The Two Flat

After diligently searching, the Vargos found an 1890 two flat with many original elements including solid wood doors, built-in hutch and trim work. Two flats are two-story homes with an apartment unit on each floor and make up more than 30% of Chicago's housing inventory.

Yellow Brick Home

When Yellow Brick Home blogger couple, Kim and Scott Vargo, were looking for an investment property, they wanted a historic home that still held the character of Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood.

For about a year, the couple restored the two flat to keep its original charm, while modernizing the space to today’s aesthetics.

Before

After

Window Replacement

One element of the home that needed urgent updating were the windows. Many of the windows required a simple frame replacement but others had rotted over time.

“The ‘original’ windows, as we inherited them, were a mix of rotted wood from the late 1800’s and a handful of aluminum replacement windows likely dating back to the early 1970’s. While they mostly functioned okay, a large majority of them proved to be crooked, leaky and inefficient. As we continued to spend time in the space, it became abundantly clear that every window would need to be replaced,” said Kim and Scott in their recent blog post.

Yellow Brick Home Single-Hung 100 Series Window

The Product

The Vargos turned to Andersen to assist with the flat’s replacement. They selected a combination of 100 Series windows along with the 100 Series insert window that fits into existing window frames without disturbing the interior or exterior trim, helping the couple preserve more of the historic home.

“Our Andersen 100 Series windows have truly transformed this home. From both a stylistic and functional perspective, we’re absolutely thrilled with the end results. The clean, simple design coupled with the huge increases in the home’s energy efficiency have provided a massive foundational layer to the home’s renovation. Our Two Flat simply wouldn’t be the same without them!”

Bedrooms

For the bedrooms at the front of unit 2, Kim and Scott selected single-hung windows to brighten up the front of the home and create a focal point for the home’s exterior.

The Kitchen

For one of the unit’s kitchens, the Vargos opted for a casement window. The crank open feature provides functionality while reaching over a countertop to open, all while offering unobstructed views.