This 1930's Barrington Hills farmhouse was in need of some TLC when it was purchased by this southern family of five who planned to make it their new home. The renovation taken on by Advance Design Studio's designer Scott Christensen and master carpenter Justin Davis included a custom porch, custom built in cabinetry in the living room and children's bedrooms, 2 children's on-suite baths, a guest powder room, a fabulous new master bath with custom closet and makeup area, a new upstairs laundry room, a workout basement, a mud room, new flooring and custom wainscot stairs with planked walls and ceilings throughout the home. The home's original mechanicals were in dire need of updating, so HVAC, plumbing and electrical were all replaced with newer materials and equipment. A dramatic change to the exterior took place with the addition of a quaint standing seam metal roofed farmhouse porch perfect for sipping lemonade on a lazy hot summer day. In addition to the changes to the home, a guest house on the property underwent a major transformation as well. Newly outfitted with updated gas and electric, a new stacking washer/dryer space was created along with an updated bath complete with a glass enclosed shower, something the bath did not previously have. A beautiful kitchenette with ample cabinetry space, refrigeration and a sink was transformed as well to provide all the comforts of home for guests visiting at the classic cottage retreat. The biggest design challenge was to keep in line with the charm the old home possessed, all the while giving the family all the convenience and efficiency of modern functioning amenities. One of the most interesting uses of material was the porcelain "wood-looking" tile used in all the baths and most of the home's common areas. All the efficiency of porcelain tile, with the nostalgic look and feel of worn and weathered hardwood floors. The home’s casual entry has an 8" rustic antique barn wood look porcelain tile in a rich brown to create a warm and welcoming first impression. Painted distressed cabinetry in muted shades of gray/green was used in the powder room to bring out the rustic feel of the space which was accentuated with wood planked walls and ceilings. Fresh white painted shaker cabinetry was used throughout the rest of the rooms, accentuated by bright chrome fixtures and muted pastel tones to create a calm and relaxing feeling throughout the home. Custom cabinetry was designed and built by Advance Design specifically for a large 70” TV in the living room, for each of the children’s bedroom’s built in storage, custom closets, and book shelves, and for a mudroom fit with custom niches for each family member by name. The ample master bath was fitted with double vanity areas in white. A generous shower with a bench features classic white subway tiles and light blue/green glass accents, as well as a large free standing soaking tub nestled under a window with double sconces to dim while relaxing in a luxurious bath. A custom classic white bookcase for plush towels greets you as you enter the sanctuary bath.

Example of a large beach style u-shaped light wood floor eat-in kitchen design in Miami with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, granite countertops, blue backsplash, glass tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

pop up electrical, lays flush on counter top for extra plugs.
Kitchen - modern kitchen idea in Las Vegas

A pullout for hair tools; hair dryer, straightener, curling iron, was incorporated on her side of the vanity. The stainless steel tubs allow for storing warm tools, and the shelf below is great additional storage space. Photos by Erica Weaver

The challenge for this project was that, while the homeowner desired all of the luxury amenities of a deluxe master bath, space was extremely limited. Therefore efficient space planning was critical in achieving the final design. Use of custom painted cabinetry and carrara marble countertops were the basis for this compact yet luxurious bathroom design. Careful attention was given to the tone of the finishes in order to keep this eastern-exposure bathroom light and bright. White trim and crown moulding was used in contrast to the putty colored walls. In keeping with the era of the home, a hand-glazed white ceramic subway tile was used in the soaking tub alcove. Nickel plated bath, lavatory, tub and shower fixtures in the vintage style were used alongside modern amenities such as recessed halogen lighting, electric towel warmers and radiant-heated tile flooring.

Living room - mid-sized contemporary formal and enclosed porcelain tile and gray floor living room idea in San Francisco with beige walls, a ribbon fireplace, no tv and a stone fireplace

Kevin wanted to install a linear electric fireplace heater in his living room under the TV and selected GenStone's Iron Ore Stacked Stone panels for this design. Kevin reports that his wife loves the finished design, which draws the eye to the natural focal point in the room — the linear electric fireplace heater and the TV.

Built-in custom polished concrete fire -pit with surrounding brick bench with a bluestone cap. Bluestone patio paving with slot of gray beach pebbles. Fire-pit has natural gas with an electric spark starter. Bench seating has a wood screen wall that includes lighting & supports vine growth.

On Site Photography - Brian Hall
Large transitional porcelain tile and gray floor living room photo with gray walls, a stone fireplace, a wall-mounted tv and a ribbon fireplace

James Kruger, LandMark Photography, Peter Eskuche, AIA, Eskuche Design, Sharon Seitz, HISTORIC studio, Interior Design
Example of a huge mountain style u-shaped dark wood floor and brown floor kitchen design in Minneapolis with a farmhouse sink, raised-panel cabinets, distressed cabinets, granite countertops, beige backsplash, stone tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

2"x12" rectangular glass tile backsplash. Call us today for a free estimate! (778) 317-5014 Designed by 9Design
Example of a huge minimalist galley light wood floor open concept kitchen design in Vancouver with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, quartz countertops, gray backsplash, glass tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

This is our typical outlet installation in an island. A 4.5" spacer is installed to provide room for an outlet.

How cool is this? We designed a pull-out tower, in three sections, beside "her" sink, to give the homeowner handy access for her make-up and hair care routine. We even installed the mirror exactly for her height! The sides of the pull-out were done in metal, to maximize the interior width of the shelves, and we even customized it so that the widest items she wanted to store in here would fit on these shelves!

Example of a huge minimalist galley light wood floor eat-in kitchen design in New York with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, black cabinets, solid surface countertops, black appliances and an island

This renovated brick rowhome in Boston’s South End offers a modern aesthetic within a historic structure, creative use of space, exceptional thermal comfort, a reduced carbon footprint, and a passive stream of income. DESIGN PRIORITIES. The goals for the project were clear - design the primary unit to accommodate the family’s modern lifestyle, rework the layout to create a desirable rental unit, improve thermal comfort and introduce a modern aesthetic. We designed the street-level entry as a shared entrance for both the primary and rental unit. The family uses it as their everyday entrance - we planned for bike storage and an open mudroom with bench and shoe storage to facilitate the change from shoes to slippers or bare feet as they enter their home. On the main level, we expanded the kitchen into the dining room to create an eat-in space with generous counter space and storage, as well as a comfortable connection to the living space. The second floor serves as master suite for the couple - a bedroom with a walk-in-closet and ensuite bathroom, and an adjacent study, with refinished original pumpkin pine floors. The upper floor, aside from a guest bedroom, is the child's domain with interconnected spaces for sleeping, work and play. In the play space, which can be separated from the work space with new translucent sliding doors, we incorporated recreational features inspired by adventurous and competitive television shows, at their son’s request. MODERN MEETS TRADITIONAL. We left the historic front facade of the building largely unchanged - the security bars were removed from the windows and the single pane windows were replaced with higher performing historic replicas. We designed the interior and rear facade with a vision of warm modernism, weaving in the notable period features. Each element was either restored or reinterpreted to blend with the modern aesthetic. The detailed ceiling in the living space, for example, has a new matte monochromatic finish, and the wood stairs are covered in a dark grey floor paint, whereas the mahogany doors were simply refinished. New wide plank wood flooring with a neutral finish, floor-to-ceiling casework, and bold splashes of color in wall paint and tile, and oversized high-performance windows (on the rear facade) round out the modern aesthetic. RENTAL INCOME. The existing rowhome was zoned for a 2-family dwelling but included an undesirable, single-floor studio apartment at the garden level with low ceiling heights and questionable emergency egress. In order to increase the quality and quantity of space in the rental unit, we reimagined it as a two-floor, 1 or 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment with a modern aesthetic, increased ceiling height on the lowest level and provided an in-unit washer/dryer. The apartment was listed with Jackie O'Connor Real Estate and rented immediately, providing the owners with a source of passive income. ENCLOSURE WITH BENEFITS. The homeowners sought a minimal carbon footprint, enabled by their urban location and lifestyle decisions, paired with the benefits of a high-performance home. The extent of the renovation allowed us to implement a deep energy retrofit (DER) to address air tightness, insulation, and high-performance windows. The historic front facade is insulated from the interior, while the rear facade is insulated on the exterior. Together with these building enclosure improvements, we designed an HVAC system comprised of continuous fresh air ventilation, and an efficient, all-electric heating and cooling system to decouple the house from natural gas. This strategy provides optimal thermal comfort and indoor air quality, improved acoustic isolation from street noise and neighbors, as well as a further reduced carbon footprint. We also took measures to prepare the roof for future solar panels, for when the South End neighborhood’s aging electrical infrastructure is upgraded to allow them. URBAN LIVING. The desirable neighborhood location allows the both the homeowners and tenant to walk, bike, and use public transportation to access the city, while each charging their respective plug-in electric cars behind the building to travel greater distances. OVERALL. The understated rowhouse is now ready for another century of urban living, offering the owners comfort and convenience as they live life as an expression of their values. Photography: Eric Roth Photo

Trendy kitchen photo in Portland with flat-panel cabinets and white cabinets

Electrical pop up allows your counter tops to be clear of any cords for kitchen appliances.

Inspiration for a modern dining room remodel in New York

Professionally Staged by Ambience at Home http://ambiance-athome.com/ Professionally Photographed by SpaceCrafting http://spacecrafting.com