The girl's bedroom has so many great qualities! A genuine crystal chandelier that’s original to the house, loads of natural light, and beautiful moldings! We kept the exisiting bed and nightstand, then brought in additional furnishings and a few high impact accessories to give the room a "prissy polish." Erika Ward Interiors

This 1930's Barrington Hills farmhouse was in need of some TLC when it was purchased by this southern family of five who planned to make it their new home. The renovation taken on by Advance Design Studio's designer Scott Christensen and master carpenter Justin Davis included a custom porch, custom built in cabinetry in the living room and children's bedrooms, 2 children's on-suite baths, a guest powder room, a fabulous new master bath with custom closet and makeup area, a new upstairs laundry room, a workout basement, a mud room, new flooring and custom wainscot stairs with planked walls and ceilings throughout the home. The home's original mechanicals were in dire need of updating, so HVAC, plumbing and electrical were all replaced with newer materials and equipment. A dramatic change to the exterior took place with the addition of a quaint standing seam metal roofed farmhouse porch perfect for sipping lemonade on a lazy hot summer day. In addition to the changes to the home, a guest house on the property underwent a major transformation as well. Newly outfitted with updated gas and electric, a new stacking washer/dryer space was created along with an updated bath complete with a glass enclosed shower, something the bath did not previously have. A beautiful kitchenette with ample cabinetry space, refrigeration and a sink was transformed as well to provide all the comforts of home for guests visiting at the classic cottage retreat. The biggest design challenge was to keep in line with the charm the old home possessed, all the while giving the family all the convenience and efficiency of modern functioning amenities. One of the most interesting uses of material was the porcelain "wood-looking" tile used in all the baths and most of the home's common areas. All the efficiency of porcelain tile, with the nostalgic look and feel of worn and weathered hardwood floors. The home’s casual entry has an 8" rustic antique barn wood look porcelain tile in a rich brown to create a warm and welcoming first impression. Painted distressed cabinetry in muted shades of gray/green was used in the powder room to bring out the rustic feel of the space which was accentuated with wood planked walls and ceilings. Fresh white painted shaker cabinetry was used throughout the rest of the rooms, accentuated by bright chrome fixtures and muted pastel tones to create a calm and relaxing feeling throughout the home. Custom cabinetry was designed and built by Advance Design specifically for a large 70” TV in the living room, for each of the children’s bedroom’s built in storage, custom closets, and book shelves, and for a mudroom fit with custom niches for each family member by name. The ample master bath was fitted with double vanity areas in white. A generous shower with a bench features classic white subway tiles and light blue/green glass accents, as well as a large free standing soaking tub nestled under a window with double sconces to dim while relaxing in a luxurious bath. A custom classic white bookcase for plush towels greets you as you enter the sanctuary bath.

For the boys, a separate young children’s area was created next to a small dining table that also serves as a soft separation between the areas and as an additional game table for the whole family.

A bar area works perfectly for children to do homework and for eating meals.
Eat-in kitchen - traditional eat-in kitchen idea in Boston

Situated in the heart of the Lake Claire neighborhood in Atlanta, GA, this renovation included a full kitchen remodel, the addition of a screened porch, renovation of the primary and children’s jack ‘n jill bath, and the buildout of third-floor attic space to incorporate an entertainment room, a podcast studio, and a full bathroom. The overall objective was to give the clients more living space, while updating the existing kitchen and bathrooms to make them more suitable for their modern lifestyle.

Jalapeno Photography © 2015 Houzz
Example of a cottage patio design in DC Metro

For a family who believes fitness is not only an essential part of life but also a fun opportunity for the whole family to connect, build and achieve greatness together there is nothing better than a custom designed obstacle course right in your back yard. THEME The theme of this half mile trail through the woods is evident in the fun, creative and all-inclusive obstacles hidden in the natural flow of the land around this amazing family home. The course was created with adults and children, advanced and beginner athletes, competitive and entertaining events all accounted for. Each of the 13 obstacles was designed to be challenging no matter the size, skill or ability of the athlete lucky enough to run the course. FOCUS The focus for this family was to create an outdoor adventure that could be an athletic, social and personal outlet for their entire family while maintaining the natural beauty of the landscape and without altering the sweeping views from the home. The large scale of the challenging obstacles is camouflaged within the landscape using the rolling hills and mature trees as a natural curtain in every season. The beauty of the course does not diminish the functional and demanding nature of the obstacles which are designed to focus on multiple strength, agility, and cardio fitness abilities and intensities. STORAGE The start of the trail includes a raised training area offering a dedicated space clear from the ground to place bags, mats and other equipment used during the run. A small all-terrain storage cart was provided for use with 6 yoga mats, 3 medicine balls of various weights, rings, sprinting cones, and a large digital timer to record laps. GROWTH The course was designed to provide an athletic and fun challenge for children, teens and adults no matter their experience or athletic prowess. This course offers competitive athletes a challenge and budding athletes an opportunity to experience and ignite their passion for physical activity. Initially the concept for the course was focused on the youngest of the family however as the design grew so did the obstacles and now it is a true family experience that will meet their adapting needs for years. Each obstacle is paired with an instructional sign directing the runners in proper use of the obstacle, adaptations for skill levels and tips on form. These signs are all customized for this course and are printed on metal to ensure they last for many years. SAFETY Safety is crucial for all physical activity and an obstacle course of this scale presents unique safety concerns. Children should always be supervised when participating in an adventure on the course however additional care was paid to details on the course to ensure everyone has a great time. All of the course obstacles have been created with pressure treated lumber that will withstand the seasonal poundings. All footer pilings that support obstacles have been placed into the ground between 3 to 4 feet (.9 to 1.2 meters) and each piling has 2 to 3 bags of concrete (totaling over 90 bags used throughout the course) ensuring stability of the structure and safety of the participants. Additionally, all obstacle lumber has been given rounded corners and sanded down offering less splintering and more time for everyone to enjoy the course. This athletic and charismatic family strives to incorporate a healthy active lifestyle into their daily life and this obstacle course offers their family an opportunity to strengthen themselves and host some memorable and active events at their amazing home.

Four cubbies with additional storage for shoes and gear to keep this family with small children organized. Photography by Aaron Usher III. Styling by Liz Pinto.

Torlando Hakes
Mid-sized elegant gender-neutral dark wood floor nursery photo in Indianapolis with gray walls

John Tsantes
Inspiration for a bedroom and small transitional gender-neutral kids' bedroom remodel in DC Metro with green walls

Photo: Caela McKeever © 2015 Houzz
Inspiration for a transitional kitchen remodel in Seattle

Mike and Anne of Barrington Hills desperately needed to update and renovate both their kid’s hall bath and guest bath, and in their 1980’s home each project presented a different set of unique challenges to overcome. When they set out to identify the right remodeling company to partner with, it was important to find a company that could help them to visualize design solutions for the bath renovations. When they came across Advance Design Studio’s website, they were immediately drawn to the solution-oriented remodeling process and the family friendly company. They say they chose Advance Design because of the integrated approach of “Common Sense Remodeling”, making the design, project management and construction all happen in one place. When they met with Project Designer Michelle Lecinski, they knew they chose the right company. “Michelle’s excellent work on the initial designs made it easy to proceed with Advance Design Studio,” Mike said. Like most homeowners anticipating a big renovation project, they had some healthy fears; with two bathrooms being remodeled at the same time they worried about timeframes and staying within budget. With the help of Michelle, and the “Common Sense” guidelines, they were confident that Advance Design would stay true, orchestrating all the moving parts to stay within both the estimated timeline and budget. The guest bath offered the biggest design challenge. A dormer obstruction made the already cramped shower awkward to access. Mike and Anne also wanted the shower size to be expanded, making it more accommodating. Working with Advance’s construction expert DJ Yurik, Michelle relocated the shower concealing the original dormer and creating a larger, more comfortable and aesthetically pleasing guest shower. The unsightly and not at all user-friendly closet was removed and replaced with elegant White Maple Dura Supreme cabinetry with much improved function featuring dual tall linen cabinets, a special makeup area and two sinks, providing a dual vanity which was extremely important for better guest use. The Fossil Brown quartz countertop is in pleasing contrast to the white cabinetry, and coordinates nicely with the mocha porcelain tile gracing the shower for an accent. The decorative glazed turquoise tile backsplash, tile border, and bottle niche adds a taste of marine green to the room, while marble-looking porcelain tile makes guests feel they are staying in a 5-star hotel. Polished nickel Kohler plumbing fixtures were chosen to add a touch of sophistication. This renovated guest bath is comfortable and elegant, and Anne and Mike’s house guests may never want to leave! “The end result was updated and restyled bathrooms that the client will enjoy and increase the value of their home,” Designer Michelle said. The children’s hall bath had its own set of challenges. The current placement of the sink was not conducive to the best use of the existing space, nor did it allow for any visual interest, something Advance’s designers always work to achieve even within the tight confines of a small bath. Advance removed the linen closet and used the gain in wall space to create a dramatic focal point on the vanity wall. They also took additional space that wasn’t being used for new Storm Gray Dura Supreme tall built-in linen cabinets, creating functional storage space that the former bath lacked. A customized glass splash panel was created for the bath, and the high ceilings with skylights were accented with a custom-made track lighting fixture featuring industrial pipe and cage materials. Authentic cement encaustic tile was used wall to wall surrounding the vanity to create a dramatic and interesting back drop for the new elegant and stately furniture-like double sink wall. Hand-made encaustic tile originated in Western Europe beginning in the 1850’s and reminded Mike and Anne of tile they had seen and loved from their travels overseas. Today, encaustic tile has made a re-appearance in today’s modern bath design with its wide array of appealing patterns and artistic use of color. Oil rubbed bronze Kohler fixtures echo the black accents in the beautiful tile pattern and reflect the matte black of the unique lighting detail. Easy to maintain Blanca Arabescato Quartz countertops add practicality and natural beauty and compliments the warm wood porcelain tile floors. This handsome bath has generated praise from friends and family even before it’s complete unveiling as photos of the space leaked out on social media! It’s not only completely functional to use, but especially pretty to look at. “Advance Design Studio did a terrific job for us. We really appreciated how easy it was to work with them on a complex project of the complete remodeling of two bathrooms. They very capably handled all the details from design, to project management, to construction. It is a great group of people to work with and we would welcome the opportunity to work with them again anytime,” Mike said.

All in the Family A Westchester NY home had an empty 1300 Square foot basement to renovate. The young family of four requested the space be multi-purpose. The main room was for the adults to entertain family and friends with a Sports Theme. It included a unique bar designed with beautiful granite countertops, custom cabinetry and appliances. A pool table and dartboard provided grown up activity while a large high def. TV in custom built-in cabinetry was viewable from all parts of the room for watching sports and family movies. The cabinetry was designed to incorporate the window above the TV and showcase sports memorabilia that the couple had collected. Framed and signed jerseys were also hung on the wall. A 10’ x 6’ fully custom sectional was created for maximum seating and viewing. A workout room, children’s playroom and full bathroom were also included in the space-planning for a multi-purpose destination that the whole family, especially the young girls, would enjoy. Other important renovation details included the addition of steps and a cellar door leading up to the outside, larger windows to conform to egress code, walled in space at the perimeter of the main room to hide the mechanical equipment and for additional storage, and the use of porcelain “wood” tile for the floor in the children’s play area. Photography by Nick Daunys

This beautiful Portland family home was in need of extra space. The family room became larger after bumping out an exterior wall. Notice the new use of built-in cabinets for functionality and aesthetics in this refreshed space. It’s a great display area. Upstairs, a wall was extended to enlarge two children’s bedrooms. In doing so, it created the perfect alcove for covered outdoor living space on a patio off the family room. Photo credit: realestatetoursoregon.com

An interesting and fun project on the property of a much larger home. This was a complete rebuild of a Kids Cottage to a Tiny Home. A complete a design incorporating unique bed and trundle sleep area with additional storage. Here you can see new siding, deck and custom rail system. We designed this Tiny Home for the owner’s children to camp in. Sleeps three, has refrigerator and additional storage. Supplied everything including the new windows and doors.

two secondary children's bedrooms feel light and airy thanks to the vaulted ceilings and ample natural light.
Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional carpeted bedroom remodel in Denver with blue walls and no fireplace

This kitchen was remodeled and opened up into a new addition that was added for the family room and a playroom for the children. Danny DanSoy Photography

An interesting and fun project on the property of a much larger home. This was a complete rebuild of a Kids Cottage to a Tiny Home. A complete a design incorporating unique bed and trundle sleep area with additional storage. Here you can see new siding, deck and custom rail system. We designed this Tiny Home for the owner’s children to camp in. Sleeps three, has refrigerator and additional storage. Supplied everything including the new windows and doors.

Beach style blue one-story wood gable roof photo in Detroit with a shingle roof