The peripatetic living habits of Crate & Barrel's new president led him to Evanston. A look at this home—which is modern but with soft touches—makes it clear his aesthetic affinities lie with his employer.Nineteen—that's how many homes Steve Woodward has lived in. His latest, a modern prairie-style five-bedroom in Evanston he shares with his wife and two dogs, has a few items from his past but is mostly filled with furniture from his current employer, Crate & Barrel. Woodward, 60, president of the Northbrook-based home furnishings retailer, joined the company in August 2015 with a charge to modernize its offerings and help it compete in an increasingly crowded and e-commerce-fueled home furnishings industry. “We entertain a lot of Crate & Barrel people and wanted it to be a reflection of Crate & Barrel,” Woodward says of his home. The furnishings from the retailer include an ebony sideboard and white leather chairs in the dining room, a nubby sofa in the basement and an entire suite of outdoor furniture—lime accent pillows and all—in the backyard and on the patio.
“We refurnish every house we do top to bottom and sell it with the furniture,” he says of his peripatetic living habits.He and his wife, Terri Woodward, an interior decorator who also designs jewelry and creates art in a coach house on the property, settled in about a year ago after arriving from Dallas, where Woodward was senior vice president of Michael Kors at Fossil Group. “I always loved Crate & Barrel, so when the opportunity came, I took it,” Steve Woodward says.He says he's reinvigorating the 54-year-old brand by increasing the quality of products and editing down the items in the store. “We reduced the amount of products in the store so it feels more open and inviting, but added more products online,” Woodward says. As a result, more realistic room settings can be found in the stores. He adds, “We're supercharging the aesthetics and the theatrical appearance in our stores. We're selling much clearer stories.” In Evanston, the drama begins at the front door of his 4,800-square-foot abode.
Built by Chicago's BKM Development and designed by Chicagoan Linc Thelen as a spec home, it features large expanses of windows and a dark gray stucco exterior with ipe wood cladding to distinguish it from its more traditional neighbors, some of which date to the 1920s. “We wanted to keep the materials as natural as possible and as real as possible,” Thelen says. There's also a metal roof and a retaining wall made of concrete, an edgier choice Thelen preferred over the bluestone pavers Woodward suggested. “He had a huge influence on the house,” Woodward says of Thelen. “We've never done that before, but we loved his point of view and aesthetic.” The dark color and natural materials seep into the interior as well. Hardwood floors run throughout the first floor, and reclaimed barn wood clads the fireplace walls in the living room and master bedroom. “It surprises you in a modern house, these features that are very warm,” Woodward says.Meanwhile, a bit of Texas, where Woodward spent 40 years before moving to the Midwest, permeates the design with a stag horn skull spray-painted silver crowning one wall.
“It's a little 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre,' but I love it,” says Woodward, who was recently named an influential stylemaker by Better Homes and Gardens. Walls, ceilings, doors and trim are painted the same shade of gray, creating a cocoon-like effect. A modern staircase that spikes through the third floor to the basement provides another dose of drama. Composed of open treads, steel handrails and glass, it “has a nice sense of volume,” Thelen says. It's one of Woodward's favorite features. “Going up and down the stairs is kind of like a delight,” he says. It doesn't feel like one long staircase. In the kitchen, dark linear cabinets designed by Thelen continue the streamlined look. “Many people have gone lighter with white walls and white kitchens for the past five years,” he says. “We wanted to be a little more bold with the design.” An antique table from India made of old doors Woodward brought from his previous home breaks up the modernity and adds a personal layer.
“We mix and match things from different eras,” he says. In the back of the house, a sunken family room creates intimacy and its own identity from the open floor plan.Most of the lighting was chosen by Woodward, including two RH chandeliers in the dining room and living room. An equal-opportunity shopper, he has no qualms about buying good design from a competitor. “It keeps me on my toes,” he says, noting that Crate & Barrel now carries a similarly rustic round chandelier. He also has two houndstooth sofas from Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams that made the cut from his last residence, as well as accessories from Pottery Barn and West Elm. “Real competitors need to know what they're doing,” he says. True to form, the Woodwards are on to their next house. At press time, they sold this place after living in it for less than a year. “Someone approached us and had to have it,” Woodward says. It was not on the market. “They bought many furnishings and all the outdoor furniture.”
The Woodwards have rented an apartment in Northbrook, and don't mind moving again. “We love the process of building and furnishing a new place,” he says. “We're building a new vacation home in Dallas at a new high-rise called Bleu Ciel. All are by Jim Tschetter and Barrett Woodward Q & A (5) Why Room & Board? Simple and sophisticated, our Peyton chair features a crisp tailored look with solid wood legs, making it perfect for the dining room, office, or extra seating when guests arrive. See the full Peyton collection We partner with artisans and workshops across the country Details of Peyton Side ChairDimensions: 21"w 25"d 37"h Seat Height: 20"h Construction: benchmade hardwood frame with webbing seat suspension Construction detailsSeat Cushion: wrapped foam Cushion detailsBack Cushion: wrapped foam Cushion Style: tight seat; tight back Product Origin: made in Virginia Material Origin: United States Item Number: 445731 See all photosFabric: Flint ivory See full fabric detailsFabric Content: 100% polyester Fabric Description: Exclusive to Room & Board, Flint looks like heathered wool but offers high performance.
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