From Gilded Age to streaming stage: The “Dark Matter” house is for sale, listed for $2.5M

In a neighborhood where time seems to stand still, a single block of Caton Street in Bucktown has become a bridge between 19th-century Chicago architecture and the suspense of sci-fi television. The north side of Caton Street is pure architectural poetry, so much so that it recently found itself in the spotlight of Apple TV+’s new sci-fi series, “Dark Matter.” The street is lined with historic brick and limestone houses adorned with domes, arches, and stained glass. 

“Dark Matter” stars Joel Edgerton as a physicist who is pulled into a multiverse, where each reality reflects a different version of the choices he could have made. The home of real-life Chicago couple Jason Freiman and Kelli Rix makes an atmospheric cameo in the series’ opening scene, lending a grounded, lived-in texture to the show's reality-bending narrative. Its Chicago brick façade, front porch pillars, and bell-top turret are unmistakable–and unmistakably Chicagoan.

Long before it appeared onscreen, the home was a labor of love. Freiman and Rix purchased the house in 2016 and immediately began a respectful renovation. The interior was thoughtfully modernized with rehabs that gutted the kitchen and primary bath and added a cozy screened porch off the back. Keeping the home’s historic character intact, much of the original woodwork, leaded glass, and tilework in the foyer and living room are preserved.

Read more on Chicago Star

• Pope Leo’s papacy begins… Meanwhile, back in Dolton
• Facing the elements: Is your home ready for unexpected natural disasters?
• Zinzanni, zeal, and zensational: BenDeLaCreme frank and fabulous
• The colorful canvas of Chicago’s street art and murals

In an interview with Crain’s Chicago Business, Rix says the home and the Caton Street block are “pretty magical.” Freiman agrees, calling the street “transporting.” Rix and Freiman’s is the only oneof the five original Caton Street homes that has never been divided into apartments, so it  retains its historical floor plan and architectural flow from 1891.

The house was initially owned by Norwegian immigrants Marius and Signa Kirkeby. Their son, Arnold Kirkeby, rose to prominence as a hotel magnate in Chicago. At different times during his career, he owned the Blackstone Hotel in Chicago and operated the Drake Hotel under a lease agreement. He eventually went on to own hotels in Manhattan, Cuba, and Beverly Hills, weaving his Chicago roots into a far-reaching hospitality empire.

That blend of Midwestern history and Hollywood legacy has come full circle with “Dark Matter,” a series the Kirkebys couldn’t have imagined.

Real estate agents Marcello Navarro and Mario Greco are representing the home, which was listed at just under $2.5 million. Navarro isn’t just a Realtor;he also worked asthe home’s contractor and interior designer during the renovation. That dual role helped guide a vision that “preserved the historic charm,” Rix explains, “but made thoughtful updates to give it a modern vibe.”

The former primary bedroom now serves as a charming turret library, complete with a desk that overlooks the treetops of Caton Street. The attic renovation transformed the space into a bright, open children’s playroom and bedroom, featuring a hidden reading nook tucked into the turret’s peak, an inviting space for quiet adventures and daydreams.

Downstairs, a once-soggy yard was reimagined with artificial turf, cobblestone-style pavers, and a private alley garage entrance, which Freiman calls a “Batman exit.”

In a city famed for its historic homes, residential architecture, and film locations, this house at 2138 Caton Street manages to embody all three. It holds layers of history, immigrant dreams, design preservation, family life, and now, a dash of sci-fi stardom.