Our client greatly enjoyed their natural setting, and our master plan was built on preserving its character. We wanted to enhance the juxtaposition of rigid clarity of the rectilinear house with the highly organic, natural features of the site. Striking a balance between the man-made and the natural is always in our minds, as we seek subtle ways of stitching orthogonal lines into an otherwise organic setting. The Petanque court is the key element in transforming the untamed rear yard. The court is slightly cut into a slope and parallels the predominant site contours; softening grade change making the yard more useable, while lessening its impact on the topography. The moment where this really came together was when we decided to reuse the old-balcony wood to create a new boardwalk that runs the length of the court, and provides seating for players. A bend in its length brings it back into alignment with the house and ties into the path of concrete steps. It’s a perfect place to sit and watch a game. Photo credit: Vince Lupo

Deck skirting photo in Other

Inspiration for a transitional l-shaped light wood floor and beige floor kitchen remodel in Tampa with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, gray cabinets, beige backsplash, stone slab backsplash, an island and beige countertops

Chandelier by John Pomp, Infinity Chandelier / Sconces by The Urban Electric Company, Linc-Less Wallmount Sconce, Heirloom w/ Clear Glass / Dining Table by Kravet, Avenue / Dining Chairs by Kravet, Marcy / Chair Fabric by Romo Group and Kirkby Fabrics / Wallcovering by New Ravenna Hector Grand Mosaic, alacatta Tia Honed with Gold groutCredenze by John Pomp, RondelleDrapery by Kravet, Holland Charcoal This 15,000 square foot home is a ground up classic Mediterranean Villa in Los Altos Hills, designed with a nod to a more elevated contemporary interior design. Our client is a High Level VC who hoped to limit time away from his young family. The scope of the project was to design a family-friendly home, while including all of the high style and high-tech amenities and conveniences expected in a Silicon Valley estate. Designing with these requirements in mind, our team created functional spaces for family life while maintaining business requirements in one space. This balance between comfort and professionalism was implemented through masterful layout and design including a private gathering room that can host up to 100 guests, which was intentionally designed to entertain business meetings, lessening the need for travel, and allowing for a more balanced lifestyle. Other features include a Screening Room, Bar and Wine Tasting Area, Private Library and Executive office, and Grand Dining Room.

Two part project with the first being an improvement of the drainage by connecting new pipe to existing running under the street, and concealing in a dry riverbed. Pipe was day-lighted to allow water to push over the wall and around the house, down the boat ramp. It provided for a functional solution, with a beautiful look. The second part of the project included the installation of a small Belgard retaining wall to lessen the slope of the yard, re-grading of yard with tree and shrub removal, installation of two dry riverbeds to the front to help with water drainage, shrub plantings, and installation of Emerald Zoysia turf. Area was touched up with pine straw for clean and finished look

Open Shelving allows for the massive island and stone features to really show off in this contemporary kitchen design.
Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary l-shaped light wood floor and beige floor eat-in kitchen remodel in Other with a drop-in sink, recessed-panel cabinets, black cabinets, wood countertops, white backsplash, marble backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and white countertops

Alcove shower - coastal 3/4 double-sink alcove shower idea in Boston with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, gray walls, an undermount sink, marble countertops, a hinged shower door and a built-in vanity

Transitional entryway photo in Dallas

Lepere Studio
Inspiration for a mediterranean backyard stone and wood fence landscaping in Other with a pergola.

Pendant by Shakuff, Custom Twist Pendant Sconces by The Urban Electric Company, Linc-Less Sconce Exterior Sconces, Hammerton Studio, Outdoor Tall Round Cover Sconce This 15,000 square foot home is a ground up classic Mediterranean Villa in Los Altos Hills, designed with a nod to a more elevated contemporary interior design. Our client is a High Level VC who hoped to limit time away from his young family. The scope of the project was to design a family-friendly home, while including all of the high style and high-tech amenities and conveniences expected in a Silicon Valley estate. Designing with these requirements in mind, our team created functional spaces for family life while maintaining business requirements in one space. This balance between comfort and professionalism was implemented through masterful layout and design including a private gathering room that can host up to 100 guests, which was intentionally designed to entertain business meetings, lessening the need for travel, and allowing for a more balanced lifestyle. Other features include a Screening Room, Bar and Wine Tasting Area, Private Library and Executive office, and Grand Dining Room.

Transitional kitchen photo in San Diego

Our client greatly enjoyed their natural setting, and our master plan was built on preserving its character. We wanted to enhance the juxtaposition of rigid clarity of the rectilinear house with the highly organic, natural features of the site. Striking a balance between the man-made and the natural is always in our minds, as we seek subtle ways of stitching orthogonal lines into an otherwise organic setting. The Petanque court is the key element in transforming the untamed rear yard. The court is slightly cut into a slope and parallels the predominant site contours; softening grade change making the yard more useable, while lessening its impact on the topography. The moment where this really came together was when we decided to reuse the old-balcony wood to create a new boardwalk that runs the length of the court, and provides seating for players. A bend in its length brings it back into alignment with the house and ties into the path of concrete steps. It’s a perfect place to sit and watch a game. Photo credit: Vince Lupo

Example of a southwest home design design in Houston

Tricia Shay Photography
Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary gray two-story mixed siding house exterior remodel in Milwaukee with a shed roof

Curtis and Peggy had been thinking of a kitchen remodel for quite some time, but they knew their house would have a unique set of challenges. Their older Victorian house was built in 1891. The kitchen cabinetry was original, and they wanted to keep the authenticity of their period home while adding modern comforts that would improve their quality of life. A friend recommended Advance Design Studio for their exceptional experience and quality of work. After meeting with designer Michelle Lecinski at Advance Design, they were confident they could partner with Advance to accomplish the unique kitchen renovation they’d been talking about for years. “We wanted to do the kitchen for a long, long time,” Curtis said. “(We asked ourselves) what are we actually going to do? How are we going to do this? And who are we going to find to do exactly what we want?” The goal for the project was to keep the home renovation and new kitchen feeling authentic to the time in which it was built. They desperately wanted the modern comforts that come with a larger refrigerator and the dishwasher that they never had! The old home was also a bit drafty so adding a fireplace, wall insulation and new windows became a priority. They very much wanted to create a comfortable hearth room adjacent to the kitchen, complete with old world brick. The original cabinetry had to go to make way for beautiful new kitchen cabinetry that appears as if it was a hundred years old, but with all the benefits of cutting-edge storage, self-closing drawers, and a brand-new look. “We just wanted to keep it old looking, but with some modern updates,” Peggy said. Dura Supreme Highland Cabinets with a Heritage Old World Painted Finish replaced the original 1891 cabinets. The hand-applied careful rubbed-off detailing makes these exquisite cabinets look as if they came from a far-gone era. Despite the small size of the kitchen, Peggy, Curtis and Michelle utilized every inch with custom cabinet sizes to increase storage capacity. The custom cabinets allowed for the addition of a 24” Fisher Paykel dishwasher with a concealing Dura Supreme door panel. Michelle was also able to work into the new design a larger 30” Fisher Paykel French refrigerator. “We made every ¼ inch count in this small space,” designer Michelle said. “Having the ability to custom size the cabinetry was the only way to achieve this.” “The kitchen essentially was designed around the Heartland Vintage range and oven,” says Michelle. A classic appliance that combines nostalgic beauty and craftsmanship for modern cooking, with nickel plated trim and elegantly shaped handles and legs; the not to miss range is a striking focal point of the entire room and an engaging conversation piece. Granite countertops in Kodiak Satin with subtle veining kept with the old-world style. The delicate porcelain La Vie Crackle Sonoma tile kitchen backsplash compliments the home’s style perfectly. A handcrafted passthrough designed to show off Peggy’s fine china was custom built by project carpenters Justin Davis and Jeff Dallain to physically and visually open the space. Additional storage was created in the custom panty room with Latte Edinburg cabinets, hand-made weathered wood shelving with authentic black iron brackets, and an intricate tin copper ceiling. Peggy and Curtis loved the idea of adding a Vermont stove to make the hearth-room not only functional, but a truly beckoning place to be. A stunning Bordeaux red Vermont Castings Stove with crisp black ventilation was chosen and combined with the authentic reclaimed Chicago brick wall. Advance’s talented carpenters custom-built elegant weathered shelves to house family memorabilia, installed carefully chosen barn sconces, and made the hearth room an inviting place to relax with a cup of coffee and a good book. “Peggy and Curtis’ project was so much fun to work on. Creating a space that looks and feels like it always belonged in this beautiful old Victorian home is a designer’s dream. To see the delight in their faces when they saw the design details coming together truly made it worth the time and effort that went into making the very compact kitchen space work”, said Michelle. “The result is an amazing custom kitchen, packed with functionality in every inch, nook and cranny!” exclaims Michelle. The renovation didn’t end with the kitchen. New Pella windows were added to help lessen the drafts. The removal of the original windows and trim necessitated the re-creation of hand-made corbels and trim details no longer available today. The talented carpenter team came to the rescue, crafting new pieces and masterfully finishing them as if they were always there. New custom gutters were formed and installed with a front entry rework necessary to accommodate the changes. The whole house functions better, but it still feels like the original 1891 home. “From start to finish it’s just a much better space than we used to have,” Peggy said. “Jeff and Justin were amazing.” Curtis added; “We were lucky to find Advance Design, because they really came through for us. I loved that they had everything in house, anything you needed to have done, they could do it”.

Home Bar Design Pendants by Dounia Home, Mishal Silver Ball PendantBarstools by Canadel, Custom Dining Stools This 15,000 square foot home is a ground up classic Mediterranean Villa in Los Altos Hills, designed with a nod to a more elevated contemporary interior design. Our client is a High Level VC who hoped to limit time away from his young family. The scope of the project was to design a family-friendly home, while including all of the high style and high-tech amenities and conveniences expected in a Silicon Valley estate. Designing with these requirements in mind, our team created functional spaces for family life while maintaining business requirements in one space. This balance between comfort and professionalism was implemented through masterful layout and design including a private gathering room that can host up to 100 guests, which was intentionally designed to entertain business meetings, lessening the need for travel, and allowing for a more balanced lifestyle. Other features include a Screening Room, Bar and Wine Tasting Area, Private Library and Executive office, and Grand Dining Room.

Established California native greenery fills the back garden. Native, edible White Sage, Manzanita, and Catalina Cherry wrap a more traditional edible garden. The charming wooden shed offers convenient storage for outdoor furniture cushions and tools . The ability to store these items lessens the dry fuel available near the home. Placing this wooden structure at a distance from the home is also protective. Photo: Lesly Hall Photography

Originally designed by one of the most notable landscape architects in town, this once impressive project had faltered in recent years. The pool and spa still functioned well, and the client wanted to keep it intact. In addition, they wanted to keep as much of the existing landscaping as possible. The surrounding decks, walls, and steps were fair game. At first glance, one might think that our changes were simple material changes. Upon closer inspection, however, one can see the subtle, yet transformative changes that come together to update this classic pool in a tasteful, timeless manner, and improve the flow and usability of the deck areas, while softening the feel of the massive hardscape. The subtle changes begin as soon as you walk out the back door of the house. The existing decking had a lot of what we call “tweeners”; areas that are overly generous walkways, yet not large enough to house furniture. The awkwardly small bluestone patio was expanded to accommodate a generous seating area, by pushing the step-down closer to the pool. Our talented stone mason carefully married the new bluestone into the existing, resulting in an imperceptible difference between the two. As you descend the new bluestone steps to the pool level, your bare feet will be thankful for the new smooth-finished limestone colored concrete, with a hand cut pattern carefully etched into its surface. The old red brick decking was so hot that the owners could not walk around the pool in bare feet. The brick coping was also replaced with an eased edge Pennsylvania Premier Stone which matches the new step treads throughout the project. Between the house and the pool, a large raised planter was reconfigured, giving additional space to the pool deck for a shaded lounge chair area. Across the pool, a bank of rather tall painted brick retaining walls were cut down, shortened, and moved. This lessened the visual impact of the walls, which were rather overwhelming in the space, as well as opening up a new seating area, nestled under the arms of the massive pecan at the back of the property. Rather than continuing solid decking around the entire pool, the area near these walls has been transformed to large stone stepper pads set in a sea of beautiful St. Augustine lawn. This creates a visually softened area that is still suited to setting tables and chairs when the guest list calls for additional seating. The spa area is quite possibly the most dramatic change on this project. Yet more raised planter walls divided this area into awkward spaces, unsuited to proper furniture placement. The planters were removed, new stone decks, once again expertly married into the existing, opening the area to house a large dining table and new built in bbq area. The spa itself was re-imagined with the bluestone coping, and painted brick veneer. The most impressive addition though is the new handmade glazed tiles that surround the existing cast stone water feature. This water feature was almost unnoticeable against the painted brick wall, but now the dramatic arch and pop of color draw the eye to this quaint little corner of the property.

Photo by Kirsten Robertson.
Huge elegant blue three-story wood house exterior photo in Seattle with a shingle roof and a gray roof