Driehaus Museum- Chicago, IL

For those interested in historic preservation, the Driehaus name is familiar one. The eponymous Foundation annually presents awards to those who strive to preserve the unique architectural and cultural identities of cities and towns across the United States. It honors those who prove adaptive reuse is economically feasible, saving us all from yet another soulless strip mall, or generic apartment complex; those who work to retain sense of place, and fight geographic homogenization.

As they say, charity begins at home; in this case, it is a grand Gilded Age home, beautifully restored by Richard H. Driehaus, which now displays items from his private collection of decorative arts. Built in 1883 for banker Samuel M. Nickerson, the grand mansion was designed by the prominent Chicago architect Edward J. Burling; the elaborate interiors were the product of several firms, including R.W. Bates, William August Fielder, and George A. Schastey.

Costing over $450,000 to construct, the 24,000 square foot mansion exemplified Gilded Age excess. In the main hall, over 17 different types of marble were used, in addition to onyx and alabaster; in the library, ebonized woodwork and furniture. The ground floor even boasted a large gallery space for their art collection, which was so fabulous, Nickerson made it available for students to study. This space was later redesigned by the mansion’s second owner, who added the magnificent art glass dome present today.

The craftsmanship throughout the entire house is absolutely exquisite. Carved stone balustrades, breathtaking woodwork, and the only circular fireplace I have ever seen are but a few examples. Perfectly complementing the home is the Driehaus Collection, which is nothing short of a national treasure. It includes one of the largest collections of Tiffany objects in the world, including lamps, vases, furniture, and windows. In fact, he has so many Tiffany items (over 1500 pieces), he frequently loans them out to other museums. I recently encountered several of his lamps at Lydhurst’s Tiffany exhibit, in New York.