The “Bare Bones” event for the 2025 Lake Forest Showhouse offered guests an exclusive first look at the estate in its raw, unrenovated state. Set in a 30-room limestone Georgian-style home, the event marked the official start of the renovation process that will transform the historic property into one of the country’s premier showhouses.
Hosted by the Lake Forest Chapter of the Infant Welfare Society of Chicago, the event brought together over 250 women, including design enthusiasts, philanthropists and community leaders at this historic estate originally designed in 1895 by architect Henry Ives Cobb and later redesigned in 1935 by David Adler and Frances Elkins.
Marking the board’s 20th production, the 2025 Lake Forest Showhouse will undergo a dramatic transformation as 38 interior design firms and six landscape designers reimagine the home’s rooms and outdoor spaces. The historic estate will open its doors to the public for tours from April 26 to May 25.
Kathleen Brill and Hillary Lupo
Rebecca Asfour, Wendy Franzen and Chrissy Davis
Cathy Crowley, Shannon Shader and Dawn Talma
Jennifer Hoogasian and Sara Pickus
Megan Terlato, Megan Crowe and Gabby Sobinsky
Betsey Hough, Brooke Kuehnle and Heidi Lancaster
Photography by: WIDIA VITI PHOTOGRAPHY
