Photo by JH Jackson Photography; Design by Hugh Randolph Architects; Trinity Mirror by Electric Mirror. For more info about purchasing our mirrors, visit www.electricmirror.com.

After six years of living in their Huntley IL home, Chris and Meghan were tired of their dark, dingy, outdated kitchen and it was finally time for a long-anticipated change. “The kitchen is the place where we live, it’s where we do everything,” Meghan said. “It was important that it be a space where we wanted to be.” Meghan loves cooking and enjoys including their girls in healthy meal prepping, this led them to want a brighter, more enjoyable kitchen with increased functionality and improved storage. For Chris especially, the laundry room was an entirely dysfunctional eyesore. “We had a washer and a dryer, but it was all kind-of cobbled together!” Chris said. “There were always laundry piles everywhere, we weren’t really sure what we wanted to do in there, but it was time for us to make a change.” The mess of the space was stressful every time they walked in the door from the garage each day. Kids’ backpacks and shoes piled up haphazardly in the makeshift boot-bench closet left the family feeling disorganized and stressed. They needed space for folding clothes and locker cubbies to help keep the family organized. Having known Christine and Todd in the Huntley community for years, Chris and Meghan were familiar with their work. “We already trusted them personally and having seen their projects for years we knew they did top notch work. After we reviewed the initial round of designs, we knew that hiring them was definitely the right choice,” Meghan and Chris said. Although Chris had done a lot of work in their home himself, the kitchen and laundry room renovation was such a large undertaking that he didn’t want to steal time away from his family to spend what would surely be many long weekends doing the job himself. “That would not have been a wise choice for us,” Chris laughed. “Our designer, Michelle was very, very, easy to work with; anything we wanted to see or weren’t sure about, she went above and beyond to make this easy for us. She was easy to get hold of and always quick to respond,” the couple said. Michelle pulled ideas that mirrored the couple’s taste and style and was adept at directing the couple to limited choices that didn’t overwhelm them and kept the process moving. “I have a hard time making decisions. Michelle made the decision-making process so easy. I loved how she listened to what I liked and then presented three great options for me to choose from,” Meghan said. The main objectives for the kitchen were better storage solutions, they wanted the space to reflect their lifestyle and taste, and they wanted it to last for years with low maintenance. One of the first steps in creating a more functional kitchen was relocating the refrigerator, creating an improved workflow for the busy family. “We didn’t know that we could even move the refrigerator to a new location where it is now, that was something that we never would have thought of,” Chris said. “The new refrigerator location makes the kitchen feel so much bigger. We didn’t add any space, but our whole kitchen with the new design just seems like it’s so much larger than before!” Meghan said. The perimeter mist colored cabinets helped warm and brighten the entire room, while the graphite colored cabinets on the island added contrast. Using this fresh, clean color palette satisfied the couple’s desire for a bright space that was the exact opposite of what they had before. Organization accessories were also added to the cabinets such as a spice drawer tray and roll outs to create hidden convenience. “I absolutely love the hidden spices – it makes cooking so much more enjoyable!” Chris said. “And all the pull outs, and the double trash bin, who would think you could get so excited about organization!” the couple said in unison. One thing they hated in their original kitchen was how dark the space felt. Added lighting on the ceiling with the new light fixtures combined with the lighter cabinetry colors throughout solved this problem. “Our new kitchen has this warm, almost cozy feeling that our old kitchen never had, it’s just a space that I love spending my time in now,” Meghan said. The light airy feeling was accentuated with the use of floating white shelves on either side of the decorative range hood. “We have so much cabinetry space, the new design is amazing we actually have more storage space than we will ever need,” Meghan said. The island was extended to create more work surface and added space for stool seating. “The new island changes how we live. Now the kids can be in the kitchen with us, doing homework, eating breakfast, and the three of us have special dinners there when Chris is working late,” Meghan said. The Carrara Marmi Quartz countertops were chosen because they are, not only beautiful, but are made from hard-working material that doesn’t require maintenance. The white subway tile backsplash that wraps to the ceiling behind the focal point cooktop range/hood compliments the crisp white countertops perfectly, while brushed brass hardware and light fixtures keep the design fresh and new. The couple had a few fears at the beginning of the project, as most homeowners do. Their biggest fear was being out of their kitchen and laundry room for an extended time. The crew made it very easy for the family to work in a limited space keeping the washer and dryer hooked up the majority of the time, and also getting appliances working with minimal downtime. “They above and beyond accommodated us to get us through the process,” Meghan said. “They did a great job making sure we were as comfortable as possible throughout the process,” Chris added. “Our project manager DJ did a great job. He was very good at updating us on schedule changes, getting guys in as quickly as possible. Everyone that stepped in the house was nice and did great work,” said Chris. They thought Advance’s carpenter was phenomenal and were impressed when he took a conceptual idea from a photograph and worked with designer Michelle to create a one of a kind range/hood that has become the topic of conversation with friends and family who visit the new kitchen. “He was in our house literally every day for several weeks. He was easy to work with and good at what he did,” Meghan and Chris said. The focal point of the kitchen; a hand-crafted, custom-built ventilation hood was clad with handpicked reclaimed barnwood. Advance Design’s carpenter built the framework and the cladding to create a one-of-a-kind design element that the couple loves. “I think it was especially fun for him to create something unique from scratch, showcasing his talent in this area,” Meghan said. “I love that my kitchen is not like everyone else’s. I got to pick out the wood on my hood and watch it being built and was able to choose what pieces of wood went where on it. It’s totally unique.” Red Oak flooring was toothed-in throughout the kitchen and the rest of the first floor anywhere changes were made. Then the whole floor was refinished to tone down the orange undertones in the existing floor stain, ultimately changing the color complexion of the entire first floor. The result is a completely new feeling to the entire home. Renovating the laundry room was extremely important to Meghan and Chris, but they had trouble visualizing what the possibilities were for the seemingly small space. Michelle produced beautiful 3D illustrations that helped them envision the space in a whole new way. “I must have told Michelle 100 times that I am a visual person, seeing the designs in 3D made it so easy to make decisions and see what we could really do with our space,” Meghan said. A dividing wall and doorway were removed between the existing laundry room and hallway formerly containing a coat closet, providing space to design specialized graphite colored cabinetry matching the kitchen island to house custom storage cubbies for each family member. Adding the tall utility cabinetry in the new laundry area helped solve the storage issue, tucking away cleaning supplies, household items, and even the cat got its own cubby. “I love how everything is now hidden in its own space. I can’t tell you how much I hated coming home and seeing everything sitting around on counters,” Chris said. Electrical outlets were planned for the inside of utility cabinets, so devices could charge in hidden locations. Stacking the washer and dryer allowed for wider countertop space to provide a folding area and a special space for clothes to hang. “The way I do laundry has been completely transformed! I can actually fold clothes and hang them now right out of the washer and dryer,” Meghan said. “The end result in the kitchen and the laundry/mud room was an updated light and bright space, with a smarter work flow that better meets the needs of this family,” Michelle said. “I would totally recommend Advance Design,” Meghan said. “Sometimes I sit and just look at my kitchen and laundry room and think ‘Wow, I can’t believe I get to live here!’ It’s an understatement to say we love our new space.”

With seventeen feet of island, electric outlets are a necessity- this model pops up right out of the quartz counter top. Mandi B Photography
Minimalist home design photo in Chicago

On "his" side of the vanity we installed two roll out drawers for storage and added an electrical outlet on the top one so that items can charge while put away. Photography by Chris Veith

This custom Arts & Crafts Crown Point Cabinetry kitchen and bar area features, Quartersawn White Oak with a Washington Cherry stained finish. The Island and custom Range Hood both feature, Bee’s Wax over Eco Brown stain and Burnished over Maple. The kitchen and bar area cabinetry have a Craftsman style door with Black Walnut pegs, while the island presents an Old Cupboard door style that blends seamlessly. Additionally, the doors and drawers also feature a soft close element. Photo by Crown Point Cabinetry

This custom Arts & Crafts Crown Point Cabinetry kitchen and bar area features, Quartersawn White Oak with a Washington Cherry stained finish. The Island and custom Range Hood both feature, Bee’s Wax over Eco Brown stain and Burnished over Maple. The kitchen and bar area cabinetry have a Craftsman style door with Black Walnut pegs, while the island presents an Old Cupboard door style that blends seamlessly. Additionally, the doors and drawers also feature a soft close element. Photo by Crown Point Cabinetry

Pool house with entertaining/living space, sauna and yoga room. This 800 square foot space has a kitchenette with quartz counter tops and hidden outlets, and a bathroom with a porcelain tiled shower. The concrete floors are stained in blue swirls to match the color of water, peacefully connecting the outdoor space to the indoor living space. The 16 foot sliding glass doors open the pool house to the pool. Photo credit: Alvaro Santistevan Interior Design: Kate Lynch Building Design: Hodge Design & Remodeling

This kitchen had the old laundry room in the corner and there was no pantry. We converted the old laundry into a pantry/laundry combination. The hand carved travertine farm sink is the focal point of this beautiful new kitchen. Notice the clean backsplash with no electrical outlets. All of the electrical outlets, switches and lights are under the cabinets leaving the uninterrupted backslash. The rope lighting on top of the cabinets adds a nice ambiance or night light. Photography: Buxton Photography

This custom Arts & Crafts Crown Point Cabinetry kitchen and bar area features, Quartersawn White Oak with a Washington Cherry stained finish. The Island and custom Range Hood both feature, Bee’s Wax over Eco Brown stain and Burnished over Maple. The kitchen and bar area cabinetry have a Craftsman style door with Black Walnut pegs, while the island presents an Old Cupboard door style that blends seamlessly. Additionally, the doors and drawers also feature a soft close element. Photo by Crown Point Cabinetry

This custom Arts & Crafts Crown Point Cabinetry kitchen and bar area features, Quartersawn White Oak with a Washington Cherry stained finish. The Island and custom Range Hood both feature, Bee’s Wax over Eco Brown stain and Burnished over Maple. The kitchen and bar area cabinetry have a Craftsman style door with Black Walnut pegs, while the island presents an Old Cupboard door style that blends seamlessly. Additionally, the doors and drawers also feature a soft close element. Photo by Crown Point Cabinetry

This custom Arts & Crafts Crown Point Cabinetry kitchen and bar area features, Quartersawn White Oak with a Washington Cherry stained finish. The Island and custom Range Hood both feature, Bee’s Wax over Eco Brown stain and Burnished over Maple. The kitchen and bar area cabinetry have a Craftsman style door with Black Walnut pegs, while the island presents an Old Cupboard door style that blends seamlessly. Additionally, the doors and drawers also feature a soft close element. Photo by Crown Point Cabinetry

Master Bathroom Addition with custom double vanity. White herringbone tile with white wall subway tile. white pebble shower floor tile. Walnut rounded vanity mirrors. Brizo Fixtures. Cabinet hardware by School House Electric. Vanity Tower recessed into wall for extra storage with out taking up too much counterspace. Bonus: it keeps the outlets hidden! Photo Credit: Amy Bartlam

Alabaster painted cabinets by Bellmont Cabinet Company are paired with Cambria quartz countertops in Windemere. Custom mirror and wall cabinet with built-in charging station.

Andrew McKinney Photography Not every kitchen on houzz is enormous! Here's a 10' x 10' kitchen. It seems that painted white kitchens never go out of favor. While the cabinets, faucets and hardware lean toward a more traditional look, that look is tempered by the modern lines of grey glass tile and the chimney hood. And instead of carrara marble counter tops, the client opted for quartz for a similar look (Cambria's "Torquay").

Amber Frederiksen Photography
Elegant built-in desk medium tone wood floor study room photo in Miami with beige walls

ARPTR151GW2: adorne® Pop-Out Outlet - 1-Gang Frame - White The Pop-Out Outlet lets you hide an oulet when not in use. Simply push on the outlet and it disapears into the wall. When you're ready to plug something in, just push on the box and the outlets will "pop out," enabling easy acess to power. Patented shutter system helps prevent improper insertion of foreign objects. Push on the box and the outlets will "pop out," enabling easy access to power. Includes capacity for three plugs. Configuration easily supports two plugs and offers the capacity of a standard outlet. Easy "1-for-1" installation lets you simply replace your existing outlet in just minutes. Requires a minimum box size of 22.5 cubic inches. Intended for indoor wall mount use only.

Matt Kocourek
Open concept kitchen - mid-sized transitional galley medium tone wood floor open concept kitchen idea in Kansas City with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, granite countertops, metallic backsplash, glass tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

This is a great house. Perched high on a private, heavily wooded site, it has a rustic contemporary aesthetic. Vaulted ceilings, sky lights, large windows and natural materials punctuate the main spaces. The existing large format mosaic slate floor grabs your attention upon entering the home extending throughout the foyer, kitchen, and family room. Specific requirements included a larger island with workspace for each of the homeowners featuring a homemade pasta station which requires small appliances on lift-up mechanisms as well as a custom-designed pasta drying rack. Both chefs wanted their own prep sink on the island complete with a garbage “shoot” which we concealed below sliding cutting boards. A second and overwhelming requirement was storage for a large collection of dishes, serving platters, specialty utensils, cooking equipment and such. To meet those needs we took the opportunity to get creative with storage: sliding doors were designed for a coffee station adjacent to the main sink; hid the steam oven, microwave and toaster oven within a stainless steel niche hidden behind pantry doors; added a narrow base cabinet adjacent to the range for their large spice collection; concealed a small broom closet behind the refrigerator; and filled the only available wall with full-height storage complete with a small niche for charging phones and organizing mail. We added 48” high base cabinets behind the main sink to function as a bar/buffet counter as well as overflow for kitchen items. The client’s existing vintage commercial grade Wolf stove and hood commands attention with a tall backdrop of exposed brick from the fireplace in the adjacent living room. We loved the rustic appeal of the brick along with the existing wood beams, and complimented those elements with wired brushed white oak cabinets. The grayish stain ties in the floor color while the slab door style brings a modern element to the space. We lightened the color scheme with a mix of white marble and quartz countertops. The waterfall countertop adjacent to the dining table shows off the amazing veining of the marble while adding contrast to the floor. Special materials are used throughout, featured on the textured leather-wrapped pantry doors, patina zinc bar countertop, and hand-stitched leather cabinet hardware. We took advantage of the tall ceilings by adding two walnut linear pendants over the island that create a sculptural effect and coordinated them with the new dining pendant and three wall sconces on the beam over the main sink.

This elegant master bath in a newly built lakeside home gives the homeowners wooded outdoor views while enjoying a relaxing soak in the tub. The his and hers vanities are all drawer storage. Recessed medicine cabinets are framed with matching Wood-Mode moldings and house hidden electrical outlets for razors and toothbrushes. The angled wall was designed to improve flow in the space and provides the perfect home for the oversized mother of pearl mirror. The Rainbow Close, Antique mirror and custom designed mullions accentuate the elegance of the linen cabinet.