Megan Alderson from Reico Kitchen and Bath in Salem, VA, designed a modern kitchen and powder room featuring Ultracraft cabinetry. The kitchen includes Ultracraft cabinets in the Adriatic door style with a Shark finish, paired with Cambria Portrush quartz countertops and a full-height backsplash. The powder room features the same door style in an Edgewater High Gloss finish. Megan shared, “We reworked the layout to improve workflow by removing an island, relocating the range, and moving the refrigerator. The selections were beautiful and perfect for a lake house! They wanted a focal point on the back of the peninsula, so we used molding to create an architectural detail. Ultracraft didn’t offer this type of panel, so we got creative to achieve a reeded panel look. The clients had a clear vision, and we worked together to bring it to life. It was a labor-intensive process, but the result was worth it!” Photos courtesy of Bob Sowder of The Sowder Group.

The existing kitchen was VERY traditional which did not suite the new homeowners taste and more so their functional needs. They LOVE to cook and have all the kitchen tools to create anything from Italian dishes, Asian cuisine to the finest pastries. They needed space to store all of their cooking utensils and their current kitchen just didn’t offer that. The kitchen was confined and adding additional square footage was not possible, therefore our biggest challenge was to fit all their storage and appliance needs into the existing space. Cabinets: Dura Supreme, Camden Cherry, Cashew and Lauren HDF painted Linen White. Counters: Solid Surfaces Unlimited Wisteria and Caribou Walnut. Hardware: Atlas Logan Fixtures: The Galley sink, Miele, GE Café, Sharp, Zephyre, Cove. Flooring: CoreTec Herringbone Rome Oak Mesh: The Golden Lion Tile: Happy Floors Exotic Stone Lagoon Lighting: Hudson Valley Lighting Photographer: Martin Vecchio Photography

The existing kitchen was VERY traditional which did not suite the new homeowners taste and more so their functional needs. They LOVE to cook and have all the kitchen tools to create anything from Italian dishes, Asian cuisine to the finest pastries. They needed space to store all of their cooking utensils and their current kitchen just didn’t offer that. The kitchen was confined and adding additional square footage was not possible, therefore our biggest challenge was to fit all their storage and appliance needs into the existing space. Cabinets: Dura Supreme, Camden Cherry, Cashew and Lauren HDF painted Linen White. Counters: Solid Surfaces Unlimited Wisteria and Caribou Walnut. Hardware: Atlas Logan Fixtures: The Galley sink, Miele, GE Café, Sharp, Zephyre, Cove. Flooring: CoreTec Herringbone Rome Oak Mesh: The Golden Lion Tile: Happy Floors Exotic Stone Lagoon Lighting: Hudson Valley Lighting Photographer: Martin Vecchio Photography

A large, sunken tub used to be in this spot. It crowded the toilet too much and didn't offer the option of a shower. We removed the tub, reframed to the floors to accept the shower, and installed the tile and quartz shower. The mosaic on the shower floor matches the large format floor tiles and the vanity countertop is repeated in the shower on the wall cap, curb, and ledge top. Chris Malacarne Photography

Jill’s primary bathroom needed more than just a facelift. The finishes felt outdated, storage space was lacking, and the layout didn’t offer a relaxing retreat. She wanted a design that was functional every day but also felt fresh and inviting. The old shower was removed down to the studs to create a brand-new custom design. Updated plumbing, waterproofing, and framing prepared the space for a much more durable and attractive setup. Walls were tiled with Bianco Lasa Matte in a vertical straight stack pattern, giving the shower clean lines and a spacious feel. A recessed niche was reframed to a larger size and finished with Blume Deco porcelain tile, creating an eye-catching accent. The shower floor was covered with Snow White recycled glass mosaic, paired with stainless Delta Trinsic fixtures for a cohesive look. A frameless glass enclosure with brushed nickel hardware opened up the room and completed the design. Old cabinetry was replaced with navy blue cabinets from Waypoint. A tall pantry cabinet in the center created more organization, while drawers and additional base cabinets maximized space. MSI Calacatta Alto quartz countertops were installed along with two undermount sinks for a clean, polished look. Delta Trinsic faucets tied in with the shower fixtures, keeping consistency throughout the bathroom. Kohler Essential framed mirrors and Kichler Crosby vanity lights centered over each sink improved balance and lighting. Satin nickel hardware from Elements completed the cabinetry, adding subtle shine against the bold cabinet finish. Carpet was replaced with Blume Deco tile, laid on a diagonal to add personality and connect with the shower niche. The water closet received the same tile, a new Miseno Bella dual-flush toilet, updated Delta accessories, and two new exhaust fans for better comfort.

The existing kitchen was VERY traditional which did not suite the new homeowners taste and more so their functional needs. They LOVE to cook and have all the kitchen tools to create anything from Italian dishes, Asian cuisine to the finest pastries. They needed space to store all of their cooking utensils and their current kitchen just didn’t offer that. The kitchen was confined and adding additional square footage was not possible, therefore our biggest challenge was to fit all their storage and appliance needs into the existing space. Cabinets: Dura Supreme, Camden Cherry, Cashew and Lauren HDF painted Linen White. Counters: Solid Surfaces Unlimited Wisteria and Caribou Walnut. Hardware: Atlas Logan Fixtures: The Galley sink, Miele, GE Café, Sharp, Zephyre, Cove. Flooring: CoreTec Herringbone Rome Oak Mesh: The Golden Lion Tile: Happy Floors Exotic Stone Lagoon Lighting: Hudson Valley Lighting Photographer: Martin Vecchio Photography

This beautiful North Vancouver home belongs to a nature-loving and health-conscious couple, Emma and Vince (names changed), their two young children, and their dog, Jasper. When they contacted us about renovating and furnishing their kitchen and family room, we walked in and saw a world of potential waiting to be uncovered. Before: Larkhall Crescent Home: Like many original North Vancouver homes, the interior was definitely dated. We encountered late ‘80s finishes in powder pink and teal green, old carpet, and a kitchen that wasn’t maximized to suit this family’s modern-day lifestyle. However, the size of the rooms offered us a ton of space with which to get creative. Knowing our clients’ love of cooking, need for work spaces (Emma and Vince both work remotely), and growing family, we developed a design concept that would increase usable space, optimize storage, and create intimacy in this large area. As for the style, we were inspired by their European roots, inventing a new and modern take on “Belgian Farmhouse” style. Now, the home is truly one-of-a-kind. After: Warm & Cozy Family Room: Fresh, bright, and comfortable, this living area has been transformed! We started with the fireplace as a focal point, selecting aged brick tiles for added texture and a crisp wood mantle. The taupe-coloured sectional infuses the room with visual warmth and serves the added purpose of separating the family room from the kitchen. Emma and Vince were also keen on using non-toxic materials in their home, and we were happy to oblige. To meet their needs, we sourced natural wood elements and sought out Canadian-made products - that adhere to high health standards - whenever possible. Look closer at the elements of this space, and you will find this stunning, honeycomb-patterned rug in earthy gold, beige, and charcoal tones. It’s plush to the touch and full of visual texture that brings this room’s colour palette together. We sourced these two-tone chairs with caning, petrified wood side table, black sconces, and botanical prints in greyscale from local artist, Heather Johnston. We topped off the space with this dark wood and rattan console that offers storage facing the kitchen and presents an opportunity to display cherished items. The result is a cozy lounging space brimming with comfort and functionality. It’s perfect for enjoying quality family time, or Emma can simply slide the coffee table away to make room for her morning yoga practice. Now, let’s turn around and give some attention to the kitchen. Do you remember what the original kitchen looked like? If not, scroll back up, because the transformation is shocking… Moody & Welcoming Kitchen for Healthy Living: This kitchen looks very different from how it started, right? Though we didn’t touch any walls, the kitchen has almost doubled in usable space! We created a long, extended island with storage, an outlet for small appliances, and seating for comfortable prep, after-school snacking, or mingling among friends. On the other side of the island, the family has even more storage and an integrated dishwasher within easy reach of the sink, perfect for quick clean-up. From this angle, you can also see the expansive custom Shaker cabinetry in white and the integrated double ovens. These facilitate their cooking experience and gave us the opportunity to add an additional surprise… A coffee garage station and more hidden storage! Keeping these items located along the perimeter allows them to be accessed by the family or their guests without someone getting under the cook’s feet. These are the little details that make everyday life easier and more enjoyable. Moving deeper into the kitchen, the seamless induction cooktop topped with a freestanding concealed hood fan commands attention in a soft yet prominent way. The natural wood accent mirrors the fireplace mantle, and the choice of off-black wood-grain cabinets not only continues our black-and-white colour palette but adds a sense of depth and contrast. The corner sink is located to the right and perfectly positioned with a view of their thriving backyard. To invite more of this family’s character into the space, we mixed metals for interest — matte black, dark pewter, and warm brass — and created open shelves in white oak for their plants and decor. You can also glimpse the tumbled edge of the backsplash tile, which echoes the rustic brick of the fireplace. It adds that farmhouse charm while still feeling timeless and sophisticated. Last but not least, we designed this dining banquette in the bay window (with integrated bench storage, of course), where the family can share a meal together, the kids can do homework, or Emma and Vince can work and enjoy a change of scenery from their offices. Like the other spaces in the home, it was designed to be beautiful, multi-functional, and long-lasting. Praise from Our Clients: It is clear that we love this home, but what did our clients have to say? “Lori is a visionary and masters execution to the finest detail all at the same time. When she first met us to know more about who we are and how we live, she could right away envision how we could use the space in our kitchen and living room…The results exceeded our expectations. Lori and her team were also a delight to work with — coordination with all the trades, fast problem-solving, regular updates, professional and friendly attitude of her entire team — made it the dream team. Thank you SHD for making our space so beautiful!” In turn, we are so grateful for this family’s trust, their open communication, and for being wonderful people with whom to work. (So, thank you!)

[Our Clients] We were so excited to help these new homeowners re-envision their split-level diamond in the rough. There was so much potential in those walls, and we couldn’t wait to delve in and start transforming spaces. Our primary goal was to re-imagine the main level of the home and create an open flow between the space. So, we started by converting the existing single car garage into their living room (complete with a new fireplace) and opening up the kitchen to the rest of the level. [Kitchen] The original kitchen had been on the small side and cut-off from the rest of the home, but after we removed the coat closet, this kitchen opened up beautifully. Our plan was to create an open and light filled kitchen with a design that translated well to the other spaces in this home, and a layout that offered plenty of space for multiple cooks. We utilized clean white cabinets around the perimeter of the kitchen and popped the island with a spunky shade of blue. To add a real element of fun, we jazzed it up with the colorful escher tile at the backsplash and brought in accents of brass in the hardware and light fixtures to tie it all together. Through out this home we brought in warm wood accents and the kitchen was no exception, with its custom floating shelves and graceful waterfall butcher block counter at the island. [Dining Room] The dining room had once been the home’s living room, but we had other plans in mind. With its dramatic vaulted ceiling and new custom steel railing, this room was just screaming for a dramatic light fixture and a large table to welcome one-and-all. [Living Room] We converted the original garage into a lovely little living room with a cozy fireplace. There is plenty of new storage in this space (that ties in with the kitchen finishes), but the real gem is the reading nook with two of the most comfortable armchairs you’ve ever sat in. [Master Suite] This home didn’t originally have a master suite, so we decided to convert one of the bedrooms and create a charming suite that you’d never want to leave. The master bathroom aesthetic quickly became all about the textures. With a sultry black hex on the floor and a dimensional geometric tile on the walls we set the stage for a calm space. The warm walnut vanity and touches of brass cozy up the space and relate with the feel of the rest of the home. We continued the warm wood touches into the master bedroom, but went for a rich accent wall that elevated the sophistication level and sets this space apart. [Hall Bathroom] The floor tile in this bathroom still makes our hearts skip a beat. We designed the rest of the space to be a clean and bright white, and really let the lovely blue of the floor tile pop. The walnut vanity cabinet (complete with hairpin legs) adds a lovely level of warmth to this bathroom, and the black and brass accents add the sophisticated touch we were looking for. [Office] We loved the original built-ins in this space, and knew they needed to always be a part of this house, but these 60-year-old beauties definitely needed a little help. We cleaned up the cabinets and brass hardware, switched out the formica counter for a new quartz top, and painted wall a cheery accent color to liven it up a bit. And voila! We have an office that is the envy of the neighborhood.

Timber frame homes offer unique challenges during a remodel. What often makes them beautiful and attractive to most homeowners, also makes them challenging for space requirements. Context: The lovely couple that owned this home were struggling with some interesting floor plan challenges that just didn't work for their family. The loved the beautiful timbers and woodwork of their home, but the dramatically sloping ceilings on the second floor, particularly in the bathroom, just didn't work for this 1 1/2 bath home. Needing to use the skylight to approach the toilet was a less then ideal scenario. Although the bathroom footprint was more then adequate, the sloped ceiling only made half of the space useable. Check out the Before/After post on our blog to see the photos of the house pre-renovation. As much as they loved all the wood features in their home, another challenge they had was light. The wood ceiling made everything inside the house darker, even with a fantastic array of south facing windows, there were spaces in the home that felt dark and small. When they contacted us they wanted to know how could they make their brighter and more inviting, were there solutions to the 2nd floor sloped ceiling issues, and if they were going to do all of this work, how could they make their home more comfortable and efficient. A nagging water leak in the upstairs bathroom spurred them into action and here is how we solved their dilemma. Conclusion: First, we added a little dormer to the rear of the house so we could get full headroom in nearly all of the upstairs bathroom! Then we decided to extend that dormer one more timber bay over to create a walk in closet with natural light and plenty of space. Since we were contemplating energy efficiency, we resolved a nagging issue that is present in a lot of timber frame construction, air tightness. Commonly found in timber frame construction, fiberglass insulation is installed in the rafter bays and board ceilings are installed over top. Unfortunately, board ceilings are anything but air tight, and fiberglass insulation needs to be in an airtight cavity for maximum effectiveness. So we were able to solve two issues at the same time for this homeowner. We removed the board ceiling and fiberglass insulation, we dense packed the rafter bays with cellulose insulation, and installed sheetrock in place of the boards. The boards were salvaged for re-use by the homeowner, and the space and light quality was dramatically improved. Some may think that losing the board ceiling took something away from the space, but what you'll see in the pictures is that it highly accentuates the heavy timbers and really makes them stand out in a beautiful way. Now with this added airtightness, better insulation, and brighter space, the homeowner hardly runs their wood stove, and it's so quiet in the space, an added bonus from changing the insulation. It became necessary to also add a sheetrock ceiling to the living room to hide the plumbing from the new bathroom layout above. Changing this ceiling gave the homeowner some real quality lighting that was lacking in the living room before. The brighter ceiling and new lighting layout completely transforms the living room into a space you want to hang out, even though the layout didn't change at all. When the homeowner saw the finished spaces she said "I can't believe this is my house, I want to live in this house" Energy Efficiency: I touched a little on the efficiency above, but like all projects done with Mottram Architecture, we always want to leave you with a little extra. Timber frame construction with board ceilings and fiberglass insulation are notoriously leaky! If you want to know what we think about fiberglass insulation, check our our blog post on Why Fiberglass Insulation Sucks. By installing cellulose insulation and covering it with sheetrock we were able to greatly reduce the heat flowing out of this home. It not only improves cashflow it improves the comfort level in the space. Who wants to sit in their living room and feel a draft? Let us remind you, we are not saying cellulose insulation is an air barrier, we use the sheetrock to help with that, but it does significantly reduce the air flow over fiberglass insulation. And when we reduce the airflow, we reduce the heat flow. And when we reduce the heat flow, we reduce the need to re-heat that drafty air from outside. When it comes to energy efficiency the first and best place to start is air infiltration. We greatly reduced the air infiltration with the new insulation, but we also added a hat and warm boots. What I mean by that is, we improved the insulation in the roof, and we installed insulation in the basement. Maybe it's a silly analogy, but when you think about keeping warm, we always start with the hat and boots! With sustainability in mind, the next project will be to add a deck to the front of this house with rain catchment barrels from the metal roof. They are planning to plant a garden in the spring and the rain catchment system will help to irrigate the new garden. Builder: East Shore Builders Photographer: Michael Eric Berube

A lovely rustic modern kitchen in cerused rift sawn oak cabinetry by Studio Dearborn. White Macauba quartzite countertops and backsplash by Marble America. Wolf 48” range. Refrigerator by Subzero. Dishwasher by Bosch. Garrison pendant lights by Arteriors. Schaub & Co. Italian Contemporary pulls 6” in Brushed brass finish. Photography c 2015 by Jeff McNamara.

Here’s a beautiful home we just finished in the golf community of Brunswick Forest in Leland. With it being newer, it didn’t need a whole lot of updating. But the previous owners were facing an imminent foreclosure and we were able to jump in to help them out with a quick cash closing!

Our client had some difficult request. She was a designer and prior to this being a garage it was a carport. She wanted to enclose it but keep the opening as wide as possible. She had many garage door companies out letting her know that she couldn't do what she was requesting. Her request was to not have a troller opener in the middle of the ceiling and we didn't have room for a side mount. We offered a Sommer opener that could be mounted sideways as seen in the photos. She also requested we make a window to match as close to elevation as possible and she wanted it installed in the breezeway connecting the garage to the home.

Inspiration for a huge transitional l-shaped dark wood floor, brown floor and vaulted ceiling open concept kitchen remodel in Boston with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and white countertops

Eye-Land: Named for the expansive white oak savanna views, this beautiful 5,200-square foot family home offers seamless indoor/outdoor living with five bedrooms and three baths, and space for two more bedrooms and a bathroom. The site posed unique design challenges. The home was ultimately nestled into the hillside, instead of placed on top of the hill, so that it didn’t dominate the dramatic landscape. The openness of the savanna exposes all sides of the house to the public, which required creative use of form and materials. The home’s one-and-a-half story form pays tribute to the site’s farming history. The simplicity of the gable roof puts a modern edge on a traditional form, and the exterior color palette is limited to black tones to strike a stunning contrast to the golden savanna. The main public spaces have oversized south-facing windows and easy access to an outdoor terrace with views overlooking a protected wetland. The connection to the land is further strengthened by strategically placed windows that allow for views from the kitchen to the driveway and auto court to see visitors approach and children play. There is a formal living room adjacent to the front entry for entertaining and a separate family room that opens to the kitchen for immediate family to gather before and after mealtime.

You can never have too much kitchen storage. Merillat® offers tons of kitchen and bathroom storage solutions. This Tall Swing Out Pantry option is great for additional pantry space in the kitchen. Large pantry shelves swing out of this cabinet, offering lots of storage space that's easily accessible and organized. #kitchenstorage #merillatcabinetry #pantrystorage #kitchendesign #coastalkitchen Door Style: Coleson from Merillat Masterpiece® Collection Finish: Lagoon Paint on Maple

This beautiful North Vancouver home belongs to a nature-loving and health-conscious couple, Emma and Vince (names changed), their two young children, and their dog, Jasper. When they contacted us about renovating and furnishing their kitchen and family room, we walked in and saw a world of potential waiting to be uncovered. Before: Larkhall Crescent Home: Like many original North Vancouver homes, the interior was definitely dated. We encountered late ‘80s finishes in powder pink and teal green, old carpet, and a kitchen that wasn’t maximized to suit this family’s modern-day lifestyle. However, the size of the rooms offered us a ton of space with which to get creative. Knowing our clients’ love of cooking, need for work spaces (Emma and Vince both work remotely), and growing family, we developed a design concept that would increase usable space, optimize storage, and create intimacy in this large area. As for the style, we were inspired by their European roots, inventing a new and modern take on “Belgian Farmhouse” style. Now, the home is truly one-of-a-kind. After: Warm & Cozy Family Room: Fresh, bright, and comfortable, this living area has been transformed! We started with the fireplace as a focal point, selecting aged brick tiles for added texture and a crisp wood mantle. The taupe-coloured sectional infuses the room with visual warmth and serves the added purpose of separating the family room from the kitchen. Emma and Vince were also keen on using non-toxic materials in their home, and we were happy to oblige. To meet their needs, we sourced natural wood elements and sought out Canadian-made products - that adhere to high health standards - whenever possible. Look closer at the elements of this space, and you will find this stunning, honeycomb-patterned rug in earthy gold, beige, and charcoal tones. It’s plush to the touch and full of visual texture that brings this room’s colour palette together. We sourced these two-tone chairs with caning, petrified wood side table, black sconces, and botanical prints in greyscale from local artist, Heather Johnston. We topped off the space with this dark wood and rattan console that offers storage facing the kitchen and presents an opportunity to display cherished items. The result is a cozy lounging space brimming with comfort and functionality. It’s perfect for enjoying quality family time, or Emma can simply slide the coffee table away to make room for her morning yoga practice. Now, let’s turn around and give some attention to the kitchen. Do you remember what the original kitchen looked like? If not, scroll back up, because the transformation is shocking… Moody & Welcoming Kitchen for Healthy Living: This kitchen looks very different from how it started, right? Though we didn’t touch any walls, the kitchen has almost doubled in usable space! We created a long, extended island with storage, an outlet for small appliances, and seating for comfortable prep, after-school snacking, or mingling among friends. On the other side of the island, the family has even more storage and an integrated dishwasher within easy reach of the sink, perfect for quick clean-up. From this angle, you can also see the expansive custom Shaker cabinetry in white and the integrated double ovens. These facilitate their cooking experience and gave us the opportunity to add an additional surprise… A coffee garage station and more hidden storage! Keeping these items located along the perimeter allows them to be accessed by the family or their guests without someone getting under the cook’s feet. These are the little details that make everyday life easier and more enjoyable. Moving deeper into the kitchen, the seamless induction cooktop topped with a freestanding concealed hood fan commands attention in a soft yet prominent way. The natural wood accent mirrors the fireplace mantle, and the choice of off-black wood-grain cabinets not only continues our black-and-white colour palette but adds a sense of depth and contrast. The corner sink is located to the right and perfectly positioned with a view of their thriving backyard. To invite more of this family’s character into the space, we mixed metals for interest — matte black, dark pewter, and warm brass — and created open shelves in white oak for their plants and decor. You can also glimpse the tumbled edge of the backsplash tile, which echoes the rustic brick of the fireplace. It adds that farmhouse charm while still feeling timeless and sophisticated. Last but not least, we designed this dining banquette in the bay window (with integrated bench storage, of course), where the family can share a meal together, the kids can do homework, or Emma and Vince can work and enjoy a change of scenery from their offices. Like the other spaces in the home, it was designed to be beautiful, multi-functional, and long-lasting. Praise from Our Clients: It is clear that we love this home, but what did our clients have to say? “Lori is a visionary and masters execution to the finest detail all at the same time. When she first met us to know more about who we are and how we live, she could right away envision how we could use the space in our kitchen and living room…The results exceeded our expectations. Lori and her team were also a delight to work with — coordination with all the trades, fast problem-solving, regular updates, professional and friendly attitude of her entire team — made it the dream team. Thank you SHD for making our space so beautiful!” In turn, we are so grateful for this family’s trust, their open communication, and for being wonderful people with whom to work. (So, thank you!)

Laundry rooms and mudrooms can be a headache for many homeowners. They are usually cramped with poor functionality and little storage space. Joe and Kristin suffered all those aches and more, as their laundry room lacked clothing storage. Shoes were crammed in every corner. There was nowhere to fold clothes without taking them to the kitchen. They were ready for a complete laundry room remodel project. Joe and Kristin interviewed several local remodeling companies but didn’t connect with anyone who could understand their vision. During the summer, when they were attending their son’s race venue, they noticed fellow kart racers Todd and Christine Jurs’ sponsor banner for their remodeling company, Advance Design Studio. Immediately they were thrilled that they knew someone they trusted who could handle the renovation. “We wanted someone that we actually knew, who has a little bit more invested than an outside person that we don’t have any ties to,” Kristin said. Project Designer Nicole Ryan came to their home in Warrenville for the initial consultation. Kristin, an avid HGTV viewer, brought her ideas to Nicole. Throughout the design process, they worked together designing the space, selecting materials, and choosing colors. Nicole made sure to incorporate Kristin’s must-haves into the finished laundry room remodel. “It was really easy. Nicole made the transition very easy,” Kristin said of Nicole’s work in the design phase of the project. With the materials selected and the drawings finalized, it was time to begin construction. Kristin and Joe were impressed with how quickly and cleanly this phase went. “Everyone that came in was very respectful, very neat, and that was a big part for me because I didn’t want dust going through the rest of my house,” Kristin said. The new combination mudroom/laundry room is everything Kristin and Joe hoped. There is plenty of storage, three pull-out laundry hampers for presorting laundry, a large central island for folding clothes, a designated bar to hang dry, and even a unique rotating shoe rack to keep shoes from cluttering the space. “My rotating shoe rack,” Kristin said when asked what her favorite part of her new laundry room was. “We have four kids. We have a lot of shoes and sporting events. So it makes sense to have all that space for shoes.” The center island has an exceptional feature as well. It has wheels. Kristin wanted to be able to move the island out of the way for different functions in the room. An island with wheels can be placed wherever needed in the space. The two existing closets were reconfigured with built-in closet storage systems to make them more functional than before with shelves for baskets holding gloves and hats, umbrellas, and coats. “They love it,” Project Designer Nicole Ryan said. “They had a vision of how they wanted the space to function but didn’t know exactly how to get it there. My design took all their needs and used the most efficient products to get them the desired outcome. Tons of function, while still looking beautiful!” The “White” Hudson Panel Dura Supreme cabinetry on the perimeter brightens the space and contrasts the popular blue “Gale Force” Dura Supreme cabinetry of the rolling island. The black and white encaustic design porcelain tile backsplash adds visual interest to the room above the white quartz countertops. Additionally, an oil-rubbed bronze bar for hanging clothes is conveniently located above the washer/dryer, and a stainless-steel under-mount sink with a matching Kohler faucet offers perfect functionality. “I would definitely recommend Advance Design; they’ve been wonderful. They were so helpful. Any little changes we had, they were able to accommodate,” Kristin said.

Laundry rooms and mudrooms can be a headache for many homeowners. They are usually cramped with poor functionality and little storage space. Joe and Kristin suffered all those aches and more, as their laundry room lacked clothing storage. Shoes were crammed in every corner. There was nowhere to fold clothes without taking them to the kitchen. They were ready for a complete laundry room remodel project. Joe and Kristin interviewed several local remodeling companies but didn’t connect with anyone who could understand their vision. During the summer, when they were attending their son’s race venue, they noticed fellow kart racers Todd and Christine Jurs’ sponsor banner for their remodeling company, Advance Design Studio. Immediately they were thrilled that they knew someone they trusted who could handle the renovation. “We wanted someone that we actually knew, who has a little bit more invested than an outside person that we don’t have any ties to,” Kristin said. Project Designer Nicole Ryan came to their home in Warrenville for the initial consultation. Kristin, an avid HGTV viewer, brought her ideas to Nicole. Throughout the design process, they worked together designing the space, selecting materials, and choosing colors. Nicole made sure to incorporate Kristin’s must-haves into the finished laundry room remodel. “It was really easy. Nicole made the transition very easy,” Kristin said of Nicole’s work in the design phase of the project. With the materials selected and the drawings finalized, it was time to begin construction. Kristin and Joe were impressed with how quickly and cleanly this phase went. “Everyone that came in was very respectful, very neat, and that was a big part for me because I didn’t want dust going through the rest of my house,” Kristin said. The new combination mudroom/laundry room is everything Kristin and Joe hoped. There is plenty of storage, three pull-out laundry hampers for presorting laundry, a large central island for folding clothes, a designated bar to hang dry, and even a unique rotating shoe rack to keep shoes from cluttering the space. “My rotating shoe rack,” Kristin said when asked what her favorite part of her new laundry room was. “We have four kids. We have a lot of shoes and sporting events. So it makes sense to have all that space for shoes.” The center island has an exceptional feature as well. It has wheels. Kristin wanted to be able to move the island out of the way for different functions in the room. An island with wheels can be placed wherever needed in the space. The two existing closets were reconfigured with built-in closet storage systems to make them more functional than before with shelves for baskets holding gloves and hats, umbrellas, and coats. “They love it,” Project Designer Nicole Ryan said. “They had a vision of how they wanted the space to function but didn’t know exactly how to get it there. My design took all their needs and used the most efficient products to get them the desired outcome. Tons of function, while still looking beautiful!” The “White” Hudson Panel Dura Supreme cabinetry on the perimeter brightens the space and contrasts the popular blue “Gale Force” Dura Supreme cabinetry of the rolling island. The black and white encaustic design porcelain tile backsplash adds visual interest to the room above the white quartz countertops. Additionally, an oil-rubbed bronze bar for hanging clothes is conveniently located above the washer/dryer, and a stainless-steel under-mount sink with a matching Kohler faucet offers perfect functionality. “I would definitely recommend Advance Design; they’ve been wonderful. They were so helpful. Any little changes we had, they were able to accommodate,” Kristin said.

Timber frame homes offer unique challenges during a remodel. What often makes them beautiful and attractive to most homeowners, also makes them challenging for space requirements. Context: The lovely couple that owned this home were struggling with some interesting floor plan challenges that just didn't work for their family. The loved the beautiful timbers and woodwork of their home, but the dramatically sloping ceilings on the second floor, particularly in the bathroom, just didn't work for this 1 1/2 bath home. Needing to use the skylight to approach the toilet was a less then ideal scenario. Although the bathroom footprint was more then adequate, the sloped ceiling only made half of the space useable. Check out the Before/After post on our blog to see the photos of the house pre-renovation. As much as they loved all the wood features in their home, another challenge they had was light. The wood ceiling made everything inside the house darker, even with a fantastic array of south facing windows, there were spaces in the home that felt dark and small. When they contacted us they wanted to know how could they make their brighter and more inviting, were there solutions to the 2nd floor sloped ceiling issues, and if they were going to do all of this work, how could they make their home more comfortable and efficient. A nagging water leak in the upstairs bathroom spurred them into action and here is how we solved their dilemma. Conclusion: First, we added a little dormer to the rear of the house so we could get full headroom in nearly all of the upstairs bathroom! Then we decided to extend that dormer one more timber bay over to create a walk in closet with natural light and plenty of space. Since we were contemplating energy efficiency, we resolved a nagging issue that is present in a lot of timber frame construction, air tightness. Commonly found in timber frame construction, fiberglass insulation is installed in the rafter bays and board ceilings are installed over top. Unfortunately, board ceilings are anything but air tight, and fiberglass insulation needs to be in an airtight cavity for maximum effectiveness. So we were able to solve two issues at the same time for this homeowner. We removed the board ceiling and fiberglass insulation, we dense packed the rafter bays with cellulose insulation, and installed sheetrock in place of the boards. The boards were salvaged for re-use by the homeowner, and the space and light quality was dramatically improved. Some may think that losing the board ceiling took something away from the space, but what you'll see in the pictures is that it highly accentuates the heavy timbers and really makes them stand out in a beautiful way. Now with this added airtightness, better insulation, and brighter space, the homeowner hardly runs their wood stove, and it's so quiet in the space, an added bonus from changing the insulation. It became necessary to also add a sheetrock ceiling to the living room to hide the plumbing from the new bathroom layout above. Changing this ceiling gave the homeowner some real quality lighting that was lacking in the living room before. The brighter ceiling and new lighting layout completely transforms the living room into a space you want to hang out, even though the layout didn't change at all. When the homeowner saw the finished spaces she said "I can't believe this is my house, I want to live in this house" Energy Efficiency: I touched a little on the efficiency above, but like all projects done with Mottram Architecture, we always want to leave you with a little extra. Timber frame construction with board ceilings and fiberglass insulation are notoriously leaky! If you want to know what we think about fiberglass insulation, check our our blog post on Why Fiberglass Insulation Sucks. By installing cellulose insulation and covering it with sheetrock we were able to greatly reduce the heat flowing out of this home. It not only improves cashflow it improves the comfort level in the space. Who wants to sit in their living room and feel a draft? Let us remind you, we are not saying cellulose insulation is an air barrier, we use the sheetrock to help with that, but it does significantly reduce the air flow over fiberglass insulation. And when we reduce the airflow, we reduce the heat flow. And when we reduce the heat flow, we reduce the need to re-heat that drafty air from outside. When it comes to energy efficiency the first and best place to start is air infiltration. We greatly reduced the air infiltration with the new insulation, but we also added a hat and warm boots. What I mean by that is, we improved the insulation in the roof, and we installed insulation in the basement. Maybe it's a silly analogy, but when you think about keeping warm, we always start with the hat and boots! With sustainability in mind, the next project will be to add a deck to the front of this house with rain catchment barrels from the metal roof. They are planning to plant a garden in the spring and the rain catchment system will help to irrigate the new garden. Builder: East Shore Builders Photographer: Michael Eric Berube