliance approach to avoid adversely affecting character-defining features of the house.
Exterior
The structure of the building was stabilized and all new structural work was meticulously concealed. Deteriorated portions of the masonry walls were stabilized, deconstructed, and rebuilt. Sagging door and window lintels were reinforced and stabilized with new glue lam beams. The porches off of the kitchen and living room were entirely rebuilt in-kind, and the slate roof was repaired. The stucco exteriors were patched and a new finish coat was applied. All exterior trim was either repaired or replaced in-kind. The existing wood windows were restored and new, operable wood storm windows and screens were designed and provided. All new insulation, plumbing, electrical, and heating/cooling (including a six-loop geothermal field) was provided.
Interior
All of the interior spaces and finishes were restored. The plaster was repaired and replaced in-kind where needed, the original oak wood work was refurbished, and the fireplace was restored. JLK worked closely with the Ragdale Foundation to restore interior finishes, including the recreation of Arts and Crafts wallpapers that cover many of the interior walls.
Photograph Credits to Hedrich Blessing.
Ragdale House is a historic 19th-century Arts and Crafts style house designed by prominent Chicago Architect Howard Van Doren Shaw, FAIA (1869-1926).
Today, the Ragdale Foundation stewards the house and operates one of the largest artists-in-residency communitites in the country.
2013
AIA Honor Award for Restoration
American Institute of Architects (AIA) Illinois
2013
Restoration Award
Association of Licensed Architects
2013
Restoration Award
Victorian Society in America
2012
Renovation Honor Award
Lake Forest Preservation Foundation
The Ragdale House is a significant 19th-century Arts and Crafts style house designed and built by prominent Chicago Architect Howard Van Doren Shaw in 1897. Preservation Architects and Architectural Historians at JLK worked closely with the City of Lake Forest and the Ragdale Foundation for over ten years to meticulously restore the exterior and interior of this significant National Register-listed house. All work was designed and carried out in conformance with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties.
JLK conducted diligent archival and on-site research, reviewed original drawings and historic photographs, carried out several surveys to catalogue and document existing conditions, and prepared a Historic Structure Report (HSR) to guide the restoration of the house. The project presented several challenges, including the need to structural reinforcement and modifications to achieve life safety code compliance. JLK collaborated with the City of Lake Forest to determine an alternative life safety code compliance approach to avoid adversely affecting character-defining features of the house.
Exterior
The structure of the building was stabilized and all new structural work was meticulously concealed. Deteriorated portions of the masonry walls were stabilized, deconstructed, and rebuilt. Sagging door and window lintels were reinforced and stabilized with new glue lam beams. The porches off of the kitchen and living room were entirely rebuilt in-kind, and the slate roof was repaired. The stucco exteriors were patched and a new finish coat was applied. All exterior trim was either repaired or replaced in-kind. The existing wood windows were restored and new, operable wood storm windows and screens were designed and provided. All new insulation, plumbing, electrical, and heating/cooling (including a six-loop geothermal field) was provided.
Interior
All of the interior spaces and finishes were restored. The plaster was repaired and replaced in-kind where needed, the original oak wood work was refurbished, and the fireplace was restored. JLK worked closely with the Ragdale Foundation to restore interior finishes, including the recreation of Arts and Crafts wallpapers that cover many of the interior walls.
Photograph Credits to Hedrich Blessing.
Ragdale House is a historic 19th-century Arts and Crafts style house designed by prominent Chicago Architect Howard Van Doren Shaw, FAIA (1869-1926).
Today, the Ragdale Foundation stewards the house and operates one of the largest artists-in-residency communitites in the country.
2013
AIA Honor Award for Restoration
American Institute of Architects (AIA) Illinois
2013
Restoration Award
Association of Licensed Architects
2013
Restoration Award
Victorian Society in America
2012
Renovation Honor Award
Lake Forest Preservation Foundation
Restoration done right means respecting the architecture and leaving no trace.
