Doorways Of Chicago

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Doorways Of Chicago Photography lets me paint a picture, tell a story, deliver a message, and strike a chord.

🗝️The mind conspires to achieve what the eyes and ears have seen and heard!🗝 What path are you on today?Life can feel ro...
25/07/2025

🗝️The mind conspires to achieve what the eyes and ears have seen and heard!

đź—ť What path are you on today?
Life can feel rocky, twisting, and uphill—but your circumstances don’t define you. Your life is what’s underneath it all—your true self.

đź—ť Peace is possible even in chaos.
The past is gone. The future isn’t here yet. All you have is NOW.

đź—ť What you focus on grows.
Dwell on problems and you’ll create more of them. Shift to gratitude—list 10 things you’re thankful for right now—and watch your energy change.

đź—ť You are not your thoughts.
When you realize you control your mind (not the other way around), everything shifts. That’s where real enlightenment begins.

KEYS, PLEASE!!

Up, down and all around-this staircase steals the show! Have you ever seen it? It’s in the Lakeshore East neighborhood...
23/07/2025

Up, down and all around-this staircase steals the show!

Have you ever seen it? It’s in the Lakeshore East neighborhood. Let me know your favorite frame.

Here’s that golden hour making Chicago look quite lovely! It was fun to spend a few hours with you, Judith - thanks fo...
22/07/2025

Here’s that golden hour making Chicago look quite lovely!

It was fun to spend a few hours with you, Judith - thanks for having me and for the great BTS pics! We are kindred spirits and I admire your work so much! Happy Birthday, Judith Geisenheimer Salstone!

So fun taking my grandson Oscar to the new last night and snagging a Dumbledore wand for him! What a great store!
19/07/2025

So fun taking my grandson Oscar to the new last night and snagging a Dumbledore wand for him! What a great store!

Happy Heavenly 97th birthday, Dad…whatcha doin’ up there?…really miss you!
18/07/2025

Happy Heavenly 97th birthday, Dad…whatcha doin’ up there?…really miss you!

Wicker Park Walking Tour This Saturday July 19 at 11 am.❗️Almost sold out❗️3 spots left.🗣️ You can catch all of these ar...
18/07/2025

Wicker Park Walking Tour This Saturday July 19 at 11 am.

❗️Almost sold out❗️3 spots left.

🗣️ You can catch all of these architectural gems
—and hear the wild, wonderful stories behind them—on my Wicker Park Walking Tour! We stroll right past Beer Baron Row and so much more, with plenty of time for photos, design talk, and juicy backstories.

đź”— Book your spot at the link in my bio or visit doorwaysofchicago.com
đź“… Multiple dates available and also new evening tour times!

Come for the architecture, stay for the drama. Trust me—this is one tour you don’t want to miss.
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Carl Street StudiosW. Burton Place – Oldtowncirca 1927–1930Tucked behind custom-designed iron gates on a quiet stretch ...
13/07/2025

Carl Street Studios
W. Burton Place – Oldtown
circa 1927–1930

Tucked behind custom-designed iron gates on a quiet stretch of West Burton Place sits one of Chicago’s most magical architectural ensembles. Originally a three-story Victorian mansion, the home was reimagined in the late 1920s by artist Edgar Miller and architect Andrew Rebori—brought to life through the vision and backing of developer Sol Kogen.

Together, they transformed it into Carl Street Studios, an artists’ enclave defined by imagination, experimentation, and meticulous handcrafting. Miller led a team of artisans, including the talented Jesús Torres, to create a space where no two doorways, windows, or walls were alike.

Each doorway was hand-carved, with custom-designed handles, lock plates, and mailboxes that turned everyday elements into sculptural delights. Hand-fired ceramic and mosaic tiles weren’t limited to the interiors—they spilled onto the sidewalk, offering a vivid preview of the artistry inside.

Wood was salvaged, iron repurposed, tile cut and set by hand. Arched passageways, curving staircases, stained glass, and carved reliefs blended influences—from Old World folk traditions to Chicago’s own Art Deco and Arts and Crafts movements—into a space that feels more organic than planned.

Carl Street Studios wasn’t meant to be mass-produced. It was a place where artists lived inside their work.

A century later, its private courtyards and expressive façades remain one of Chicago’s most enduring testaments to collaborative creativity and handcrafted design—an architectural love letter, hidden away and daring you to find it.

Wicker Park Walking Tour Sunday 7/13 at 11 am.❗️Almost sold out❗️4 spots left.🗣️ You can catch all of these architectura...
11/07/2025

Wicker Park Walking Tour Sunday 7/13 at 11 am.
❗️Almost sold out❗️4 spots left.

🗣️ You can catch all of these architectural gems
—and hear the wild, wonderful stories behind them—on my Wicker Park Walking Tour! We stroll right past Beer Baron Row and so much more, with plenty of time for photos, design talk, and juicy backstories.

đź”— Book your spot at the link in my bio or visit doorwaysofchicago.com
đź“… Multiple dates available and also new evening tours!

Come for the architecture, stay for the drama. Trust me—this is one tour you don’t want to miss.
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Address

MI

Opening Hours

Monday 09:00 - 17:00
Tuesday 09:00 - 17:00
Wednesday 09:00 - 05:00
Thursday 09:00 - 17:00
Friday 09:00 - 17:00

Telephone

+12484700808

Website

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The Doorways Of Chicago Story

In February of 2017, I took a short work trip to London and Plymouth, England. When we arrived in Plymouth it was cold, windy and rainy. Out of the rain-drenched bus window, I spotted a tiny bright blue door in the wall of the Royal Citadel. This bright blue portal stood out like a sore thumb because the massive stone wall was very tall and had a prison-like appearance. While my colleagues went to their rooms to nap from the jet lag, I braved the wind and freezing rain to walk back to the citadel. While juggling the umbrella, which at this point turned inside out, I frantically dug my phone out of my pocket and managed to snap a few pictures. The thought crossed my mind that I must be OUT OF MY MIND to be doing this. I never got my nap...but I got the blue door picture!

I returned home from England and as early spring arrived in my own city I started taking walks as I often do to enjoy the beautiful architecture of Chicago. One day on my lunch hour, I stumbled upon a red door at the St. James Cathedral in River North. I took a picture of it. Now I had two door photos - one blue & one red. Then I started snapping pics of gorgeous doorways in Chicago and posting them on my personal Instagram feed. A few months later, having assembled a hefty collection of doors photos, I decided to start my own Instagram doorway account and @doorwaysofchicago was born.

Doorways are portals into a more peaceful and meditative state, a delightfully enlightened place of "no thinking". In essence, that means I'm OUT OF MY MIND, which is a good thing because I've learned I am so much more than my mind. Always make sure you find the time to do what you love. Becoming enlightened, living in the moment and training your mind to stop its constant chattering is such a wonderful thing to achieve! It takes some practice but it is SO worth it and becomes easier the more you do it. Free your mind. See clearly. Start living!