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Leggy Bird Designs flies to Lake Bluff

When Carol Carani and Victoria Lidstrom ran into each other five years ago at the Lake Bluff Fourth of July parade, the two, who said they were casual acquaintances at the time, discovered a mutual passion for architecture, home building and interior design.

Carani, a former emergency medicine physician and Lidstrom, a Lake Bluff-based home builder, both said that conversation led to the launch of Leggy Bird Designs, their architectural and interior design business, which after five years in business moved its showroom from Libertyville to Lake Bluff on Aug. 20.

“We hand-picked Lake Bluff,” said Carani, who while working full time as an ER physician said she always found time to design houses for herself and her family and friends. “It was more centrally located to our client base, and we loved the ambience of the street. We wanted to be part of a charming, quaint, welcoming community.”

Leggy Bird Designs, which is located on East Scranton Avenue, works with residential and commercial clients looking to build a new home or office, as well as those interested in remodeling and decorating. The company also works on projects with other builders, architects and interior designers.

“We start with the architecture, and as we are drawing we are putting in the furniture and the lighting so that it all comes together in beauty and functionality,” said Lidstrom, who is the co-founder of Victoria Development, the Lake Bluff construction company she and her brother, David Lidstrom, have owned for two decades. “We look at all aspects of the project – the home site, the sun, the flow, the family’s lifestyle, do they have kids. And when we’re done, we get to see the joy and the peace of mind people feel. That’s what makes us tick.”

Leggy Bird’s new showroom covers 1,200 square feet that Lidstrom said offers “a glimpse of our design acumen.”

“For us, it’s all about quality,” said Lidstrom, who lives in Lake Bluff with her 10-year-old son. “Real wood, real stone, real solid doors, so when you walk into your home you feel safe and that your home is solid.”

Lidstrom said her late father, Ernest Lidstrom, was a home builder, and that she grew up learning the business.

Before launching Leggy Bird Designs, Lidstrom and Carani worked on a remodel of Lidstrom’s residence, and entered it into the Lake County “Tour of Homes.” One thousand visitors toured the home, bringing lots of positive attention to the overall design and setup throughout the home..

“After that, people started calling us and asking us to design their homes,” said Carani, who lives in Libertyville with her husband, Richard. “I learned from my days in the ER that it’s important to enjoy the moment and the process. Creating environments that people love to be in is the passion that drives us.”

Angela and Bill Huffman of Libertyville are clients of both Victoria Development and Leggy Bird Designs.

“I worked extensively with [Victoria] during the whole construction process, picking out the interior features, making endless choices for everything from wood floors to hinges,” said Angela Huffman. “She was wonderful. She’s open, she listens, and she really worked to understand my style and my vision on the house while incorporating fresh ideas.”

Huffman said she wanted a New England-type feel to her new home, and that Lidstrom directed her to certain light fixtures and colors, but that she didn’t try to choose for her.

So how does Huffman feel about the results?

“I never want to leave. I just want to sit in my house and look at it.”

Leggy Bird Designs is located at 103 E. Scranton Ave. To learn more, visit LeggyBirdDesigns.com.

Jackie Pilossoph is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.