This classy final product was the result of many challenging weeks and lots of changes! What started out as a pretty large scope of work turned into a massive scope of work, and we ended up designing and reworking just about every part of every space in the house. On the main level, we upgraded an existing powder room, adding a pantry to the kitchen, installed a new gas fireplace to replace the old wood burning, painted everything with a new fresh palette, scraped off the popcorn ceilings, and implemented a new lighting scheme throughout. Upstairs, we did a full upgrade remodel to the guest bathroom, and gorgeous renovation to the master bathroom. We installed new ceiling fans in every bedroom, painted the entire level, hung a new stairwell chandelier, replaced closet doors, scraped popcorn ceilings, and added recessed lights. In the basement, we added a new stair railing, remodeled the basement bathroom, completed re-faced the existing fireplace and hearth, added a new gas insert, created a gorgeous back storage wall, and scraped popcorn ceilings. We also painted and added recessed lighting here, and replaced old wood doors with fresh white ones. This whole house carries a gorgeous, fresh, elegantly traditional aesthetic now that is cohesive and beautiful!

Scott and Janet of Elgin have had four design to build renovations with Advance Design over the last decade. We got the chance to sit down and talk with Janet about her experience working with Advance Design on so many different areas of her home. Starting with her kitchen in 2009, Janet proclaimed, “The reason we kept coming back is because our first [renovation] went so extremely well, exceeding all of my expectations.” Since their kitchen renovation with Advance Design ten years ago, Scott and Janet have also worked with Advance to remodel their master bedroom, their power room, a wet bar, and most recently their master bath. Having renovated practically every major room in the house with the team, we asked Janet what made her experience with Advance Design so special. “We went with Advance Design because we trusted them so much more, their experience, and everything that they brought. We were confident they were giving us what we wanted for the money we were spending.” For their most recent renovation, Scott and Janet clearly knew what to expect going into their master bath renovation. They were familiar with Advance’s step by step design process that epitomizes the “Common Sense Remodeling” philosophy applied in every project Advance creates. After once again experiencing the careful budgeting analysis, the pointed design meetings, and the clear documentation that leads up the a thoroughly managed installation, Janet’s simple summary of their experience is this; “The word I would use to describe the process is – collaboration!” Working closely with Advance Design kitchen designer Michelle Lecinski, together they were able to develop a new master bath design that not only worked with their investment goal, but also made sense for their lifestyle. “Oh Michelle, my designer! I connected with her immediately. She spent time getting to know us, our lifestyle, even the setting of our house.” The threesome had a great experience designing and producing yet another successful project together. When it came to their new project plans, Scott and Janet were interested in creating a relaxing “spa-like” experience in their master bath. One of the many ideas Michelle introduced during the design process was installing a Kohler Alteo series showerhead for a rain-like shower experience. This designer showerhead, mixed with the warm ambiance of the lighting and pebble accent running throughout the shower make for what Janet calls a “luxury spa essence”. From the oversized glass sliding door to the recessed niche for accessories, each special detail was considered and implemented intentionally so as to create the maximumly optimized use of the compact space. Not only was this transformation one of beauty and luxury, but special attention was given to every way possible to provide additional storage to maximize the functionality of the bath area as a whole. Once design was complete and the bath construction project began in their home, making sure everything happened efficiently and on schedule became new priority number one. “Having a project manager made an enormous difference,” Janet said, “It was so worth it to hire professionals that knew exactly what they were doing. Even after all of these years, I wouldn’t change a thing.” “It was a pleasure working together with Janet and Scott to create this beautiful space that will enhance their lives for many years,” says Michelle. “It is so much fun to get to do this job every day, I love that I can have this sort of impact on their lives by doing something for them [Janet & Scott] that comes so naturally to me!” After reviewing the long-term relationship with clients like Scott and Janet, owner Todd Jurs had this to say, “Clients returning and asking us to transform that next area of their home really warms my heart. It reaffirms that every decision to please clients no matter what is always the right choice, and that our honesty and integrity along with the immense collective talent of this team is recognized and appreciated by those who continue to return to us year after year.” He continued to say, “I always say how blessed we truly are to be able to do what we do, and experiences like this one put a smile on my face every time.”

Download our free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW A tired primary bathroom, with varying ceiling heights and a beige-on-beige color scheme, was screaming for love. Squaring the room and adding natural materials erased the memory of the lack luster space and converted it to a bright and welcoming spa oasis. The home was a new build in 2005 and it looked like all the builder’s material choices remained. The client was clear on their design direction but were challenged by the differing ceiling heights and were looking to hire a design-build firm that could resolve that issue. This local Glen Ellyn couple found us on Instagram (@kitchenstudioge, follow us ?). They loved our designs and felt like we fit their style. They requested a full primary bath renovation to include a large shower, soaking tub, double vanity with storage options, and heated floors. The wife also really wanted a separate make-up vanity. The biggest challenge presented to us was to architecturally marry the various ceiling heights and deliver a streamlined design. The existing layout worked well for the couple, so we kept everything in place, except we enlarged the shower and replaced the built-in tub with a lovely free-standing model. We also added a sitting make-up vanity. We were able to eliminate the awkward ceiling lines by extending all the walls to the highest level. Then, to accommodate the sprinklers and HVAC, lowered the ceiling height over the entrance and shower area which then opens to the 2-story vanity and tub area. Very dramatic! This high-end home deserved high-end fixtures. The homeowners also quickly realized they loved the look of natural marble and wanted to use as much of it as possible in their new bath. They chose a marble slab from the stone yard for the countertops and back splash, and we found complimentary marble tile for the shower. The homeowners also liked the idea of mixing metals in their new posh bathroom and loved the look of black, gold, and chrome. Although our clients were very clear on their style, they were having a difficult time pulling it all together and envisioning the final product. As interior designers it is our job to translate and elevate our clients’ ideas into a deliverable design. We presented the homeowners with mood boards and 3D renderings of our modern, clean, white marble design. Since the color scheme was relatively neutral, at the homeowner’s request, we decided to add of interest with the patterns and shapes in the room. We were first inspired by the shower floor tile with its circular/linear motif. We designed the cabinetry, floor and wall tiles, mirrors, cabinet pulls, and wainscoting to have a square or rectangular shape, and then to create interest we added perfectly placed circles to contrast with the rectangular shapes. The globe shaped chandelier against the square wall trim is a delightful yet subtle juxtaposition. The clients were overjoyed with our interpretation of their vision and impressed with the level of detail we brought to the project. It’s one thing to know how you want a space to look, but it takes a special set of skills to create the design and see it thorough to implementation. Could hiring The Kitchen Studio be the first step to making your home dreams come to life?

This classy final product was the result of many challenging weeks and lots of changes! What started out as a pretty large scope of work turned into a massive scope of work, and we ended up designing and reworking just about every part of every space in the house. On the main level, we upgraded an existing powder room, adding a pantry to the kitchen, installed a new gas fireplace to replace the old wood burning, painted everything with a new fresh palette, scraped off the popcorn ceilings, and implemented a new lighting scheme throughout. Upstairs, we did a full upgrade remodel to the guest bathroom, and gorgeous renovation to the master bathroom. We installed new ceiling fans in every bedroom, painted the entire level, hung a new stairwell chandelier, replaced closet doors, scraped popcorn ceilings, and added recessed lights. In the basement, we added a new stair railing, remodeled the basement bathroom, completed re-faced the existing fireplace and hearth, added a new gas insert, created a gorgeous back storage wall, and scraped popcorn ceilings. We also painted and added recessed lighting here, and replaced old wood doors with fresh white ones. This whole house carries a gorgeous, fresh, elegantly traditional aesthetic now that is cohesive and beautiful!

This extraordinary home was so much fun to design. We have previously worked on three of our client’s homes and by now, we spoke the same design language resulting in conversations, ideas, and decisions that came easy. The colorful outdoors surrounding this Intracoastal residence inspired our choices throughout the design. Bold deep blues live harmoniously beside aquas, pinks, and soft metallics expressed in large artworks, dramatic art glass, and luxuriously upholstered chairs. The monochromatic master bedroom, however, is a study in textures. Soft taupe-hued furnishings appear to float on a luxurious cloud of creamy white achieved with a wall-to-wall fur rug while a bold oversized chandelier made of a single ring of clear blown glass illuminates and sparkles against two large and dramatic beveled mirrors. Translucent lucite lamps and the room’s generous nightstand’s chrome legs round out this elegant bedroom’s glamorous finishes. Implementing innovative use of secondary spaces including the home’s hallways, walkthrough, and closets, we cleverly installed a floor-to-ceiling illuminated wine cellar that is as much a design element as it is a lifestyle feature for our client’s extensive wine collection. An extra-wide, low, narrow blue flame glass wall fire feature is unexpected and holds its own underneath bold oversized artwork. The home’s two expansive outdoor living spaces are designed for entertaining with generously furnished spaces for cooking and dining or just lounging poolside with your favorite people while enjoying the beautiful vistas that make this luxury home a dreamy one.

This classy final product was the result of many challenging weeks and lots of changes! What started out as a pretty large scope of work turned into a massive scope of work, and we ended up designing and reworking just about every part of every space in the house. On the main level, we upgraded an existing powder room, adding a pantry to the kitchen, installed a new gas fireplace to replace the old wood burning, painted everything with a new fresh palette, scraped off the popcorn ceilings, and implemented a new lighting scheme throughout. Upstairs, we did a full upgrade remodel to the guest bathroom, and gorgeous renovation to the master bathroom. We installed new ceiling fans in every bedroom, painted the entire level, hung a new stairwell chandelier, replaced closet doors, scraped popcorn ceilings, and added recessed lights. In the basement, we added a new stair railing, remodeled the basement bathroom, completed re-faced the existing fireplace and hearth, added a new gas insert, created a gorgeous back storage wall, and scraped popcorn ceilings. We also painted and added recessed lighting here, and replaced old wood doors with fresh white ones. This whole house carries a gorgeous, fresh, elegantly traditional aesthetic now that is cohesive and beautiful!

This extraordinary home was so much fun to design. We have previously worked on three of our client’s homes and by now, we spoke the same design language resulting in conversations, ideas, and decisions that came easy. The colorful outdoors surrounding this Intracoastal residence inspired our choices throughout the design. Bold deep blues live harmoniously beside aquas, pinks, and soft metallics expressed in large artworks, dramatic art glass, and luxuriously upholstered chairs. The monochromatic master bedroom, however, is a study in textures. Soft taupe-hued furnishings appear to float on a luxurious cloud of creamy white achieved with a wall-to-wall fur rug while a bold oversized chandelier made of a single ring of clear blown glass illuminates and sparkles against two large and dramatic beveled mirrors. Translucent lucite lamps and the room’s generous nightstand’s chrome legs round out this elegant bedroom’s glamorous finishes. Implementing innovative use of secondary spaces including the home’s hallways, walkthrough, and closets, we cleverly installed a floor-to-ceiling illuminated wine cellar that is as much a design element as it is a lifestyle feature for our client’s extensive wine collection. An extra-wide, low, narrow blue flame glass wall fire feature is unexpected and holds its own underneath bold oversized artwork. The home’s two expansive outdoor living spaces are designed for entertaining with generously furnished spaces for cooking and dining or just lounging poolside with your favorite people while enjoying the beautiful vistas that make this luxury home a dreamy one.

This classy final product was the result of many challenging weeks and lots of changes! What started out as a pretty large scope of work turned into a massive scope of work, and we ended up designing and reworking just about every part of every space in the house. On the main level, we upgraded an existing powder room, adding a pantry to the kitchen, installed a new gas fireplace to replace the old wood burning, painted everything with a new fresh palette, scraped off the popcorn ceilings, and implemented a new lighting scheme throughout. Upstairs, we did a full upgrade remodel to the guest bathroom, and gorgeous renovation to the master bathroom. We installed new ceiling fans in every bedroom, painted the entire level, hung a new stairwell chandelier, replaced closet doors, scraped popcorn ceilings, and added recessed lights. In the basement, we added a new stair railing, remodeled the basement bathroom, completed re-faced the existing fireplace and hearth, added a new gas insert, created a gorgeous back storage wall, and scraped popcorn ceilings. We also painted and added recessed lighting here, and replaced old wood doors with fresh white ones. This whole house carries a gorgeous, fresh, elegantly traditional aesthetic now that is cohesive and beautiful!

This extraordinary home was so much fun to design. We have previously worked on three of our client’s homes and by now, we spoke the same design language resulting in conversations, ideas, and decisions that came easy. The colorful outdoors surrounding this Intracoastal residence inspired our choices throughout the design. Bold deep blues live harmoniously beside aquas, pinks, and soft metallics expressed in large artworks, dramatic art glass, and luxuriously upholstered chairs. The monochromatic master bedroom, however, is a study in textures. Soft taupe-hued furnishings appear to float on a luxurious cloud of creamy white achieved with a wall-to-wall fur rug while a bold oversized chandelier made of a single ring of clear blown glass illuminates and sparkles against two large and dramatic beveled mirrors. Translucent lucite lamps and the room’s generous nightstand’s chrome legs round out this elegant bedroom’s glamorous finishes. Implementing innovative use of secondary spaces including the home’s hallways, walkthrough, and closets, we cleverly installed a floor-to-ceiling illuminated wine cellar that is as much a design element as it is a lifestyle feature for our client’s extensive wine collection. An extra-wide, low, narrow blue flame glass wall fire feature is unexpected and holds its own underneath bold oversized artwork. The home’s two expansive outdoor living spaces are designed for entertaining with generously furnished spaces for cooking and dining or just lounging poolside with your favorite people while enjoying the beautiful vistas that make this luxury home a dreamy one.

This extraordinary home was so much fun to design. We have previously worked on three of our client’s homes and by now, we spoke the same design language resulting in conversations, ideas, and decisions that came easy. The colorful outdoors surrounding this Intracoastal residence inspired our choices throughout the design. Bold deep blues live harmoniously beside aquas, pinks, and soft metallics expressed in large artworks, dramatic art glass, and luxuriously upholstered chairs. The monochromatic master bedroom, however, is a study in textures. Soft taupe-hued furnishings appear to float on a luxurious cloud of creamy white achieved with a wall-to-wall fur rug while a bold oversized chandelier made of a single ring of clear blown glass illuminates and sparkles against two large and dramatic beveled mirrors. Translucent lucite lamps and the room’s generous nightstand’s chrome legs round out this elegant bedroom’s glamorous finishes. Implementing innovative use of secondary spaces including the home’s hallways, walkthrough, and closets, we cleverly installed a floor-to-ceiling illuminated wine cellar that is as much a design element as it is a lifestyle feature for our client’s extensive wine collection. An extra-wide, low, narrow blue flame glass wall fire feature is unexpected and holds its own underneath bold oversized artwork. The home’s two expansive outdoor living spaces are designed for entertaining with generously furnished spaces for cooking and dining or just lounging poolside with your favorite people while enjoying the beautiful vistas that make this luxury home a dreamy one.

Example of a small classic 3/4 white tile and stone tile mosaic tile floor alcove shower design in Chicago with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, black cabinets, quartzite countertops, a two-piece toilet and gray walls

This extraordinary home was so much fun to design. We have previously worked on three of our client’s homes and by now, we spoke the same design language resulting in conversations, ideas, and decisions that came easy. The colorful outdoors surrounding this Intracoastal residence inspired our choices throughout the design. Bold deep blues live harmoniously beside aquas, pinks, and soft metallics expressed in large artworks, dramatic art glass, and luxuriously upholstered chairs. The monochromatic master bedroom, however, is a study in textures. Soft taupe-hued furnishings appear to float on a luxurious cloud of creamy white achieved with a wall-to-wall fur rug while a bold oversized chandelier made of a single ring of clear blown glass illuminates and sparkles against two large and dramatic beveled mirrors. Translucent lucite lamps and the room’s generous nightstand’s chrome legs round out this elegant bedroom’s glamorous finishes. Implementing innovative use of secondary spaces including the home’s hallways, walkthrough, and closets, we cleverly installed a floor-to-ceiling illuminated wine cellar that is as much a design element as it is a lifestyle feature for our client’s extensive wine collection. An extra-wide, low, narrow blue flame glass wall fire feature is unexpected and holds its own underneath bold oversized artwork. The home’s two expansive outdoor living spaces are designed for entertaining with generously furnished spaces for cooking and dining or just lounging poolside with your favorite people while enjoying the beautiful vistas that make this luxury home a dreamy one.

This classy final product was the result of many challenging weeks and lots of changes! What started out as a pretty large scope of work turned into a massive scope of work, and we ended up designing and reworking just about every part of every space in the house. On the main level, we upgraded an existing powder room, adding a pantry to the kitchen, installed a new gas fireplace to replace the old wood burning, painted everything with a new fresh palette, scraped off the popcorn ceilings, and implemented a new lighting scheme throughout. Upstairs, we did a full upgrade remodel to the guest bathroom, and gorgeous renovation to the master bathroom. We installed new ceiling fans in every bedroom, painted the entire level, hung a new stairwell chandelier, replaced closet doors, scraped popcorn ceilings, and added recessed lights. In the basement, we added a new stair railing, remodeled the basement bathroom, completed re-faced the existing fireplace and hearth, added a new gas insert, created a gorgeous back storage wall, and scraped popcorn ceilings. We also painted and added recessed lighting here, and replaced old wood doors with fresh white ones. This whole house carries a gorgeous, fresh, elegantly traditional aesthetic now that is cohesive and beautiful!

When a world class sailing champion approached us to design a Newport home for his family, with lodging for his sailing crew, we set out to create a clean, light-filled modern home that would integrate with the natural surroundings of the waterfront property, and respect the character of the historic district. Our approach was to make the marine landscape an integral feature throughout the home. One hundred eighty degree views of the ocean from the top floors are the result of the pinwheel massing. The home is designed as an extension of the curvilinear approach to the property through the woods and reflects the gentle undulating waterline of the adjacent saltwater marsh. Floodplain regulations dictated that the primary occupied spaces be located significantly above grade; accordingly, we designed the first and second floors on a stone “plinth” above a walk-out basement with ample storage for sailing equipment. The curved stone base slopes to grade and houses the shallow entry stair, while the same stone clads the interior’s vertical core to the roof, along which the wood, glass and stainless steel stair ascends to the upper level. One critical programmatic requirement was enough sleeping space for the sailing crew, and informal party spaces for the end of race-day gatherings. The private master suite is situated on one side of the public central volume, giving the homeowners views of approaching visitors. A “bedroom bar,” designed to accommodate a full house of guests, emerges from the other side of the central volume, and serves as a backdrop for the infinity pool and the cove beyond. Also essential to the design process was ecological sensitivity and stewardship. The wetlands of the adjacent saltwater marsh were designed to be restored; an extensive geo-thermal heating and cooling system was implemented; low carbon footprint materials and permeable surfaces were used where possible. Native and non-invasive plant species were utilized in the landscape. The abundance of windows and glass railings maximize views of the landscape, and, in deference to the adjacent bird sanctuary, bird-friendly glazing was used throughout. Photo: Michael Moran/OTTO Photography

This extraordinary home was so much fun to design. We have previously worked on three of our client’s homes and by now, we spoke the same design language resulting in conversations, ideas, and decisions that came easy. The colorful outdoors surrounding this Intracoastal residence inspired our choices throughout the design. Bold deep blues live harmoniously beside aquas, pinks, and soft metallics expressed in large artworks, dramatic art glass, and luxuriously upholstered chairs. The monochromatic master bedroom, however, is a study in textures. Soft taupe-hued furnishings appear to float on a luxurious cloud of creamy white achieved with a wall-to-wall fur rug while a bold oversized chandelier made of a single ring of clear blown glass illuminates and sparkles against two large and dramatic beveled mirrors. Translucent lucite lamps and the room’s generous nightstand’s chrome legs round out this elegant bedroom’s glamorous finishes. Implementing innovative use of secondary spaces including the home’s hallways, walkthrough, and closets, we cleverly installed a floor-to-ceiling illuminated wine cellar that is as much a design element as it is a lifestyle feature for our client’s extensive wine collection. An extra-wide, low, narrow blue flame glass wall fire feature is unexpected and holds its own underneath bold oversized artwork. The home’s two expansive outdoor living spaces are designed for entertaining with generously furnished spaces for cooking and dining or just lounging poolside with your favorite people while enjoying the beautiful vistas that make this luxury home a dreamy one.

This extraordinary home was so much fun to design. We have previously worked on three of our client’s homes and by now, we spoke the same design language resulting in conversations, ideas, and decisions that came easy. The colorful outdoors surrounding this Intracoastal residence inspired our choices throughout the design. Bold deep blues live harmoniously beside aquas, pinks, and soft metallics expressed in large artworks, dramatic art glass, and luxuriously upholstered chairs. The monochromatic master bedroom, however, is a study in textures. Soft taupe-hued furnishings appear to float on a luxurious cloud of creamy white achieved with a wall-to-wall fur rug while a bold oversized chandelier made of a single ring of clear blown glass illuminates and sparkles against two large and dramatic beveled mirrors. Translucent lucite lamps and the room’s generous nightstand’s chrome legs round out this elegant bedroom’s glamorous finishes. Implementing innovative use of secondary spaces including the home’s hallways, walkthrough, and closets, we cleverly installed a floor-to-ceiling illuminated wine cellar that is as much a design element as it is a lifestyle feature for our client’s extensive wine collection. An extra-wide, low, narrow blue flame glass wall fire feature is unexpected and holds its own underneath bold oversized artwork. The home’s two expansive outdoor living spaces are designed for entertaining with generously furnished spaces for cooking and dining or just lounging poolside with your favorite people while enjoying the beautiful vistas that make this luxury home a dreamy one.

This classy final product was the result of many challenging weeks and lots of changes! What started out as a pretty large scope of work turned into a massive scope of work, and we ended up designing and reworking just about every part of every space in the house. On the main level, we upgraded an existing powder room, adding a pantry to the kitchen, installed a new gas fireplace to replace the old wood burning, painted everything with a new fresh palette, scraped off the popcorn ceilings, and implemented a new lighting scheme throughout. Upstairs, we did a full upgrade remodel to the guest bathroom, and gorgeous renovation to the master bathroom. We installed new ceiling fans in every bedroom, painted the entire level, hung a new stairwell chandelier, replaced closet doors, scraped popcorn ceilings, and added recessed lights. In the basement, we added a new stair railing, remodeled the basement bathroom, completed re-faced the existing fireplace and hearth, added a new gas insert, created a gorgeous back storage wall, and scraped popcorn ceilings. We also painted and added recessed lighting here, and replaced old wood doors with fresh white ones. This whole house carries a gorgeous, fresh, elegantly traditional aesthetic now that is cohesive and beautiful!

This classy final product was the result of many challenging weeks and lots of changes! What started out as a pretty large scope of work turned into a massive scope of work, and we ended up designing and reworking just about every part of every space in the house. On the main level, we upgraded an existing powder room, adding a pantry to the kitchen, installed a new gas fireplace to replace the old wood burning, painted everything with a new fresh palette, scraped off the popcorn ceilings, and implemented a new lighting scheme throughout. Upstairs, we did a full upgrade remodel to the guest bathroom, and gorgeous renovation to the master bathroom. We installed new ceiling fans in every bedroom, painted the entire level, hung a new stairwell chandelier, replaced closet doors, scraped popcorn ceilings, and added recessed lights. In the basement, we added a new stair railing, remodeled the basement bathroom, completed re-faced the existing fireplace and hearth, added a new gas insert, created a gorgeous back storage wall, and scraped popcorn ceilings. We also painted and added recessed lighting here, and replaced old wood doors with fresh white ones. This whole house carries a gorgeous, fresh, elegantly traditional aesthetic now that is cohesive and beautiful!

This classy final product was the result of many challenging weeks and lots of changes! What started out as a pretty large scope of work turned into a massive scope of work, and we ended up designing and reworking just about every part of every space in the house. On the main level, we upgraded an existing powder room, adding a pantry to the kitchen, installed a new gas fireplace to replace the old wood burning, painted everything with a new fresh palette, scraped off the popcorn ceilings, and implemented a new lighting scheme throughout. Upstairs, we did a full upgrade remodel to the guest bathroom, and gorgeous renovation to the master bathroom. We installed new ceiling fans in every bedroom, painted the entire level, hung a new stairwell chandelier, replaced closet doors, scraped popcorn ceilings, and added recessed lights. In the basement, we added a new stair railing, remodeled the basement bathroom, completed re-faced the existing fireplace and hearth, added a new gas insert, created a gorgeous back storage wall, and scraped popcorn ceilings. We also painted and added recessed lighting here, and replaced old wood doors with fresh white ones. This whole house carries a gorgeous, fresh, elegantly traditional aesthetic now that is cohesive and beautiful!