A wide shot of both Modern-Sheds added to a pre-existing outdoor living complex in Ellensburg Washington. The blue one serves as a bedroom, the yellow as a living room. Dominic AZ Bonuccelli

Design ideas for a large farmhouse full sun courtyard brick driveway in San Francisco for spring.

Master suite addition to an existing 20's Spanish home in the heart of Sherman Oaks, approx. 300+ sq. added to this 1300sq. home to provide the needed master bedroom suite. the large 14' by 14' bedroom has a 1 lite French door to the back yard and a large window allowing much needed natural light, the new hardwood floors were matched to the existing wood flooring of the house, a Spanish style arch was done at the entrance to the master bedroom to conform with the rest of the architectural style of the home. The master bathroom on the other hand was designed with a Scandinavian style mixed with Modern wall mounted toilet to preserve space and to allow a clean look, an amazing gloss finish freestanding vanity unit boasting wall mounted faucets and a whole wall tiled with 2x10 subway tile in a herringbone pattern. For the floor tile we used 8x8 hand painted cement tile laid in a pattern pre determined prior to installation. The wall mounted toilet has a huge open niche above it with a marble shelf to be used for decoration. The huge shower boasts 2x10 herringbone pattern subway tile, a side to side niche with a marble shelf, the same marble material was also used for the shower step to give a clean look and act as a trim between the 8x8 cement tiles and the bark hex tile in the shower pan. Notice the hidden drain in the center with tile inserts and the great modern plumbing fixtures in an old work antique bronze finish. A walk-in closet was constructed as well to allow the much needed storage space.

Photo: Lucy Call © 2015 Houzz
Inspiration for a contemporary exterior home remodel in Salt Lake City

Across from Hudson River Park, the Classic 7 pre-war apartment had not renovated in over 50 years. The new owners, a young family with two kids, desired to open up the existing closed in spaces while keeping some of the original, classic pre-war details. Dark, dimly-lit corridors and clustered rooms that were a detriment to the brilliant natural light and expansive views the existing apartment inherently possessed, were demolished to create a new open plan for a more functional style of living. Custom charcoal stained white oak herringbone floors were laid throughout the space. The dark blue lacquered kitchen cabinets provide a sharp contrast to the otherwise neutral colored space. A wall unit in the same blue lacquer floats on the wall in the Den.

Birdseye Cabinetry; This Cabinet Refacing project involved converting the upper cabinet boxes to full height cabinets to the ceiling. Small boxes were added above the pre-existing uppers to achieve this and new crown moulding finishes the effect. The clients appreciate the new pantry along the side of the fridge, as well as the renovated desk area. All base cabinets shown use the clients pre-existing cabinet boxes as a way to keep costs down.

Example of a small transitional 3/4 white tile and subway tile medium tone wood floor and brown floor alcove shower design with shaker cabinets, dark wood cabinets, beige walls, a vessel sink, laminate countertops, a hinged shower door and beige countertops

Equipment access presented a significant challenge for the construction crews. The pre-assembled Latham fiberglass swimming pool needed to be craned in from the street! Neighbors and crews watched in anticipation as the homeowners' new swimming pool soared over their rooftops.

Rich, warm yet strikingly beautiful! This kitchen got a major overhaul with its oversized island housing a pre-sing, wine fridge, and tons of storage. Relocation of the refractor to make way for the gourmet range alongside the existing window framed sink. This kitchen is "L" shaped and has a hidden pantry built-in behind the fridge.

Photos by TCPeterson Photography.
Mid-sized transitional master white tile and ceramic tile bathroom photo in Seattle with an undermount sink, solid surface countertops, medium tone wood cabinets and gray walls

Birdseye Cabinetry; This Cabinet Refacing project involved converting the upper cabinet boxes to full height cabinets to the ceiling. Small boxes were added above the pre-existing uppers to achieve this and new crown moulding finishes the effect. The clients appreciate the new pantry along the side of the fridge, as well as the renovated desk area. All base cabinets shown use the clients pre-existing cabinet boxes as a way to keep costs down.

This project began as a design-build proposal to build an addition for an indoor swim spa and exercise room to a ranch style house. The Clients were seeking a functional and inviting space reminiscent of the luxury resorts and space they have visited during their international travels. One of the biggest challenges was to fit the program within the site and buildable area constraints. In order to maximize floor area, the exterior walls of the addition were located parallel to the property lines along the required setbacks, which resulted in a non-orthagonal geometry in plan. The volume of the addition began to take shape with large floor to ceiling openings strengthening the connection to the outdoors with roof line that rises northward to capture daylight. A series of operable skylights ventilate the room and allow more daylight to penetrate into the adjacent existing den. Inspired by modern additions made to historic structures in Europe, we made a conscious decision to not try to blend the addition into the language of the existing ranch house, choosing instead to juxtapose a structure that was layered and felt light next to the cement tile roof and framed picture windows. The interior walls were finished with a marine grade plywood to withstand a humid environment, and the exteriors were clad with a cedar rainscreen to give privacy where needed and gradually reduced to allow for more glass and visibility. The Clients are immersed in the technological environment of Silicon Valley and appreciated the simple geometries and aesthetics of modern design. david wakely

These clients retained MMI to assist with a full renovation of the 1st floor following the Harvey Flood. With 4 feet of water in their home, we worked tirelessly to put the home back in working order. While Harvey served our city lemons, we took the opportunity to make lemonade. The kitchen was expanded to accommodate seating at the island and a butler's pantry. A lovely free-standing tub replaced the former Jacuzzi drop-in and the shower was enlarged to take advantage of the expansive master bathroom. Finally, the fireplace was extended to the two-story ceiling to accommodate the TV over the mantel. While we were able to salvage much of the existing slate flooring, the overall color scheme was updated to reflect current trends and a desire for a fresh look and feel. As with our other Harvey projects, our proudest moments were seeing the family move back in to their beautifully renovated home.

The homeowners of this house project wanted to change the siding color to match the existing rock on the front. They decided on LP Rigidstack Smart Side pre-finished siding in Bedrock with Oyster Shell as the trim. New Gerkin windows were also put in along the front of the house.

Across from Hudson River Park, the Classic 7 pre-war apartment had not renovated in over 50 years. The new owners, a young family with two kids, desired to open up the existing closed in spaces while keeping some of the original, classic pre-war details. Dark, dimly-lit corridors and clustered rooms that were a detriment to the brilliant natural light and expansive views the existing apartment inherently possessed, were demolished to create a new open plan for a more functional style of living. Custom charcoal stained white oak herringbone floors were laid throughout the space. The dark blue lacquered kitchen cabinets provide a sharp contrast to the otherwise neutral colored space. A wall unit in the same blue lacquer floats on the wall in the Den.

Render by Bob Ness. This is an early iteration of the kitchen that has certain challenges based on the existing room dimensions.

Removed existing cabinets and back splash & with new marble tile, floating shelves painted to match existing lower cabinets. Challenges with this project were keeping the dust to a minimum so shelves were built and sprayed off site. The shelves were primed and spayed with a metalic paint to have the same sheen as the lower existing cabinets which are a thermofoil.

Jennifer and Dan have lived in their Deer Park Illinois home for 15 years, slowly making minor fixes like painting and decorating; but they had a new plan for their kitchen the entire time. An awkwardly placed garage door, and an island cooktop with a terrible downdraft made a full-scale kitchen remodel an absolute must. Jennifer had many ideas in mind and wanted to work with a company that could provide high-end work, while partnering with a designer that would tailor the kitchen to her ideas. She was intrigued by the phrase “Common Sense Remodeling” in Advance Design’s feature she discovered while perusing an issue of the community’s Quintessential Barrington Magazine. Doing further research on the company’s website, as she looked through project profiles and read about Advance Design’s “Common Sense Remodeling” philosophy, she promptly scheduled an appointment to see if the people and ideas she read about were truly who they said they were. The more she read, the more she knew that the “Common Sense” approach to remodeling they described was exactly the type of company she was looking for. The partnership was sealed after an initial consultation with Owner Todd Jurs and Project Designer Michelle Lecinski. They displayed a combination of friendliness, professionalism and respect that was unmatched by any of the other companies Jennifer talked to. She knew that with Advance Design, she would be able to retain the vision that she had in mind with high-quality craftsmanship. “I reached out to Advance Design because of the ‘Common Sense Remodeling’ tagline,” Jennifer said. “That’s what lingered for me”. “Advance Design was the most respectful- of the house and of my design ideas, and the most professional of the handful of companies that looked at my project”. Soon after the meeting Jennifer began working with Michelle on the project design. They quickly developed chemistry. Jennifer loved how Michelle researched and located every detail that Jennifer wanted for the kitchen. Between the two of them, every concept and idea was worked through and perfected. “Jennifer had definite ideas about what she wanted the new kitchen to look like, she just didn’t know how to bring it all together. We worked together really well to make her ideas into the practical reality necessary for a well-functioning kitchen, with the look and feel that she had envisioned”, says Michelle. “Michelle was wonderful in using the CAD system she would show me new drawings every time we changed the layout while working through the design,” Jennifer said. “She was a really wonderful partner in execution, she made sure everything happened quickly and easily.” The finished design drew out elements of Jennifer’s style and personality. The pair call the look “sophisticated farmhouse” to describe the kitchen renovation to family and friends. The result was a beautifully crafted, authentic-feeling space that satisfied Jennifer’s dreams 15 years in the making. The whole project consisted of a kitchen remodel, mudroom upgrade with powder room, and garage entry relocation. “The projects I personally like the best, are the ones that put the client’s dreams on display,” Project Designer Michelle said. “And this is one of those projects.” The main focal point of the kitchen is custom zinc and brass ventilation hood with a vintage sheen, which was hand made to order by a small company in Indiana named Vogler Metalworking. “It’s like sculpture, a true work of art”, says Jennifer. Your eye is immediately drawn towards this elegant yet practical hood that eliminated the home’s downdraft problem and added a striking conversation piece at the same time. The carpenters had to use special gloves when transporting and installing it, so they didn’t smudge it with fingerprints. The beautiful hood centers proudly over the stunning black enamel and brass LaCornue Range. “I had a friend who had a LaCornue range and after learning how easy it was to cook perfect meals, I was convinced I wanted to have one”, says Jennifer. This unique, breathtaking combination anchors the entire kitchen and is apparent immediately as you walk into the great room the surrounds the space. DuraSupreme Crestwood cabinets with a Kendall Panel add function and sophistication. A custom gray paint color paired with a storm blue was developed so that the new kitchen looked like it belonged to the existing space. Unlacquered brass faucets and hardware were important to Jennifer because she wanted the living finishes to age over time. Remarkable brass diamond mesh cabinet door inserts imported from the UK continue to add this one-of-a-kind kitchen renovation; giving it a “you won’t see this everywhere” quality. The use of old railcar flooring for the coffee bar countertop and reclaimed oak for the open shelving gives an authenticity to the space uncommon in kitchens today. Jennifer and Michelle fell in love with the Limestone Grey Stone while they were investigating unique island countertop ideas. They liked the fact that the limestone as a living finish will age and change over time. Calcutta Miel Quartz countertops made for an excellent pairing around the perimeter, as it’s durable and perfect for cooking preparations. A textured white subway tile backsplash that runs to the ceiling keeps your eye moving towards the open shelving, and to the main focal point of the stunning range hood combination. “The kitchen functions beautifully, and it’s gorgeous,” beams Jennifer as she gestures with both hands while smiling ear to ear. “The most important thing was I wanted a kitchen that had a wonderful flow, cooked beautiful meals and was a great gathering place for family and friends, and this space does that perfectly! Beauty wise, it turned out exactly how I had envisioned. I felt the function part was the hardest part, and that was nailed”! Relocating the garage entry to the new mudroom was a huge priority and has finally separated the family’s arriving home functions from their kitchen. Now coats and shoes and bags have their own area for dropping once members arrive home. Matching gray DuraSupreme cabinetry helped create gorgeous, purposeful lockers for the family. A reclaimed vintage sink and custom wall paper were added to the tiny powder room to beautify the once previously only functional space. Advance Design was even able to create a custom space for their dog to sleep while the family is away. “It was unbelievable that a project of this size was completed in such a short time, and I think that’s because of the large amount of planning and preparation that went into it,” Jennifer marveled, “When we started, we were ready, and everything was prepared”. When it came to execution, Project Manager Justin Davis and his crew were quick, accessible, and organized. Projects like this kitchen are typically completed in as little as 8-10 weeks. Jennifer’s kitchen however despite the relocation of some challenging HVAC in a soffit and moving of an exterior door was completed remarkably fast in part because the team was working with an existing tile floor that ran throughout the first floor that the client really loved. “You get to know these people really well because they’re living in your house while you’re living in your house. They were so fast and really good, it didn’t take as long as even planned” reported Jennifer. “I would text Justin and he always responded almost immediately. I got to know all the guys who were working in our house and they were all wonderful people”. Details in a customized kitchen like this one require skill and care from the people who install it. “All the guys on the job were skilled at what the did. I wanted small details like little feet to look like furniture, that is where their carpentry skill came in to make these all perfect”, said Jennifer. “The tile guys were wonderful. They even let me determine how I wanted the texture with the grout to appear for a salt and pepper look; now that is a very skilled trade person making it custom”. In Jennifer’s interview, she continued to reference Advance Design’s “Common Sense Remodeling”, so I took a minute to ask her exactly what that phrase meant to her and how it played out in her experience with her project and the Advance Design team. Here is what she said: “I was intrigued about Common Sense Remodeling and in my head that there would be clear costs and prices, great communication between the design team, the execution team and me”, said Jennifer. They did deliver on that, it was so clear about the cost breakdown, what I could expect from everyone who came to my house, and everything that we had ordered. That to me is the Common Sense”! It’s great to see a client take literally our assertion that a well-planned remodeling project is simply “Common Sense”! She anticipated each step of the way would be clear, concise, and predictable, all the while protecting the outcome due to the careful upfront planning. “Advance Design delivered on their ‘Common Sense Remodeling’ promise,” Jennifer said. “From the design team, to the execution team - everything was straight forward like I imagined. The project turned out exactly how I envisioned, I enjoyed this process and absolutely would recommend Advance Design Studio to anyone.”

Across from Hudson River Park, the Classic 7 pre-war apartment had not renovated in over 50 years. The new owners, a young family with two kids, desired to open up the existing closed in spaces while keeping some of the original, classic pre-war details. Dark, dimly-lit corridors and clustered rooms that were a detriment to the brilliant natural light and expansive views the existing apartment inherently possessed, were demolished to create a new open plan for a more functional style of living. Custom charcoal stained white oak herringbone floors were laid throughout the space. The dark blue lacquered kitchen cabinets provide a sharp contrast to the otherwise neutral colored space. A wall unit in the same blue lacquer floats on the wall in the Den.