Search results for "Determine final" in Home Design Ideas

Inspired by the owners' travels in the Mediterranean region yet rooted firmly in Texas soil, this single family residence is designed to provide a secluded, comfortable environment for observing nature, relaxing, entertaining, living, and working. The oddly shaped site determined a house that is removed from the street, resulting in a long drive through a wooded area that leads to the gently sloping house site. The house is designed around a large, central public living area. The basic "H" shaped plan reaches out to define the entry court as well as the rear yard area. The building can only be seen in small vignettes as one moves around and through it, and is finally understood from inside the main room. The public space is central to the plan, where rooms overlay and flow through and into one another. Private rooms are tucked away in more remote parts of the site. The guest bedrooms are located at a slightly lower level, and a remote study, reached by a ship's ladder, overlooks the main living area and enjoys its own roof terrace. The central part of the house is designed as a solid, strong, "original" building to which other wings are added as if built over time. The client desired that the house appear to be of no discernible style or period, and seem older rather than newer.
Built By: Dalgleish Construction Co.
Photography By: Paul Bardagjy

The Owners of this luxurious waterfront estate acquired this property after the previous owners defaulted on their loan and stopped construction. We were initially engaged to inspect and assess the structural integrity of the building shell and work with a geo-technical engineer to evaluate the condition of the site’s soil. Tests determined that the site’s previous use as a sawmill and Native American fishing ground rendered the soil unfit for construction activity. In response to the lack of soil bearing capacity, our solution employs expansive footings supported by hundreds of piles throughout the entire project site.
After completing our inspection of the structure, we were engaged to completely redesigned this home to accommodate our clients’ growing family and extensive art collection. Stylistically, this highly detailed structure borrows from the grand bungalows of the Greene brothers in Pasadena, California while employing sophisticated climate, lighting, AV and security systems. To ensure our clients’ art collection was properly displayed and protected, we worked with specialists from the Seattle Art Museum to develop appropriate lighting and climate control systems. Finally, we engaged the best craftsman we know – general contractor, interior designer, landscape architect, cabinet maker, blacksmith, custom woodworker and stone mason – to execute what ultimately became our clients’ very personal and unique statement for their home.

The family of a local firefighter purchased a raw 15.7 acre ranch in the woody, rolling hills of Thousand Oaks to build their 4ksf, 1-story home with a view of the valley to the NE beyond. The husband and wife team, with an abundance of energy and fortitude, tackled every hurdle with optimistic determination and persistence, including the myriad of agency regulations, construction supervision, and material selections & purchases.
They came to ENRarchitects with a developed seed of an idea and a manila file full of handmade sketches. Together we continuously refined the ideas and produced the final design, documents and engineering to obtain timely permits and competitive bids from subcontractors and suppliers. The owner’s diligence in research and negotiation paid off significantly in a completed budget that was less than half the typical general contracting rate.
The welcoming home, features 4 bedrooms, 3-1/4 baths, kitchen, laundry & pantry, living, dining & family rooms, office, and a 3-car garage with a stall for the speedboat. With the latest in high-density insulation, foil-backed roof sheathing, energy efficient windows, the energy usage is very low, especially considering a whole house fan keeps the usage of the A/C system to a minimum, and a pellet-burning iron stove supplements the furnace.
The result is a beautiful oasis, perched in the hills, with ever-changing views in every direction.
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Our goal is to make your kitchen remodel as comfortable as possible. After establishing rapport with our client, we used our ingenuity to redesign and build their ideal kitchen in this stunning 10-foot-ceiling Brooklyn home. The warm tones of wood, quartz, and rich greens strike the ideal balance in creating this appealing design.
How did we achieve this look?
The Backsplash
Our client wanted a simple kitchen remodel in the shaker design, but she also wanted to include green. Initially, we proposed green cabinets to create a bold green look in the kitchen. The main objective was to incorporate our complimenting colors while keeping a feeling of lightness. After going through a number of ideas and 3D prototypes, installing as many cabinets as we could without overpowering the kitchen was our goal of optimizing space. We determined that the best way to brighten the space would be to install white shaker cabinets in addition to higher lumen recessed LED lighting. We decided that finding exquisite green backsplash tiles would be the best way to give it the desired green pop. After numerous searches, we came across a company called Mercury Mosaics.
While there were many green backsplash tiles to choose from, we opted for the mercury mosaics bluegrass diamond tiles. We loved these tiles because its created an illusion of cubes but at times, diamonds. The pattern is an art of illusion and its really gave us the personality we were looking for.
The Flooring of Choice
The flooring of choice was made by our client. We wanted the floors to feel soft and natural while capturing every bit of warmth to balance the whites and the greens and bring them together. While we could’ve opted for wood look tiles or luxury vinyl plank flooring, we ended up going with a premium slightly distressed white oak engineered hardwood flooring from Floor and Decor.
Accents
Although the flooring and the backsplash brought most of the kitchen together, we were still missing the cherry on top. The hardware and maybe something else?
We decided on thin profiled brushed brass hardware to give us that luxurious feel we were looking for every time we opened the cabinet. The cherry on top for us were the hand made quarter round oak shelves which really tied in the floors and cabinets together and gave us that final pop we were looking for. It truly added the perfect character for our client who is also a teen-fiction author of multiple books.

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.

The garden beds are the icing on your cake. With such a huge variety of plant palettes available, consultation is vital. We specialise in drought tolerant plants and gardens which may range from thicker bushier species to more localised succulents and cactus based palettes. Allow our irrigation specialists to determine what, if any, systems may be required before we then design the planting and mulching accordingly. With increasing water costs and state water restrictions this final stage of the design / build is critical.

It’s always a great surprise to find old tiled flooring hidden underneath carpet or linoleum which appears especially common with 19th century properties where it’s not unusual for the owners to uncover fantastically patterned, original Victorian tiled floors and, naturally, they want to restore them to their former glory. If you have a property of this type you might want to look under the carpets.
The majority of the time, however, these tiles have been covered up for decades, allowing for thick layers of muck to build-up and are invariably damaged carpet grippers, surface glue and adhesive tape.
This was pretty much the case with this customer who lives in the town of Warminster and was keen to have her own newly discovered Victorian hallway brought back to life, and called me down to see what could be done. Upon arrival at the property, I determined that the tiles would definitely require a very deep clean, including the remove of numerous glue stains, followed by the application of a new seal.
Before I could begin the deep cleaning process, I needed to remove the carpet grippers and surface glue, attempting to remove as much as possible by hand using a scraper.
For the particularly stubborn areas, I applied Tile Doctor Remove & Go, a powerful stripper specially designed to break down adhesives and solvents, and left it to dwell for 20 minutes to eat through the glue deposits. I then attached a black pad to a rotary machine and scrubbed the area thoroughly to clean the affected areas, before removing the resulting slurry using a wet vacuum and rinsed with clean water.
Once I was satisfied that all of the glue had been removed, I proceeded to soak the floor using a solution of the high alkaline cleaner known as Tile Doctor Pro Clean. This is a versatile product that can be used on a wide range of natural stone floors to deal with heavy soil build-up.
I left the Pro-Clean to dwell for ten minutes, and then scrubbed it into the tiles to remove the ingrained dirt and also to break down any old and ineffectual seals. The floor was then once again rinsed thoroughly with clean water which was then extracted using a wet vacuum before being left to dry for a couple of days.
Upon our return to the property I immediately tested the floor for damp using a damp meter. This is an extremely important test to carry out before sealing any kind of tiled flooring, due to the fact that excess moisture left over from cleaning can cloud the sealer and damage its ability to protect against dirt and stains.
Thankfully, the damp test revealed no excess moisture, and I was able to proceed with sealing the tiles. My choice of sealer was Tile Doctor Seal and Go, a water-based topical sealer that simultaneously provides both a stain resistant surface seal and a durable and aesthetically pleasing low sheen finish, also being water based it doesn’t give off a smell as it dries.
This is a very cost effective product that is highly suitable for use on Victorian and Quarry tiles, I applied five costs to achieve the desired finish.
The customer was very pleased with the final results. It’s always satisfying to restore original Victorian tiled floors to looking their best once again – and this one was no exception.
Stuart Ford
Wiltshire Tile Doctor

Jackie and Sean loved the Algonquin neighborhood they lived in with the peaceful neighborhood and the close proximity to work and school. What they didn’t love was how outdated their home had become. With a cramped kitchen and an unused dining room, they decided a remodel was the perfect solution to their problem. They would be able to continue to live in the area they loved, while at the same time they could have the dream home they envisioned.
After a thorough search, Jackie came across Advance Design Studio. She was impressed by all of the positive reviews she saw on the internet and saw herself identifying with all of the project stories she saw on the website. Once they met with designer Scott Christensen and owner Todd Jurs, they knew Advance Design was the right company to make their dreams a reality.
The project consisted of four main areas: the kitchen/dining/powder room, the laundry room, the master bathroom, and the kid’s bathroom. They wanted to expand the kitchen into the seldom used dining room and add a large island for hosting parties and family gatherings. They also wanted new hardwood flooring throughout the first level. The laundry room needed to be more functional, and all three bathrooms were in dire need of updating.
The closed off kitchen was opened up to create a sweeping space between the new eating area and the much larger kitchen. A handsome dry bar complete with a beverage refrigerator and lighted glass door cabinetry makes an elegant transition across from a peninsula area filled with storage. An additional decorative cabinet lighting up elegant dishware through the mullioned glass sits directly across from the drybar.
An expansive island was critical to the kitchen plans. Jackie, Sean and Scott worked closely together to create just the right details for their design. They wanted the island to be functional in addition to being the centerpiece of the room. Added storage for the kid’s school supplies was hidden behind cabinet doors so the children could do their schoolwork right at the island, and a microwave drawer glides open with the touch of a finger hidden inconspicuously within the island space. The easy to care for Cambria Britannica Quartz island top with its sweeping grey and white marble look perched atop hand-carved Craftsman corbels was absolutely what they were hoping for, blending both beauty and function perfectly.
Adding a nice contrast to the brightness of the quartz and the white cabinetry, Kodiak - Leather granite countertops were used to balance the light and dark tones of the space. Dura Supreme Classic White painted cabinets grace the perimeter, while Maple Poppy Seed stained cabinets with a beautiful soft grey woodgrain were used in the beverage center and island. The two tones compliment the large space balancing it out nicely creating interest and elegance with the simple Craftsman style full overlay doors.
A deep warm Barnwood White Oak flooring was added throughout the lower level. The new floor brings additional contrast to the bright kitchen and provides unity with the now open floorplan as it rolls in to the foyer and family room. Final details like the show-stopping lunar like duo light fixtures complete the space and intermix expertly with crisscross details of the glass door mullions, the island bar seating and even accessories in the space.
The small cluttered laundry room needed more space and more storage. With a busy family it seemed to overflow daily and did not have anywhere to hide the families “in and out stuff.” Scott designed the new space with a stackable washer and dryer and much more efficiently organized cabinetry. Doing laundry is now (almost!) a pleasure and keeping everyone’s “stuff” hidden, but readily accessible is now a snap.
The master bath was not a place where the couple enjoyed spending time getting ready for their day. The tub almost never was used, so removing it made it possible to build an extra-large shower, replacing the small cramped cube of the previous shower they hated. Clean, horizontal lines softly draw your eye around the space with porcelain tile called Driftwood Sea spray. Full overlay cabinetry in a soft white vanity with double sinks makes getting ready for the day much more convenient for the busy couple.
Long floor planks made of porcelain tile mimic real hardwood floors in a soft grey to compliment the shower, but with the ease and care of a tile surface. Cambrian Black Granite counters with a matte finish and under mount porcelain sinks with handsome brushed chrome hardware complete the handsome space. A real bonus in any master bath; a custom built in storage nook was tucked in the corner of the space for linens and heavenly storage.
The kid’s bath was in sad shape because it was original to the house. To keep the budget in control, the tub which was in great condition was retained, but focus was on the new large brick style porcelain charcoal tile on the floor, crisp white new Craftsman style cabinetry with pretty furniture details on the corner base, a striking granite top with white under mount porcelain sinks and fresh hardware and faucets. Some beautiful soft grey wood mirrors to match mom and dads were custom sized and placed under new lighting, and 4 hooks were smartly arranged down the wall for kids’ towels.
This couple was determined not to move, and made their house their dream home. Not only does their home function greatly now, but Jackie says, “When the neighbors come to visit, they’re asking if they can “steal” the design”! The added functionality, elegance, and open floor plan were exactly what this family needed in order to stay.
Advance Design Studio, Joe Nowak

Our goal is to make your kitchen remodel as comfortable as possible. After establishing rapport with our client, we used our ingenuity to redesign and build their ideal kitchen in this stunning 10-foot-ceiling Brooklyn home. The warm tones of wood, quartz, and rich greens strike the ideal balance in creating this appealing design.
How did we achieve this look?
The Backsplash
Our client wanted a simple kitchen remodel in the shaker design, but she also wanted to include green. Initially, we proposed green cabinets to create a bold green look in the kitchen. The main objective was to incorporate our complimenting colors while keeping a feeling of lightness. After going through a number of ideas and 3D prototypes, installing as many cabinets as we could without overpowering the kitchen was our goal of optimizing space. We determined that the best way to brighten the space would be to install white shaker cabinets in addition to higher lumen recessed LED lighting. We decided that finding exquisite green backsplash tiles would be the best way to give it the desired green pop. After numerous searches, we came across a company called Mercury Mosaics.
While there were many green backsplash tiles to choose from, we opted for the mercury mosaics bluegrass diamond tiles. We loved these tiles because its created an illusion of cubes but at times, diamonds. The pattern is an art of illusion and its really gave us the personality we were looking for.
The Flooring of Choice
The flooring of choice was made by our client. We wanted the floors to feel soft and natural while capturing every bit of warmth to balance the whites and the greens and bring them together. While we could’ve opted for wood look tiles or luxury vinyl plank flooring, we ended up going with a premium slightly distressed white oak engineered hardwood flooring from Floor and Decor.
Accents
Although the flooring and the backsplash brought most of the kitchen together, we were still missing the cherry on top. The hardware and maybe something else?
We decided on thin profiled brushed brass hardware to give us that luxurious feel we were looking for every time we opened the cabinet. The cherry on top for us were the hand made quarter round oak shelves which really tied in the floors and cabinets together and gave us that final pop we were looking for. It truly added the perfect character for our client who is also a teen-fiction author of multiple books.

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.

Our goal is to make your kitchen remodel as comfortable as possible. After establishing rapport with our client, we used our ingenuity to redesign and build their ideal kitchen in this stunning 10-foot-ceiling Brooklyn home. The warm tones of wood, quartz, and rich greens strike the ideal balance in creating this appealing design.
How did we achieve this look?
The Backsplash
Our client wanted a simple kitchen remodel in the shaker design, but she also wanted to include green. Initially, we proposed green cabinets to create a bold green look in the kitchen. The main objective was to incorporate our complimenting colors while keeping a feeling of lightness. After going through a number of ideas and 3D prototypes, installing as many cabinets as we could without overpowering the kitchen was our goal of optimizing space. We determined that the best way to brighten the space would be to install white shaker cabinets in addition to higher lumen recessed LED lighting. We decided that finding exquisite green backsplash tiles would be the best way to give it the desired green pop. After numerous searches, we came across a company called Mercury Mosaics.
While there were many green backsplash tiles to choose from, we opted for the mercury mosaics bluegrass diamond tiles. We loved these tiles because its created an illusion of cubes but at times, diamonds. The pattern is an art of illusion and its really gave us the personality we were looking for.
The Flooring of Choice
The flooring of choice was made by our client. We wanted the floors to feel soft and natural while capturing every bit of warmth to balance the whites and the greens and bring them together. While we could’ve opted for wood look tiles or luxury vinyl plank flooring, we ended up going with a premium slightly distressed white oak engineered hardwood flooring from Floor and Decor.
Accents
Although the flooring and the backsplash brought most of the kitchen together, we were still missing the cherry on top. The hardware and maybe something else?
We decided on thin profiled brushed brass hardware to give us that luxurious feel we were looking for every time we opened the cabinet. The cherry on top for us were the hand made quarter round oak shelves which really tied in the floors and cabinets together and gave us that final pop we were looking for. It truly added the perfect character for our client who is also a teen-fiction author of multiple books.

Innovative Renovation Services handles kitchen remodel Orange County projects from demolition through final finishing, so each stage of the work is ready for the next. We focus on the construction and installation quality that determines whether a renovated kitchen holds up or starts showing problems within a year.

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.

The family of a local firefighter purchased a raw 15.7 acre ranch in the woody, rolling hills of Thousand Oaks to build their 4ksf, 1-story home with a view of the valley to the NE beyond. The husband and wife team, with an abundance of energy and fortitude, tackled every hurdle with optimistic determination and persistence, including the myriad of agency regulations, construction supervision, and material selections & purchases.
They came to ENRarchitects with a developed seed of an idea and a manila file full of handmade sketches. Together we continuously refined the ideas and produced the final design, documents and engineering to obtain timely permits and competitive bids from subcontractors and suppliers. The owner’s diligence in research and negotiation paid off significantly in a completed budget that was less than half the typical general contracting rate.
The welcoming home, features 4 bedrooms, 3-1/4 baths, kitchen, laundry & pantry, living, dining & family rooms, office, and a 3-car garage with a stall for the speedboat. With the latest in high-density insulation, foil-backed roof sheathing, energy efficient windows, the energy usage is very low, especially considering a whole house fan keeps the usage of the A/C system to a minimum, and a pellet-burning iron stove supplements the furnace.
The result is a beautiful oasis, perched in the hills, with ever-changing views in every direction.

Our goal is to make your kitchen remodel as comfortable as possible. After establishing rapport with our client, we used our ingenuity to redesign and build their ideal kitchen in this stunning 10-foot-ceiling Brooklyn home. The warm tones of wood, quartz, and rich greens strike the ideal balance in creating this appealing design.
How did we achieve this look?
The Backsplash
Our client wanted a simple kitchen remodel in the shaker design, but she also wanted to include green. Initially, we proposed green cabinets to create a bold green look in the kitchen. The main objective was to incorporate our complimenting colors while keeping a feeling of lightness. After going through a number of ideas and 3D prototypes, installing as many cabinets as we could without overpowering the kitchen was our goal of optimizing space. We determined that the best way to brighten the space would be to install white shaker cabinets in addition to higher lumen recessed LED lighting. We decided that finding exquisite green backsplash tiles would be the best way to give it the desired green pop. After numerous searches, we came across a company called Mercury Mosaics.
While there were many green backsplash tiles to choose from, we opted for the mercury mosaics bluegrass diamond tiles. We loved these tiles because its created an illusion of cubes but at times, diamonds. The pattern is an art of illusion and its really gave us the personality we were looking for.
The Flooring of Choice
The flooring of choice was made by our client. We wanted the floors to feel soft and natural while capturing every bit of warmth to balance the whites and the greens and bring them together. While we could’ve opted for wood look tiles or luxury vinyl plank flooring, we ended up going with a premium slightly distressed white oak engineered hardwood flooring from Floor and Decor.
Accents
Although the flooring and the backsplash brought most of the kitchen together, we were still missing the cherry on top. The hardware and maybe something else?
We decided on thin profiled brushed brass hardware to give us that luxurious feel we were looking for every time we opened the cabinet. The cherry on top for us were the hand made quarter round oak shelves which really tied in the floors and cabinets together and gave us that final pop we were looking for. It truly added the perfect character for our client who is also a teen-fiction author of multiple books.

This client came to us wanting to enhance their existing space by using some creative finishes for walls. They hoped to make the home feel more urban, rustic and modern as opposed to the traditional architectural style of the structure but did not know how to accomplish this transition. Upon our arrival it was noted that all walls had been painted white which was determined too harsh and did not achieve the modern feel the homeowner had hoped to evoke. The space was softened by using a subtle and fresh color palette with one accent color for impact. Teal was the color selected to create a continuous thread of pop in varying degrees in each room which included the Entry Hall, Dining Room and Living Room. Touches of black were injected into each space due to the client’s previous purchases of a drum fixture for the living room and black dining table; both gave direction on scale and style.
The Entry Hall was made powerfully impactful as someone enters the home by taking its cue from the abstract art selected for the Dining Room. A faux concrete wall was created with the use of artistically combined colors. In the Dining Room, the use of classic chairs are successfully made modern by upholstering in teal leather which added both continuity and unexpected interest next to the velvet Greek Key pattern found on host chairs. In the Living Room custom upholstered sofa and chairs are grounded by a rug that brings all colors together. A unique copper rivet finish was applied in the niches that flank the fireplace as a contrast to whimsical amber crystal mini chandeliers hung over modern consoles that display simple yet exciting teal bowls. The final furnishings, art and accessories ultimately brought the entire home together in a rustic, modern way that is warm and inviting reflecting the unique personality of the people who live there.

Renovation of the screened porch into a three-season room required Sweeney to perform structural modifications, including determining wind shear calculations and working with a structural engineer to provide the necessary calculations and drawings to modify the walls, roof, and floor joists. Finally, we removed the screens on all three exterior walls and replaced them with new floor-to-ceiling Scenix tempered glass porch windows with retractable screens.

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.

The family of a local firefighter purchased a raw 15.7 acre ranch in the woody, rolling hills of Thousand Oaks to build their 4ksf, 1-story home with a view of the valley to the NE beyond. The husband and wife team, with an abundance of energy and fortitude, tackled every hurdle with optimistic determination and persistence, including the myriad of agency regulations, construction supervision, and material selections & purchases.
They came to ENRarchitects with a developed seed of an idea and a manila file full of handmade sketches. Together we continuously refined the ideas and produced the final design, documents and engineering to obtain timely permits and competitive bids from subcontractors and suppliers. The owner’s diligence in research and negotiation paid off significantly in a completed budget that was less than half the typical general contracting rate.
The welcoming home, features 4 bedrooms, 3-1/4 baths, kitchen, laundry & pantry, living, dining & family rooms, office, and a 3-car garage with a stall for the speedboat. With the latest in high-density insulation, foil-backed roof sheathing, energy efficient windows, the energy usage is very low, especially considering a whole house fan keeps the usage of the A/C system to a minimum, and a pellet-burning iron stove supplements the furnace.
The result is a beautiful oasis, perched in the hills, with ever-changing views in every direction.

A few years ago, the owners added two stories with finished basement to their Edina home. It was a big project that greatly expanded and enhanced the first-floor kitchen, dining room and living room. The project also added a second-floor bedroom/home office.
Their home has another two bedrooms and ¾ bath on the first floor, plus a beautiful master bedroom and ¾ bath on the second floor which they’ve been using for years.
Looking into the future they began to consider aging in place: What living on one floor might look like. They determined that the only thing that needed attention was the first-floor bath – it was pretty dated. So, they built their dream bath. They began with tearing everything out, right down to the studs.
The new 5’ X 9’ ¾ bath includes a 5’ X 3’ walk-in glass enclosed shower, with a twist. The shower control has been moved from the typical location (just below the shower head) to the opposite wall, just inside the shower door. This allows one to turn on the shower and wait for it to get hot without having to step into the shower and then just stand there and get wet with cold water. A small detail that has proven to be a good idea.
The shower floor is made using 3/4" x 3/4" Penny round matte Porcelain mosaic tile set in charcoal grout. The back shower wall and the remaining bathroom floor is constructed with Aster 9" x 10" hexagon glazed Porcelain patterned wall & floor tile. Hexagonal tile adds an unusual feature that establishes a unique, interesting, repeated design.
The main bath’s walls feature white matt finish 6" x 18" ceramic Subway Wall tile in white grout.
A TOTO center flushing toilet looks great on the dark hexagonal floor tile.
The custom vanity features a walnut base with white Silestone top and undermounted Kohler sink with brushed nickel fixtures.
Another interesting feature are two 3” X 6” X 18” floating Walnut shelves – just the right touch to add character to the bath without taking up too much space.
Finally, the dimmable can lighting is enhanced with two black cylinder slotted pendant lights on either side of the vanity.
This project fulfills the promise of down-the-road one floor living with an efficient, comfortable ¾ bath.
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