This raised dishwasher (hidden behind the green bead board panel) facilitates easy loading and unloading. Color and cabinet style changes further accent the granite slab bar top. What a lovely transition to behold...

The couple who embarked on this Lake Zurich Illinois home renovation spent years planning a move from Virginia to the rolling hills of Northern Illinois when their first grandchild was born. Wanting to be closer to their grown children so they could enjoy their new role, they first embarked upon finding the right realtor and the right home. They settled on the “perfect” home; perfect that is to transform. The seriously outdated 1,800 square foot ranch had a closed outdated kitchen, 3 bedrooms, a living room with a fireplace, a full basement and 2 baths. Although it had “good bones”, it was straight out of a builder’s catalog with wall to wall carpet, standard tile and honey oak everywhere you looked. But this couple had big plans for this home. In tandem with their home purchase, they began the search for the just the right renovation company. The team they chose needed to be cohesive, as the whole house renovation would be designed hundreds of miles from their home several states away. She found Advance Design Studio, Ltd. online, and was quickly enamored by the team and by Common Sense Remodeling, simply by studying the website. Her decision to choose Advance Design to partner on this complete ranch renovation was confirmed quickly upon her first face to face meeting with owner Todd Jurs, and later by Advance’s designer, Nicole Ryan. Three bedrooms were converted into a one master suite with ample bath and walk in closet, laundry, and a 2nd multi-purpose room designed for movies and entertainment, a home office, and a guest room all in one. A doorway leading to the garage was reconfigured to create a foyer area, and allowed for a better flow to an open modern kitchen complete with a large island for cooking and entertaining, which included a wide bench seat overlooking the back yard and opening onto an eating area flanked with a fireplace and TV. The piece de resistance culminated with 3 walls of full glass anchored by a striking fireplace in the new four season’s room where the homeowners enjoy coffee every morning while gazing at the current day’s mid-western landscape. The open floorplan encourages living in “one space” throughout the day. Ryan worked with the couple remotely, exchanging 3D color renderings and floorplans with detailed budget updates until the project took on the very image they had envisioned. “Working with them was a change from our normal meeting process since they were literally in a different state. We conducted meetings by phone, while reviewing materials and drawings via computer. It was a fun process that necessitated lots of detail and careful coordination, but we made it happen and the process was as smooth as if they were right here like normal”, says Nicole. During a stressful time planning their move, the constant interaction with Nicole assured the couple that all was being addressed by the Advance team and they could relax and focus on other important things (like moving cross country). The new master bath incorporated heated flooring, a walk in shower with seating and custom shower niches, and an elegant double sink vanity with ample space for two. “The layout of each of the rooms is exactly what I envisioned,” the client said. “Advance’s attention to details such as light switch placement, electrical outlets, and many other minute details you wouldn’t even think of was the icing on the cake. If I didn’t think of it first, they certainly did,” said the happy homeowner. Small details like the crown molding, the custom designed fireplace mantle, the under-cabinet lighting and etched door glass, and even subtle rhinestones shimmering like delicate jewelry in the tile backsplash brought the whole project together. The clients were extremely happy with the way the Advance team made sure these small things were executed perfectly. “It’s just gorgeous,” they said at a celebratory event in their home hosted shortly after completion for the entire Advance Design team that made it happen. “The entire crew at Advance Design was a pleasure to work with. We couldn’t have done this with a lesser team,” they concluded.

A modern home with an eclectic mix My clients in this space were divided. They were split by competing aesthetics. There were Vietnamese art pieces with modern motifs and bold colours mixed with hand-crafted rustic tables and antique Canadiana. I quickly identified a lack of cohesion and an uncomfortable conversation area as the primary issues that were causing my clients stress. A change was in order. We partitioned their large connected dining room, living and entryway areas using the existing furniture and floor covering. We were able to create several distinct and cohesive areas that each brought out the best of their contents. Each grouping now seemed natural and harmonious. Smooth international contemporary style and rustic heritage pieces now coexisted in the same space without causing my clients decorating headaches. To organize future projects and to summarize personalized decorating tips, Redecorating Vancouver provided them with a written Design Plan at the conclusion of the consultation. Family is important to me. I recognize that items in my clients' homes have unseen significance. In this instance, I was able to gather items to create a grand-parents nook to honour the couple's family. We took advantage of an heirloom antique radio that belonged to the client's grandfather and a meaningful handmade table. It is both pleasing to the eye and a daily reminder to the couple of who really matters in a home: the family that lives in it.

We started working with these clients over a year ago and after several other projects were completed, they were ready to upgrade the kitchen to match what they had created with the rest of the house. Though we didn’t change the layout much we improved upon every aspect of it. From removing the massive shallow pantries for a more functional one with roll-out trays, and better utilized island with drawers and a pull-out trash, removed the bar top, added a dry bar for better use of the eating area and their beloved coffee, shifted all the base cabinets to maximize every square inch of space, and a custom build hood with a removable front panel! What was once dull and boring is not warm and welcoming with luxurious touches!

We started working with these clients over a year ago and after several other projects were completed, they were ready to upgrade the kitchen to match what they had created with the rest of the house. Though we didn’t change the layout much we improved upon every aspect of it. From removing the massive shallow pantries for a more functional one with roll-out trays, and better utilized island with drawers and a pull-out trash, removed the bar top, added a dry bar for better use of the eating area and their beloved coffee, shifted all the base cabinets to maximize every square inch of space, and a custom build hood with a removable front panel! What was once dull and boring is not warm and welcoming with luxurious touches!

Designed by Christine Wade of Reico Kitchen & Bath in Salem, VA, this small kitchen remodeling project features a modern style inspired design with Merillat Masterpiece cabinets in the Martel door style with a Dove White finish. Kitchen countertops are Spectrum Sterling. The kitchen also includes a Carrara Mosaic 1x2 Herringbone tile backsplash and Viking appliances. “The old kitchen had black cabinets and old halogen lighting. My goal for the kitchen remodel was to have a brighter space,” said the client. “Changing to LED lighting, changing from black to white cabinetry and lowering countertops to all one level were keys to meeting that goal. Although the layout was a galley style kitchen, removing side walls opened up the space and created a feeling that the space was bigger even though the footprint didn’t change.” “The customer originally wanted to open up and take out the columns. After doing research and some preliminary probing we found that one of the columns was the main concrete structure for the building,” said Christine. “With that in mind we were able to still open up the space and give the illusion of the kitchen being larger even though it’s the same foot print as before. For the bar, there was a piece of furniture that we added an end panel to the side of the wine fridge and a quartz top too. We also added shiplap, mantel, tile and additional molding around the built-in open shelves at the fireplace." Photos courtesy of Sowder Group LLC.

We started working with these clients over a year ago and after several other projects were completed, they were ready to upgrade the kitchen to match what they had created with the rest of the house. Though we didn’t change the layout much we improved upon every aspect of it. From removing the massive shallow pantries for a more functional one with roll-out trays, and better utilized island with drawers and a pull-out trash, removed the bar top, added a dry bar for better use of the eating area and their beloved coffee, shifted all the base cabinets to maximize every square inch of space, and a custom build hood with a removable front panel! What was once dull and boring is not warm and welcoming with luxurious touches!

Designed by Christine Wade of Reico Kitchen & Bath in Salem, VA, this small kitchen remodeling project features a modern style inspired design with Merillat Masterpiece cabinets in the Martel door style with a Dove White finish. Kitchen countertops are Spectrum Sterling. The kitchen also includes a Carrara Mosaic 1x2 Herringbone tile backsplash and Viking appliances. “The old kitchen had black cabinets and old halogen lighting. My goal for the kitchen remodel was to have a brighter space,” said the client. “Changing to LED lighting, changing from black to white cabinetry and lowering countertops to all one level were keys to meeting that goal. Although the layout was a galley style kitchen, removing side walls opened up the space and created a feeling that the space was bigger even though the footprint didn’t change.” “The customer originally wanted to open up and take out the columns. After doing research and some preliminary probing we found that one of the columns was the main concrete structure for the building,” said Christine. “With that in mind we were able to still open up the space and give the illusion of the kitchen being larger even though it’s the same foot print as before. For the bar, there was a piece of furniture that we added an end panel to the side of the wine fridge and a quartz top too. We also added shiplap, mantel, tile and additional molding around the built-in open shelves at the fireplace." Photos courtesy of Sowder Group LLC.

We started working with these clients over a year ago and after several other projects were completed, they were ready to upgrade the kitchen to match what they had created with the rest of the house. Though we didn’t change the layout much we improved upon every aspect of it. From removing the massive shallow pantries for a more functional one with roll-out trays, and better utilized island with drawers and a pull-out trash, removed the bar top, added a dry bar for better use of the eating area and their beloved coffee, shifted all the base cabinets to maximize every square inch of space, and a custom build hood with a removable front panel! What was once dull and boring is not warm and welcoming with luxurious touches!

This dining room was a forgotten space, with a small opening to the foyer. It was completely beige and had track lighting that made it feel small and more like an office. We opened up the wall to the foyer, changed the lighting, added crown molding, painted the trim/walls/ceiling, and added furniture and decor. The ceiling is a light blue which, along with the crystal chandelier and cypress dining table, references my client's Southern roots.

We started working with these clients over a year ago and after several other projects were completed, they were ready to upgrade the kitchen to match what they had created with the rest of the house. Though we didn’t change the layout much we improved upon every aspect of it. From removing the massive shallow pantries for a more functional one with roll-out trays, and better utilized island with drawers and a pull-out trash, removed the bar top, added a dry bar for better use of the eating area and their beloved coffee, shifted all the base cabinets to maximize every square inch of space, and a custom build hood with a removable front panel! What was once dull and boring is not warm and welcoming with luxurious touches!

We started working with these clients over a year ago and after several other projects were completed, they were ready to upgrade the kitchen to match what they had created with the rest of the house. Though we didn’t change the layout much we improved upon every aspect of it. From removing the massive shallow pantries for a more functional one with roll-out trays, and better utilized island with drawers and a pull-out trash, removed the bar top, added a dry bar for better use of the eating area and their beloved coffee, shifted all the base cabinets to maximize every square inch of space, and a custom build hood with a removable front panel! What was once dull and boring is not warm and welcoming with luxurious touches!

We started working with these clients over a year ago and after several other projects were completed, they were ready to upgrade the kitchen to match what they had created with the rest of the house. Though we didn’t change the layout much we improved upon every aspect of it. From removing the massive shallow pantries for a more functional one with roll-out trays, and better utilized island with drawers and a pull-out trash, removed the bar top, added a dry bar for better use of the eating area and their beloved coffee, shifted all the base cabinets to maximize every square inch of space, and a custom build hood with a removable front panel! What was once dull and boring is not warm and welcoming with luxurious touches!

We started working with these clients over a year ago and after several other projects were completed, they were ready to upgrade the kitchen to match what they had created with the rest of the house. Though we didn’t change the layout much we improved upon every aspect of it. From removing the massive shallow pantries for a more functional one with roll-out trays, and better utilized island with drawers and a pull-out trash, removed the bar top, added a dry bar for better use of the eating area and their beloved coffee, shifted all the base cabinets to maximize every square inch of space, and a custom build hood with a removable front panel! What was once dull and boring is not warm and welcoming with luxurious touches!

In this project, our client had specific goals and desires for her bathroom renovation to accommodate her changing needs. She requested a roll-in shower with an ADA accessible vanity along with custom storage that fit her farmhouse aesthetics. This presented a unique opportunity to build a custom storage piece that fit her exact use of the space. We completed this project in two phases so that our homeowners would not be without a functioning bathroom for more than a few days at a time. The shower build and tile work was done in Phase I and the vanity and storage unit was completed in Phase II. We designed the vanity with a lowered countertop height on one end for easier access to the sink and a roll under countertop hidden behind cabinet doors. The barn door is situated to slide to cover either the closet for privacy or the shower opening to prevent steam from escaping. The two-toned cabinets were selected to create interest and depth since the unit is so large, and the white vessel sinks contrast beautifully with the dark granite countertop and linear stone backsplash. The finished product was a truly customized bathroom that maximized space, function, mobility, and design.

Make your dining area more contemporary just by changing the light fixture. Notice the ceiling is painted in a darker shade to give the room a dramatic effect. Add a few accessories such as 3-D mirrors to amp up the shine.

A modern home with an eclectic mix My clients in this space were divided. They were split by competing aesthetics. There were Vietnamese art pieces with modern motifs and bold colours mixed with hand-crafted rustic tables and antique Canadiana. I quickly identified a lack of cohesion and an uncomfortable conversation area as the primary issues that were causing my clients stress. A change was in order. We partitioned their large connected dining room, living and entryway areas using the existing furniture and floor covering. We were able to create several distinct and cohesive areas that each brought out the best of their contents. Each grouping now seemed natural and harmonious. Smooth international contemporary style and rustic heritage pieces now coexisted in the same space without causing my clients decorating headaches. To organize future projects and to summarize personalized decorating tips, Redecorating Vancouver provided them with a written Design Plan at the conclusion of the consultation. Family is important to me. I recognize that items in my clients' homes have unseen significance. In this instance, I was able to gather items to create a grand-parents nook to honour the couple's family. We took advantage of an heirloom antique radio that belonged to the client's grandfather and a meaningful handmade table. It is both pleasing to the eye and a daily reminder to the couple of who really matters in a home: the family that lives in it.

We started working with these clients over a year ago and after several other projects were completed, they were ready to upgrade the kitchen to match what they had created with the rest of the house. Though we didn’t change the layout much we improved upon every aspect of it. From removing the massive shallow pantries for a more functional one with roll-out trays, and better utilized island with drawers and a pull-out trash, removed the bar top, added a dry bar for better use of the eating area and their beloved coffee, shifted all the base cabinets to maximize every square inch of space, and a custom build hood with a removable front panel! What was once dull and boring is not warm and welcoming with luxurious touches!

A modern home with an eclectic mix My clients in this space were divided. They were split by competing aesthetics. There were Vietnamese art pieces with modern motifs and bold colours mixed with hand-crafted rustic tables and antique Canadiana. I quickly identified a lack of cohesion and an uncomfortable conversation area as the primary issues that were causing my clients stress. A change was in order. We partitioned their large connected dining room, living and entryway areas using the existing furniture and floor covering. We were able to create several distinct and cohesive areas that each brought out the best of their contents. Each grouping now seemed natural and harmonious. Smooth international contemporary style and rustic heritage pieces now coexisted in the same space without causing my clients decorating headaches. To organize future projects and to summarize personalized decorating tips, Redecorating Vancouver provided them with a written Design Plan at the conclusion of the consultation. Family is important to me. I recognize that items in my clients' homes have unseen significance. In this instance, I was able to gather items to create a grand-parents nook to honour the couple's family. We took advantage of an heirloom antique radio that belonged to the client's grandfather and a meaningful handmade table. It is both pleasing to the eye and a daily reminder to the couple of who really matters in a home: the family that lives in it.