Bannockburn, IL Custom Home Builders – Remodeling, Design & Build

Founded in the 1920s by a Scottish developer creating country estates for members of his bridge and country club, the village of Bannockburn, Illinois has maintained its sense of exclusivity. With just over 1,500 residents, the small village in Chicago’s North Shore area boasts a variety of fabulous shopping and delightful cafes and restaurants as well as excellent schools. Bannockburn’s mandated large lot size and landscape buffers offer homeowners privacy and seclusion with all of the benefits of being close to Chicago; getting into the city is an easy 45-minute drive or train ride.

Regardless of if you are considering renovations to your Bannockburn home or are thinking of making a move to Bannockburn and are gathering ideas for your luxury dream home, you can count on the architects and designers at the Orren Pickell Building Group to help. We’ve helped homeowners in Bannockburn and throughout the North Shore to brainstorm, design and build the homes that meet their needs and exceed their expectations and we can help you make your new home or home renovation dreams a reality.

Orren Pickell Ensures Your Bannockburn Home Suits Your Needs

Home to Frank Lloyd Wright’s Friedman house, Bannockburn has also served as the home base for a number of sports celebrities including Chicago Bears coach Mike Ditka, third baseman Ron Santo and Chicago Bulls coach Phil Jackson. But you don’t have to be a famous architect or celebrity to ensure that your Bannockburn home is attractive, functional and comfortable…and when you work with Orren Pickell, you don’t have to.

The design team at Orren Pickell aims to treat every client like our most important client, working with you one-on-one to ensure that your custom home reflects the way that you live and works for your specific tastes. We’ll ask questions, share ideas and will create a complete picture of your specific style, regardless of whether you prefer the stonework and wrought iron accents associated with French provincial styling or you are more attracted to the lavish woodwork found in European Manor styling.

Orren Pickell has served homeowners in Bannockburn and throughout the North Shore with luxury home building services for more than 40 years. Specific services include:

Get in touch with us today to help transform your ideas into a reality.

Building a French Provencial Dream Home in Bannockburn, IL

Building a luxury home is as much about getting to know the homeowner’s tastes as it is about knowing the best materials to choose.

On this project, the homeowner wanted a home reminiscent of a luxurious French country estate; a large home that didn’t look out of place on an expansive lot yet didn’t seem unnecessarily ostentatious. Working with the client, our architects designed a French provincial style home inspired by many of the rustic manor homes found throughout rural France. The home’s exterior features traditional French provincial touches, including a steep roofline along with hipped roofs. Large second-story windows allow for ample natural light, and the arched window tops and entryway door continue the French provincial architectural design theme.

Custom French County Estate Home Built in Bannockburn, IL — The home’s exterior features a steep roofline with hipped roofs.

Large Arched Front Entry Windows Reflect the French Provincial Design — Large second story windows with arched window tops and the arched entryway door reflect the French provincial design theme.

Inside the home, our designers and architects worked with the homeowners to continue the French provincial styling without it becoming overwhelming. Stone walls add beautiful texture to the sunroom, while wooden beams draw the eye to the unique shape of the ceiling. A wrought iron chandelier provides overhead lighting while complementing the overall decor.

The kitchen is one of the estate’s grandest rooms, featuring marble countertops and stark white cabinets. Wooden ceiling beams keep the kitchen from feeling too modern, adding a rustic sensibility to the room and mirroring the dark color of the hardwood flooring. Glass-front cabinets with in-cabinet lighting and framed artwork bring a touch of hominess to the space, and brushed nickel drawer pulls and wrought iron lighting fixtures complement the rest of the kitchen without competing for attention.

Breathtaking Dark Wood Paneled Ceiling with Wrought Iron Chandeliers — Wood paneling draws attention to the unique shape of the ceiling, while the wrought iron chandelier adds interest while providing additional lighting.

Kitchen with White Marble Countertops, Wood Plank Flooring & Wooden Beams — Marble countertops are both beautiful and practical. Wooden beams on the ceiling add a touch of warmth and rustic charm and keep the kitchen from feeling too stark.

Kitchen has a Chefs Double Oven with White Backsplash — Glass-front cabinets and framed artwork help make the space feel more homey.

The meandering staircase, along with its wrought iron and wooden railing, is a traditional French provincial element that looks right at home here. Similarly, the study’s fireplace and extensive woodwork are also elements often seen in French provincial architecture that compliment the homeowner’s tastes and are both beautiful and functional here, providing a cozy place to enjoy a good book or to enjoy a glass of cognac at the end of a long day.

French County Estate houses a Curved Entry Staircase with Wrought Iron Railings — The wrought iron and wooden staircase banister reflect the home’s French provincial style.

Study includes a Wood Burning Fireplace & Built-In Shelving — The built-in shelving surrounding the study’s fireplace is both functional and attractive.

Is it time to bring a bit of the French countryside to Bannockburn? We’re here to help you make it happen. Contact us for a no-obligation consultation; whether you’re looking for a French provincial style home, a more traditional design or something completely different, we’ll work with you to develop a design that suits the way you live.

The Reasoning Behind Orren Pickell’s Probing Questions

When you first meet with your Orren Pickell design team, you may be surprised by some of the questions we ask:

How do you like to spend your free time?
What kind of entertaining do you like to do?
Do you work from home?
How will your family change in the next five to ten years?

We promise, we aren’t being nosy—we’re simply trying to ask insightful questions about you and your family so that we can help create a home that will work for you both now and for years down the road. We know that the only thing constant is change, and we’ve found that by taking the lead on this discussion, we can increase the chances that your home will serve you well for a long, long time.

A Scottish Manor in Bannockburn

On another recent project, we asked just those kind of questions for our Bannockburn client who was interested in building a Scottish-style manor home filled with luxurious finishes and high-end touches. Working with the homeowners, Orren Pickell’s team of architects and designers created a beautiful estate that is perfect for this young, growing family and will be a place that they can call home as their little one goes from crawling to walking to asking for the car keys.

Because the homeowners expressed a desire to be able to host formal dinner parties, our architects included an impressive formal dining area. The unique shape of the room is reflected both in the tray ceiling, crown molding and inlaid hardwood flooring. Extensive floor to ceiling windows provide impressive views of the property and allow for ample natural lighting, and the arched room opening mirrors the curves seen elsewhere in the room. Arches and curves are seen throughout the home, including in the magnificent wood staircase and in doorways, windows and even woodwork.

Grand Entrance Wrap Around Staircase — The magnificent curved staircase mirrors curves seen in other areas of the home.

The Dining Room has Wooden In-laid flooring and Multiple overlooking Full-Height Windows — The home’s formal dining area is filled with natural light and is perfect for hosting dinner parties.

Interior Arched Doorways between Rooms — Arched doorways and windows soften the lines of the home.

In the kitchen, wide wood flooring planks, rough-hewn wooden beams and stone columns provide a homey, rustic feel. Antique benches and a wooden breakfast bar with a live edge give the kitchen a completely custom touch while high-end appliances and fixtures ensure that the homeowners will have everything they need to make a quick snack or a gourmet meal.

Kitchen with Wide Wood Plank Flooring & Rough Cut Beams — Wide wood plank flooring and rough-hewn lumber beams give the kitchen a rustic feel.

Kitchen includes a Table Crafted from a Solid Wood Layer — The homeowner’s antique benches and live edge breakfast bar make this kitchen uniquely their own.

The Kitchen is Warm and Inviting - The Perfect Place for Entertaining — The kitchen is an excellent place for entertaining friends and family.

Luxurious touches and styling can be seen throughout the home, including in the basement, which is often one of the most underutilized areas of the home. On this project, Orren Pickell suggested a multi-use area where the homeowners could spend time with family or friends. As a result, we ended up creating an inviting living area featuring a stone fireplace, where the family can gather for some great cozy time. Additionally, the area features a full-service bar and a climate-controlled wine cellar, great for casual entertaining of friends during Bannockburn’s cool fall and winter months.

Detailed Stonework around a Wood Burning Fireplace in the Family Room — The stone fireplace offers a cozy area for the family to curl up and spend some time together.

Detailed Glass Doors for a Wine Cellar — The doors to the climate-controlled wine cellar.

Detailed Basement Bar with Detailed Shelving and Counters — The basement bar is an excellent place for casually entertaining friends and family. This bar’s sleek black cabinets are a clean contrast against the stark white walls.

Whether you’re looking to remodel your Bannockburn basement or are wanting to build your own Bannockburn estate, the experienced architects / home builders at the Orren Pickell Building Group are uniquely qualified to guide you through the process. Get in touch with us today to learn more about what makes the Orren Pickell experience different.