Cottage home design photo in Portland

Winner of the 2018 Tour of Homes Best Remodel, this whole house re-design of a 1963 Bennet & Johnson mid-century raised ranch home is a beautiful example of the magic we can weave through the application of more sustainable modern design principles to existing spaces. We worked closely with our client on extensive updates to create a modernized MCM gem. Extensive alterations include: - a completely redesigned floor plan to promote a more intuitive flow throughout - vaulted the ceilings over the great room to create an amazing entrance and feeling of inspired openness - redesigned entry and driveway to be more inviting and welcoming as well as to experientially set the mid-century modern stage - the removal of a visually disruptive load bearing central wall and chimney system that formerly partitioned the homes’ entry, dining, kitchen and living rooms from each other - added clerestory windows above the new kitchen to accentuate the new vaulted ceiling line and create a greater visual continuation of indoor to outdoor space - drastically increased the access to natural light by increasing window sizes and opening up the floor plan - placed natural wood elements throughout to provide a calming palette and cohesive Pacific Northwest feel - incorporated Universal Design principles to make the home Aging In Place ready with wide hallways and accessible spaces, including single-floor living if needed - moved and completely redesigned the stairway to work for the home’s occupants and be a part of the cohesive design aesthetic - mixed custom tile layouts with more traditional tiling to create fun and playful visual experiences - custom designed and sourced MCM specific elements such as the entry screen, cabinetry and lighting - development of the downstairs for potential future use by an assisted living caretaker - energy efficiency upgrades seamlessly woven in with much improved insulation, ductless mini splits and solar gain

Jeri Koegel
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bruce damonte
Example of a large trendy light wood floor kitchen design in San Francisco with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz countertops, blue backsplash, cement tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

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Karen and Chad of Tower Lakes, IL were tired of their unfinished basement functioning as nothing more than a storage area and depressing gym. They wanted to increase the livable square footage of their home with a cohesive finished basement design, while incorporating space for the kids and adults to hang out. “We wanted to make sure that upon renovating the basement, that we can have a place where we can spend time and watch movies, but also entertain and showcase the wine collection that we have,” Karen said. After a long search comparing many different remodeling companies, Karen and Chad found Advance Design Studio. They were drawn towards the unique “Common Sense Remodeling” process that simplifies the renovation experience into predictable steps focused on customer satisfaction. “There are so many other design/build companies, who may not have transparency, or a focused process in mind and I think that is what separated Advance Design Studio from the rest,” Karen said. Karen loved how designer Claudia Pop was able to take very high-level concepts, “non-negotiable items” and implement them in the initial 3D drawings. Claudia and Project Manager DJ Yurik kept the couple in constant communication through the project. “Claudia was very receptive to the ideas we had, but she was also very good at infusing her own points and thoughts, she was very responsive, and we had an open line of communication,” Karen said. A very important part of the basement renovation for the couple was the home gym and sauna. The “high-end hotel” look and feel of the openly blended work out area is both highly functional and beautiful to look at. The home sauna gives them a place to relax after a long day of work or a tough workout. “The gym was a very important feature for us,” Karen said. “And I think (Advance Design) did a very great job in not only making the gym a functional area, but also an aesthetic point in our basement”. An extremely unique wow-factor in this basement is the walk in glass wine cellar that elegantly displays Karen and Chad’s extensive wine collection. Immediate access to the stunning wet bar accompanies the wine cellar to make this basement a popular spot for friends and family. The custom-built wine bar brings together two natural elements; Calacatta Vicenza Quartz and thick distressed Black Walnut. Sophisticated yet warm Graphite Dura Supreme cabinetry provides contrast to the soft beige walls and the Calacatta Gold backsplash. An undermount sink across from the bar in a matching Calacatta Vicenza Quartz countertop adds functionality and convenience to the bar, while identical distressed walnut floating shelves add an interesting design element and increased storage. Rich true brown Rustic Oak hardwood floors soften and warm the space drawing all the areas together. Across from the bar is a comfortable living area perfect for the family to sit down at a watch a movie. A full bath completes this finished basement with a spacious walk-in shower, Cocoa Brown Dura Supreme vanity with Calacatta Vicenza Quartz countertop, a crisp white sink and a stainless-steel Voss faucet. Advance Design’s Common Sense process gives clients the opportunity to walk through the basement renovation process one step at a time, in a completely predictable and controlled environment. “Everything was designed and built exactly how we envisioned it, and we are really enjoying it to it’s full potential,” Karen said. Constantly striving for customer satisfaction, Advance Design’s success is heavily reliant upon happy clients referring their friends and family. “We definitely will and have recommended Advance Design Studio to friends who are looking to embark on a remodeling project small or large,” Karen exclaimed at the completion of her project.

This contemporary backyard oasis offers our clients indoor-outdoor living for year-round relaxation and entertaining. The custom rectilinear swimming pool and stacked stone raised spa were designed to maximize the tight lot coverage restrictions while the cascading waterfalls and natural stone water feature add tranquility to the space. Panoramic doors create a beautiful transition between the interior and exterior spaces allowing for more entertaining options and increased natural light. The covered porch features retractable screens, ceiling-mounted infrared heaters, T&G ceiling and a stacked stone fireplace

Photo courtesy of Moen

David Burroughs
Beach style one-story glass gable roof photo in Baltimore

We increased the length of the peninsula bar by widening the opening of the shared wall to the living area. This provided more seating at the bar and connected the two spaces. It also allow for a better view of the lake.

Architecture: Sutro Architects Landscape Architecture: Arterra Landscape Architects Builder: Upscale Construction Photography: Christopher Stark
Example of a minimalist living room design in San Francisco

This design was developed to increase the indoor/outdoor flow by the creation of a deck at the same level of the kitchen for easy access for BBQ'ing and dining. A spacious stairway was added to connect to the conversation, lawn and spa areas. Ornamental meadow grasses were used for a more rustic, low maintenance and drought tolerant garden area.

My final model shows all the previous aspects connected, as the light blue area demonstrates how the area from my shoulder to my hands moves through the datum. The clear panels are the visual representation of the area, as they increase in height (if viewed from the bottom) to showcase how far I was from the box.

The home is able to achieve passive house standards and take full advantage of the views with the use of Glo’s A7 triple pane windows and doors. The PHIUS (Passive House Institute US) certified series boasts triple pane glazing, a larger thermal break, high-performance spacers, and multiple air-seals. The large picture windows frame the landscape while maintaining comfortable interior temperatures year-round. The strategically placed operable windows throughout the residence offer cross-ventilation and a visual connection to the sweeping views of Utah. The modern hardware and color selection of the windows are not only aesthetically exceptional, but remain true to the mid-century modern design.

Side and rear extension for the client's five bedroom Victorian villa on Telegraph Hill. Wellstudio designed an extension to transform the ground floor living space for the growing family, giving them a new light filled volume at the rear of their house which would enhance their wellbeing: space where they could relax, chat, cook, and eat. The new extension increased the length of the space by approximately 3 metres and allowed the floor to ceiling height to be increased from 2.85metres to 3.4 metres, bringing in extra light and a feeling of elevation.​​ The new volume also extended approximately 1 metre to the side to further increase the space available. The project enhanced the family's connection with nature by providing much increased levels of natural light and rear glass doors overlooking the garden.

We planned on a full kitchen remodel for this project. Our goal was to increase countertop space, widen the working triangle, improve the lighting plan, and expand the circulation between rooms. To achieve a wider visual and functional connection from the kitchen to the dining room, we opened up the wall between the dining room and kitchen.

Increasing the amount of light in the master closet / bath area was challenging due to the steel, flat roof structure. Glass "can" lights by Robert Abby were selected to provide a connection with original metal can lights found elsewhere in the home.

Side and rear extension for the client's five bedroom Victorian villa on Telegraph Hill. Wellstudio designed an extension to transform the ground floor living space for the growing family, giving them a new light filled volume at the rear of their house which would enhance their wellbeing: space where they could relax, chat, cook, and eat. The new extension increased the length of the space by approximately 3 metres and allowed the floor to ceiling height to be increased from 2.85metres to 3.4 metres, bringing in extra light and a feeling of elevation. ​​The new volume also extended approximately 1 metre to the side to further increase the space available. The project enhanced the family's connection with nature by providing much increased levels of natural light and rear glass doors overlooking the garden.