Two experienced tech designers have breathed new life into a charming historic home on Noyes Street in Evanston, Illinois, transforming it into a showcase of creative design and thoughtful renovation. Will and Meridel Walkington, both seasoned UX designers, moved into the 1200 Noyes Street property with their son Leo in 2021 and immediately began applying their professional design expertise to create a unique family home.
Will works as a UX designer at Google and brings additional skills as an artist and woodworker, while Meridel serves as a senior UX content design manager at Firefox and has developed a keen eye for thrift finds at estate sales and Facebook Marketplace. Their son Leo often joins Meridel in her treasure hunting adventures, making it a family affair.
The house sits on a historically significant block that was home to the S.M. Dingee & Son pickle factory in the 1880s, located at Ridge Avenue and Noyes Street. Neighbors affectionately refer to the dwelling as "the little farmhouse," and its rich history was recently highlighted when a former owner stopped by to leave a watercolor painting of the home from when it was painted yellow.
One of the couple's most dramatic changes came a year after moving in when they realized their kitchen's location wasn't ideal despite being attractive and updated. They made the bold decision to convert the first-floor family room into the kitchen, taking advantage of its better light, southern exposure, and views of the backyard. The original kitchen space was then transformed into a cozy TV den, completely reimagining the home's flow.
Once the major kitchen renovation was complete, the Walkingtons decided the space needed more visual energy. They converted an unused corner into a charming dining nook, with Will building a custom wood-slat wall trellis as a striking backdrop. His attention to detail extended to creating the dining table, where he crafted three prototypes before perfecting the current version and built a special jig to ensure the angled supports were precisely right. Meridel contributed her thrifting expertise by finding a beautiful candelabra at an estate sale for just $30.
Even their dog, Betty Boop – named after the famous cartoon character – has been considered in the design process. She now enjoys a plush sheepskin cushion on the kitchen bench for her afternoon naps, perfectly integrated into the family's daily life.
The former kitchen area has been transformed into an inviting TV room and den, but the couple wanted a focal point beyond just the television. They found the perfect solution in a painting of Jane Fonda, which they purchased for $30 at Skylight Vintage on 812 Dempster Street. This purchase also supported a good cause, as proceeds from Skylight Vintage benefit the Skylight Foundation, which provides affordable mental health care.
The dining room holds special family significance, featuring a table designed by Will's parents in 1986 before his youngest sister was born. The table includes five spots marked with siblings' names, while the sixth simply says "baby." This unique piece also features practical cubby holes under the top for storing clean dishes. The dining room walls have been repainted four times as the couple worked to find the perfect color that would complement the adjacent rooms and work with the long sight lines throughout the house.
Contractor Peter Wyler, who handled the kitchen project, also designed and installed new moldings on the dining room walls to add formality and visual interest. The basement door, complete with a child lock, has been cleverly camouflaged within these moldings. The dining room chairs were sourced from Goodwill, and for large family gatherings, the couple adds small tables at each end of the main table. A stern longhorn head keeps watch over the entire dining area.
The front entryway showcases Will's artistic talents with hand-painted landscapes adorning the walls. A bureau that once housed mice in Meridel's parents' garage has been cleaned and painted, giving it new life. Will's uncle contributed a handmade deer head that adds to the eclectic decor. Meridel's love for ocean-inspired textures is evident in a shell-rimmed mirror she created for the front hall.
The front parlor features an old West Elm couch that Meridel enhanced by adding fringe along the bottom, while Will crafted a custom white table. They initially questioned a hanging cigar light designed by Herman Miller but grew to love it after a friend explained its iconic status. Will created a striking painting using joint compound, drawing inspiration from Lake Michigan. The bookcase currently displays only books with white bindings, as Meridel curates collections by color, sourcing volumes from her mother's house based on whatever shade she's currently featuring.
Practical family needs haven't been overlooked in the design process. Will constructed a custom baby gate for the front parlor that's sized perfectly for Betty Boop to pass through while preventing 12-month-old son Wyatt from squeezing by.
The first-floor bathroom showcases the couple's willingness to embrace whimsical design elements. Taking inspiration from Architectural Digest, Meridel encouraged a playful monkey motif. Will stenciled fronds and painted the monkeys throughout the space, though he continues to consider refinements to the execution, demonstrating their perfectionist approach to their home projects.
Upstairs, the primary bedroom features neutral colors and low furniture, anchored by a chandelier sourced from a McHenry County antiques store. An ottoman is covered in vintage lace, adding texture and history to the space. The study showcases a vintage Turkish rug from Etsy layered over a washable base rug, with walls color-matched to Farrow & Ball's "Mouse's Back" paint. A vintage sewing cabinet and thrifted oil painting complete the sophisticated look.
Leo's bedroom reflects both family history and his personal interests, featuring a poem by his grandmother Becky alongside his own ship renderings. His artistic gallery displays his maritime-themed artwork, while a unique lamp box phone from Secret Treasures adds vintage charm to his space.
The couple's collaborative approach to design has been key to their success. Both Will and Meridel appreciate the physicality of house projects that don't involve media screens and result in tangible, finished outcomes. They view their home as a design laboratory where continuous learning takes place. "We enjoy the process," Will explains, noting their tolerance for the mess that comes with projects that often span days, weeks, or months. When not being photographed or entertaining guests, Will's tools typically sprawl across the dining room table, evidence of ongoing creative work.
Each family member has developed favorite spaces within the transformed home. Meridel particularly loves the front parlor, while Will praises the home's unique flow pattern where the back door serves as their primary entrance due to limited street parking on Noyes Street. When they first arrived, the couple appreciated the shady backyard, but nature had other plans.
Shortly after moving in, the family faced unexpected challenges when a neighbor's massive sycamore tree fell across their home, creating a hole in their roof. Soon after, another neighbor's large tree also fell across their yard, even sparking a small fire. Rather than simply disposing of the fallen timber, the resourceful couple chopped up the sycamore wood to use in their fireplace and crafted wooden coasters, turning a disaster into functional home accessories.
Betty Boop has claimed her own favorite spot in the front parlor, where she maintains watch over the neighborhood dogs from her special sheepskin-covered chair by the window on Noyes Street. The Walkington family's transformation of their historic farmhouse demonstrates how professional design skills, creative vision, and family collaboration can breathe new life into a beloved neighborhood landmark while honoring its past and embracing its future.
