"Please help us! No one knows how to make our kitchen functional with all these angles!" Well the designers at Sycamore Kitchens & More took this as a personal challenge and the clients couldn't be happier with their new kitchen. Plenty of storage was created with the new design featuring 48" tall wall cabinets allowing for an extra shelf throughout the kitchen, angled cabinets in the corners instead of fillers, and a separate wine/ coffee bar area alleviating countertop clutter. Functional elements in the base cabinets such as roll out trays, spice racks, tray cabinets and deep pot and pan drawers replaced plain shelves. Lastly, the countertop was relocated from the island creating a more comfortable island for everyday use and entertaining. Architectural elements were incorporated to soften the sharp angles of the space including a majestic sweeping chimney hood, arched toe kicks, and custom stacked crown molding to the ceiling. "We couldn't be happier- you checked all the boxes and we absolutely LOVE our new kitchen"

Full gut and remodel of existing main floor bathroom. Demolition of bathroom down to studs with update to existing subfloor to alleviate subfloor problems. Install of new vanity with undermount sink and quartz countertop. New sink faucet with new mirror and vanity lighting. Install new wall mounted medicine cabinet. Install new cultured stone shower with semi-frameless glass door. New linen cabinet and new toilet. New Luxury Vinyl Tile flooring with new drywall and paint. Install new pocket door with frosted glass to replace bathroom door.

Raza and Baneen purchased their home in Schaumburg IL. knowing it needed work, but they saw the incredible potential it had with its expanse of beautiful kitchen windows and spacious floor plan. The kitchen technically functioned fine, but was desperately outdated with its honey oak cabinets and plain countertops. This family loved to cook and host parties so it was an easy decision that the kitchen remodel was the first project they needed to tackle to make their home come to life. Baneen had very specific ideas for her new dream kitchen and had been thinking about it for over 10 years! When they met Advance Design’s Project Designer Claudia Pop, Baneen felt an instant connection. “From the first meeting, I knew that Claudia would guide us without putting down our ideas,” Baneen said. The couple had two fears common among remodeling home owners: Would the project be done on time? And, would the project stay on budget? Advance Design was able to alleviate their fears early on, as Claudia shared the “Common Sense Remodeling” process. Raza and Baneen absolutely loved the custom project analysis that helped them understand how a budget could be accurately predicted and then safeguarded during the design process. “Advance Design was spot on with both the budget and the project timeframe,” Baneen said. “Overall there were no surprises, and the budget was exactly what we were quoted. The experience was phenomenal, everybody was professional, everybody was courteous, everyone was nice, everyone was friendly. It wasn't stressful for us, they still left the house in a presentable state. It wasn't like we would come home and we were bring the kids in and it was going to be hazardous." After the relationship was cemented, Raza, Baneen and Claudia began to finalize the kitchen design. The main objective was to create a functional space for preparing meals and to create an inviting space for their family and friends to enjoy, while incorporating interesting design elements such as the iconic blue island and reclaimed Chicago brick walls. Sufficient storage space was really important to Baneen, and high quality appliances were a priority. As the overall layout was being completed, together they reviewed each cabinet to determine exactly what would be stored there. Because cooking was a high priority for this family, Claudia incorporated spice racks close to the range and included two mixer lift shelves for their larger countertop appliances. The focal point of the kitchen is the striking blue island constructed from custom colored Dura Supreme cabinets. Designed with decorative shelving and a highly functional prep sink. The couple loves the “galley” prep sink, it adds even more functionality and significantly shortens preparation and cleaning time. This island also includes a 24" Bosch Dishwasher with matching panel to blend in. "Aesthetically, and in terms of functionality, the island everything I imagined," Baneen said. "I love how beautiful it looks and how functional it is. It just brings everybody together." The Praa Sands Quartz countertop with an ogee edge profile provides excellent contrast by blending it's subtle tones with the outer cabinetry. It ties the island together with the rest of the space. Overlooking the beautiful backyard through spacious windows, the crisp white farmhouse sink is something that Baneen envisioned in her kitchen for years. Two tones of Dura Supreme Cabinetry were used throughout the rest of the kitchen. Chestnut Cherry cabinets grace the range and decorative range hood and as panels over the Wolf refrigerator and freezer. Antique White cabinets surround the perimeter, creating a warm balance that beckons guests into the softly rounded space. Drawing the eye immediately to the custom wood hood hiding a powerful 1,500 CFM ventilation system and spectacular 60” Duel Fuel Wolf range, a creatively patterned Tessen in Café & Brine backsplash detail stands out from the white subway tile backsplash spanning the outer walls. The vibrant space reflects the lively personality of the family who now loves spending time both cooking and enjoying this kitchen as a family. “The end result is a beautiful and extremely functional kitchen that is able to handle a growing family, lots of parties and lots of cooking,” Claudia said. “Advance Design was wonderfully professional and a pleasure to work with. They catered to what my needs and ideas were, while skillfully guiding us to make the right choices where we seemed lost,” Baneen said.

These engaging homeowners are fortuitous enough to reside in a three level townhouse on a quiet street in downtown Minneapolis. This couple loves to entertain and host family holidays. Spaces are tight in most urban areas. This townhome is no exception. There was nothing horribly wrong with the way the home was laid out, it just did not serve the needs of the family. The kitchen was tucked up front and forced into a small space, making it difficult for multiple people to be in the space at the same time. The homeowners also wished to upgrade to professional appliances. Due to size and mechanical code restrictions, this was just not possible in the existing space. The back of the townhome had a large living room and good sized dining room. Off this space is a shaded deck and swimming pool, which are used all the time. Traffic always ran from the outdoor entertaining space directly to the kitchen in the front. Not only was this inconvenient, a mess was dragged in from wet swimmers. To alleviate these challenges, we moved the kitchen from the smaller space at the front of the home to the larger space the under utilized living room furniture occupied. This allowed us to curate a large kitchen that fits all their needs, wants, and aesthetic desires. Now there is plenty of room to cook, relax, and bustle about. We also added a wet bar next to the patio door in the dining room. Right by the door is a beverage cooler from which guests may grab beverages and snacks without dragging the outside in with them. Being the homeowners and designer are all members of the creative community in the Twin Cities, it was important to incorporate the work of local artists. This kitchen is fully curated with all Minnesota products (with the exception of the appliances, which are manufactured in Wisconsin). The cabinets and countertops are from larger local companies, while all the other features are hand made by near by artists. These artisan products include a custom stainless steel range hood, black powder coated table base and fireplace mantel, hand made tile for the backsplash and fireplace surround, wood elevated island table, and wood panel backsplash at the bar. Hand made tiles had previously been installed in the existing kitchen. The color of these tiles is no longer available. It was the home- owners desire to preserve these tiles somehow. We cut the tile off the walls and soaked the drywall from them. We then installed them in the powder room as a feature behind the vanity and mirror.

Homeowner was having problems with too much sunlight coming through their front windows, causing the room to be incredibly hot and unusable in the summer, and also fading and damaging their furniture. They had tried curtains, shades, even thick blankets over the windows. To alleviate the problem, we installed sun control film directly to the existing windows, cutting 99% of UV, 97% of infrared, and 60% of the heat, all while allowing plenty of light into the room and avoiding the high cost of full window replacement! (The center and right window have the film, the left one does not; as you can see, there is very little difference in appearance) Photo by Robert Citrone

Tustin residents can rightfully claim fantastic quality and ambiance while accommodating comfort in their "New Bathroom Remodeling" project. For this Tustin Bathroom Remodeling, the "natural stone look" ceramic tile was desired in the design to alleviate upkeep while keeping elements of a more "Modern look" intact. A Frame less glass shower door was installed with glass liner. The tile is accented with a multi-tone back splash to tie it together. This design utilized the elements of glass, ceramic tile, and raised ceilings, essential to create comfort and space evident in this bathroom remodeling project. This Tustin bathroom remodeling project was an Epic success! The Clients are ecstatic with there new design in Orange County..

Opening up 2 walls gave this 1920's home an open floor plan plus more cabinetry and working space. Blue base cabinets come completer with a low dog bowl drawer to alleviate the trip hazard and mess of bowls on the floor. Adding double sets of french doors brings light and air to the kitchen.

Raza and Baneen purchased their home in Schaumburg IL. knowing it needed work, but they saw the incredible potential it had with its expanse of beautiful kitchen windows and spacious floor plan. The kitchen technically functioned fine, but was desperately outdated with its honey oak cabinets and plain countertops. This family loved to cook and host parties so it was an easy decision that the kitchen remodel was the first project they needed to tackle to make their home come to life. Baneen had very specific ideas for her new dream kitchen and had been thinking about it for over 10 years! When they met Advance Design’s Project Designer Claudia Pop, Baneen felt an instant connection. “From the first meeting, I knew that Claudia would guide us without putting down our ideas,” Baneen said. The couple had two fears common among remodeling home owners: Would the project be done on time? And, would the project stay on budget? Advance Design was able to alleviate their fears early on, as Claudia shared the “Common Sense Remodeling” process. Raza and Baneen absolutely loved the custom project analysis that helped them understand how a budget could be accurately predicted and then safeguarded during the design process. “Advance Design was spot on with both the budget and the project timeframe,” Baneen said. “Overall there were no surprises, and the budget was exactly what we were quoted. The experience was phenomenal, everybody was professional, everybody was courteous, everyone was nice, everyone was friendly. It wasn't stressful for us, they still left the house in a presentable state. It wasn't like we would come home and we were bring the kids in and it was going to be hazardous." After the relationship was cemented, Raza, Baneen and Claudia began to finalize the kitchen design. The main objective was to create a functional space for preparing meals and to create an inviting space for their family and friends to enjoy, while incorporating interesting design elements such as the iconic blue island and reclaimed Chicago brick walls. Sufficient storage space was really important to Baneen, and high quality appliances were a priority. As the overall layout was being completed, together they reviewed each cabinet to determine exactly what would be stored there. Because cooking was a high priority for this family, Claudia incorporated spice racks close to the range and included two mixer lift shelves for their larger countertop appliances. The focal point of the kitchen is the striking blue island constructed from custom colored Dura Supreme cabinets. Designed with decorative shelving and a highly functional prep sink. The couple loves the “galley” prep sink, it adds even more functionality and significantly shortens preparation and cleaning time. This island also includes a 24" Bosch Dishwasher with matching panel to blend in. "Aesthetically, and in terms of functionality, the island everything I imagined," Baneen said. "I love how beautiful it looks and how functional it is. It just brings everybody together." The Praa Sands Quartz countertop with an ogee edge profile provides excellent contrast by blending it's subtle tones with the outer cabinetry. It ties the island together with the rest of the space. Overlooking the beautiful backyard through spacious windows, the crisp white farmhouse sink is something that Baneen envisioned in her kitchen for years. Two tones of Dura Supreme Cabinetry were used throughout the rest of the kitchen. Chestnut Cherry cabinets grace the range and decorative range hood and as panels over the Wolf refrigerator and freezer. Antique White cabinets surround the perimeter, creating a warm balance that beckons guests into the softly rounded space. Drawing the eye immediately to the custom wood hood hiding a powerful 1,500 CFM ventilation system and spectacular 60” Duel Fuel Wolf range, a creatively patterned Tessen in Café & Brine backsplash detail stands out from the white subway tile backsplash spanning the outer walls. The vibrant space reflects the lively personality of the family who now loves spending time both cooking and enjoying this kitchen as a family. “The end result is a beautiful and extremely functional kitchen that is able to handle a growing family, lots of parties and lots of cooking,” Claudia said. “Advance Design was wonderfully professional and a pleasure to work with. They catered to what my needs and ideas were, while skillfully guiding us to make the right choices where we seemed lost,” Baneen said.

Inspiration for a traditional landscaping in Minneapolis.

TERRACE ADDITION - After, new terrace that coordinates perfectly with the existing structure, native stone to alleviate erosion, and landscaping to showcase what is now a beautiful yard.

Opening up 2 walls gave this 1920's home an open floor plan plus more cabinetry and working space. Blue base cabinets come completer with a low dog bowl drawer to alleviate the trip hazard and mess of bowls on the floor. Adding double sets of french doors brings light and air to the kitchen.

A new pocket door that matches the existing condo doors was installed to allow better flow in the Guest bedroom/bathroom spaces. This alleviated the overabundance of doors in the small space, and eliminated the awkwardness of having to close one door before opening another!

"Please help us! No one knows how to make our kitchen functional with all these angles!" Well the designers at Sycamore Kitchens & More took this as a personal challenge and the clients couldn't be happier with their new kitchen. Plenty of storage was created with the new design featuring 48" tall wall cabinets allowing for an extra shelf throughout the kitchen, angled cabinets in the corners instead of fillers, and a separate wine/ coffee bar area alleviating countertop clutter. Functional elements in the base cabinets such as roll out trays, spice racks, tray cabinets and deep pot and pan drawers replaced plain shelves. Lastly, the countertop was relocated from the island creating a more comfortable island for everyday use and entertaining. Architectural elements were incorporated to soften the sharp angles of the space including a majestic sweeping chimney hood, arched toe kicks, and custom stacked crown molding to the ceiling. "We couldn't be happier- you checked all the boxes and we absolutely LOVE our new kitchen"

In this project, our clients purchased an existing restaurant fraught with stormwater management issues on the property. Runoff from an adjacent state highway and parking lot regularly flooded the kitchen. Additionally, a man-made pond on the property had become a problematic breeding ground for mosquitos that virtually prohibited outdoor dining during the summer. Both challenges restricted the restaurant from operating at its fullest potential. Our design/build team’s goals were to address the water runoff and mosquito issues using environmentally and financially sustainable practices. Lowering the grades around the building and parking, we were able to direct the runoff into a dry streambed enriched with water-worn cobbles and river stones and planted banks. We addressed the mosquito problem by increasing the pond’s depth, adding an aeration system, and planting the banks with wildflowers. By raising the outdoor dining, guests now overlook the pond and pleasing landscape. Natural breezes at this higher level help alleviate mosquitosl.

Complete kitchen addition , including mudroom and pantry Tamara Flanagan photography
Mid-sized transitional l-shaped brown floor and medium tone wood floor kitchen photo in Boston with a farmhouse sink, soapstone countertops, two islands, shaker cabinets, white cabinets and black countertops

"Please help us! No one knows how to make our kitchen functional with all these angles!" Well the designers at Sycamore Kitchens & More took this as a personal challenge and the clients couldn't be happier with their new kitchen. Plenty of storage was created with the new design featuring 48" tall wall cabinets allowing for an extra shelf throughout the kitchen, angled cabinets in the corners instead of fillers, and a separate wine/ coffee bar area alleviating countertop clutter. Functional elements in the base cabinets such as roll out trays, spice racks, tray cabinets and deep pot and pan drawers replaced plain shelves. Lastly, the countertop was relocated from the island creating a more comfortable island for everyday use and entertaining. Architectural elements were incorporated to soften the sharp angles of the space including a majestic sweeping chimney hood, arched toe kicks, and custom stacked crown molding to the ceiling. "We couldn't be happier- you checked all the boxes and we absolutely LOVE our new kitchen"

Tustin, CA residents can rightfully claim fantastic quality and ambiance while accommodating comfort in their "New Bathroom Remodeling" project. For this Bathroom Remodeling in Tustin, CA, The "natural stone look" ceramic tile was desired in the design to alleviate upkeep while keeping elements of a more "Modern look" in tact. The bathroom shower is accented with a multi-tone back splash to tie it together. This design utilized the elements of raised ceilings, essential to create comfort and space evident in this bathroom remodeling project. This Bathroom Remodeling in Tustin, CA was an Epic success! The Clients are ecstatic with there new design in Orange County..

Site development is important to ensure you build your dream home without the hassle of local authority scrutiny. A detailed site plan alleviates a plethora of time spent doing anything but seeing your home come to life.