Camilla Jessen
Inside the plan to revive the original Home Alone décor.
The home made famous by Home Alone is set for another transformation.
The property’s new owners have commissioned a renovation project that promises to revive a look many thought had been lost.
Returning the house to movie magic
NBC5 Chicago reports that the renovation will restore the Winnetka, Illinois home’s interior to a style millions associate with the 1990 film.
Project manager Scott Price said the goal is to “bring back the warmth and just the love from the movie,” noting how the original palette made the house “feel like family.”
The house, renovated in 2018 into an all-white modern space, sold in January 2025 for more than $5.5 million.
That redesign had left many long-time fans disappointed, with some calling it “sterile” and lacking the cozy character seen on screen.
See the images here.
A home with Hollywood roots
The 9,000-square-foot property, built in 1926, served as the McCallisters’ home in the blockbuster starring Macaulay Culkin. Its patterned walls, sweeping staircase and bold holiday décor helped define the film’s atmosphere.
Culkin later said he briefly considered buying the property himself when it was listed in 2024.
Speaking at a Chicago screening that year, he joked, “I had half a mind to buy it — just for giggles,” imagining it as a “movie fun house” for fans.
Memories from the original residents
Laura Abendshien, who lived in the home during the film’s production, has described the unusual experience of sharing the space with a working movie set.
In a 2020 interview on This Morning, she recalled having to crawl below window lines to avoid appearing on camera and said Culkin used her bedroom for schooling between scenes.
After the film’s release, the house became a seasonal attraction. “It was very surreal… an endless row of cars,” she said. “But we grew to love it and we shared the magic of the movie.”
Sources: NBC5 Chicago; The New York Times; This Morning.
