Stephens Architecture
Bespoke Architecture & Interiors
Artful Homes, Gardens & Communities
415 Aldine, Belmont Harbor & Lake Shore Drive, Chicago.
Luxury Condominium. Image Copyright 415 Aldine.
Bespoke Residential Interior Design & Architecture for Artfully Crafted Urban Residential Settings
Stephen Synakowski Architect PLLC dba Stephens Architecture | Compositional Method
A client needs some sense as to where a design professional is coming from.
The foundation of Interior Design at Stephens Architecture rests firmly in painting (both classical and modern) insofar as acknowleging compositional considerations such as color, line and form insofar a their role in shaping architectural space and character. Fundamentals of painting frame an understanding of European buildings which were first explored in design education.
Also, very importantly, resources the firm can bring to a design problem are extensive insofar as related precedent examples. This matters a great deal as nothing truly is ever new, everything comes from somewhere. Why precedent matters.
Interior design method, including both interior architecture and interior appointments, starts with a basic understanding of a given assigned setting within which design layers are built upon. These design layers include paintings & sculpture, books, furnishings, fabrics, lighting, textures & materials such as wood and stonee, etc.. Symbolic meaning, for exampmle how formal or informal, is invested through adjustments in these layers involving consideration of things like tone, warmth, etc.. Consideration of light as an aspect in shaping tone, is very important. This involves of course consideration of windows, curtainwalls, skylights, artificial light, task lighting, etc..
Illustrations below show interior architecture in single family homes and in condominiums. Included ae illustrations of contrasting design strategies. These show distinction of objects in interior space (Judd, Woolf) opposite blurring or collage them (Rauschenburg, McClure). The distinction involves formal vs. intimate.
Scarpa residential design, for reference, is very approriate now insofar as his techniques in display of art in small scale settings, traditional or modern. This would be a solid place to start for a someone looking to explore artful settings for residential.
Stephens Architecture offers professional opinions re fine art; also consultations and introduction of private and corporate clients to the design trades in A&M Center New York City and Merchandise Mart in Chicago.
Shown this page:
Interiors scenes of Stephens Architecture, notational references to contemporary art of Robert Rauschenburg, Donald Judd, Carlo Scarpa, etc., references to interior design of William McClure and Verity Woolf.
Traditional Single Family Residence. Lake Forest, Illinois. 2000.
With Boardman Construction. Copyright 2000 Kathy Dohrman
Single Family Residence. Living Room. Lake Bluff, Illinois.
1995. With Tudron Construction. 2020 Copyright VHT
Single Family Residence. Living Room. Lake Bluff, Illinois.
1995. With Tudron Construction. 2020 Copyright VHT
Single Family Residence. Family Room. Lake Bluff, Illinois.
1995. With Tudron Construction. 2020 Copyright VHT
Modern Penthouse Loft. Interior. Chicago West Side. 2000. Copyright 2020 VHT
Penthouse. Exterior Deck. Chicago West Side. 2000. Copyright 2020 VHT
Terrace. Chicago West Side. 2000. Copyright 2020 VHT
Penthouse. Exterior Deck. Chicago West Side. 2000. Copyright 2020 VHT
Penthouse Loft. Chicago West Side. 2000. Copyright 2020 VHT
Condominium. Chicago West Side. 2000. Copyright 2020 VHT
Condominium. Chicago West Side. 2000. Copyright 2020 VHT
Penthouse. Interior. Chicago West Side. 2000. Copyright 2020 VHT
Interior Architecture & Interior Design. Luxury Condominium, Belmont Harbor, Chicago. 1990.
With Arcus Construction. Copyright 2025 VHT
Interior Architecture & Interior Design. Luxury Condominium, Belmont Harbor, Chicago. 1990.
With Arcus Construction. Copyright 2025 VHT
Interior Architecture & Interior Design. Luxury Condominium, Belmont Harbor, Chicago. 1990.
With Arcus Construction. Copyright 2025 VHT
Interior Architecture & Interior Design. Luxury Condominium, Belmont Harbor, Chicago. 1990.
With Arcus Construction. Copyright 2025 VHT
Interior Architecture & Interior Design. Luxury Condominium, Belmont Harbor, Chicago. 1990.
With Arcus Construction. Copyright 2025 VHT
AI. Rendition of a Continental European Living Room with Modern Furnishings. 2026
Facade Modifications. Victorian Townhouse. Islington, UK.
Verity Woolf Interiors. 2026. Copyright 2026 Verity Woolf
Chicago Greystone. New Penthouse and Sustainable Green Roof. Between Architecture and Interiors.
Chicago. 2005-9. Copyright 2005. Stephen Synakowski.
Interior Design. William McClure Interior Design. Copyright 2026 William McClure.
Print. Merce Cunningham Folio. Robert Rauchenburg. Copyright Robert Rauschenburg.
Interior Design Exhibitio. Donald Judd Furniture. Marfa, TX. Copyright 2026 Donald Judd
Interior Design. Bath. Islington, UK. Verity Woolf Interiors. Copyright 2026 Verity Woolf
Interior Design. Art Display. Venice. Carlo Scarpa. Copyright Carlo Scarpa.
Detail. Interior Design, Casework, Display Fitout. Armani Chicago. Oak Street and Michigan Avenue, Chicago. 1985.
Copyright 1985 Armani
AI. Rendition of a Contemporary Residential Living Room. 2026
Contemporary Residence with Gallery for Fine Art, Hamptons, LI, NY, 2015. Detail. Copyright 2015 Stephen Synakowski
Media Role in Interior Design. prop w/ Noguchi Table, Matisse Mural Townhome & Contemporary Residence for Fine Art, Hamptons, LI, NY.
Contemporary Residence with Gallery for Fine Art, Hamptons, LI, NY, 2015. Detail. Copyright 2015 Stephen Synakowski
Bespoke TownHome Design with Matisse Mural and Atrium Pool. Riverdale, NY. 2014. Copyright 2014 Stephen Synakowski.
Bespoke TownHome Design with Matisse Mural and Atrium Pool. Riverdale, NY. 2014. Copyright 2014 Stephen Synakowski.
Residence Addition, Lake Forest, IL. 2000. Copyright Stephen Synakowski
Residence Addition, Lake Forest, IL. 2000. Copyright Stephen Synakowski
Landscapes Institutional & Residential. Lawrenceville, NJ; Chicago, IL. Copyright 2000 Stephen Synakowski
Bespoke Architecture & Interiors
Artful Homes, Gardens & Communities
415 Aldine, Belmont Harbor & Lake Shore Drive, Chicago.
Luxury Condominium. Image Copyright 415 Aldine.
Bespoke Residential Interior Design & Architecture for Artfully Crafted Urban Residential Settings
A client needs some sense as to where a design professional is coming from.
The foundation of Interior Design at Stephens Architecture rests firmly in painting (both classical and modern) insofar as acknowleging compositional considerations such as color, line and form insofar a their role in shaping architectural space and character. Fundamentals of painting frame an understanding of European buildings which were first explored in design education.
Also, very importantly, resources the firm can bring to a design problem are extensive insofar as related precedent examples. This matters a great deal as nothing truly is ever new, everything comes from somewhere. Why precedent matters.
Interior design method, including both interior architecture and interior appointments, starts with a basic understanding of a given assigned setting within which design layers are built upon. These design layers include paintings & sculpture, books, furnishings, fabrics, lighting, textures & materials such as wood and stonee, etc.. Symbolic meaning, for exampmle how formal or informal, is invested through adjustments in these layers involving consideration of things like tone, warmth, etc.. Consideration of light as an aspect in shaping tone, is very important. This involves of course consideration of windows, curtainwalls, skylights, artificial light, task lighting, etc..
Illustrations below show interior architecture in single family homes and in condominiums. Included ae illustrations of contrasting design strategies. These show distinction of objects in interior space (Judd, Woolf) opposite blurring or collage them (Rauschenburg, McClure). The distinction involves formal vs. intimate.
Scarpa residential design, for reference, is very approriate now insofar as his techniques in display of art in small scale settings, traditional or modern. This would be a solid place to start for a someone looking to explore artful settings for residential.
Stephens Architecture offers professional opinions re fine art; also consultations and introduction of private and corporate clients to the design trades in A&M Center New York City and Merchandise Mart in Chicago.
Shown this page:
Interiors scenes of Stephens Architecture, notational references to contemporary art of Robert Rauschenburg, Donald Judd, Carlo Scarpa, etc., references to interior design of William McClure and Verity Woolf.
Traditional Single Family Residence. Lake Forest, Illinois. 2000.
With Boardman Construction. Copyright 2000 Kathy Dohrman
Single Family Residence. Living Room. Lake Bluff, Illinois.
1995. With Tudron Construction. 2020 Copyright VHT
Single Family Residence. Living Room. Lake Bluff, Illinois.
1995. With Tudron Construction. 2020 Copyright VHT
Single Family Residence. Family Room. Lake Bluff, Illinois.
1995. With Tudron Construction. 2020 Copyright VHT
Modern Penthouse Loft. Interior. Chicago West Side. 2000. Copyright 2020 VHT
Penthouse. Exterior Deck. Chicago West Side. 2000. Copyright 2020 VHT
Terrace. Chicago West Side. 2000. Copyright 2020 VHT
Penthouse. Exterior Deck. Chicago West Side. 2000. Copyright 2020 VHT
Penthouse Loft. Chicago West Side. 2000. Copyright 2020 VHT
Condominium. Chicago West Side. 2000. Copyright 2020 VHT
Condominium. Chicago West Side. 2000. Copyright 2020 VHT
Penthouse. Interior. Chicago West Side. 2000. Copyright 2020 VHT
Interior Architecture & Interior Design. Luxury Condominium, Belmont Harbor, Chicago. 1990.
With Arcus Construction. Copyright 2025 VHT
Interior Architecture & Interior Design. Luxury Condominium, Belmont Harbor, Chicago. 1990.
With Arcus Construction. Copyright 2025 VHT
Interior Architecture & Interior Design. Luxury Condominium, Belmont Harbor, Chicago. 1990.
With Arcus Construction. Copyright 2025 VHT
Interior Architecture & Interior Design. Luxury Condominium, Belmont Harbor, Chicago. 1990.
With Arcus Construction. Copyright 2025 VHT
Interior Architecture & Interior Design. Luxury Condominium, Belmont Harbor, Chicago. 1990.
With Arcus Construction. Copyright 2025 VHT
AI. Rendition of a Continental European Living Room with Modern Furnishings. 2026
Facade Modifications. Victorian Townhouse. Islington, UK.
Verity Woolf Interiors. 2026. Copyright 2026 Verity Woolf
Chicago Greystone. New Penthouse and Sustainable Green Roof. Between Architecture and Interiors.
Chicago. 2005-9. Copyright 2005. Stephen Synakowski.
Interior Design. William McClure Interior Design. Copyright 2026 William McClure.
Print. Merce Cunningham Folio. Robert Rauchenburg. Copyright Robert Rauschenburg.
Interior Design Exhibitio. Donald Judd Furniture. Marfa, TX. Copyright 2026 Donald Judd
Interior Design. Bath. Islington, UK. Verity Woolf Interiors. Copyright 2026 Verity Woolf
Interior Design. Art Display. Venice. Carlo Scarpa. Copyright Carlo Scarpa.
Detail. Interior Design, Casework, Display Fitout. Armani Chicago. Oak Street and Michigan Avenue, Chicago. 1985.
Copyright 1985 Armani
AI. Rendition of a Contemporary Residential Living Room. 2026
Contemporary Residence with Gallery for Fine Art, Hamptons, LI, NY, 2015. Detail. Copyright 2015 Stephen Synakowski
Media Role in Interior Design. prop w/ Noguchi Table, Matisse Mural Townhome & Contemporary Residence for Fine Art, Hamptons, LI, NY.
Contemporary Residence with Gallery for Fine Art, Hamptons, LI, NY, 2015. Detail. Copyright 2015 Stephen Synakowski
Bespoke TownHome Design with Matisse Mural and Atrium Pool. Riverdale, NY. 2014. Copyright 2014 Stephen Synakowski.
Bespoke TownHome Design with Matisse Mural and Atrium Pool. Riverdale, NY. 2014. Copyright 2014 Stephen Synakowski.
Residence Addition, Lake Forest, IL. 2000. Copyright Stephen Synakowski
Residence Addition, Lake Forest, IL. 2000. Copyright Stephen Synakowski
Landscapes Institutional & Residential. Lawrenceville, NJ; Chicago, IL. Copyright 2000 Stephen Synakowski
