Roscoe Village Two-Flat Expanded Into Beautiful, Flowing Home (PHOTOS)

Name: Mike Shively, architectLocation: Roscoe Village -- Chicago, IllinoisSize: 1,200 square feet -- 2 bedroom + 2 bathYears lived in: 2 -- owned

This is the kind of place where the familiar home-inspired word "flow" could not be more aptly applied in terms of layout, furnishings, and details like the customized wood handrail and the whimsically functional ladder. Mike has a lot to tell us:

"Sometime around the turn of the century (I know from newspapers in the wall) this long timber frame two-flat from the late 1800s was subdivided in half, creating four small one-bedrooms. When I first saw the second floor rear unit with high ceilings and tall Victorian windows on three sides, I could see potential. The building was balloon framed, so I was able to move the 11' ceiling down 18" and create enough headroom in the attic to create my office and bedroom. Downstairs, I opened up the plan into one continuous space for living, dining, and cooking. Around the corner by the front door is a guest room and second bath."

For the complete article and slideshow, go to Apartment Therapy.