XID's approach for the interior design of this home consisted of high end finishes and porcelain tiles imported from Spain. The design of the fireplaces, kitchen, bathrooms and exterior hardscape were aimed at bringing warm tones to the modern house while maintaining a minimalist approach.

Lunar Gray cabinetry is from Ultracraft Cabinetry in their Avon style. The refrigerator and dishwasher is paneled to create a consistent, continuous look. Photo by Chrissy Racho.

COUTURE HOUSE INTERIORS, CHRISTINA WEDGE PHOTOGRAPHY
Elegant galley enclosed kitchen photo in Atlanta with a farmhouse sink, raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and no island

Rear Facade Photo. "Business in the Front, Party in the Back" This project provided Mark with the opportunity to revisit a project from the first year of his practice. Our clients were the third owners since Mark first worked on this house in 1987. The original project had consisted of a small addition to the rear of an existing single-story (over garage) house. The new owners wanted to completely remodel the house and add two floors. In addition they wanted it to be MODERN. This was a perfect fit for where the firm had evolved to over the years, but the neighbors weren't having it. The neighbors were very organized and didn’t like the idea of a large modern structure in what was a mostly traditional block. We were able to work with the neighbors to agree to a design that was Craftsman on the front and modern on the interior and rear. Because of this dichotomy, we sometimes refer to this as the "Mullet House". We were able to minimize the apparent height of the facade by hiding the top floor behind a dormered roof. Unique features of this house include a stunning roof deck with glass guardrails, a custom stair with a zigzag edge and a guardrail composed of vertical stainless steel tubes and an asymmetrical fireplace composition. Photo by Thomas Kuoh

This stylish Coastal Farmhouse-inspired renovation features a brand new Foyer & Dining Room! Southern Hospitality meets divine entertainment in this vibrant space for guests to enjoy. Pay close attention to the details, textures, and playful prints woven throughout each space... this design showcases new architectural lighting fixtures, custom window treatments, and brand new furniture & decor creating the ultimate space to entertain.

Entryway - transitional entryway idea in Los Angeles

Bath Grand La Rochelle Painted In Vintage 1884, Panelling painted in Mylands Colours of London "Long Acre No. 102".
Freestanding bathtub - cottage multicolored floor freestanding bathtub idea in New York with multicolored walls

The client decided that she was in her "forever home" and wanted to create a space that felt clean and fresh but referenced elements of a vintage aesthetic. Panel molding, gently swooping paintable wallpaper, a high-contrast palette and gleaming fixtures from Kohler's Artifacts line all contributed to the look. "I'm never leaving this room," she said when we were done--and somehow I believe that might just be true! Image shot by John Bilodeau

Farmhouse kitchen photo in Minneapolis

There are so many details in this kitchen it's hard to decide where to look. Each part of it is so carefully thought out, with no detail left to spare. Our clients eclectic taste and her deep trust in us, made this remodel not only top notch, but easy and fun! We used solid walnut cabinets and open shelves to bring warmth to the space and mixing patterns, but being consistent in color and tone allowed us to incorporate a lot of style into one space. Joe Kwon

Jennifer and Dan have lived in their Deer Park Illinois home for 15 years, slowly making minor fixes like painting and decorating; but they had a new plan for their kitchen the entire time. An awkwardly placed garage door, and an island cooktop with a terrible downdraft made a full-scale kitchen remodel an absolute must. Jennifer had many ideas in mind and wanted to work with a company that could provide high-end work, while partnering with a designer that would tailor the kitchen to her ideas. She was intrigued by the phrase “Common Sense Remodeling” in Advance Design’s feature she discovered while perusing an issue of the community’s Quintessential Barrington Magazine. Doing further research on the company’s website, as she looked through project profiles and read about Advance Design’s “Common Sense Remodeling” philosophy, she promptly scheduled an appointment to see if the people and ideas she read about were truly who they said they were. The more she read, the more she knew that the “Common Sense” approach to remodeling they described was exactly the type of company she was looking for. The partnership was sealed after an initial consultation with Owner Todd Jurs and Project Designer Michelle Lecinski. They displayed a combination of friendliness, professionalism and respect that was unmatched by any of the other companies Jennifer talked to. She knew that with Advance Design, she would be able to retain the vision that she had in mind with high-quality craftsmanship. “I reached out to Advance Design because of the ‘Common Sense Remodeling’ tagline,” Jennifer said. “That’s what lingered for me”. “Advance Design was the most respectful- of the house and of my design ideas, and the most professional of the handful of companies that looked at my project”. Soon after the meeting Jennifer began working with Michelle on the project design. They quickly developed chemistry. Jennifer loved how Michelle researched and located every detail that Jennifer wanted for the kitchen. Between the two of them, every concept and idea was worked through and perfected. “Jennifer had definite ideas about what she wanted the new kitchen to look like, she just didn’t know how to bring it all together. We worked together really well to make her ideas into the practical reality necessary for a well-functioning kitchen, with the look and feel that she had envisioned”, says Michelle. “Michelle was wonderful in using the CAD system she would show me new drawings every time we changed the layout while working through the design,” Jennifer said. “She was a really wonderful partner in execution, she made sure everything happened quickly and easily.” The finished design drew out elements of Jennifer’s style and personality. The pair call the look “sophisticated farmhouse” to describe the kitchen renovation to family and friends. The result was a beautifully crafted, authentic-feeling space that satisfied Jennifer’s dreams 15 years in the making. The whole project consisted of a kitchen remodel, mudroom upgrade with powder room, and garage entry relocation. “The projects I personally like the best, are the ones that put the client’s dreams on display,” Project Designer Michelle said. “And this is one of those projects.” The main focal point of the kitchen is custom zinc and brass ventilation hood with a vintage sheen, which was hand made to order by a small company in Indiana named Vogler Metalworking. “It’s like sculpture, a true work of art”, says Jennifer. Your eye is immediately drawn towards this elegant yet practical hood that eliminated the home’s downdraft problem and added a striking conversation piece at the same time. The carpenters had to use special gloves when transporting and installing it, so they didn’t smudge it with fingerprints. The beautiful hood centers proudly over the stunning black enamel and brass LaCornue Range. “I had a friend who had a LaCornue range and after learning how easy it was to cook perfect meals, I was convinced I wanted to have one”, says Jennifer. This unique, breathtaking combination anchors the entire kitchen and is apparent immediately as you walk into the great room the surrounds the space. DuraSupreme Crestwood cabinets with a Kendall Panel add function and sophistication. A custom gray paint color paired with a storm blue was developed so that the new kitchen looked like it belonged to the existing space. Unlacquered brass faucets and hardware were important to Jennifer because she wanted the living finishes to age over time. Remarkable brass diamond mesh cabinet door inserts imported from the UK continue to add this one-of-a-kind kitchen renovation; giving it a “you won’t see this everywhere” quality. The use of old railcar flooring for the coffee bar countertop and reclaimed oak for the open shelving gives an authenticity to the space uncommon in kitchens today. Jennifer and Michelle fell in love with the Limestone Grey Stone while they were investigating unique island countertop ideas. They liked the fact that the limestone as a living finish will age and change over time. Calcutta Miel Quartz countertops made for an excellent pairing around the perimeter, as it’s durable and perfect for cooking preparations. A textured white subway tile backsplash that runs to the ceiling keeps your eye moving towards the open shelving, and to the main focal point of the stunning range hood combination. “The kitchen functions beautifully, and it’s gorgeous,” beams Jennifer as she gestures with both hands while smiling ear to ear. “The most important thing was I wanted a kitchen that had a wonderful flow, cooked beautiful meals and was a great gathering place for family and friends, and this space does that perfectly! Beauty wise, it turned out exactly how I had envisioned. I felt the function part was the hardest part, and that was nailed”! Relocating the garage entry to the new mudroom was a huge priority and has finally separated the family’s arriving home functions from their kitchen. Now coats and shoes and bags have their own area for dropping once members arrive home. Matching gray DuraSupreme cabinetry helped create gorgeous, purposeful lockers for the family. A reclaimed vintage sink and custom wall paper were added to the tiny powder room to beautify the once previously only functional space. Advance Design was even able to create a custom space for their dog to sleep while the family is away. “It was unbelievable that a project of this size was completed in such a short time, and I think that’s because of the large amount of planning and preparation that went into it,” Jennifer marveled, “When we started, we were ready, and everything was prepared”. When it came to execution, Project Manager Justin Davis and his crew were quick, accessible, and organized. Projects like this kitchen are typically completed in as little as 8-10 weeks. Jennifer’s kitchen however despite the relocation of some challenging HVAC in a soffit and moving of an exterior door was completed remarkably fast in part because the team was working with an existing tile floor that ran throughout the first floor that the client really loved. “You get to know these people really well because they’re living in your house while you’re living in your house. They were so fast and really good, it didn’t take as long as even planned” reported Jennifer. “I would text Justin and he always responded almost immediately. I got to know all the guys who were working in our house and they were all wonderful people”. Details in a customized kitchen like this one require skill and care from the people who install it. “All the guys on the job were skilled at what the did. I wanted small details like little feet to look like furniture, that is where their carpentry skill came in to make these all perfect”, said Jennifer. “The tile guys were wonderful. They even let me determine how I wanted the texture with the grout to appear for a salt and pepper look; now that is a very skilled trade person making it custom”. In Jennifer’s interview, she continued to reference Advance Design’s “Common Sense Remodeling”, so I took a minute to ask her exactly what that phrase meant to her and how it played out in her experience with her project and the Advance Design team. Here is what she said: “I was intrigued about Common Sense Remodeling and in my head that there would be clear costs and prices, great communication between the design team, the execution team and me”, said Jennifer. They did deliver on that, it was so clear about the cost breakdown, what I could expect from everyone who came to my house, and everything that we had ordered. That to me is the Common Sense”! It’s great to see a client take literally our assertion that a well-planned remodeling project is simply “Common Sense”! She anticipated each step of the way would be clear, concise, and predictable, all the while protecting the outcome due to the careful upfront planning. “Advance Design delivered on their ‘Common Sense Remodeling’ promise,” Jennifer said. “From the design team, to the execution team - everything was straight forward like I imagined. The project turned out exactly how I envisioned, I enjoyed this process and absolutely would recommend Advance Design Studio to anyone.”

Aimee Mazzenga Photography Design: Mitzi Maynard and Clare Kennedy
Bedroom - coastal master light wood floor bedroom idea in Nashville with white walls

Our clients came to us because they were tired of looking at the side of their neighbor’s house from their master bedroom window! Their 1959 Dallas home had worked great for them for years, but it was time for an update and reconfiguration to make it more functional for their family. They were looking to open up their dark and choppy space to bring in as much natural light as possible in both the bedroom and bathroom. They knew they would need to reconfigure the master bathroom and bedroom to make this happen. They were thinking the current bedroom would become the bathroom, but they weren’t sure where everything else would go. This is where we came in! Our designers were able to create their new floorplan and show them a 3D rendering of exactly what the new spaces would look like. The space that used to be the master bedroom now consists of the hallway into their new master suite, which includes a new large walk-in closet where the washer and dryer are now located. From there, the space flows into their new beautiful, contemporary bathroom. They decided that a bathtub wasn’t important to them but a large double shower was! So, the new shower became the focal point of the bathroom. The new shower has contemporary Marine Bone Electra cement hexagon tiles and brushed bronze hardware. A large bench, hidden storage, and a rain shower head were must-have features. Pure Snow glass tile was installed on the two side walls while Carrara Marble Bianco hexagon mosaic tile was installed for the shower floor. For the main bathroom floor, we installed a simple Yosemite tile in matte silver. The new Bellmont cabinets, painted naval, are complemented by the Greylac marble countertop and the Brainerd champagne bronze arched cabinet pulls. The rest of the hardware, including the faucet, towel rods, towel rings, and robe hooks, are Delta Faucet Trinsic, in a classic champagne bronze finish. To finish it off, three 14” Classic Possini Euro Ludlow wall sconces in burnished brass were installed between each sheet mirror above the vanity. In the space that used to be the master bathroom, all of the furr downs were removed. We replaced the existing window with three large windows, opening up the view to the backyard. We also added a new door opening up into the main living room, which was totally closed off before. Our clients absolutely love their cool, bright, contemporary bathroom, as well as the new wall of windows in their master bedroom, where they are now able to enjoy their beautiful backyard!

Example of a trendy dining room design in Sacramento

Inspiration for a large transitional l-shaped dark wood floor open concept kitchen remodel in Los Angeles with a farmhouse sink, raised-panel cabinets, gray cabinets, glass countertops, white backsplash, ceramic backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Empire real thin stone veneer from the Quarry Mill adds modern elegance to this stunning residential home. Empire natural stone veneer consists of mild shades of gray and a consistent sandstone texture. This stone comes in various sizes of mostly rectangular-shaped stones with squared edges. Empire is a great stone to create a brick wall layout while still creating a natural look and feel. As a result, it works well for large and small projects like accent walls, exterior siding, and features like mailboxes. The light colors will blend well with any décor and provide a neutral backing to any space.

Entry Stair Photo. "Business in the Front, Party in the Back." This project provided Mark with the opportunity to revisit a project from the first year of his practice. Our clients were the third owners since Mark first worked on this house in 1987. The original project had consisted of a small addition to the rear of an existing single-story (over garage) house. The new owners wanted to completely remodel the house and add two floors. In addition they wanted it to be MODERN. This was a perfect fit for where the firm had evolved to over the years, but the neighbors weren't having it. The neighbors were very organized and didn’t like the idea of a large modern structure in what was a mostly traditional block. We were able to work with the neighbors to agree to a design that was Craftsman on the front and modern on the interior and rear. Because of this dichotomy, we sometimes refer to this as the "Mullet House". We were able to minimize the apparent height of the facade by hiding the top floor behind a dormered roof. Unique features of this house include a stunning roof deck with glass guardrails, a custom stair with a zigzag edge and a guardrail composed of vertical stainless steel tubes and an asymmetrical fireplace composition. Photo by Michael David Rose

Soft, refreshing colors combine with comfortable furnishing and statement lighting in this elegant home: Project completed by Wendy Langston's Everything Home interior design firm , which serves Carmel, Zionsville, Fishers, Westfield, Noblesville, and Indianapolis. For more about Everything Home, click here: https://everythinghomedesigns.com/

Ask a kitchen designer in Chicago which countertop question comes up most and you will hear the same answer: white or off-white quartz, and which shade. Homeowners walk into showrooms with a photo saved on their phone, usually a bright, veined slab from a magazine spread, and leave an hour later realizing there are a dozen versions of that same look. The confusion is not about taste. It is about the fact that "white quartz" covers a huge range of patterns, undertones, and price points, and nobody explains the differences before the sale. Older bungalows and newer builds alike are getting stripped of their dated laminate and butcher block in favor of quartz, and the reasons are practical rather than trendy. Quartz does not need sealing, resists the kind of staining that granite can suffer over decades, and holds up to the freeze-thaw humidity swings that Chicago basements and kitchens go through every year. Once a homeowner commits to quartz, though, the real decision starts: which white, and does the pattern justify the difference in cost. This piece walks through three specific slabs that keep showing up in Chicago renovation projects, why designers reach for them in different rooms, and what actually separates a flat white surface from one with real depth. None of this requires a design background to follow. It is mostly about paying attention to how a slab behaves under kitchen lighting, how busy the vending gets, and how it photographs versus how it looks in person. Why White Quartz Took Over Chicago Kitchens Ten years ago, granite dominated Chicago kitchen remodels almost by default. It was durable, it looked expensive, and every fabricator in the metro area carried a wide range of colors. Quartz has since taken over that position, and the shift happened faster than most contractors expected. Engineered stone gave homeowners a more predictable surface, since natural granite varies slab to slab while quartz is manufactured to a consistent pattern batch after batch. The other driver is light. Chicago winters are long and gray, and a lot of kitchens, especially in older two-flats and courtyard buildings, do not get much direct sun. A dark granite countertop in a dim kitchen can make the whole room feel smaller. White and light-toned quartz reflects what little natural light comes through the windows, and it makes a galley kitchen or a north-facing space feel noticeably brighter without touching the cabinetry or the layout. There is also a resale argument that local real estate agents bring up constantly. White quartz photographs well for listings, reads as updated and low-maintenance to buyers touring in person, and does not compete visually with whatever cabinet color the next owner might prefer. It is a safer bet than a bold veined marble look or a colored quartz that might feel dated in five years. Arctic White and the Cost Question Among the flatter, more uniform whites, arctic white quartz price comes up constantly in budget conversations because the slab sits at a more approachable point than the heavily veined Italian-marble-inspired patterns. It reads as clean and bright without the busy movement that some homeowners find overwhelming in a small kitchen. Fabricators in the Chicago area tend to keep it in stock precisely because demand stays steady across both new construction and remodel projects. Part of what keeps this slab affordable relative to its heavily patterned cousins comes down to manufacturing complexity. A quartz surface with minimal veining and a consistent white base is simpler to produce at scale than one that mimics the irregular, high-contrast movement of natural Calacatta marble. That production difference shows up directly in what a homeowner pays per square foot, and it is worth asking a fabricator to walk through that pricing before assuming every white quartz costs the same. Homeowners planning a full kitchen, including an island, backsplash, and perimeter counters, often use a flatter white like this specifically because it lets other elements carry the visual interest. A patterned tile backsplash or a bold cabinet color reads more clearly against a calm countertop than against one already fighting for attention with heavy veining. Designers frequently pair simpler whites with statement lighting fixtures for exactly this reason. What Makes Calacatta Patterns Different Calacatta refers to a family of marble originally quarried in Italy, known for a bright white background broken up by bold, often gold-toned veining that moves in thick, dramatic streaks rather than thin gray lines. Natural Calacatta marble is soft, porous, and expensive to maintain, which is exactly why quartz manufacturers spent years developing engineered versions that replicate the look without the upkeep headaches. The challenge with any Calacatta-style quartz is getting the veining to look organic instead of printed. Early generations of engineered stone struggled with repetitive patterns that gave away the fact the slab was manufactured rather than cut from actual marble. Modern digital printing and layering techniques have closed that gap considerably, and the better Calacatta-inspired quartz lines now vary the veining across each slab batch so two counters in the same kitchen do not look identical. Chicago designers gravitate toward Calacatta patterns for kitchens that function as the visual centerpiece of an open floor plan, which describes a large share of the gut renovations happening in neighborhoods like Lincoln Park, Roscoe Village, and the North Shore suburbs. When the kitchen island is visible from the living room and dining area, a dramatic veined surface becomes part of the home's overall design language rather than a purely functional work surface. Calacatta Arno Under Kitchen Lighting One of the more popular options in this category, calacatta arno quartz, balances a warm white base with soft gray and gold veining that avoids looking too stark under the cooler LED lighting common in newer Chicago builds. Homeowners touring showrooms sometimes make the mistake of judging a slab entirely under warm incandescent lighting, then get surprised when the same surface looks slightly different once installed under their kitchen's actual fixtures. What separates this particular pattern from flatter competitors is how the veining clusters rather than spreading evenly across the slab. That clustering mimics the way real quarried marble forms, with denser mineral deposits in some sections and cleaner stretches in others. Fabricators cutting a large island slab from a single piece will often orient the pattern intentionally so the busiest veining lands somewhere visually interesting rather than getting cut off at an edge. Because the background reads warmer than a stark white, this pattern tends to pair well with brass or matte gold hardware, a combination that has been showing up repeatedly in Chicago kitchen remodels over the past few renovation seasons. Cabinet painters report a similar trend, with more clients requesting warm white or greige cabinet colors specifically because they complement this kind of veined quartz better than a cooler, blue-toned white would. Silestone's Version of the Calacatta Look Manufacturers compete directly in this Calacatta-inspired category, and silestone eternal calacatta gold represents one brand's specific take on the pattern, distinguished by richer gold veining set against a brighter white base than some competing slabs in the same family. Silestone has built a reputation around anti-bacterial surface treatments in addition to the standard quartz durability, a detail some homeowners specifically ask about for kitchens used heavily by families with young children. The veining in this particular slab tends to run in longer, more continuous lines compared to the clustered pattern found in some other Calacatta-style options, which gives large island surfaces a sense of visual flow from one end to the other. Fabricators working with bigger islands, the kind increasingly common in open-concept Chicago remodels, often favor patterns like this because there is less need to worry about seams interrupting a busy, disconnected pattern. Price positioning for this slab tends to sit toward the upper end of the engineered quartz category, reflecting both the brand's manufacturing process and the complexity of replicating that continuous gold veining consistently across production batches. Homeowners weighing this option against other Calacatta-style quartz should ask their fabricator directly about batch availability, since premium patterns sometimes have longer lead times than standard stock colors. Living With Quartz Day to Day Beyond how a slab looks in a showroom or a listing photo, the daily experience of owning quartz countertops matters more once the renovation dust settles. Quartz resists scratching far better than laminate and holds up to the acidic spills, hot pans, and general abuse of an active kitchen without the sealing maintenance that natural stone requires every year or two. That low-maintenance reputation is a large part of why quartz overtook granite in the first place. Heat resistance is a detail that gets less attention than it should. While quartz handles moderate heat well, manufacturers generally recommend using a trivet or pad for very hot pots straight off the stove, since sudden temperature shock can occasionally cause stress marks in the resin binder that holds the engineered stone together. This is a minor precaution rather than a major limitation, but it is worth mentioning to anyone assuming quartz is entirely indestructible. Cleaning routines stay simple across almost every pattern in this category. A damp cloth and mild soap handle daily messes, and the nonporous surface means wine, coffee, and tomato-based sauces do not soak in the way they can with unsealed granite or marble. Homeowners moving from an older stone counter often mention how much less they worry about everyday spills once quartz is installed, which is a quality-of-life change that rarely makes it into the initial design conversation. Choosing Between the Three There is no single correct answer among these three slabs, and that is exactly why they keep coming up together in the same design conversations across Chicago renovation projects. A flatter white with minimal veining suits kitchens where other elements need to carry the visual interest, while a bolder Calacatta-inspired pattern makes sense when the countertop itself is meant to be the centerpiece of an open floor plan. Budget matters too, and it is worth having a direct conversation with a fabricator about where each option lands before falling in love with a specific slab in a showroom. Lighting, cabinet color, and how the kitchen connects to the rest of the home all play into which pattern will actually look right once installation is finished rather than just in a photo. Whatever direction a homeowner leans, seeing a full slab in person under actual kitchen lighting remains the single most useful step before signing off. Photos only go so far once the countertop is sitting in the room it will live in for years.