Howard Van Doren Shaw designed the homes for many of Chicago's wealthiest residents in the early years of the twentieth century, and this 8,000 square foot Lake Forest home is certainly no exception. Built in 1909 for manufacturer Hugh McBirney, the home with its large gardens was intended to be a summer getaway for the industrialist. Dubbed the House of Four Winds, the home, which borrows some Spanish style cues, leads out to a sprawling garden that features water, fountains, a waterfall and elaborate stone ornamentation. The home has been completely restored, and upgraded to withstand the harsh Chicago area winters. The home had been previously listed for $5.995 when it first hit the market in May 2011, but can be had today for $4.4 million.
Here's a video of former Chicago Magazine & Crain's real estate reporter Dennis Rodkin touring the home.
·81 West Laurel Avenue, Lake Forest, IL [Curbed Chicago]
·Previous Howard Van Doren Shaw listings [Curbed Chicago]
·House of the Four Winds [The Cultural Landscape Foundation]
·Lake Forest's House (and Garden) of the Four Winds [Chicago Magazine]