Matthew and Sarah Johnson own a spacious two-flat in Logan Square, nestled in a tidy tree-lined street around the corner from the “square” proper. The house was built in 1896. It has five bedrooms, three and a half bathrooms, high ceilings, a spacious yard, and a quaint front stoop. Yet the Johnsons live with their two children in the basement.
Despite possessing no major renovation experience whatsoever and a tool kit consisting of a hammer, a screwdriver, an assortment of nails, and nothing else, the Johnsons took the plunge to transform the two-flat into a single-family home. In January 2011, they started a blog, Two Flat: Remade, to chronicle their insanity. Today it serves as a reference for other Chicago DIYers. In confessing that they have no idea what they’re doing, the Johnsons have inadvertently inspired others who also have no idea what they are doing and created a community of home-rehab bloggers.
Though Matt says his children don’t mind living in such close quarters with each other and their parents, the house poses some hazards. When their six-year-old, Derek, was younger, he wanted to help upstairs, but a piece of flooring fell on him, cutting his head and hand. Four-year-old Emily was once tested for lead levels, and the results were disturbingly high—though they tapered off soon after.
