Search results for "Challenges easier" in Home Design Ideas

THIS TRANSITIONAL KITCHEN AND AND BATH REMODEL IN NORTH ASHEVILLE HAS CLEAN LINES AND A SLEEK LOOK.
HomeSource Builders completed the demolition and subcontracted the installation, under the expert guidance of Project Manager Corey Rogers. A striking feature, he relates, is the tiling installed by Mosaic Custom Tile.
“In my opinion,” he said, “the tile setters really made the kitchen stand out with the clean lines and sleek look the clients were trying to achieve.”
In addition to the backsplash tile, HomeSource installed the kitchen and bathroom cabinets as well as the kitchen and bath quartz countertops.
It’s extraordinarily helpful when clients have well-defined goals. “These clients were ideal, and made my job much easier,” Corey said. “They were very detailed and knew exactly what they wanted.”
Since the clients were renovating all bathrooms in the house, a challenge to overcome was phasing the project so that the client had a working bathroom at all times. This hurdle was easily overcome, though, with skillfully choreographed scheduling.
Designer Christy Dunlap of HomeSource Design Center led the design charge. “Besides the pleasure of working with two delightful people,” she said, “it was great to design a beautiful navy kitchen with walnut accents.”
Subcontractors employed to complete the remodel were French Broad Plumbing, Wired Right Electrical, Mountain Air Mechanical Contractors, Inc., Mosaic Custom Tile, Haywood Appliance, New Image Home Improvement, and Victor Chapina Painting.
CREDITS:
Kitchen Backsplash: Daltile Color Wheel Arctic White Gloss
Kitchen Countertops: Cambria Britannica w/ eased edge profile
Kitchen Cabinets: North American Cabinets – Austin (shaker) door style, Maple wood w/ Benjamin Moore Paint Evening Sky
Kitchen Cabinets Upper: Black Walnut with clear glass doors
Master Bath Cabinets: North American Cabinets, MDF Frameless with Taupe Paint
Master Bath Countertops: Cambria Britannica
Guest Bath Cabinet: Wellborn Premier Series: Alto Door Style, MDF, Bleu Paint
Guest Bath Countertop: Caesar Stone Quartz: Bianco Drift

This kitchen in a 1911 Craftsman home has taken on a new life full of color and personality. Inspired by the client’s colorful taste and the homes of her family in The Philippines, we leaned into the wild for this design. The first thing the client told us is that she wanted terra cotta floors and green countertops. Beyond this direction, she wanted a place for the refrigerator in the kitchen since it was originally in the breakfast nook. She also wanted a place for waste receptacles, to be able to reach all the shelves in her cabinetry, and a special place to play Mahjong with friends and family.
The home presented some challenges in that the stairs go directly over the space where we wanted to move the refrigerator. The client also wanted us to retain the built-ins in the dining room that are on the opposite side of the range wall, as well as the breakfast nook built ins. The solution to these problems were clear to us, and we quickly got to work. We lowered the cabinetry in the refrigerator area to accommodate the stairs above, as well as closing off the unnecessary door from the kitchen to the stairs leading to the second floor. We utilized a recycled body porcelain floor tile that looks like terra cotta to achieve the desired look, but it is much easier to upkeep than traditional terra cotta. In the breakfast nook we used bold jungle themed wallpaper to create a special place that feels connected, but still separate, from the kitchen for the client to play Mahjong in or enjoy a cup of coffee. Finally, we utilized stair pullouts by all the upper cabinets that extend to the ceiling to ensure that the client can reach every shelf.

THIS TRANSITIONAL KITCHEN AND AND BATH REMODEL IN NORTH ASHEVILLE HAS CLEAN LINES AND A SLEEK LOOK.
HomeSource Builders completed the demolition and subcontracted the installation, under the expert guidance of Project Manager Corey Rogers. A striking feature, he relates, is the tiling installed by Mosaic Custom Tile.
“In my opinion,” he said, “the tile setters really made the kitchen stand out with the clean lines and sleek look the clients were trying to achieve.”
In addition to the backsplash tile, HomeSource installed the kitchen and bathroom cabinets as well as the kitchen and bath quartz countertops.
It’s extraordinarily helpful when clients have well-defined goals. “These clients were ideal, and made my job much easier,” Corey said. “They were very detailed and knew exactly what they wanted.”
Since the clients were renovating all bathrooms in the house, a challenge to overcome was phasing the project so that the client had a working bathroom at all times. This hurdle was easily overcome, though, with skillfully choreographed scheduling.
Designer Christy Dunlap of HomeSource Design Center led the design charge. “Besides the pleasure of working with two delightful people,” she said, “it was great to design a beautiful navy kitchen with walnut accents.”
Subcontractors employed to complete the remodel were French Broad Plumbing, Wired Right Electrical, Mountain Air Mechanical Contractors, Inc., Mosaic Custom Tile, Haywood Appliance, New Image Home Improvement, and Victor Chapina Painting.
CREDITS:
Kitchen Backsplash: Daltile Color Wheel Arctic White Gloss
Kitchen Countertops: Cambria Britannica w/ eased edge profile
Kitchen Cabinets: North American Cabinets – Austin (shaker) door style, Maple wood w/ Benjamin Moore Paint Evening Sky
Kitchen Cabinets Upper: Black Walnut with clear glass doors
Master Bath Cabinets: North American Cabinets, MDF Frameless with Taupe Paint
Master Bath Countertops: Cambria Britannica
Guest Bath Cabinet: Wellborn Premier Series: Alto Door Style, MDF, Bleu Paint
Guest Bath Countertop: Caesar Stone Quartz: Bianco Drift
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The old Bauman kitchen was terribly partitioned off. The laundry room and closet left a narrow hallway between the kitchen and the dining room. The Bauman’s really wanted an open space.
They connected with ALL Renovation & Design at a home show. And we immediately got to work modifying the existing space. This proved to be a challenge because there was almost nowhere for the ductwork that fed the upstairs to go. But with some creative planning, we rerouted the ducts to go inside the cabinet next to the wine rack. This allowed us to knock out the walls that separated the kitchen and the dining room giving a beautiful open space.
The homeowner had several requests that were designed to make their daily life easier. One was adding a second sink to the island. Another request was extending the kitchen past the window to allow for more cabinets and counter space. In between, we added a comfortable window seat.All the lighting was designed around how the space was going to be used. An example is how where the table was going to be positioned in the dining room next to the pantry and custom wine rack dictated where the ceiling fan and recessed lighting would be installed.The result is a beautiful, functional space that is completely open… just what the Bauman’s wanted.
Maple cabinets painted Simply White, Via Lactea Granite countertops, Arley Anatolia Classic 3”x6” tile backsplash in the Matte Carrara with the Mapei Pewter grout, Coretech Georgetown Oak Luxury Vinyl Tile flooring, and LED i-Lighting undercabinet lighting.

I planted Marvel of Four Season lettuce seeds, which are heat tolerant, directly next to the soaker hose so they stay constantly moist. Seeds must never be allowed to dry out. I will divide these seedlings in the next few weeks

Entertaining and bringing people together is what this family is all about. Birthdays involve amazing cakes like you see on those TV shows, and groups of 30 people or more. Their ideal kitchen needed to accommodate that level of baking and hosting, but also support the daily rhythms of life.
Our collaborative design was guided by Vastu Shastra, an ancient architectural tradition that predates feng shui. Based on Vedic traditions that harmonize human behavior with natural forces in the world, Vastu Shanstra basically suggests how to inhabit a place in the best way possible.
The objectives were:
-Relocate the entire kitchen so the home’s heat source (oven) is in the southeast
-Incorporate symmetry into the overall design
-Create a large space for entertaining – open and airy with lots of light
-Simultaneously separate but join cooking and gathering spaces, allowing the cook to have a cook-specific zone that is still a part of any gathering
-Individual storage for small appliances – making them easier to use
-Simplicity – the space should be easy to use and maintain
Design challenges we solved for:
-Incorporate three load bearing points of the house
-Provide structural support that was not obvious
-Reconfigure kitchen utilities to another part of the home
-Maximize storage space
Design solutions and mindful innovations became an exciting motivation that drove the project:
-Double-horseshoe design features two symmetrical islands that seat 18 people comfortably
-Downdraft ventilation behind rangetop allows unobstructed views
-Overhead beams for structural support
-Equip nearby dining room with locking bar and wine cabinet
-Roll-out appliance shelves on back of cooking island are powered for easy use
-Symmetrical fridge and freezer columns separated by oven
-Cabinets along back of the cooking area for everyday items
-Tall pantry cabinet has four drawers for paperwork
-Spacious walk-in storage pantry has a counter with power outlets
-Coffee station has a trash can directly below for easy clean up
-Two sinks and dishwashers for easy cleanup
“A lot of relationships are built over food,” the homeowner told us. “This [kitchen] keeps our family close because we all love food. My kids sit in the kitchen all evening long every day – and I’m right there cooking. That’s life –to be together.”
We also collaborated with the homeowners to remodel their primary bathroom, primary bedroom closet and an additional bathroom.

THE SETUP
This client lives in a great high-rise condo in downtown Chicago. Alicia has already remodeled a few areas of her home, including her kitchen and home office. The bathroom is one of the last big places the client wanted to update. The existing bathroom had a large, outdated whirlpool tub in the corner. It was a darker space that had a lack of natural light. There are no windows (due to the bathroom’s location within the high-rise building). So, the idea was to brighten up the space and give the client an updated, elegant primary bathroom that is more her style and tailor-made for her routines.
Design Objectives:
- Make the space brighter.
- Create different daily routine stations to maximize functionality while keeping things clutter-free – a makeup station, a blow-dry station, and a sink-needs station.
- Achieve the client’s specific style and function needs while also keeping the look and design open to future possibilities: different users of the space/resale clients.
Design Challenges:
- Toilet cannot be moved. (In a high-rise, you can’t really move plumbing around too much when reimagining a space)
- Existing bathroom had a soffit that hid a lot of electrical wiring, so completely removing the soffit wasn’t an option.
- The blow-dry station needs to accommodate the client’s preference for standing up.
- Finding a place for the make-up station, which the client wants oriented for sitting.
- Create storage within the shower that can eliminate the clutter of personal care products that are actually needed every day. Do this, while keeping the client’s favorite things about the existing shower: the shower bench, a tub filler faucet (for rinsing shaving cream when shaving legs) and a low niche for placing her foot when shaving her legs.
THE RENEWED SPACE
Design Solutions:
- Extended a bit of wall near the toilet to give the commode its own area within the space, but without closing it off into a claustrophobic WC.
- Worked within the reality of the existing soffit situation, reshaping it to align with the new shower. Can lights were also added. Installed a beautiful ceiling light fixture that works within the new soffit shape, commanding attention and adding light, as if the sofit shape was chosen for it.
- Created a nice, furniture-looking 42”-high cabinet with pullout drawers to be the blow-dry station, complete with a mirror and a nice top. The pullout drawers are all powered, concealing a Dyson dryer and curling iron (and all the accoutrements) while keeping them plugged in, which is ideal for easy usage and put away. A stylish mirror on the wall above the cabinet, and proper lighting, make this the perfect blow-dry station. The top has a grommet that can accommodate a power cord should the client ever want to have a powered device on top of the cabinet.
- Put the sit-down makeup station where the tub used to be, putting the mirror back into a new recessed wall just a bit, allowing the area to have more room.
- Created a niche in the shower’s inner wall so that you can’t see it unless you are literally inside the shower. At the client’s request, it also has a hook so she can hang her loofa. Hiding the utility niche in this way allowed us to use the full main wall of the shower as a canvas for a beautiful accent stripe of raised decorative tile. The new shower has her old favorites, too: the tub filler, foot niche and bench.
Alicia’s client loves her new primary bathroom, especially the blow dry area. It is very accommodating for her, as a tall lady, while being very easy to use. The drawers store everything. Being powered, they make using already-plugged in appliances very easy to use and put away.
Her previous makeup station was a freestanding vanity with a single drawer, so beauty products were all over the surface top. With her new makeup station, everything is nicely tucked away and organized in drawers.
The new lighting is fantastic and the colors are light and soft. The clients loves the overall look and feel of her new bathroom and raves about how well the functionality-minded design makes her morning routine – and her life – easier and enjoyable!

A work-smart kitchen layout was a must for this homeowner. That’s why she got together with the Renovisions team. In the old kitchen, lack of enough cabinet space and organized storage, created an overflowing situation with contents pushed to the countertops, making it hard to escape the clutter. Moreover, the inconvenient position of the refrigerator made entering and exiting the kitchen literally a squeeze. Redesigning the kitchen was a challenge but Ed envisioned a new spacious layout that naturally flowed between all work areas.
At the top of the must-have list was the addition of an Island with an electric cooktop and much needed deep drawer storage. To create a better flow, the work surfaces, storage and appliances were arranged in the most functional way. The microwave was built into the cabinetry with an adjacent pull-out spice rack and it is closer to the refrigerator making reheating food easier.
The key part of overhauling this kitchen was upgrading the cabinetry, countertops, and appliances as well as adding a unique backsplash tile. Renovisions suggested the gorgeous maple wood cabinetry with a light grey stain. The stainless steel appliances play off the grey cabinetry, colorful veining in the granite countertops and attractive glass subway tile, giving the kitchen a sleeker and more modern look.

Located at the top of Flagstaff Rd., this new 4,700sf. mountain modern home embodies all there is to enjoy about Colorado. The owners love animals – and their bustling foothills ranch includes horses, dogs, cats and a couple of two footed little ones. Staying connected to nature was paramount to the owners. The home sits on a magnificent, private 35 acre property adjacent to Open Space, and covered in Doug Fir, beautiful rock outcroppings and open pastures. The house gracefully steps down the challenging terrain, stitching it into the hillside. This passive solar home is oriented to the epic views to the south. The soaring Great room, dining room and kitchen open out onto a giant covered porch for the ultimate in indoor/outdoor living. The open floor plan allows sunlight and views from every direction. The gourmet kitchen can accommodate the whole family and is filled with custom details.
Making life a little easier and more organized for the owners, they enter from the garage through a hard-working mud room/laundry with dog wash. The family dogs are a central part of their lives and the owner asked that we design bespoke kennels built-into the live-edge, Doug Fir slab casework in the dining room, so that the dogs could be with the family during meals, without giant plastic crates dominating the room.
The home is filled with custom details like built-in art niches in the Great Room, a unique front entry porch, and cozy window seats in the kid’s bedrooms.
Below a unique Aspen leaf chandelier, follow the stone walled stairwell down to the walk-out basement. The lower level includes a guest room, exercise room, a rec room/media room with wet-bar, and opens to a hot tub and a mountain lion-safe outdoor dog run.
The house is divided into three parts: the detached garage, the main social spaces + guest & kids bedrooms, and the Primary bedroom suite.
From the Great Room, the owners cross a dramatic glass bridge to reach the primary suite, giving a sense of privacy to this special retreat. The primary bedroom has a window seat, magical views, vaulted ceilings, its own private covered patio, and a barn door to the bathroom. The primary bathroom has a striking slot window between the floating vanities, again connecting the owners to nature at every turn. The sculptural soaking tub sits on an elevated plinth in a recessed nook – ideal for watching the deer, elk, moose, coyotes, raptors, turkeys, foxes, bears and mountain lions walk by.
The property also boasts a detached horse barn and hay barn, and an outdoor riding ring.
The near-Net-Zero (HERS 10) home’s green features include a ground source heat pump, 10KwH of solar photovoltaics, an ERV, foam insulation, and Energy Star windows. The native landscaping conserves water and minimized disruption to the idyllic site.

A work-smart kitchen layout was a must for this homeowner. That’s why she got together with the Renovisions team. In the old kitchen, lack of enough cabinet space and organized storage, created an overflowing situation with contents pushed to the countertops, making it hard to escape the clutter. Moreover, the inconvenient position of the refrigerator made entering and exiting the kitchen literally a squeeze. Redesigning the kitchen was a challenge but Ed envisioned a new spacious layout that naturally flowed between all work areas.
At the top of the must-have list was the addition of an Island with an electric cooktop and much needed deep drawer storage. To create a better flow, the work surfaces, storage and appliances were arranged in the most functional way. The microwave was built into the cabinetry with an adjacent pull-out spice rack and it is closer to the refrigerator making reheating food easier.
The key part of overhauling this kitchen was upgrading the cabinetry, countertops, and appliances as well as adding a unique backsplash tile. Renovisions suggested the gorgeous maple wood cabinetry with a light grey stain. The stainless steel appliances play off the grey cabinetry, colorful veining in the granite countertops and attractive glass subway tile, giving the kitchen a sleeker and more modern look.

AVENTURA MAGAZINE selected our client’s luxury 5000 Sf ocean front apartment in Miami Beach, to publish it in their issue and they Said:
Story by Linda Marx, Photography by Daniel Newcomb
Light & Bright
New York snowbirds redesigned their Miami Beach apartment to take advantage of the tropical lifestyle.
WHEN INTERIOR DESIGNER JENNIFER CORREDOR was asked to recreate a four-bedroom, six-bath condominium at The Bath Club in Miami Beach, she seized the opportunity to open the rooms and better utilize the vast ocean views.
In five months last year, the designer transformed a dark and closed 5,000-square-foot unit located on a high floor into a series of sweeping waterfront spaces and updated the well located apartment into a light and airy retreat for a sports-loving family of five.
“They come down from New York every other weekend and wanted to make their waterfront home a series of grand open spaces,” says Corrredor, of the J. Design Group in Coral Gables, a firm specializing in modern and contemporary interiors. “Since many of the rooms face the ocean, it made sense to open and lighten up the home, taking advantage of the awesome views of the sea and the bay.”
The designer used 40 x 40 all white tile throughout the apartment as a clean base. This way, her sophisticated use of color would stand out and bring the outdoors in.
The close-knit family members—two parents and three boys in college—like to do things together. But there were situations to overcome in the process of modernizing and opening the space. When Corredor was briefed on their desires, nothing seemed too daunting. The confident designer was ready to delve in. For example, she fixed an area at the front door
that was curved. “The wood was concave so I straightened it out,” she explains of a request from the clients. “It was an obstacle that I overcame as part of what I do in a redesign. I don’t consider it a difficult challenge. Improving what I see is part of the process.”
She also tackled the kitchen with gusto by demolishing a wall. The kitchen had formerly been enclosed, which was a waste of space and poor use of available waterfront ambience. To create a grand space linking the kitchen to the living room and dining room area, something had to go. Once the wall was yesterday’s news, she relocated the refrigerator and freezer (two separate appliances) to the other side of the room. This change was a natural functionality in the new open space. “By tearing out the wall, the family has a better view of the kitchen from the living and dining rooms,” says Corredor, who also made it easier to walk in and out of one area and into the other. “The views of the larger public space and the surrounding water are breathtaking.
Opening it up changed everything.”
They clients can now see the kitchen from the living and dining areas, and at the same time, dwell in an airy and open space instead of feeling stuck in a dark enclosed series of rooms. In fact, the high-top bar stools that Corredor selected for the kitchen can be twirled around to use for watching TV in the living room.
In keeping with the theme of moving seamlessly from one room to the other, Corredor designed a subtle wall of glass in the living room along with lots of comfortable seating. This way, all family members feel at ease while relaxing, talking, or watching sporting events on the large flat screen television. “For this room, I wanted more open space, light and a supreme airy feeling,” she says. “With the glass design making a statement, it quickly became the star of the show.”…….
….. To add texture and depth, Corredor custom created wood doors here, and in other areas of the home. They provide a nice contrast to the open Florida tropical feel. “I added character to the openness by using exotic cherry wood,” she says. “I repeated this throughout the home and it works well.”
Known for capturing the client’s vision while adding her own innovative twists, Corredor lightened the family room, giving it a contemporary and modern edge with colorful art and matching throw pillows on the sofas. She added a large beige leather ottoman as the center coffee table in the room. This round piece was punctuated with a bold-toned flowering plant atop. It effortlessly matches the pillows and colors of the contemporary canvas.
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Our clients in Tower Lakes, IL, needed more storage and functionality from their kitchen. They were primarily focused on finding the right combination of cabinets, shelves, and drawers that fit all their cookware, flatware, and appliances. They wanted a brighter, bigger space with a natural cooking flow and plenty of storage. Soffits and crown molding needed to be removed to make the kitchen feel larger. Redesign elements included: relocating the fridge, adding a baking station and coffee bar, and placing the microwave in the kitchen island.
Advance Design Studio’s Claudia Pop offered functional, creative, and unique solutions to the homeowners’ problems. Our clients wanted a unique kitchen that was not completely white, a balance of design and function. Claudia offered functional, creative, and unique solutions to Chad and Karen’s kitchen design challenges. The first thing to go was soffits. Today, most kitchens can benefit from the added height and space; removing soffits is nearly always step one. Steely gray-blue was the color of choice for a freshly unique look bringing a sophisticated-looking space to wrap around the fresh new kitchen. Cherry cabinetry in a true brown stain compliments the stormy accents with sharp contrasting white Cambria quartz top balancing out the space with a dramatic flair.
“We wanted something unique and special in this space, something none of the neighbors would have,” said Claudia.
The dramatic veined Cambria countertops continue upward into a backsplash behind three complimentary open shelves. These countertops provide visual texture and movement in the kitchen. The kitchen includes two larder cabinets for both the coffee bar and baking station. The kitchen is now functional and unique in design.
“When we design a new kitchen space, as designers, we are always looking for ways to balance interesting design elements with practical functionality,” Claudia said. “This kitchen’s new design is not only way more functional but is stunning in a way a piece of art can catch one’s attention.”
Decorative mullions with mirrored inserts sit atop dual sentinel pantries flanking the new refrigerator, while a 48″ dual fuel Wolf range replaced the island cooktop and double oven. The new microwave is cleverly hidden within the island, eliminating the cluttered counter and attention-grabbing wall of stainless steel from the previous space.
The family room was completely renovated, including a beautifully functional entertainment bar with the same combination of woods and stone as the kitchen and coffee bar. Mesh inserts instead of plain glass add visual texture while revealing pristine glassware. Handcrafted built-ins surround the fireplace.
The beautiful and efficient design created by designer Claudia transitioned directly to the installation team seamlessly, much like the basement project experience Chad and Karen enjoyed previously.
“We definitely will and have recommended Advance Design Studio to friends who are looking to embark on a project small or large,” Karen said.
“Everything that was designed and built exactly how we envisioned it, and we are really enjoying it to its full potential,” Karen said.
Our award-winning design team would love to create a beautiful, functional, and spacious place for you and your family. With our “Common Sense Remodeling” approach, the process of renovating your home has never been easier. Contact us today at 847-665-1711 or schedule an appointment.

A work-smart kitchen layout was a must for this homeowner. That’s why she got together with the Renovisions team. In the old kitchen, lack of enough cabinet space and organized storage, created an overflowing situation with contents pushed to the countertops, making it hard to escape the clutter. Moreover, the inconvenient position of the refrigerator made entering and exiting the kitchen literally a squeeze. Redesigning the kitchen was a challenge but Ed envisioned a new spacious layout that naturally flowed between all work areas.
At the top of the must-have list was the addition of an Island with an electric cooktop and much needed deep drawer storage. To create a better flow, the work surfaces, storage and appliances were arranged in the most functional way. The microwave was built into the cabinetry with an adjacent pull-out spice rack and it is closer to the refrigerator making reheating food easier.
The key part of overhauling this kitchen was upgrading the cabinetry, countertops, and appliances as well as adding a unique backsplash tile. Renovisions suggested the gorgeous maple wood cabinetry with a light grey stain. The stainless steel appliances play off the grey cabinetry, colorful veining in the granite countertops and attractive glass subway tile, giving the kitchen a sleeker and more modern look.

The reason for the project was purely due to the age of the existing space. There were different types of flooring (including carpet that was showing a lot of wear) throughout the first floor, the doors and windows were showing their age, and the kitchen was outdated, dark, and not functioning well for the family. The laundry room didn’t have any storage at all, and was open to the kitchen, which was unsightly to guests. Additionally, the heights of the family members range between 6’ and 6’5” so they were looking to customize the height of all of the cabinetry to make tasks easier and more comfortable. To remedy these challenges, the flooring and baseboards throughout the first floor of the home were updated with a high-quality, refinishable engineered walnut, providing the home with an instant update and creating a more cohesive flow. A wall was added with a sliding barn door between the kitchen and laundry/powder room area, giving that space some separation and privacy from the social space. Beautifulpainted tile was used in the laundry powder room and pantry, which added an artistic pop, and to highlight this we replaced the pantry door with a framed glass door.In the kitchen, an obstructive peninsula was removed, and the cabinetry was extended to make space for a large island that seats up to six people. The range was swapped for a cooktop and double oven, and an exterior-venting fan was added. The microwave was moved into the island, the window above the sink was replaced with a large, single-pane casement, and a gorgeous four-inch mitered edge marble countertop made the island a stunning focal point. A coffee bar and beverage station was added to free up working counter space, and added a functioning feature to an unused corner of the room.

Our clients in Tower Lakes, IL, needed more storage and functionality from their kitchen. They were primarily focused on finding the right combination of cabinets, shelves, and drawers that fit all their cookware, flatware, and appliances. They wanted a brighter, bigger space with a natural cooking flow and plenty of storage. Soffits and crown molding needed to be removed to make the kitchen feel larger. Redesign elements included: relocating the fridge, adding a baking station and coffee bar, and placing the microwave in the kitchen island.
Advance Design Studio’s Claudia Pop offered functional, creative, and unique solutions to the homeowners’ problems. Our clients wanted a unique kitchen that was not completely white, a balance of design and function. Claudia offered functional, creative, and unique solutions to Chad and Karen’s kitchen design challenges. The first thing to go was soffits. Today, most kitchens can benefit from the added height and space; removing soffits is nearly always step one. Steely gray-blue was the color of choice for a freshly unique look bringing a sophisticated-looking space to wrap around the fresh new kitchen. Cherry cabinetry in a true brown stain compliments the stormy accents with sharp contrasting white Cambria quartz top balancing out the space with a dramatic flair.
“We wanted something unique and special in this space, something none of the neighbors would have,” said Claudia.
The dramatic veined Cambria countertops continue upward into a backsplash behind three complimentary open shelves. These countertops provide visual texture and movement in the kitchen. The kitchen includes two larder cabinets for both the coffee bar and baking station. The kitchen is now functional and unique in design.
“When we design a new kitchen space, as designers, we are always looking for ways to balance interesting design elements with practical functionality,” Claudia said. “This kitchen’s new design is not only way more functional but is stunning in a way a piece of art can catch one’s attention.”
Decorative mullions with mirrored inserts sit atop dual sentinel pantries flanking the new refrigerator, while a 48″ dual fuel Wolf range replaced the island cooktop and double oven. The new microwave is cleverly hidden within the island, eliminating the cluttered counter and attention-grabbing wall of stainless steel from the previous space.
The family room was completely renovated, including a beautifully functional entertainment bar with the same combination of woods and stone as the kitchen and coffee bar. Mesh inserts instead of plain glass add visual texture while revealing pristine glassware. Handcrafted built-ins surround the fireplace.
The beautiful and efficient design created by designer Claudia transitioned directly to the installation team seamlessly, much like the basement project experience Chad and Karen enjoyed previously.
“We definitely will and have recommended Advance Design Studio to friends who are looking to embark on a project small or large,” Karen said.
“Everything that was designed and built exactly how we envisioned it, and we are really enjoying it to its full potential,” Karen said.
Our award-winning design team would love to create a beautiful, functional, and spacious place for you and your family. With our “Common Sense Remodeling” approach, the process of renovating your home has never been easier. Contact us today at 847-665-1711 or schedule an appointment.
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