One of the fun parts of my job is visiting with families in some truly outstanding homes in Lake County. I have seen so many terrific homes over the years. I recently visited one home that checks all the boxes for style, design, practicality, and engineering.
The home at 4133 Three Lakes Drive in the Lakes of Long Grove neighborhood, a short walk from a revitalized downtown, is a stunner. The home, with a contemporary rustic appeal, is perched atop a hill and blends in beautifully with the setting. A walk around the professionally landscaped yard reveals a sloping lawn to a lake. The lake teems with panfish and was the place the family’s love for playing hockey grew once the ice came every winter.
Looking from the lake back to the home there’s a large, custom-built gazebo on a multi-level deck surrounded by a profusion of blooming perennials on the day I visited. The gazebo is a comfortable setting for a conversation with Rick and Risa Klein about their life there, raising a family of very active boys.
“We found this lot at a time when we needed to move,” recalled Rick. “Our family was growing (two sons and one on the way), and we simply needed more space.” With 315 running feet of lake front on about two acres with great nearby schools (Kildeer Countryside Elementary, Woodlawn Middle School and Stevenson High School), Rick and Risa knew that this was the place for them.
After initial construction, three major additions, several renovations and meticulous care, the home they created was perfect for their family’s lifestyle. The interior is built from the highest quality materials and includes geothermal characteristics, including extra thick balloon walls, two deep wells and radiant floor heat. An intriguing design allows for soaring cedar ceilings, built-in cabinetry, spectacular windows for natural light, and calming views of the lush landscape and waterfront.
The kitchen, by de Giulio Kitchen Design of Wilmette, is the command center of the home. There’s gorgeous and ample cabinetry, two-inch-thick granite counters, built-in Sub-Zero refrigerators/freezers, dual-oven Viking range, a pot filler, two Miele dishwashers (perfect for entertaining) and beamed cathedral ceilings.
A formal dining room is located off the kitchen, along with an office, powder room and laundry room with commercial grade washers and dryers. With four hockey players in the family, a laundry of this scale makes perfect sense.
On the second floor there are four bedrooms including the owner's suite, which feels like a luxury resort with screened porch, fireplace, spacious bedroom, and newly remodeled spa bathroom with a steam shower, sauna, heated floors and large walk-in closets.
Down the hall there’s the guest suite which is very private with its own screened porch, a sitting area and large bath with a steam shower. Two additional bedrooms and a hall bath are located on this level.
How to describe the fifth bedroom? It’s up on the third level, with 360-degree views from large windows. This room, complete with built-in desks and closet, feels like a treehouse hideaway.
Rick is an engineer by training and practice, so a special note about the side-entry garage; not only is there room for seven cars, but the workspace is one-of-a-kind and huge. The garage is where the careful engineering of the home is on display with each piece of equipment accessible and documentation of updates and maintenance hung with care. The garage has a full bath, making it ideal for washing up (boys and dogs) after a fun afternoon on the lake.
The media room is a real eye-opener with stadium-style seating, 4K projection and 111" screen, with professional studio speakers, and wet bar featuring a joystick at the faucet. I can only imagine how much fun it is to watch big games there surrounded by family and friends.
The home is run on a professionally managed smart home platform with 1 GIG service for easy management of security, lights, and the audio/visual experience.
Leaving all this will be hard for the Klein family. They search for the right words to convey how much the home means to them. Now that the boys are grown and on their own, Rick and Risa are looking forward to the next chapter in their life together.
Renee Clark of @properties is representing the Klein family for the sale of this beautiful home. Please contact Renee @ 847.612.0027; renee@reneeclarkhomes.com. Visit ReneeClarkHomes.com.
