Full disclosure: I haven’t seen The Crown. But I’m going to watch it, I promise. Especially after the Lithgow and Foy wins of Sunday night. If I could choose an ideal setting in which to binge the popular Netflix original, I’d pick the biggest sculptural leather sofa at Timothy Oulton, but seeing as the store is no longer (this is why we can’t have nice things!), I’d happily settle for this renovated townhome in Oak Lawn.
The first sign of British-ness comes at your arrival in the form of an imported Cathedral door. Not every inch of the space inside cries, “England!” but the moments that do cannot be missed. Some are bolder, like the Union Jack-emblazoned elevator. Some are a bit subtler, like the Buckingham Palace umbrella holder.
Curiously, there are a lot of American-inspired accents as well. Perhaps they’re paying homage to American John Lithgow’s expert turn as a world-renowned Brit. A meticulous slideshow viewer can spot an Uncle Sam “I Want You” poster, while a couple of World War I-era posters bring to mind American propaganda. Theme-free rooms include the kitchen and bathrooms, all of which are starkly neutral with their white marble counters and sleek stainless steel.
Of course, most of these accents will likely vanish once you move in, but that Union Jack elevator will live on, along with lanky John Lithgow’s SAG Award-winning impersonation of a well-known figure who was nearly a foot shorter than him.
As I said, I haven’t seen it, but I can imagine!
By the Numbers
- 3703 Congress Avenue
- $1,275,000
- 3,334 Square Feet
- 2003 (Year Built)
- 4 Bedrooms
- 4.1 Bathrooms
- 2 Fireplaces
