Landscape by Stonepocket located in Minnetonka, Minnesota Creating a elegant landscape to blend with a home with such character and charm was a challenge in controlled resistant. Did not want the landscape to overwhelm the home, nor did I want a typical landscape for this style that usually involves a box hedge. Utilizing light in the front to create a perennial garden give the home a sense of place. Keep the planting mostly to whites and greens in the back unifies the space. photos by Stonepocket, Inc

Example of a mid-sized mid-century modern l-shaped light wood floor and brown floor eat-in kitchen design in Seattle with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, ceramic backsplash, an island, white countertops and stainless steel appliances

The sun can be overwhelming at times with the brightness and high temperatures. Shades are also a great way to block harmful ultra-violet rays to protect your hardwood flooring, furniture and artwork from fading. There are different types of shades that were engineered to solve a specific dilemma. We work with clients in the Central Indiana Area. Contact us today to get started on your project. 317-273-8343

The owners requested a Private Resort that catered to their love for entertaining friends and family, a place where 2 people would feel just as comfortable as 42. Located on the western edge of a Wisconsin lake, the site provides a range of natural ecosystems from forest to prairie to water, allowing the building to have a more complex relationship with the lake - not merely creating large unencumbered views in that direction. The gently sloping site to the lake is atypical in many ways to most lakeside lots - as its main trajectory is not directly to the lake views - allowing for focus to be pushed in other directions such as a courtyard and into a nearby forest. The biggest challenge was accommodating the large scale gathering spaces, while not overwhelming the natural setting with a single massive structure. Our solution was found in breaking down the scale of the project into digestible pieces and organizing them in a Camp-like collection of elements: - Main Lodge: Providing the proper entry to the Camp and a Mess Hall - Bunk House: A communal sleeping area and social space. - Party Barn: An entertainment facility that opens directly on to a swimming pool & outdoor room. - Guest Cottages: A series of smaller guest quarters. - Private Quarters: The owners private space that directly links to the Main Lodge. These elements are joined by a series green roof connectors, that merge with the landscape and allow the out buildings to retain their own identity. This Camp feel was further magnified through the materiality - specifically the use of Doug Fir, creating a modern Northwoods setting that is warm and inviting. The use of local limestone and poured concrete walls ground the buildings to the sloping site and serve as a cradle for the wood volumes that rest gently on them. The connections between these materials provided an opportunity to add a delicate reading to the spaces and re-enforce the camp aesthetic. The oscillation between large communal spaces and private, intimate zones is explored on the interior and in the outdoor rooms. From the large courtyard to the private balcony - accommodating a variety of opportunities to engage the landscape was at the heart of the concept. Overview Chenequa, WI Size Total Finished Area: 9,543 sf Completion Date May 2013 Services Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Interior Design

Mid-sized transitional medium tone wood floor and brown floor great room photo in New York with orange walls, a standard fireplace and a tile fireplace

Photo: Adrienne DeRosa © 2015 Houzz Building off of the architectural tones of the shower enclosure, custom vanities gain their appeal with bright chrome accents. Set against clean white cabinetry and white cambria quartz tops, the look is at once modern and glamorous. Adding to the luxe factor is the rear wall covered in Arabescato Bronzetto marble. The stone has a dynamic vein pattern that adds texture to the space without overwhelming it, while subtle streaks of bronze give off a warm glow. Weiss found the slabs while on a trip to Connecticut. When it came time to put together this area of the home, it became clear that this was the place for them. Sconces: Watt Series, Waterworks

Love this girls' bedroom! I can image this girl curling up on the window seat and reading a book for hours. The lavender and pale yellow walls are a perfect color combination. The white bedding is light and airy, which gives a whimsical look to the bedroom. The flower rugs are a perfect addition to this room and is complete with the shutters on the bay windows. We hear from clients that shutters can be overwhelming and consequently are sometimes overlooked. With so many choices, we completely understand how our clients must feel prior to working with us. But shutters are an important addition to your home and can actually improve the overall look and make it easier to sell your home in the future. The important thing is finding a shutter that fits your purpose and will compliment your home. The shutters in this picture are a perfect match because the trim is low-profile which decreases the amount of space it takes up in the window seat area. In addition, a clean-line look was achieved by omitting the tilt bar that would normally be placed in the middle of the shutter vertically. This is important when the client wants to maximize the view-through space. With our shutters, this does not compromise the strength or durability. Our goal is to make the shutter process easy for our clients! Stop in our showroom or schedule a free in-home consultation. We work with clients in the Central Indiana Area. Contact us today to get started on your project. 317-273-8343

After six years of living in their Huntley IL home, Chris and Meghan were tired of their dark, dingy, outdated kitchen and it was finally time for a long-anticipated change. “The kitchen is the place where we live, it’s where we do everything,” Meghan said. “It was important that it be a space where we wanted to be.” Meghan loves cooking and enjoys including their girls in healthy meal prepping, this led them to want a brighter, more enjoyable kitchen with increased functionality and improved storage. For Chris especially, the laundry room was an entirely dysfunctional eyesore. “We had a washer and a dryer, but it was all kind-of cobbled together!” Chris said. “There were always laundry piles everywhere, we weren’t really sure what we wanted to do in there, but it was time for us to make a change.” The mess of the space was stressful every time they walked in the door from the garage each day. Kids’ backpacks and shoes piled up haphazardly in the makeshift boot-bench closet left the family feeling disorganized and stressed. They needed space for folding clothes and locker cubbies to help keep the family organized. Having known Christine and Todd in the Huntley community for years, Chris and Meghan were familiar with their work. “We already trusted them personally and having seen their projects for years we knew they did top notch work. After we reviewed the initial round of designs, we knew that hiring them was definitely the right choice,” Meghan and Chris said. Although Chris had done a lot of work in their home himself, the kitchen and laundry room renovation was such a large undertaking that he didn’t want to steal time away from his family to spend what would surely be many long weekends doing the job himself. “That would not have been a wise choice for us,” Chris laughed. “Our designer, Michelle was very, very, easy to work with; anything we wanted to see or weren’t sure about, she went above and beyond to make this easy for us. She was easy to get hold of and always quick to respond,” the couple said. Michelle pulled ideas that mirrored the couple’s taste and style and was adept at directing the couple to limited choices that didn’t overwhelm them and kept the process moving. “I have a hard time making decisions. Michelle made the decision-making process so easy. I loved how she listened to what I liked and then presented three great options for me to choose from,” Meghan said. The main objectives for the kitchen were better storage solutions, they wanted the space to reflect their lifestyle and taste, and they wanted it to last for years with low maintenance. One of the first steps in creating a more functional kitchen was relocating the refrigerator, creating an improved workflow for the busy family. “We didn’t know that we could even move the refrigerator to a new location where it is now, that was something that we never would have thought of,” Chris said. “The new refrigerator location makes the kitchen feel so much bigger. We didn’t add any space, but our whole kitchen with the new design just seems like it’s so much larger than before!” Meghan said. The perimeter mist colored cabinets helped warm and brighten the entire room, while the graphite colored cabinets on the island added contrast. Using this fresh, clean color palette satisfied the couple’s desire for a bright space that was the exact opposite of what they had before. Organization accessories were also added to the cabinets such as a spice drawer tray and roll outs to create hidden convenience. “I absolutely love the hidden spices – it makes cooking so much more enjoyable!” Chris said. “And all the pull outs, and the double trash bin, who would think you could get so excited about organization!” the couple said in unison. One thing they hated in their original kitchen was how dark the space felt. Added lighting on the ceiling with the new light fixtures combined with the lighter cabinetry colors throughout solved this problem. “Our new kitchen has this warm, almost cozy feeling that our old kitchen never had, it’s just a space that I love spending my time in now,” Meghan said. The light airy feeling was accentuated with the use of floating white shelves on either side of the decorative range hood. “We have so much cabinetry space, the new design is amazing we actually have more storage space than we will ever need,” Meghan said. The island was extended to create more work surface and added space for stool seating. “The new island changes how we live. Now the kids can be in the kitchen with us, doing homework, eating breakfast, and the three of us have special dinners there when Chris is working late,” Meghan said. The Carrara Marmi Quartz countertops were chosen because they are, not only beautiful, but are made from hard-working material that doesn’t require maintenance. The white subway tile backsplash that wraps to the ceiling behind the focal point cooktop range/hood compliments the crisp white countertops perfectly, while brushed brass hardware and light fixtures keep the design fresh and new. The couple had a few fears at the beginning of the project, as most homeowners do. Their biggest fear was being out of their kitchen and laundry room for an extended time. The crew made it very easy for the family to work in a limited space keeping the washer and dryer hooked up the majority of the time, and also getting appliances working with minimal downtime. “They above and beyond accommodated us to get us through the process,” Meghan said. “They did a great job making sure we were as comfortable as possible throughout the process,” Chris added. “Our project manager DJ did a great job. He was very good at updating us on schedule changes, getting guys in as quickly as possible. Everyone that stepped in the house was nice and did great work,” said Chris. They thought Advance’s carpenter was phenomenal and were impressed when he took a conceptual idea from a photograph and worked with designer Michelle to create a one of a kind range/hood that has become the topic of conversation with friends and family who visit the new kitchen. “He was in our house literally every day for several weeks. He was easy to work with and good at what he did,” Meghan and Chris said. The focal point of the kitchen; a hand-crafted, custom-built ventilation hood was clad with handpicked reclaimed barnwood. Advance Design’s carpenter built the framework and the cladding to create a one-of-a-kind design element that the couple loves. “I think it was especially fun for him to create something unique from scratch, showcasing his talent in this area,” Meghan said. “I love that my kitchen is not like everyone else’s. I got to pick out the wood on my hood and watch it being built and was able to choose what pieces of wood went where on it. It’s totally unique.” Red Oak flooring was toothed-in throughout the kitchen and the rest of the first floor anywhere changes were made. Then the whole floor was refinished to tone down the orange undertones in the existing floor stain, ultimately changing the color complexion of the entire first floor. The result is a completely new feeling to the entire home. Renovating the laundry room was extremely important to Meghan and Chris, but they had trouble visualizing what the possibilities were for the seemingly small space. Michelle produced beautiful 3D illustrations that helped them envision the space in a whole new way. “I must have told Michelle 100 times that I am a visual person, seeing the designs in 3D made it so easy to make decisions and see what we could really do with our space,” Meghan said. A dividing wall and doorway were removed between the existing laundry room and hallway formerly containing a coat closet, providing space to design specialized graphite colored cabinetry matching the kitchen island to house custom storage cubbies for each family member. Adding the tall utility cabinetry in the new laundry area helped solve the storage issue, tucking away cleaning supplies, household items, and even the cat got its own cubby. “I love how everything is now hidden in its own space. I can’t tell you how much I hated coming home and seeing everything sitting around on counters,” Chris said. Electrical outlets were planned for the inside of utility cabinets, so devices could charge in hidden locations. Stacking the washer and dryer allowed for wider countertop space to provide a folding area and a special space for clothes to hang. “The way I do laundry has been completely transformed! I can actually fold clothes and hang them now right out of the washer and dryer,” Meghan said. “The end result in the kitchen and the laundry/mud room was an updated light and bright space, with a smarter work flow that better meets the needs of this family,” Michelle said. “I would totally recommend Advance Design,” Meghan said. “Sometimes I sit and just look at my kitchen and laundry room and think ‘Wow, I can’t believe I get to live here!’ It’s an understatement to say we love our new space.”

Aliza Schlabach Photography
Example of a large classic master stone tile marble floor bathroom design in Philadelphia with dark wood cabinets, a two-piece toilet, white walls, an undermount sink and quartz countertops

Modern update to a typical South Park Slope row house with Synthtic lawn, Cedar horizontal fence, Bluestone patio, curved Corten planter with perennials and new metal deck with stairs in Ipe wood.

Cultured stacked stone accents lend a contemporary element, while corbels and shutters nod to island style on the home’s façade. “This is a well-done, proportionate house that will not age,” says architect Alberto Abad. Savoy House lanterns in a walnut patina finish cast a welcoming glow through seeded glass. The side-loading garage allows for well-balanced symmetry; it does not overwhelm the elevation. The high level of finishes and quality of materials selected by the owners dramatically elevate this home.

This lovely family turned their small starter home into their perfect forever home. Space was added, ceilings were raised and we filled it with color to create this refreshingly cheerful home.

Custom shower doors or shower enclosures enhance the look of your bathroom tenfold. Keep is simple or add some custom color to match the theme of the room. Slumped glass or cast glass provides the ultimate privacy but maintains a sleek, contemporary look. This was a custom texture we created for the client on clear glass. This custom wave designed shower enclosure is all cast glass, no etching.

With this kitchen we wanted to keep it light, bright and beachy. So we used a beadboard cabinet on the bottom but left a simple shaker on top to keep from becoming overwhelming. We added a lot of glass features to make it look large and open. We installed a large bay window to supply even more outdoor light and last but not least used a gorgeous ocean looking granite to really tie in that beachy feeling.

This is the lower level of lovely town house in Northern Virginia. The client and her teenage daughter wanted a place to hang out, watch TV, play games, use a laptop and do homework. Our goal was to allocate space for each request while not overwhelming the whole room. We achieved this by keeping the lines and color palette simple, but certainly not boring. The dramatic deep blue accent walls acts as a backdrop to the furnishings and draws the eye to the far reaches of the long room. The high table and 4 leather barstools are perfect for dining, games or working on a laptop. The sectional is a soft and comfy place to land after a long day. David Keith Photography

Inspiration for a transitional dining room remodel in Dallas

Mia Rao Design created a classic modern kitchen for this Chicago suburban kitchen remodel. The dark stain on the rift cut oak, slab style cabinets adds warmth and contrast against the white Calacatta porcelain. A built-in banquette featuring a Saarinen table is the perfect spot for breakfast.

The sun can be overwhelming at times with the brightness and high temperatures. Shades are also a great way to block harmful ultra-violet rays to protect your hardwood flooring, furniture and artwork from fading. There are different types of shades that were engineered to solve a specific dilemma. We work with clients in the Central Indiana Area. Contact us today to get started on your project. 317-273-8343

Our client wasn't ready to leave the home she loved, but a change in her health had made the upstairs bathroom harder to reach, and the main level didn't have a full bath. We converted one bay of her three-car garage into livable space, which gave us the room to build a fully accessible bathroom, a walk-in closet, and a proper mudroom and laundry on the level she actually lived on. Wide doorways. Heated floors. A curbless shower with a drain that disappears under the wall. Aged brass grab bars that read like jewelry rather than hospital equipment.