Photo by Travis Peterson.
Small transitional l-shaped medium tone wood floor and gray floor open concept kitchen photo in Seattle with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz countertops, gray backsplash, ceramic backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and white countertops

Example of a small ornate light wood floor and beige floor eat-in kitchen design in Boston with stainless steel appliances, shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, granite countertops, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, a peninsula and gray countertops

Adam Latham, Belair Photography
Example of a small classic single-wall medium tone wood floor wet bar design in Los Angeles with recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets and mirror backsplash

Example of a small 1950s u-shaped light wood floor open concept kitchen design in Dallas with a single-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, quartz countertops, gray backsplash, ceramic backsplash, paneled appliances, a peninsula and white countertops

Taylor Rummell
Example of a small trendy dining room design in Orange County with white walls and no fireplace

Example of a small beach style gray tile and stone tile dark wood floor, brown floor and wallpaper powder room design in Chicago with open cabinets, light wood cabinets, a two-piece toilet, gray walls, a vessel sink, wood countertops, brown countertops and a floating vanity

Mantis Design & Build, LLC, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 2022 Regional CotY Award Winner, Residential Kitchen $60,001 to $100,000
Inspiration for a small 1950s galley medium tone wood floor open concept kitchen remodel in Minneapolis with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, quartz countertops, metallic backsplash, stainless steel appliances and gray countertops

Small elegant built-in desk light wood floor and brown floor craft room photo in Charleston with beige walls and no fireplace

photos by Susan Teare • www.susanteare.com
Example of a small mountain style l-shaped medium tone wood floor open concept kitchen design in Burlington with green cabinets, stainless steel appliances, no island, a farmhouse sink, soapstone countertops, black backsplash and flat-panel cabinets

Mudroom with navy blue custom lockers, black and white floral wallcovering and black hexagon tile.
Example of a small classic porcelain tile, black floor and wallpaper mudroom design in Detroit

Raquel Langworthy
Inspiration for a small transitional dark wood floor and brown floor foyer remodel in New York with beige walls

The kitchen after the renovation features black smooth front drawers with shaker style doors, custom solid wood open shelves and a custom built range hood box. Brass accents abound in the lighting and hardware for a fresh and warm pop. .

The multi-purpose furniture transforms the compact space for different uses. The coffee table is on casters which is used for dining and storage. The side table tucks under sofa. The sofa is also a guest bed and storage below. Photo: Eileen Descallar Ringwald

Cleverly designed storage space with roll-outs next to the refrigerator and horizontal lift upper cabinets above add to the clean sleek look of this modern kitchen design. Custom cabinetry made in the Benvenuti and Stein Evanston cabinet shop. Norman Sizemore-Photographer

In the laundry room, Medallion Gold series Park Place door style with flat center panel finished in Chai Latte classic paint accented with Westerly 3 ¾” pulls in Satin Nickel. Giallo Traversella Granite was installed on the countertop. A Moen Arbor single handle faucet with pull down spray in Spot Resist Stainless. The sink is a Blanco Liven laundry sink finished in truffle. The flooring is Kraus Enstyle Culbres vinyl tile 12” x 24” in the color Blancos.

Carl Eschenburg
Example of a small trendy single-wall dark wood floor and brown floor wet bar design in Detroit with a drop-in sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, solid surface countertops, white backsplash and porcelain backsplash

Katya Grozovskaya
Inspiration for a small modern l-shaped porcelain tile open concept kitchen remodel in Los Angeles with flat-panel cabinets, beige cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Curtis and Peggy had been thinking of a kitchen remodel for quite some time, but they knew their house would have a unique set of challenges. Their older Victorian house was built in 1891. The kitchen cabinetry was original, and they wanted to keep the authenticity of their period home while adding modern comforts that would improve their quality of life. A friend recommended Advance Design Studio for their exceptional experience and quality of work. After meeting with designer Michelle Lecinski at Advance Design, they were confident they could partner with Advance to accomplish the unique kitchen renovation they’d been talking about for years. “We wanted to do the kitchen for a long, long time,” Curtis said. “(We asked ourselves) what are we actually going to do? How are we going to do this? And who are we going to find to do exactly what we want?” The goal for the project was to keep the home renovation and new kitchen feeling authentic to the time in which it was built. They desperately wanted the modern comforts that come with a larger refrigerator and the dishwasher that they never had! The old home was also a bit drafty so adding a fireplace, wall insulation and new windows became a priority. They very much wanted to create a comfortable hearth room adjacent to the kitchen, complete with old world brick. The original cabinetry had to go to make way for beautiful new kitchen cabinetry that appears as if it was a hundred years old, but with all the benefits of cutting-edge storage, self-closing drawers, and a brand-new look. “We just wanted to keep it old looking, but with some modern updates,” Peggy said. Dura Supreme Highland Cabinets with a Heritage Old World Painted Finish replaced the original 1891 cabinets. The hand-applied careful rubbed-off detailing makes these exquisite cabinets look as if they came from a far-gone era. Despite the small size of the kitchen, Peggy, Curtis and Michelle utilized every inch with custom cabinet sizes to increase storage capacity. The custom cabinets allowed for the addition of a 24” Fisher Paykel dishwasher with a concealing Dura Supreme door panel. Michelle was also able to work into the new design a larger 30” Fisher Paykel French refrigerator. “We made every ¼ inch count in this small space,” designer Michelle said. “Having the ability to custom size the cabinetry was the only way to achieve this.” “The kitchen essentially was designed around the Heartland Vintage range and oven,” says Michelle. A classic appliance that combines nostalgic beauty and craftsmanship for modern cooking, with nickel plated trim and elegantly shaped handles and legs; the not to miss range is a striking focal point of the entire room and an engaging conversation piece. Granite countertops in Kodiak Satin with subtle veining kept with the old-world style. The delicate porcelain La Vie Crackle Sonoma tile kitchen backsplash compliments the home’s style perfectly. A handcrafted passthrough designed to show off Peggy’s fine china was custom built by project carpenters Justin Davis and Jeff Dallain to physically and visually open the space. Additional storage was created in the custom panty room with Latte Edinburg cabinets, hand-made weathered wood shelving with authentic black iron brackets, and an intricate tin copper ceiling. Peggy and Curtis loved the idea of adding a Vermont stove to make the hearth-room not only functional, but a truly beckoning place to be. A stunning Bordeaux red Vermont Castings Stove with crisp black ventilation was chosen and combined with the authentic reclaimed Chicago brick wall. Advance’s talented carpenters custom-built elegant weathered shelves to house family memorabilia, installed carefully chosen barn sconces, and made the hearth room an inviting place to relax with a cup of coffee and a good book. “Peggy and Curtis’ project was so much fun to work on. Creating a space that looks and feels like it always belonged in this beautiful old Victorian home is a designer’s dream. To see the delight in their faces when they saw the design details coming together truly made it worth the time and effort that went into making the very compact kitchen space work”, said Michelle. “The result is an amazing custom kitchen, packed with functionality in every inch, nook and cranny!” exclaims Michelle. The renovation didn’t end with the kitchen. New Pella windows were added to help lessen the drafts. The removal of the original windows and trim necessitated the re-creation of hand-made corbels and trim details no longer available today. The talented carpenter team came to the rescue, crafting new pieces and masterfully finishing them as if they were always there. New custom gutters were formed and installed with a front entry rework necessary to accommodate the changes. The whole house functions better, but it still feels like the original 1891 home. “From start to finish it’s just a much better space than we used to have,” Peggy said. “Jeff and Justin were amazing.” Curtis added; “We were lucky to find Advance Design, because they really came through for us. I loved that they had everything in house, anything you needed to have done, they could do it”.

Small transitional l-shaped porcelain tile kitchen photo in New York with an undermount sink, white cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, shaker cabinets and a peninsula