Ca. 1919 Craftsman Style Home, Revisioned by the South’s Leading Designers Twenty‐two leading interior designers from three different states completely restored this historic home on Franklin’s historic Main Street as part of the O’More Show House, which was opened to the public from May 12‐27, 2016 and presented by leading sponsor, PARKS. This is the third O’More Show House event in recent years, with participating designers having ties to O’More College of Design in downtown Franklin and proceeds benefiting the College’s School of Interior Design. The 2016 home, a 5,200 square‐foot ca. 1919 brick and stucco Craftsman‐style cottage, is a significant contributing property to the National Register‐listed Hincheyville Historic District. The owners have undertaken a total renovation of the home’s interior while leaving the street‐view exterior intact. We were recommended to project managers and O'More College for the entire landscape design and installation: landscaping, irrigation, lighting, paver walks and patios, paver-raised porch with steps, paver banding in driveway!

A diamond in the rough was polished to a new brilliance in this remodel. Moving the kitchen to be front and center of everything was the key to this remodel. Carrying the motif of less is more, this remodel emphasized the qualities this Parisian-styled home had with a modern open floor plan. Working through different design studies with the client, we identified the optimum layout and created space for an additional bedroom. Fusing old world details with contemporary living, we ensured the rehabilitation pays homage to its original detailing while expressing a bold narrative, delicately balanced within the original structural framework. Careful detailing of the structural elements ensured the work could proceed without affecting the unit below. Completed in 2014, this home now offers its young family the full urban experience of stylish San Francisco living.

Stuart Wade, Envision Virtual Tours Envision Virtual Tours and High Resolution Photography is your best choice to find just what you are looking for in the Ellijay, Ga. area .Ellijay, Georgia, known as the “Apple Capital” of Georgia, is located between the Ellijay and Cartecay Rivers where they join to make the Coosawattee River and is the county seat of Gilmer County, Georgia. The origin of the city’s name is not certain but thought to be the English derivative of an Indian word(s) meaning “many waters”, “place of green things” or “new ground”. Some histories say it may have been named for an Indian chief. Inhabited for countless years by the Cherokee people indigenous to the North Georgia, the area was first mentioned as a village and trade center before the onslaught of white settlers inhabited the region. During the 1830’s both white settlers and Indians occupied Ellijay. During the original land lottery in 1832, Martin Scalf acquired the 160 acre lot where the town now stands. In 1833, Clemonds Quinland bought 10 acres from Scalf, retained one acre for himself and donated the rest of the purchase to the County. A plan for twenty town lots, streets and a public square was created and the streets were oriented to allow maximum sunlight exposure to the buildings. Proceeds from lot sales were used to build a jail and courthouse and pay other city expenses. During this same year, Gilmer County was appropriated $800.00 from the State to build a school, and a three-acre lot was donated for the city cemetery. On December 29, l834, Ellijay was incorporated and designated as the County seat of Gilmer County. By 1837, the town had twenty dwellings, three stores and one attorney. Most of these early buildings were of log construction. Many roads led to Ellijay by 1849. The population had grown to 150 by 1850 and the town at five stores. Some wood-frame buildings were being constructed at this time and in 1854, a new courthouse was built in the center of the square, replacing the earlier building. The County’s first newspaper was the Ellijay Courier, started in 1875, and during this time period, Ellijay was a stop on the stagecoach line. The railroad bridge over the Cartecay River was completed in 1884 and the town now had rail service. With the arrival of the railroad and subsequent tracks to White Path, Ellijay began to grow much faster. Many hotels were constructed and land was donated for a depot east of town. More industries, such as a cheese factory and the Shippen Brothers Lumber Mill, located in Ellijay. By 1898, the city had expanded its limits in every direction and now included the depot. By 1900, all the buildings on the town square were brick. This included the recently completed Hyatt Hotel. Most of the other buildings in town were still of log construction, but new wood-frame buildings were being built. The Shippen Brothers Lumber Company production was expanding and exporting their lumber to Europe. Within the next few decades, this company grew to be one of the largest employers in Ellijay, often with five to six million feet of lumber in the yard at one time. The population of Ellijay grew to 659 by 1910, and began to acquire many new modern conveniences such as electric lights and power, a telephone company and many new businesses. Then in 1912, a fire ravaged the city, destroying 23 buildings. As a result, many new buildings were constructed under new and stricter fire and safety guidelines. The population, however, decreased slightly at this time to 632 in 1920. During the 1920’s the town’s population began to grow again and, by this time, apples were being shipped out of the county and new storage facilities were built. Chickens were also shipped to markets outside of Ellijay and Gilmer County. From the mid 1930’s to 1950, Ellijay received much assistance from the Federal WPA Programs. The old courthouse was removed from the center of town square and the Hyatt Hotel was remodeled to be the new courthouse. A park was created on the site of the old courthouse and the streets around the square were paved. A new street was built at this time entering town from the northeast. Other new roads, bridges, sidewalks and gutters were constructed to improve the city. A school and gymnasium were also built and other structures improved. This growth began to impact the city’s infrastructure and in the l950’s and l960’s, a period of upgrading water systems, roads, and power supplies began. New low-rent housing appeared in l960 and a new hospital was built in l957. Georgia Highway 5 was widened in l962, new buildings around the square replaced old ones and some were remodeled. In 1974, the hospital was enlarged. Currently, Ellijay attracts tourists who love the small-town feel and friendly atmosphere. Hotels and restaurants, unique shops, antiques and art galleries lend their charms to those who visit. A new courthouse constructed to resemble the old one, new streetscaping, family-oriented downtown events and the beautification of the square have stepped up the social and economic activity and have made Ellijay a popular destination.

44th Annual Bucks County Designer Showhouse + Gardens on historic Peppermint Farm. All proceeds benefit the Doylestown VIA. Designed by Lotus + Lilac Design Studio Items available for sale at Lotus + Lilac Shoppe- online designer furnishings + artisan made goods shoppe Paint donated by Benjamin Moore Outdoor sconce donated by Ferguson Lighting

A client from the village of Heytesbury contacted me to see whether we could improve the look of her Victorian tiled hallway floor. It turns out that a competitor had previously cleaned and sealed it two years prior but she was disappointed with the result once she realised that the floor still had dirt ingrained in the tile. As per our normal practice we ran a test clean and she booked us in immediately. We started by wetting the floor using a strong solution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean and left it dwell for ten minutes. We then attached a black stripping pad to a rotary machine and slowly covered the whole area to remove ingrained dirt and any existing seals that may be evident. The dirty slurry was then removed with a wet vacuum and then floor rinsed with the aid of a deck brush and a wet vacuum. Next we used a heavy duty scraper to remove paint splashes around the edges from years of decorating. Once we were satisfied we’d removed all evident dirt, seal and paint we rinsed the floor thoroughly several times to make sure all contaminants are removed again using the wet vacuum to remove the water. We returned five days later to let the floor dry out thoroughly. Upon our return we tested with a damp meter which tested fine so we proceeded to seal the floor using six coats of Tile Doctor Seal & Go to provide protection and add a nice sheen to the floor which I think you will agree now looks amazing. Stuart Ford Wiltshire Tile Doctor

44th Annual Bucks County Designer Showhouse + Gardens on historic Peppermint Farm. All proceeds benefit the Doylestown VIA. Designed by Lotus + Lilac Design Studio Items available for sale at Lotus + Lilac Shoppe- online designer furnishings + artisan made goods shoppe Paint donated by Benjamin Moore Outdoor sconce donated by Ferguson Lighting

While this home was just two years old, the homeowners decided to proceed with a remodel to upgrade the basic builder kitchen as soon as possible to enjoy for many years in their “forever home.” The objectives of the kitchen remodel were to: personalize the aesthetic, incorporate commercial appliances and higher end cabinet options, replace the closet style pantry with cabinetry, increase storage, and upgrade the fireplace. Since the overall footprint of the existing kitchen was remaining close to the existing, the solution was all about the details. We assembled the right combination of design elements, like lighting and plenty of glass cabinet doors, so the black cabinets would not overwhelm the open space. The result? A gorgeous kitchen that is completely personalized to the homeowners and their lifestyle.

When the homeowners came to us, they had a desire to build out an outdoor space that would compliment their covered patio. Ideally, it would allow them to gather around and roast marshmallows in a cozy setting. When we inspected their property, it was fairly exposed to their neighbors; we proceeded to build out the space so it could have additional room for tables and chairs. Our team then worked to sink the fire pit patio area in, to add privacy with greenery to help create an intimate space to enjoy a fire and embrace family.

This first floor remodel was a GAME - CHANGER for this house. We took down more than 3 walls and installed a massive support beam. The first floor of this home went from cramped and disconnected to the perfect space for family gatherings. After the space was opened up, we proceeded with a gorgeous kitchen remodel with a modern geometric theme. The hardwood floors transition uniquely and beautifully into the hexagonal floor tile. The back splash is simple and lovely, also following the geometric theme with the hex tile. The last hexagonal touch to this kitchen is its unique hardware. This remodel had several modern touches, without overwhelming the "homey" feeling of a fireplace and hardwoods. All in all, this remodel created the perfect place for entertaining and raising a family.

Built by Sardone Construction and designed by HPD Architecture, this custom B'Wow Dog House was created for the SPCA Home for the Holidays. This custom-made dog house was raffled off at Northpark Centre in Dallas, TX, with all proceeds going to the SPCA.

A dear client who resides in Mcallen-TX requested a Full Backyard Design including a pool, outdoor kitchen, firepit, edible garden, art, and a secluded area for quiet reading and privacy among other structures and hardscape. We proceeded with the design process virtually due to his location being away from The Woodlands, TX. The client filled a questionnaire with specific questions regarding his site nature, style, and needs. He sent photos of the existing landscape, survey, and photos from the house interior that would help us match his modern style to his outdoor space. We were very pleased to present our planting and construction drawings with 3D walk-thru video in a videoconference. All plans were sent to this client to start the building process at his own pace. He certainly loved the modern space we were able to create for him! "You envision it, we create it" is our EZ MOTTO

Advice on interior design is available everywhere—from TV shows and websites to books, magazines and apps. We love seeing people become engaged in design and educated on the wide range of possibilities. But we hope you’ll proceed with caution. It’s not that style errors are a matter of life and death. It’s just that it’s easy to choose designs that aren’t necessarily reflective of your own personality and character. And since you’re typically stuck with your interior design decisions for years, styles that don’t quite fit can tend to grate on you. Interiors that give one person comfort may unleash chaos in someone else. This goes beyond favorite colors or hot trends, right to the heart of interior design, where you find questions of composition, balance, repetition, space and more. The goal is to find that unique combination of design elements that gives you comfort, support and balance. In one home, that perfect balance was struck through the use of symmetry. A pair of comfortable swivel chairs sit beneath matching indigo patterned paintings. Matching bookcases below the paintings contain similar, but not identical, arrangements of books, vases and bowls. Woods and bronzes help warm up the simple white bookcase shelving. Two matching poufs in front of the fireplace provide additional seating. The sofa is accented with a pair of pillows with a blue pattern that echoes the artwork. The effect of the symmetry is to achieve order and simplicity, which I promote at every opportunity. After all, your home interiors should be the setting or the backdrop of your life—not center stage. Antique bronze and blue are complementary colors. Together, they offer a rich palette of richness and depth, which brings out the beauty of wood and stone. In the home office, a unique, whitewash-stained wooden desk rests on metal, Sawhorse-inspired legs for a warm, rustic look. The black leather chair features a contemporary silhouette with an antique brass frame. An adjustable desk lamp has bronze accents. The bookcase combines a sleek, black metal frame with concrete shelves, for another unusual pairing. It’s kept uncluttered for an orderly, peaceful look. Items on the shelves include a bronze-accented lamp and a pair of high gloss-finished wooden bookends. The elegant artwork behind the desk is a simple midnight-blue and bronze with mottled white. Deep blues are again picked up in the rug, which adds a stately vibe with a modern pattern and satisfying texture. Within the framework of symmetry, the living room repeats the blue-and-bronze color scheme. A large midcentury brass clock above the fireplace keeps the natural stone visible, rather than hidden behind a painting or television, while its straight lines and color create a beautiful contrast. The sofa is a soft, neutral blue. The pattern on the round brass side table features echoes the darker blue-patterned rug, as well as the rug in the office, tying the rooms together. Indigo blue books adjacent to bronze vases on the shelves repeat the color scheme. The soapstone-topped coffee table echoes the shape of the fireplace. A pair of tall, matching floor lamps with long wooden bases, brass pulls and simple linen shades combine both the colors and symmetry found throughout the home.

Nestled on 2.57 private acres in a highly sought-after neighborhood adjacent to Glastonbury line, this meticulously maintained custom home welcomes you through gracious double doors into a residence that emanates coastal charm. Richly toned floors contrast beautifully w/crisp neutral walls throughout, while the front-to-back living room serves as a stunning centerpiece w/its elegant gas-fireplace & French doors on either side opening to a screened porch-creating a delightful cross-breeze when open. No popcorn ceilings here! Open floor plan features a versatile home office with built-ins, flowing seamlessly into a gourmet kitchen showcasing a stylish island, custom cabinetry, & stainless-steel appliances adjacent to an expansive dining area w/stylish twin chandeliers. Practical luxury continues with a generous walk-in pantry & custom drop zone with shiplap detailing and shoe cubbies near the three-car garage with soaring ceilings. Upstairs, discover a sumptuous primary suite featuring a stylishly remodeled bathroom w/walk-in shower. Also complemented by a spacious walk-in closet & window flanked by custom built-ins, while two additional bedrooms share another beautifully updated bathroom & convenient 2nd-floor laundry. Additional space w/an unfinished walk-up attic & 880sf of finished extra living space in the walk-out lower level, complete with built in sauna, laminate flooring and ample storage-all crowned by the property's signature wrap-around porch. Roof '17

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.

“Full apartment design”. IF you have not yet seen this apartment conversion before, we strongly urge you to go to the bottom left of this page and click on the short 2-minutes video. It would put a lot of things into perspective when you come back and continue reading this. It is true we were literally handed the keys and told a list of things that they wanted to have happen and we were to go into the apartment, look at the space and come up with a design that would satisfy all of that need. UNTIL we showed up! The unit had really seen some better days but we knew we had to look past that and come up with a concept that would work for them. The immediate challenges were centered around 3 big ideas: 1. Adding a second bedroom to the already small footprint 2. Figuring out a way to make the kitchen bigger, better and brighter 3. Creating a master room walk in closet It’s always difficult to add new rooms into existing footprint without expanding out or up and not incurring any opportunity cost. In this case, that was exactly what we had to do. Item one and two above had to be tackled as one. We went ahead and switched out the location of the dining room and eliminating an area where there was a “nook” type eat-in area. By doing so, we were able to cut right into that footprint and change the layout of the kitchen. That one move allowed us to dig into the kitchen design because it was now the main focal point in the apartment. It was no longer an option to keep it in that tiny hole where it was, so we had to ensure that this design was functional and aesthetically pleasing at the same time. By adding the table into the space where an Island typically would go, we were able to both cut cost and still provide a dining experience. The Table serves as an Island as well when cooking. We then proceeded to block in the existing doorway to the dining room. By doing this, we were able to create a full room which allowed us to put a door on the other side and called that room Bedroom #2. This was easier to do because all of the mechanicals were already in that space (light, heater and windows). By shifting things around, we also achieved a huge wall to wall closet from inside. PERFECT! Then we moved into the Single bedroom. We thought it was a big room with a small closet, so by creatively adding an L shaped wall and steal some footprint into the bedroom side, we were able to put a door on that new room and design it for the walk-in closet. Even after this, the bedroom still holds a queen size bed with 2 night stands, a TV on the wall, a sitting chair and plenty of room to walk around. This was done by rethinking the location for the bed and night stands. The bathroom was gutted to make sure there was no leaks and rebuild from the ground up. We kept all of the plumbing where it was, added a new vanity, medicine cabinet, tiles and lighting and it was done. From there, the rest of the unit had new flooring all throughout, paint, and lighting. After completion and walk through, this project was handed over back to the clients. Execution and collaboration between all the trades were: Reggie and his team from Premier Interiors and Rohan from RD Mechanical Services. p.s. Please see our website to see the video.

Advice on interior design is available everywhere—from TV shows and websites to books, magazines and apps. We love seeing people become engaged in design and educated on the wide range of possibilities. But we hope you’ll proceed with caution. It’s not that style errors are a matter of life and death. It’s just that it’s easy to choose designs that aren’t necessarily reflective of your own personality and character. And since you’re typically stuck with your interior design decisions for years, styles that don’t quite fit can tend to grate on you. Interiors that give one person comfort may unleash chaos in someone else. This goes beyond favorite colors or hot trends, right to the heart of interior design, where you find questions of composition, balance, repetition, space and more. The goal is to find that unique combination of design elements that gives you comfort, support and balance. In one home, that perfect balance was struck through the use of symmetry. A pair of comfortable swivel chairs sit beneath matching indigo patterned paintings. Matching bookcases below the paintings contain similar, but not identical, arrangements of books, vases and bowls. Woods and bronzes help warm up the simple white bookcase shelving. Two matching poufs in front of the fireplace provide additional seating. The sofa is accented with a pair of pillows with a blue pattern that echoes the artwork. The effect of the symmetry is to achieve order and simplicity, which I promote at every opportunity. After all, your home interiors should be the setting or the backdrop of your life—not center stage. Antique bronze and blue are complementary colors. Together, they offer a rich palette of richness and depth, which brings out the beauty of wood and stone. In the home office, a unique, whitewash-stained wooden desk rests on metal, Sawhorse-inspired legs for a warm, rustic look. The black leather chair features a contemporary silhouette with an antique brass frame. An adjustable desk lamp has bronze accents. The bookcase combines a sleek, black metal frame with concrete shelves, for another unusual pairing. It’s kept uncluttered for an orderly, peaceful look. Items on the shelves include a bronze-accented lamp and a pair of high gloss-finished wooden bookends. The elegant artwork behind the desk is a simple midnight-blue and bronze with mottled white. Deep blues are again picked up in the rug, which adds a stately vibe with a modern pattern and satisfying texture. Within the framework of symmetry, the living room repeats the blue-and-bronze color scheme. A large midcentury brass clock above the fireplace keeps the natural stone visible, rather than hidden behind a painting or television, while its straight lines and color create a beautiful contrast. The sofa is a soft, neutral blue. The pattern on the round brass side table features echoes the darker blue-patterned rug, as well as the rug in the office, tying the rooms together. Indigo blue books adjacent to bronze vases on the shelves repeat the color scheme. The soapstone-topped coffee table echoes the shape of the fireplace. A pair of tall, matching floor lamps with long wooden bases, brass pulls and simple linen shades combine both the colors and symmetry found throughout the home.

This beautiful traditional hill country-style home highlighted with contemporary elements on a family plot bringing two generations closer together. Approaching the home, you notice the traditional Texas hill country aesthetics of limestone paired with a metal roof, but these features change as you proceed to the back exterior elevation. The back of the home is composed mostly of glass and steel, to create a luminous harmonization with the outdoors and showcase an open staircase. Integrating these contemporary design elements required much attention to detail from the Burnette team.

The goal for this husband and wife team was to create a functional home for their family. Because they love to entertain, they wanted to see how they could accommodate guests and extended family—improving the layout and functionality of their Bonita Bay home of more than eight years. Having worked with remodeling contractors in the past, they were reluctant to proceed. They had experienced a remodeling fiasco that drug on beyond their expected completion dates and went well over budget. This time, they hired a local architect, an interior designer, and Progressive Design Build as the general contractor. The three teams worked together to formulate a clear vision and plans for the renovation. Once this husband and wife team knew exactly what they wanted to achieve and had a design plan in hand, they set about creating a modern and functional outdoor living space. The three teams worked together to finalize the design and the budget—no headaches, not delays. After six months (two months finalizing the design and budget, and four months to build), this project finished on time and on budget and resulted in a beautiful outdoor living space that consisted of a massive outdoor kitchen with a separate dining area and sitting area, 20-foot tall vaulted ceilings, a beautiful glass fireplace and cost stone balustrades. It was finished with cast stone columns, huge stucco arches, a high tech lighting system and porcelain tile floors.

One of the top factors that can influence the value of a property is the Master Bathroom. During the complete makeover on this project, we proceeded with the complete demolition of the existing master bathroom, including floors, vanity, plumbing, lighting fixtures, toitel and tub. In collaboration with the prestigious designer, Roberto Lugo, the D9 team worked on the layout for the Master Bathroom. With the plan of optimizing the space, we gave ample room to the vanity and the shower to allow them to include all the requested features from the homeowner. To create an inspiring and elegant atmosphere the combination of selected colors, textures and materials played a key role. The Master Bathroom was given elegance by the unique look of the gray toned Marble countertops, combined with the sophistication and detailed finish of the bathroom cabinets, and the neutral gray paint used to finish the raised-cabinets. The shower enclosure presents a double shower with two Marble benches and four shower fixtures with hinged door.