Couple move in above their shop

KEWANEE -- Sue and Will Sagmoen no longer commute to their business in Kewanee and no longer have lawns to mow and leaves to rake around their suburban home. Frequent trips to Chicago start with a walk down the block to the Amtrak station to catch the Illinois Zephyr.

If there are trade-offs for the couple, it's hard to see the disadvantages of their move from a two-story, 1960s home with a large, demanding yard to once-abandoned space over their retail store, Heartfelt Gift Shop & Framing.

After grilling dinner on their roof-deck, something they do year-round, they often walk downstairs to the shop for an hour or two of paperwork.

"This is just a simpler lifestyle," said Sue Sagmoen, who enjoys cooking and entertaining in the spacious, open floor plan connecting their living room, dining room, kitchen and access to the rooftop deck and garden.

Their building, constructed in the late 1800s, was once a grocery store, carpet shop, offices for the American Red Cross and a martial arts studio. Most recently, the second floor was storage space.

When Will Sagmoen, 57, retired from a 25-year career with the YMCA, he started a custom framing studio in the space. He also bought a real estate business with offices across the street.

"We've invested in this corner," he said.

The couple worked with Linda Jesse, of Linda Jesse Interiors in Princeton, on the renovation and design of their loft.

"It was such glorious space with such potential. Dramatic high ceilings, those wooden floors and just literally being surrounded by space," Jesse said.

The couple moved from a home that was all white. In contrast, the colors of their loft are warm, comfortable and contemporary.

"They were willing to step out of the ordinary and go with colors that look overwhelming in a small space, but those vivacious, bold colors were able to warm up and even give intimacy on that scale," Jesse said.

The walls up the stairway from the street are painted in muted pumpkin.

Inside the loft, the ceilings are 10 feet tall and the dominant wall color is mocha brown. Huge east- and west-facing windows fill the space with natural light by day. The windows are thermal-paned double-hung, in keeping with the original style. Most windows have no blinds except those facing Main Street.

The east-facing windows look out over part of Kewanee, the Community Education Center at Black Hawk East College and spectacular sunrises. Out on the deck, the July 4 fireworks of Northeast Park are visible.

By night, the living area is illuminated with track lights and pendant lights. The floor is original maple with area rugs.

The kitchen is defined from the rest of the space by a huge island with tiled countertop. The building is so well constructed with such thick outer walls that a drill bit broke when a vent was put in for the Jenn-Aire gas range and double stove.

The kitchen is designed for convenience, aesthetics and speed. Sue Sagmoen said they've had a sit-down meal for 25 guests.

A laundry room and pantry off the kitchen provide easy storage. The pantry is spacious enough for a large freezer.

All plumbing was put in on one side of the space and another floor was installed over the pipes. Some of the duct work is left exposed and gives a retro feel to the space.

After a year of renovation, the couple moved into the space in 2003. Their son had one final year of high school and their daughter was in college. Both still have their own bedrooms when they come home to visit.