Even the most extroverted homeowners need a place to escape. So when Dave Patel, a Dunkin’ franchise operator, and his wife, Gauri, a homemaker, first discussed their dream-home concept with architect Orren Pickell, he understood that these serious entertainers would need a residence that delineated public spaces from private family areas. The tricky part was meshing two distinct living styles under one roof in a fashion that felt organic, stylish, and not too precious — no easy feat in a 10,000-square-foot contemporary abode whose owners requested a shark tank, a golf simulator, a kids’ play area, and a worship room.

Even from outside you will notice that the dual-function notion extends to dual entrances: A porte-cochère at the side of the house leads to the owners’ two single-car garages, while the more visible visitors’ circular driveway swoops right up to the front door. The interior, too, is organized in this binary manner, with the primary family spaces set on the upstairs level (no guests allowed!) and the entertainment areas placed on the entry and lower levels, the latter opening onto the pool and deck.

The solution for melding the separate spaces? A central staircase with a two-story rain curtain and statement chandelier that, combined, tie the three floors together.

“Because of the careful balancing of family and guest spaces, the architectural design of the home delivers spaces that are surprisingly intimate and used daily by the family,” says Pickell, whose Orren Pickell Building Group has offices in Wilmette and the West Loop. It also avoids the common problem of “cold, grand, unused spaces that don’t serve the family’s daily life,” he adds.

Guests who enter the foyer are met by a statue of the Hindu god Ganesh, illuminated by that dramatic light fixture and strings of water that gently guide the eye downward. Sure, the grand room to the left has 22-foot-high ceilings with tiered mood lighting and an inviting fireplace, and the massive kitchen to the right is organized to Gauri’s exacting standards, but the real action is downstairs. The Patels’ friends cross their fingers for an invitation to sit on one of the seven leather chairs that tuck under the aggregate cocktail bar to watch the games (plural) on four facing televisions or just to marvel at the three sand sharks that slink around in the 1,500-gallon tank. “When the light is on, it’s blue, and very pretty,” says Michelle Rohrer-Lauer, a Loop-based interior designer. She gave the whole home a sophisticated aura by sticking to blacks and whites and geometric shapes, with splashes of silver, fuchsia, and teal for flair. “Using black and white allowed us to play with shapes and scale,” says Rohrer-Lauer. “It’s very architectural.”

By contrast, the upstairs is an oasis of calm, with bedrooms for the kids and a primary suite with a bathroom anchored by a freestanding glass shower in the middle featuring a mosaic marble wall and basem. Skylights cut through the roof on both his and her sides, “which makes the bathroom really bright all the time,” says Rohrer-Lauer.

The primary bedroom includes his-and-her closets (Gauri’s has a small refrigerator — “Picking out your dress while having a glass of wine, how elegant is that?” gushes Rohrer-Lauer), another closet designed specifically for Indian clothing, and a fireplace fronted by two overstuffed chaise longues on which the whole family can snuggle. “This home was really built and designed for the family to use all of it,” says the designer. “It’s very modern but has a warmth to it — a touch of sophisticated Miami style in suburban Chicago.”

Gauri is smitten, even when she’s prepping for 20 dinner guests. “I thought living in a big house would be uncomfortable, but it’s so cozy,” she says. “We use each corner, and every room has a purpose.”