There’s something about apron-front sinks that hearkens back to a simpler era. These Utilitarian fixtures reflect a hard-working history as everything from canning workspaces to washbasins for dogs and small children. No wonder they remain an iconic element in traditional-style kitchens.

Example of a transitional dark wood floor and brown floor bedroom design in Phoenix with beige walls

Chuck Carver- Photographer Brickhouse- Architect Beth Hanson- Interior Designer
Mountain style laundry room photo in Minneapolis with an undermount sink, beige walls and a side-by-side washer/dryer

Photos by Scott Pease
Inspiration for a bedroom timeless kids' bedroom remodel in Cleveland with yellow walls

Tucked neatly into an existing bay of the barn, the open kitchen is a comfortable hub of the home. Rather than create a solid division between the kitchen and the children's TV area, Franklin finished only the lower portion of the post-and-beam supports. The ladder is one of the original features of the barn that Franklin could not imagine ever removing. Cleverly integrated into the support post, its original function allowed workers to climb above large haystacks and pick and toss hay down a chute to the feeding area below. Franklin's children, 10 and 14, also enjoy this aspect of their home. "The kids and their friends run, slide, climb up the ladder and have a ton of fun," he explains, "It’s a barn! It is a place to share with friends and family." Adrienne DeRosa Photography

Kids Craft Room Photo Credit: Woodie Williams Photography
Large transitional gender-neutral medium tone wood floor playroom photo in Jacksonville with white walls

John Dimaio
Example of a beach style guest dark wood floor bedroom design in Philadelphia with gray walls

This project combines high end earthy elements with elegant, modern furnishings. We wanted to re invent the beach house concept and create an home which is not your typical coastal retreat. By combining stronger colors and textures, we gave the spaces a bolder and more permanent feel. Yet, as you travel through each room, you can't help but feel invited and at home.

Closet - transitional girl carpeted closet idea in San Francisco with white walls

Example of a mid-sized transitional gender-neutral carpeted and beige floor nursery design in San Francisco with multicolored walls

This growing family of six was struggling with a dysfunctional kitchen design. The center island had been installed at an odd angle that limited accessibility and traffic flow. Additionally, storage space was limited by poor cabinet design. Finally, doorways in and out of the kitchen were narrow and poorly located, especially for children dashing in and out. Other design challenges included how to better use a 10’ x 12’ room for children’s jackets and toys and how to add a professional-quality gas range in a neighborhood were natural gas wasn’t available. The new design would address all of these issues. DESIGN SOLUTIONS The new kitchen design revolves around a more proportional island. Carefully placed in the center of the new space with seating for four, it includes a prep sink, a second dishwasher and a beverage center. The distressed ebony-stained island and hutch provides a brilliant contrast between the white color cabinetry. White Carrera marble countertops and backsplash top both island and perimeter cabinets. Tall, double stacked cabinetry lines two walls to maximize storage space. Across the room there was an unused wall that now contains a 36” tower fridge and freezer, both covered with matching panels, and a tall cabinet that contains a microwave, steam unit and warming drawer. A propane tank was buried in the back yard to provide gas to a new 60” professional range and cooktop. A custom-made wood mantel hood blends perfectly with the cabinet style. The old laundry room was reconfigured to have lots of locker space for all kids and added cabinetry for storage. A double entry door separated the new mudroom from the rest of the back hall. In the back hall the back windows were replaced with a set of French door and added decking to create a direct access to deck and backyard. The end result is an open floor plan, high-end appliances, great traffic flow and pleasing colors. The homeowner calls it the “kitchen of her dreams.”

Photo by Ryann Ford
Design ideas for a contemporary landscaping in Austin.

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.

Inspiration for a contemporary guest bedroom remodel in Denver

Christian Garibaldi
Kids' bedroom - mid-sized and bedroom transitional guest and girl dark wood floor and brown floor kids' bedroom idea in New York with pink walls

Upper gallery hall. Custom mouldings and millwork. Entry to children's playroom at left. Photography: Kennon Evett
Elegant dark wood floor hallway photo in Houston with white walls

Kate Osborne
Inspiration for a transitional laundry room remodel in Salt Lake City

Photo: Sarah Greenman © 2014 Houzz
Example of a classic gender-neutral medium tone wood floor playroom design in Dallas with beige walls

Ed Butera
Home office - transitional freestanding desk beige floor home office idea in Miami with white walls