Mike and Anne of Barrington Hills desperately needed to update and renovate both their kid’s hall bath and guest bath, and in their 1980’s home each project presented a different set of unique challenges to overcome. When they set out to identify the right remodeling company to partner with, it was important to find a company that could help them to visualize design solutions for the bath renovations. When they came across Advance Design Studio’s website, they were immediately drawn to the solution-oriented remodeling process and the family friendly company. They say they chose Advance Design because of the integrated approach of “Common Sense Remodeling”, making the design, project management and construction all happen in one place. When they met with Project Designer Michelle Lecinski, they knew they chose the right company. “Michelle’s excellent work on the initial designs made it easy to proceed with Advance Design Studio,” Mike said. Like most homeowners anticipating a big renovation project, they had some healthy fears; with two bathrooms being remodeled at the same time they worried about timeframes and staying within budget. With the help of Michelle, and the “Common Sense” guidelines, they were confident that Advance Design would stay true, orchestrating all the moving parts to stay within both the estimated timeline and budget. The guest bath offered the biggest design challenge. A dormer obstruction made the already cramped shower awkward to access. Mike and Anne also wanted the shower size to be expanded, making it more accommodating. Working with Advance’s construction expert DJ Yurik, Michelle relocated the shower concealing the original dormer and creating a larger, more comfortable and aesthetically pleasing guest shower. The unsightly and not at all user-friendly closet was removed and replaced with elegant White Maple Dura Supreme cabinetry with much improved function featuring dual tall linen cabinets, a special makeup area and two sinks, providing a dual vanity which was extremely important for better guest use. The Fossil Brown quartz countertop is in pleasing contrast to the white cabinetry, and coordinates nicely with the mocha porcelain tile gracing the shower for an accent. The decorative glazed turquoise tile backsplash, tile border, and bottle niche adds a taste of marine green to the room, while marble-looking porcelain tile makes guests feel they are staying in a 5-star hotel. Polished nickel Kohler plumbing fixtures were chosen to add a touch of sophistication. This renovated guest bath is comfortable and elegant, and Anne and Mike’s house guests may never want to leave! “The end result was updated and restyled bathrooms that the client will enjoy and increase the value of their home,” Designer Michelle said. The children’s hall bath had its own set of challenges. The current placement of the sink was not conducive to the best use of the existing space, nor did it allow for any visual interest, something Advance’s designers always work to achieve even within the tight confines of a small bath. Advance removed the linen closet and used the gain in wall space to create a dramatic focal point on the vanity wall. They also took additional space that wasn’t being used for new Storm Gray Dura Supreme tall built-in linen cabinets, creating functional storage space that the former bath lacked. A customized glass splash panel was created for the bath, and the high ceilings with skylights were accented with a custom-made track lighting fixture featuring industrial pipe and cage materials. Authentic cement encaustic tile was used wall to wall surrounding the vanity to create a dramatic and interesting back drop for the new elegant and stately furniture-like double sink wall. Hand-made encaustic tile originated in Western Europe beginning in the 1850’s and reminded Mike and Anne of tile they had seen and loved from their travels overseas. Today, encaustic tile has made a re-appearance in today’s modern bath design with its wide array of appealing patterns and artistic use of color. Oil rubbed bronze Kohler fixtures echo the black accents in the beautiful tile pattern and reflect the matte black of the unique lighting detail. Easy to maintain Blanca Arabescato Quartz countertops add practicality and natural beauty and compliments the warm wood porcelain tile floors. This handsome bath has generated praise from friends and family even before it’s complete unveiling as photos of the space leaked out on social media! It’s not only completely functional to use, but especially pretty to look at. “Advance Design Studio did a terrific job for us. We really appreciated how easy it was to work with them on a complex project of the complete remodeling of two bathrooms. They very capably handled all the details from design, to project management, to construction. It is a great group of people to work with and we would welcome the opportunity to work with them again anytime,” Mike said.

Photo: Aaron Glassman
Inspiration for a mid-sized scandinavian gender-neutral painted wood floor playroom remodel in Las Vegas with white walls

This Master Bedroom was staged with a sectional lounging area and furnishings that lend to a more glamourous retreat.
Inspiration for a huge transitional master medium tone wood floor bedroom remodel in Miami with gray walls, a standard fireplace and a stone fireplace

TAB refreshed what was an all cream and boring master bedroom into this dark and moody yet feminine retreat. It is okay to have fun with your 5th wall and paint it, make it a feature with wallcovering, or add a treatment with wood. Another item that some fear is wallpaper...well in this space we did apply this peel and stick wallpaper mural that was installed by the home owners to help with the budget! The bed and dresser was existing to the clients but we wanted to make the space a little more fun by adding vintage looking cream sidetables with storage to offset the dark woods, offset the masculin navy paint with feminine blush tones, and added a tone of texture and softness with the pillows and throws. The large chrystal chandelier and lovely lamps reflect a beautiul glow off of the wonderful mirrows flanking the bed. To finish off the space we found a large, velvet soft area rug to center everything on that shared all the new colors. This project was an e-design project with a strict budget that we were able to beat and get done in record breaking time...and it was so beautiful that, as you can see, it was freatured in a local magazine!

Example of a large transitional master white tile and ceramic tile drop-in bathtub design with a hinged shower door

Example of a large transitional master white tile and ceramic tile drop-in bathtub design with a hinged shower door

Inspiration for a large transitional master white tile and ceramic tile drop-in bathtub remodel with a hinged shower door

Inspiration for a large transitional master white tile and ceramic tile drop-in bathtub remodel with a hinged shower door

Situated in Denton, Texas these clients sought a personalized home from the ground up. It was important that their eclectic style be evidenced in every facet of the home to reflect their lively personalities. The project scope encompassed the dining, kitchen, breakfast nook, living, master bedroom, and master bathroom. Color, fixtures, furnishings, materials, artwork, and accessories were carefully selected to reflect a collective atmosphere and communicate the common theme of vibrancy. One significant challenge was the husband's fear of color. While he has an outgoing personality he did not want the home to feel loud and obnoxious. Putting him at ease was accomplished by presenting a comprehensive design plan with samples laid out so that he gained a clear understanding of how the home would flow together in harmony. This family feels unashamedly comfortable in their perfectly curated oasis. Photos by Sally Sloan of Showcase Photographers

Situated in Denton, Texas these clients sought a personalized home from the ground up. It was important that their eclectic style be evidenced in every facet of the home to reflect their lively personalities. The project scope encompassed the dining, kitchen, breakfast nook, living, master bedroom, and master bathroom. Color, fixtures, furnishings, materials, artwork, and accessories were carefully selected to reflect a collective atmosphere and communicate the common theme of vibrancy. One significant challenge was the husband's fear of color. While he has an outgoing personality he did not want the home to feel loud and obnoxious. Putting him at ease was accomplished by presenting a comprehensive design plan with samples laid out so that he gained a clear understanding of how the home would flow together in harmony. This family feels unashamedly comfortable in their perfectly curated oasis. Photos by Sally Sloan of Showcase Photographers

Complete gut of this guest bathroom in Magnolia Greens. A standard acrylic surround was replaced with a custom tile shower with floating corner bench, recessed niche and barn door style, frameless glass shower door. A new vanity was installed with a Super White Quartz countertop and new porcelain tile was installed on the floor.

Complete gut of this guest bathroom in Magnolia Greens. A standard acrylic surround was replaced with a custom tile shower with floating corner bench, recessed niche and barn door style, frameless glass shower door. A new vanity was installed with a Super White Quartz countertop and new porcelain tile was installed on the floor.

Mid-sized transitional l-shaped laminate floor, brown floor and vaulted ceiling open concept kitchen photo in Orange County with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz countertops, gray backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, no island and white countertops

Complete gut of this guest bathroom in Magnolia Greens. A standard acrylic surround was replaced with a custom tile shower with floating corner bench, recessed niche and barn door style, frameless glass shower door. A new vanity was installed with a Super White Quartz countertop and new porcelain tile was installed on the floor.

This was a half bathroom located on the first floor of the house. We expanded the bathroom into an oversized foyer space to make room for a shower. The project required breaking up some of the slab to run the plumbing lines for the new shower and toilet locations. We created a custom tile shower with a frameless glass door and accented the space with tile wainscoting. The bathroom had an entry from a common hallway area and from the living room. We installed barn doors as the entry doors to keep the inswing of a door from taking up valuable space. We also installed and stained a set of French doors to create a separate space for the living room.

Photography: Spacecrafting Photography
Example of a mid-sized transitional master ceramic tile and beige floor freestanding bathtub design in Minneapolis with recessed-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, beige walls, an undermount sink, quartz countertops, a hinged shower door and beige countertops

Complete gut of this guest bathroom in Magnolia Greens. A standard acrylic surround was replaced with a custom tile shower with floating corner bench, recessed niche and barn door style, frameless glass shower door. A new vanity was installed with a Super White Quartz countertop and new porcelain tile was installed on the floor.

This young couple was ready to make some changes to their master bedroom. They already laid a great foundation for me: beautiful wall color, carpet and trim. We just needed to update their furnishings and make this space feel more like them. They requested a bedroom that was more classic than trendy and a space that feels relaxing and spa-like. I started with the big pieces. I know they liked the light, upholstered bed look, which is awesome because I get so many clients who shy away from this option for fear of it getting dirty. Next up were the case pieces: dresser, night stands, high boy. I know a lot of designers who favor designing a bedroom with non-matching sets, but in this case, I thought opting for matching nightstands and dressers was the most classic choice and will stand the test of time best. They also a requested an area for the wive to do her make up and hair separate from the bathroom with ample light. I found a vanity, replaced the matching stool with an accent chair in a grey ikat print and used a pair of existing lamps. Extra seating is provided at the end of the bed on a tufted grey bench. The inverted pleat drapes are custom made with black out lining. Accessories and wall art were added to infuse personality and warm up the space.