Vintage Curiosities Amid Modern Comfort: Pillars House Walk

Not too many homes have a built-in space designed for a drive-by wake—complete with a window so mourners can see the departed without even entering the home.

But the so-called “coffin corner” is just one of the historical features the Schaffer family preserved in their late-1800s Victorian home on South 6th Avenue in La Grange.

Intricate hardwood floors greet visitors in the foyer and living room, while an ornate light fixture hangs overhead, all original to the home.

Other original elements have been repurposed, such as woodwork taken from different parts of the home and refurbished as molding in the master bedroom.

The Schaffers renovated a few years ago, knocking out a second stairway that made space for a walk-in closet on the second floor and a breakfast nook in the kitchen.

When they built out the additional space, they had a local contractor make cabinets that replicate the 19th century units that fill the rest of the kitchen.

It all makes for a classic home that celebrates the quirks of the past while making the space livable in the present.