A 1938 Architectural Masterpiece, Comprehensively Reimagined for the Ages

There are renovations, and then there is Shagbark. The distinction matters enormously. When Walter Frazier designed this estate in 1938 for James Rankin Getz and Betsy Needham Getz — prominent figures in Lake Forest's social and philanthropic landscape — he created something that was always meant to endure. The bones were extraordinary. What the current stewards have done over the past six years is honor that original vision with an investment of craft, capital, and intention rarely seen in the residential market.

The approach alone announces that something remarkable awaits. A half-mile driveway winds through mature woodland before the estate's gates emerge — a quiet theater of anticipation. A stand of century-old oak trees frames the arrival at the white-painted brick facade, draped in climbing ivy, centered on a circular paver driveway that feels simultaneously grand and welcoming. Forest & Bluff magazine described the experience as "stepping into a fairytale," and it is difficult to argue.

Inside, the architecture asserts itself immediately. Black-and-white checkered stone floors anchor the grand foyer beneath crystal chandeliers, and a curved staircase with a dark-finished handrail and white balusters rises with the kind of unhurried elegance that simply cannot be replicated. Every proportion, every finish, every transition between spaces reflects the hand of designers Joey Leicht Designs and JTM Creative, who approached the interiors with both reverence for the original architecture and a thoroughly modern sensibility.

At the heart of the home is the bespoke Clive Christian kitchen — a room that functions as the estate's social and culinary nucleus. Dark veined stone countertops, a custom La Cornue Chateau Grand Palais 180 range set within a white millwork surround, a fireplace with a classic white mantel, Baccarat chandeliers, and Miele appliances throughout create a kitchen that is as theatrical as it is functional. This is a room where cooking becomes a considered pleasure.

Seven fireplaces — six converted to dual-fuel, gas or wood — lend warmth and character to principal rooms throughout the residence. The main-level primary suite offers a vaulted ceiling, four-poster canopy bed, fireplace, and arched windows dressed in soft drapery; a second primary suite occupies the upper level. Six bedrooms and eight full baths in total ensure that the estate accommodates both intimate family life and generous entertaining with equal ease.

Beyond the primary living spaces, Shagbark reveals layer upon layer of considered amenity. A former kennel has been transformed into a Canyon Ranch-inspired fitness center complete with spa bath and steam. A restored greenhouse — framed by symmetrical boxwood hedges and stone urns — connects directly to a sophisticated cigar lounge. A resort-style pool, half basketball court, billiard room, and a 600-gallon saltwater aquarium speak to a vision of domestic life that is complete in every dimension.

The estate's infrastructure has been comprehensively modernized — plumbing, electrical, mechanical systems, a whole-property reverse osmosis water system, 28 zones of indoor and outdoor audio, and 18 wireless high-speed access points — ensuring that Shagbark's beauty is matched by absolute reliability. The renovated Ludowici clay tile roof, renowned for its longevity, will require little more than routine maintenance for generations to come.

Renowned landscape architect John Mariani reimagined the eleven acres with magnificent hardscapes, garden rooms, cutting gardens, and the addition of more than 200 mature trees. Of the eleven acres, 3.5 are irrigated grounds and 7.5 are native prairie enrolled in Illinois' Conservation Stewardship Program. The result is an estate of remarkable privacy, seasonal beauty, and ecological thoughtfulness — a refuge that feels both apart from the world and deeply rooted in it.

Shagbark is offered fully furnished, with a curated collection assembled from the most distinguished makers in residential design: Ebanista, Holly Hunt, Dorya, Gracie, Baccarat, Ralph Lauren Home, and Baker Furniture, among others. To acquire Shagbark is to acquire not merely a property, but an entire and considered way of living.

The Village of Mettawa occupies a quiet but enormously consequential place in the landscape of Illinois real estate — and among those who know it well, it is spoken of in near-reverential terms. Incorporated in 1960, in no small part through the civic efforts of James Rankin Getz — Shagbark's original owner — Mettawa was established with a deliberate vision: to preserve the character of the North Shore's most beautiful natural terrain while creating a community of exceptional privacy and quality of life. That vision has been honored with uncommon fidelity.

With a population of approximately 230 households, Mettawa is one of the smallest incorporated villages in Illinois — and one of the most financially sophisticated. The village operates, in effect, like a private holding company on behalf of its residents. Sales tax revenue generated by the Lake Forest Oasis, Costco, and Grainger — all located within Mettawa's municipal boundaries — flows into the village's coffers, which are then distributed annually to residents in the form of a real estate tax rebate. In 2025, Shagbark received a rebate of $12,000. Combined with the Illinois Conservation Stewardship Program tax incentives applied to the estate's 7.5 acres of native prairie, the effective tax burden is dramatically reduced — a financial structure with no parallel elsewhere in the state.

Equally compelling is Mettawa's school district alignment. Residents enjoy access to the Lake Forest public school system, consistently ranked among the finest in Illinois. Lake Forest High School, in particular, has a long-standing reputation for academic excellence, competitive athletics, and a culture of high achievement — a meaningful consideration for families with children of school age.

Adjacent to the Village of Lake Forest, Mettawa's residents exist within easy reach of one of the North Shore's most storied communities. Lake Forest is a city of historic distinction — its tree-lined streets, landmark estates, and cultural institutions have defined a particular ideal of American domestic life since the nineteenth century. Market Square, widely regarded as one of the earliest planned shopping centers in the United States, anchors a downtown of independent boutiques, acclaimed restaurants, and a community calendar rich with cultural events. The Ragdale Foundation, a nationally recognized artists' retreat and historic landmark, has been a fixture of Lake Forest's cultural identity for decades.

For those whose lives extend beyond the estate's gates, the North Shore corridor offers an exceptional concentration of amenity. The Metra Union Pacific North line provides direct service to Chicago's Ogilvie Transportation Center, placing the city's financial, cultural, and culinary resources within straightforward reach. The broader region offers world-class golf — the Chicago Golf Club, Onwentsia Club, and Shoreacres are all within proximity — as well as equestrian facilities, nature preserves, and the broad recreational expanse of Lake Michigan's western shore.

And yet, for all that the surrounding region offers, Mettawa's deepest appeal may be its quality of stillness. The village's development restrictions, generous lot minimums, and commitment to preserving its native woodland and prairie landscape mean that Shagbark's eleven acres feel not like an exception, but like an expression of a shared community ethic. Privacy here is not incidental — it is structural, protected by both geography and governance.

To live at Shagbark is to inhabit one of the North Shore's most extraordinary addresses — a place where history, nature, civic intelligence, and architectural magnificence converge in a manner that simply cannot be manufactured.