An Average size Town Home Deck Platform with a rectangular 16x10 layout. Environmentally-friendly Gray Azek Composite Decking. Azek Decks are tough and durable which resist scratching and fading. Azek Timbertech is also 30 degrees cooler than the competition. Providing a long-lasting deck board that’s free of mold, mildew, and moisture damage for years to come.

Rex Maximillian
Large island style two-story and attached stucco and two-car green garage photo in Hawaii with a hip roof and a metal roof

This modern green home offers both a vacation destination on Cape Cod near local family members and an opportunity for rental income. FAMILY ROOTS. A West Coast couple living in the San Francisco Bay Area sought a permanent East Coast vacation home near family members living on Cape Cod. As academic professionals focused on sustainability, they sought a green, energy efficient home that was well-aligned with their values. With no green homes available for sale on Cape Cod, they decided to purchase land near their family and build their own. SLOPED SITE. Comprised of a 3/4 acre lot nestled in the pines, the steeply sloping terrain called for a plan that embraced and took advantage of the slope. Of equal priority was optimizing solar exposure, preserving privacy from abutters, and creating outdoor living space. The design accomplished these goals with a simple, rectilinear form, offering living space on the both entry and lower/basement levels. The stepped foundation allows for a walk-out basement level with light-filled living space on the down-hill side of the home. The traditional basement on the eastern, up-hill side houses mechanical equipment and a home gym. The house welcomes natural light throughout, captures views of the forest, and delivers entertainment space that connects indoor living space to outdoor deck and dining patio. MODERN VISION. The clean building form and uncomplicated finishes pay homage to the modern architectural legacy on the outer Cape. Durable and economical fiber cement panels, fixed with aluminum channels, clad the primary form. Cedar clapboards provide a visual accent at the south-facing living room, which extends a single roof plane to cover the entry porch. SMART USE OF SPACE. On the entry level, the “L”-shaped living, dining, and kitchen space connects to the exterior living, dining, and grilling spaces to effectively double the home’s summertime entertainment area. Placed at the western end of the entry level (where it can retain privacy but still claim expansive downhill views) is the master suite with a built-in study. The lower level has two guest bedrooms, a second full bathroom, and laundry. The flexibility of the space—crucial in a house with a modest footprint—emerges in one of the guest bedrooms, which doubles as home office by opening the barn-style double doors to connect it to the bright, airy open stair leading up to the entry level. Thoughtful design, generous ceiling heights and large windows transform the modest 1,100 sf* footprint into a well-lit, spacious home. *(total finished space is 1800 sf) RENTAL INCOME. The property works for its owners by netting rental income when the owners are home in San Francisco. The house especially caters to vacationers bound for nearby Mayo Beach and includes an outdoor shower adjacent to the lower level entry door. In contrast to the bare bones cottages that are typically available on the Cape, this home offers prospective tenants a modern aesthetic, paired with luxurious and green features. Durable finishes inside and out will ensure longevity with the heavier use that comes with a rental property. COMFORT YEAR-ROUND. The home is super-insulated and air-tight, with mechanical ventilation to provide continuous fresh air from the outside. High performance triple-paned windows complement the building enclosure and maximize passive solar gain while ensuring a warm, draft-free winter, even when sitting close to the glass. A properly sized air source heat pump offers efficient heating & cooling, and includes a carefully designed the duct distribution system to provide even comfort throughout the house. The super-insulated envelope allows us to significantly reduce the equipment capacity, duct size, and airflow quantities, while maintaining unparalleled thermal comfort. ENERGY EFFICIENT. The building’s shell and mechanical systems play instrumental roles in the home’s exceptional performance. The building enclosure reduces the most significant energy glutton: heating. Continuous super-insulation, thorough air sealing, triple-pane windows, and passive solar gain work together to yield a miniscule heating load. All active energy consumers are extremely efficient: an air source heat pump for heating and cooling, a heat pump hot water heater, LED lighting, energy recovery ventilation (ERV), and high efficiency appliances. The result is a home that uses 70% less energy than a similar new home built to code requirements. OVERALL. The home embodies the owners’ goals and values while comprehensively enabling thermal comfort, energy efficiency, a vacation respite, and supplementary income. PROJECT TEAM ZeroEnergy Design - Architect & Mechanical Designer A.F. Hultin & Co. - Contractor Pamet Valley Landscape Design - Landscape & Masonry Lisa Finch - Original Artwork European Architectural Supply - Windows Eric Roth Photography - Photography

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.

[Re-Use Malta Grey 12"x24" with 2"x2" mosaics on back wall] Complete your bathroom's design with elegant and beautiful tile from Ceramic Tile Design. CTD is a family owned business with a showroom and warehouse in both San Rafael and San Francisco. Our showrooms are staffed with talented teams of Design Consultants. Whether you already know exactly what you want or have no knowledge of what's possible we can help your project exceed your expectations. To achieve this we stock the best Italian porcelain lines in a variety of styles and work with the most creative American art tile companies to set your project apart from the rest. Our warehouses not only provide a safe place for your order to arrive but also stock a complete array of all the setting materials your contractor will need to complete your project saving him time and you, money. The warehouse staff is knowledgeable and friendly to help make sure your project goes smoothly.

John Martinelli
Beach style pool photo in New York with decking

Stools - Takumi Woodwork Paintings - Isca Greenfield-Sanders & Wayne Thiebaud & Farell Beam Wallpaper / Sheets - Serena and Lily Rug - Krimsa Bedding - Lulu DK

Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional l-shaped bamboo floor eat-in kitchen remodel in Seattle with a double-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, solid surface countertops, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Travis Wayne Baker
Country kitchen photo in Austin

Our high end Modern American Bedroom Furniture is inspired by George Nakashima's designs. Handmade in Vermont, these top quality solid wood beds, dressers, chests and nightstands have style and functionality to last a lifetime. Clean smooth lines reminiscent of that retro 1950s mid-century Scandinavian design style, give this collection an elegant flair. Going green? Our natural, solid wood, American made furniture is handcrafted in Vermont from eco-friendly sustainably harvested woods. Customize any piece online in your choice of Solid Natural Cherry Wood, Solid Natural Maple Wood, Solid Natural Walnut Wood or Any Two Tone Combination of the Above Woods. Please note this furniture has an oil and wax finish which must be re-oiled periodically

Holly Polgreen
Example of a study space trendy kids' study room design in DC Metro with gray walls

Photo: Kimberley Bryan © 2014 Houzz
Beach style patio photo in Seattle

Back porch with curved, outward leaning window walls framing the space. Photo: Jill Greer
Large trendy backyard deck photo in Minneapolis with no cover

An Average size Town Home Deck Platform with a rectangular 16x10 layout. Environmentally-friendly Gray Azek Composite Decking. Azek Decks are tough and durable which resist scratching and fading. Azek Timbertech is also 30 degrees cooler than the competition. Providing a long-lasting deck board that’s free of mold, mildew, and moisture damage for years to come.

Michael J Lee
Inspiration for a small timeless deck remodel in Boston

Transitional front porch idea in Charleston with decking and a roof extension

The star of this South Carolina mountain home's traditional kitchen is the cast stone hood hanging above a black Lacanche range. The antique brass faucet and pot-filler add vintage sheen and coordinate with the range’s hardware. Dark walnut-stained beams, island and hardwood floors contrast with the ivory plaster walls and ceiling. Cabinets finished in a light taupe paint with chocolate glaze are accented in restoration glass with lead caming and pewter hardware. Black Pearl granite, which has been brushed and enhanced, tops the counters and climbs the backsplash. The stone's flecks of silver, gold and gray add depth. Counter stools covered in cream and taupe striped burlap are trimmed with bronze nails and pull up to the expansive island. Above the island hovers an iron chandelier, shedding light on the white farm sink. This space was designed to fill with friends – prepping, cooking and delighting in each luxurious detail. Just beyond this drool-worthy room is a peek of the home’s stately dining room.

An Average size Town Home Deck Platform with a rectangular 16x10 layout. Environmentally-friendly Gray Azek Composite Decking. Azek Decks are tough and durable which resist scratching and fading. Azek Timbertech is also 30 degrees cooler than the competition. Providing a long-lasting deck board that’s free of mold, mildew, and moisture damage for years to come.

Create a clean, sophisticated look with Greenington’s Park Avenue bedroom collection. The sleek modern design and simple clean lines of the Park Avenue platform bed features a craftsman-built frame in solid Ruby bamboo, with two removable back cushions adding a dramatic focal point to the headboard, angled for good looks and comfortable lounging in bed. Heightening Park Avenue’s upscale style is a slim black steel support and legs accenting the solid Ruby bamboo side rails and footboard. Sustainable and earth friendly, Ruby is not a surface stain, the color is the result of an innovative new process using earth friendly heat and steam, to entirely transform the solid bamboo material into Ruby’s deep red color. The Park Avenue platform bed is designed for use with a mattress only, which is supported with a solid bamboo European slat system, eliminating the need for a box spring, and providing constant ventilation for your mattress. Available in Queen, Eastern King, and California King sizes. Discover the expert craftsmanship packed into each piece of Greenington bamboo furniture. Made using an eco-friendly, renewable resource harvested from fully sustainable and rapidly growing forests. Features: • Crafted in 100% solid Moso bamboo • No plywood, particle board, or MDF • Earth friendly, sustainable resource • 20% harder than Red Oak • Beautifully finished all the way around • Solid bamboo slat system, no box spring needed • Tough metal to metal connecting hardware