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Bret James has lived in the city of ×îÐÂÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ since 1989. He raised two children with his ex-wife in a large home in the Carondelet neighborhood before moving to an apartment in Botanical Heights after they separated. Two of the four years he lived in the apartment were spent house hunting.

“When I was looking for a new home, I had three criteria: Accessible for my daughter who uses a wheelchair, a home I could age in place in, and in a city neighborhood (central corridor, near downtown) that I wanted to live in,� says James. “So many of the homes in these areas had the bedrooms on the second floor, and it is really hard to make them accessible. I thought about building new, but available lots were few and many neighborhood zoning laws require two-story.�

James was a fan of local design-build firm UIC, which develops a lot of modern homes in the city, often doing one-story construction. He reached out and began consulting with UIC Design Principal Sarah Gibson, who presented him with the option of a single story home built in 1908 in Botanical Heights. UIC already owned the property and was awaiting an appropriate buyer. It was the perfect opportunity to create a design that fit the specific needs of James and his daughter, Anna, 29, who resides with him on weekends.

Abandoned for a decade, the home had been cleared out and was an empty shell — a blank slate that would allow James to save the historic structure while making it modern and accessible on the inside. In his first design meeting with UIC, there were only a few things he knew he wanted including black acrylic kitchen cabinets, a modern circular light fixture in the dining area and wall-hung toilets for easy cleaning.

Other choices came during the renovation process. While the main living space was originally a fully open concept, James had UIC add a wood slat screen to provide some separation between the entryway and the living room, as well as added visual interest.

“With the fireplace, we were trying to figure out what to do with the hearth. I love ×îÐÂÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ brick and all of the remaining brick in this house had been painted, so we decided to do red brick. Some of them say ‘×îÐÂÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´â€™ on them,â€� James notes.

While little to nothing original remained on the interior, UIC carefully replicated period-appropriate molding around the large windows and baseboards. The home’s exterior architecture is well preserved though updated in a more modern color scheme with white painted brick and beige trim and an avocado green glass-front door. “I like the juxtaposition of the old exterior but new on inside,� James says.

The kitchen is ultra-modern with white quartz countertops offsetting the black cabinetry and sleek, modern light fixtures from Wilson Lighting. A wood dining table from Room & Board is matched with midcentury modern inspired chairs from West Elm.

UIC added an accessible bedroom suite with a zero-entry shower to the back of the house for Anna, with James’ primary suite located in a finished lower level. While this originally felt like a negative, James enlisted his designer friend Dottie Eaton of Design Style to make his suite feel less like a bunker. Eaton added neutral grass cloth wallpaper and a custom headboard to warm up the space, now a cozy retreat.

Another must have for James was a modern and accessible back yard where he and Anna could relax and entertain. A long ramp leading from the garage to the back door allows Anna easy entry to the home in her wheelchair.

James partnered with Landscape ×îÐÂÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ on the low-maintenance space that features a paved patio with a dining table, a modern fire pit and fountain, and a small herb garden. Square concrete pavers with river rock between them adds to the modern aesthetic. Fully fenced, the backyard is a private outdoor oasis where James spends much of his time.

Living in the home for just over a year, James and his daughter are thrilled with the design. “She likes that she can move around the house and get in and out easily,� he says.