It is a 25-story high-rise on Chicago's Near North Side, but The Bernardin seeks to capture the essence of Italy.

Details reminiscent of the Tuscan countryside can be seen in the building's terra cotta-colored concrete exterior and in windows flanked on the lower floors by rustic brown shutters.

The feel of Italy extends to the building's entry, which has a mural evoking the Italian countryside.

The lobby, however, evokes the high design and fashion of Milan with its brown leather chairs and scarlet sofa. The centerpiece of the room is a fireplace with a stone mantel.

This building, which opened last year, has ground-level retail including an upscale seafood grill, bank, convenience store and dry cleaner.

The sixth floor offers amenities for residents of the 171 units. These include a clubhouse room with a big-screen TV and billiard table, business center with computers and conference room, an exercise room and outdoor swimming pool with flower gardens and trellises.

The outdoor pool can be seen from the 16th-floor unit we toured. You can see the pool from the unit's balcony, outside the 16-by-14-foot great room.

A sliding-glass door leads from the living room to a balcony with brushed nickel railing. It offers a view to the south that includes Holy Name Cathedral to the right and the Wrigley Building in the distance. Straight down, you can see the swimming pool.

The apartments have alternating color schemes according to floor. This unit's color scheme is dubbed The Venetian, which has tones of silver, black and gray contrasted by warmer maple tones.

The black and silver hues are seen in the granite counter that separates the living room from the kitchen.

Although part of the great room could be used as a dining area, it would be easy to pull a couple of bar stools to the island. A row of three pendant lights provides illumination.

The island is on one side of the great room; a row of three large windows is on the opposite wall. These provide a view to the east that prominently features another Gold Coast landmark, The Peninsula Hotel.

The kitchen is accessible from the living room via an open doorway next to the island. Another kitchen window with a southern exposure adds a bright and airy touch. That feeling is enhanced by maple cabinets and white appliances that include a built-in microwave oven and a dishwasher.

A short hallway from the great room leads past the kitchen to the 12-by-12 master bedroom. It has a large window with a southern view, two double closets and an attached bathroom.

The bathroom has a white ceramic tile floor, a maple wood vanity with brushed nickel pulls and a white tub/shower.

The second bedroom has a double closet and a large window to the east. This bedroom is just a few feet from another bathroom, which is off a short, carpeted hallway that leads from the entry into the great room.

This bathroom is decorated like the master bath. It has a ceramic tile white floor, white tub/shower, maple vanity and linen closet.

The entry foyer has a coat closet and another closet with a stacked washer and dryer.

The Bernardin is a couple of blocks from Michigan Avenue, which is served by several bus lines, including the 143, 144 and 146. It is also a few minutes' walk from the CTA's Red Line at the Chicago Avenue stop.

Rents range from $1,270 to $1,525 for a studio; $1,715 to $2,255 for a one-bedroom unit; $2,145 to $2,680 for a one-bedroom with den; $2,570 to $3,580 for two-bedroom, two-bath units; and $4,325 to $6,205 for penthouses that have either two bedrooms and 2 1/2 baths or two bedrooms with dens plus 2 1/2 baths.

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The vital stats
Address: 747 N. Wabash Ave., Chicago 60611
Size: Two bedrooms, two baths
Rent: $2,680

Security deposit: A $400 non-refundable move-in fee is charged.
Utilities: Resident pays heat, water and electricity.
Parking: A space in the attached garage is $230 a month.

Pets: Dogs under 20 pounds are allowed and cats. The non-refundable fee
for a dog is $500. It is $300 for a cat.

For rental information, call 312-440-0200.

By Annemarie Mannion
Tribune staff reporter
Copyright (c) 2006, Chicago Tribune