This beach house was renovated to create an inviting escape for its owners’ as home away from home. The wide open greatroom that pours out onto vistas of sand and surf from behind a nearly removable bi-folding wall of glass, making summer entertaining a treat for the host and winter storm watching a true marvel for guests to behold. The views from each of the upper level bedroom windows make it hard to tell if you have truly woken in the morning, or if you are still dreaming… Photography: Paul Grdina

Family room - transitional laminate floor and gray floor family room idea in Vancouver with gray walls

This beach house was renovated to create an inviting escape for its owners’ as home away from home. The wide open greatroom that pours out onto vistas of sand and surf from behind a nearly removable bi-folding wall of glass, making summer entertaining a treat for the host and winter storm watching a true marvel for guests to behold. The views from each of the upper level bedroom windows make it hard to tell if you have truly woken in the morning, or if you are still dreaming… Photography: Paul Grdina

This beach house was renovated to create an inviting escape for its owners’ as home away from home. The wide open greatroom that pours out onto vistas of sand and surf from behind a nearly removable bi-folding wall of glass, making summer entertaining a treat for the host and winter storm watching a true marvel for guests to behold. The views from each of the upper level bedroom windows make it hard to tell if you have truly woken in the morning, or if you are still dreaming… Photography: Paul Grdina

The home had a paver patio with a pergola. They wanted something simple with clean finishes as well as a Jacuzzi. We removed the old pavers and put down 16 X 24 travertine classic ivory tiles. Tying into the roof and incorporating the breezeway, we added a 900 SF patio cover. The center section has a vaulted ceiling and a gable roof. We dropped the Jacuzzi into the ground 2 feet and added composite decking around it. The fire pit adds a bit of flare to the project – it is 14’6” and has 26 feet of seating around it. The ceiling finish is hardie that has been painted to match the home with columns and beams that are also wrapped in hardie and painted with a complementary trim color. We installed gas lanterns and indirect lighting on the seat wall. TK IMAGES

After six years of living in their Huntley IL home, Chris and Meghan were tired of their dark, dingy, outdated kitchen and it was finally time for a long-anticipated change.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.”

Extensive Kitchen, living area remodel complete! There was a lot of demo, reframing and rearranging involved in this beautiful remodel to get it to it’s final result. We first had to remove every surface including several walls to open up the Kitchen to the living room and what is now a bar area where our clients can relax, play pool and watch TV. Off the Kitchen is a new laundry with extra storage and countertop space. In removing the walls in the kitchen, we were able to create a large island, move the appliances around and created a new open concept living space. The cabinets in the bar area, laundry and Kitchen perimeter are a white shaker style cabinet with the Island being a separate beautiful Grey color. All of the cabinets were topped with a gorgeous Vittoria white quartz countertop. The Kitchen was then completed with the stand out Grey Glazed Brick backsplash. Finally, the flooring! The home was also updated with a new 12x48 Aequa Tur wood look tile. We created a custom design with this tile at the entry way and transitioned between rooms with a soldier pattern. Lots of detail went into creating this beautiful space, let us know if you have any questions!

Extensive Kitchen, living area remodel complete! There was a lot of demo, reframing and rearranging involved in this beautiful remodel to get it to it’s final result. We first had to remove every surface including several walls to open up the Kitchen to the living room and what is now a bar area where our clients can relax, play pool and watch TV. Off the Kitchen is a new laundry with extra storage and countertop space. In removing the walls in the kitchen, we were able to create a large island, move the appliances around and created a new open concept living space. The cabinets in the bar area, laundry and Kitchen perimeter are a white shaker style cabinet with the Island being a separate beautiful Grey color. All of the cabinets were topped with a gorgeous Vittoria white quartz countertop. The Kitchen was then completed with the stand out Grey Glazed Brick backsplash. Finally, the flooring! The home was also updated with a new 12x48 Aequa Tur wood look tile. We created a custom design with this tile at the entry way and transitioned between rooms with a soldier pattern. Lots of detail went into creating this beautiful space, let us know if you have any questions!

This house was built in 1994 and our clients have been there since day one. They wanted a complete refresh in their kitchen and living areas and a few other changes here and there; now that the kids were all off to college! They wanted to replace some things, redesign some things and just repaint others. They didn’t like the heavy textured walls, so those were sanded down, re-textured and painted throughout all of the remodeled areas. The kitchen change was the most dramatic by painting the original cabinets a beautiful bluish-gray color; which is Benjamin Moore Gentleman’s Gray. The ends and cook side of the island are painted SW Reflection but on the front is a gorgeous Merola “Arte’ white accent tile. Two Island Pendant Lights ‘Aideen 8-light Geometric Pendant’ in a bronze gold finish hung above the island. White Carrara Quartz countertops were installed below the Viviano Marmo Dolomite Arabesque Honed Marble Mosaic tile backsplash. Our clients wanted to be able to watch TV from the kitchen as well as from the family room but since the door to the powder bath was on the wall of breakfast area (no to mention opening up into the room), it took up good wall space. Our designers rearranged the powder bath, moving the door into the laundry room and closing off the laundry room with a pocket door, so they can now hang their TV/artwork on the wall facing the kitchen, as well as another one in the family room! We squared off the arch in the doorway between the kitchen and bar/pantry area, giving them a more updated look. The bar was also painted the same blue as the kitchen but a cool Moondrop Water Jet Cut Glass Mosaic tile was installed on the backsplash, which added a beautiful accent! All kitchen cabinet hardware is ‘Amerock’ in a champagne finish. In the family room, we redesigned the cabinets to the right of the fireplace to match the other side. The homeowners had invested in two new TV’s that would hang on the wall and display artwork when not in use, so the TV cabinet wasn’t needed. The cabinets were painted a crisp white which made all of their decor really stand out. The fireplace in the family room was originally red brick with a hearth for seating. The brick was removed and the hearth was lowered to the floor and replaced with E-Stone White 12x24” tile and the fireplace surround is tiled with Heirloom Pewter 6x6” tile. The formal living room used to be closed off on one side of the fireplace, which was a desk area in the kitchen. The homeowners felt that it was an eye sore and it was unnecessary, so we removed that wall, opening up both sides of the fireplace into the formal living room. Pietra Tiles Aria Crystals Beach Sand tiles were installed on the kitchen side of the fireplace and the hearth was leveled with the floor and tiled with E-Stone White 12x24” tile. The laundry room was redesigned, adding the powder bath door but also creating more storage space. Waypoint flat front maple cabinets in painted linen were installed above the appliances, with Top Knobs “Hopewell” polished chrome pulls. Elements Carrara Quartz countertops were installed above the appliances, creating that added space. 3x6” white ceramic subway tile was used as the backsplash, creating a clean and crisp laundry room! The same tile on the hearths of both fireplaces (E-Stone White 12x24”) was installed on the floor. The powder bath was painted and the 12x24” E-Stone white tile was installed vertically on the wall behind the sink. All hardware was updated with the Signature Hardware “Ultra”Collection and Shades of Light “Sleekly Modern” new vanity lights were installed. All new wood flooring was installed throughout all of the remodeled rooms making all of the rooms seamlessly flow into each other. The homeowners love their updated home! Design/Remodel by Hatfield Builders & Remodelers | Photography by Versatile Imaging

Extensive Kitchen, living area remodel complete! There was a lot of demo, reframing and rearranging involved in this beautiful remodel to get it to it’s final result. We first had to remove every surface including several walls to open up the Kitchen to the living room and what is now a bar area where our clients can relax, play pool and watch TV. Off the Kitchen is a new laundry with extra storage and countertop space. In removing the walls in the kitchen, we were able to create a large island, move the appliances around and created a new open concept living space. The cabinets in the bar area, laundry and Kitchen perimeter are a white shaker style cabinet with the Island being a separate beautiful Grey color. All of the cabinets were topped with a gorgeous Vittoria white quartz countertop. The Kitchen was then completed with the stand out Grey Glazed Brick backsplash. Finally, the flooring! The home was also updated with a new 12x48 Aequa Tur wood look tile. We created a custom design with this tile at the entry way and transitioned between rooms with a soldier pattern. Lots of detail went into creating this beautiful space, let us know if you have any questions!

Outdoor Essentials Evanston White Vinyl Picket Fence Installation by DREAMscape Outdoors Hanover, PA. We do fencing right, by taking our time to ensure it's installed properly, with level posts, proper amount of concrete footers, remove all access soil, & seed when complete. That other contractors in our area do not do this and they rush and half it to get it done, and on to the next because they aren't charging properly just so they can be the low price to get the job... FOLLOW US on Instagram & Facebook for more inspirational Landscapes & Hardscapes, Decks & Fencing. Watch us & Subscribe on YouTube. Watch the project here! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5D6kDGongdE

Extensive Kitchen, living area remodel complete! There was a lot of demo, reframing and rearranging involved in this beautiful remodel to get it to it’s final result. We first had to remove every surface including several walls to open up the Kitchen to the living room and what is now a bar area where our clients can relax, play pool and watch TV. Off the Kitchen is a new laundry with extra storage and countertop space. In removing the walls in the kitchen, we were able to create a large island, move the appliances around and created a new open concept living space. The cabinets in the bar area, laundry and Kitchen perimeter are a white shaker style cabinet with the Island being a separate beautiful Grey color. All of the cabinets were topped with a gorgeous Vittoria white quartz countertop. The Kitchen was then completed with the stand out Grey Glazed Brick backsplash. Finally, the flooring! The home was also updated with a new 12x48 Aequa Tur wood look tile. We created a custom design with this tile at the entry way and transitioned between rooms with a soldier pattern. Lots of detail went into creating this beautiful space, let us know if you have any questions!

"I want people to say 'Wow!' when they walk in to my house" This was our directive for this bachelor's newly purchased home. We accomplished the mission by drafting plans for a significant remodel which included removing walls and columns, opening up the spaces between rooms to create better flow, then adding custom furnishings and original art for a customized unique Wow factor! His Christmas party proved we had succeeded as each person 'wowed!' the spaces! Even more meaningful to us, as Designers, was watching everyone converse in the sitting area, dining room, living room, and around the grand island (12'-6" grand to be exact!) and genuinely enjoy all the fabulous, yet comfortable spaces.

"I want people to say 'Wow!' when they walk in to my house" This was our directive for this bachelor's newly purchased home. We accomplished the mission by drafting plans for a significant remodel which included removing walls and columns, opening up the spaces between rooms to create better flow, then adding custom furnishings and original art for a customized unique Wow factor! His Christmas party proved we had succeeded as each person 'wowed!' the spaces! Even more meaningful to us, as Designers, was watching everyone converse in the sitting area, dining room, living room, and around the grand island (12'-6" grand to be exact!) and genuinely enjoy all the fabulous, yet comfortable spaces.

Jushing is a unique new type of decorating service coined by Cricket Burns of Cricketscrush.com. Cricket styles homes using her vase talents she learned as a magazine fashion and style editor for over 25 years. For this project, Cricket was introduced to Steve through his real estate agent. He had recently move into a large NYC apartment. However, he needed someone to design and style the apartment. The movers had moved in but the apartment had not been put together. The place needed a total make-over. Steve hired Cricket to jushe up his place while he was traveling over-seas on business. Steve had recently gone through a divorce. He had a bunch of kids. Thus, the design challenge in this job was actually creating a family home for a man who is now a bachelor. Steve needed an apartment that could work for his own entertaining, while also having a vibe his younger kids would enjoy. Cricket’s Jushing design service prove to be very effective for Steve’s needs. His life was in a bit of transformation. This project was going need room to grow. Steve didn’t really know exactly what he wanted but had a good idea of what he didn’t want. The Jushing process allows for projects that grow organically. Cricket designs her looks based on the initial client consultation. In Jushing, Cricket is using inventory from her consignment warehouse. All of the items used are essentially on loan until the client has had time to live in the new space to see if the decor meets their aesthetic and functional needs. With this project, Steve decided on a bunch of tweaks in order to get the look of his new apartment to place he and his children felt they were in their "home”. Thus, Cricket’s vast warehouse of inventory really allowed for her to remove his dislikes with inventory he liked within the same day. The speed at which Cricket completed the job was an added valued to her overall design services. If you are interested in seeing Cricket in action for this job, then watch her web series, The Jusher, at Youtube.com/user/cricketscrush. You’ll also find 30 or so episodes featuring Cricket interview designers, artists, and artisans. Cricketscrush.com is in the business of helping you make your home more beautiful. So shop, watch, learn and even hire Cricket - The Jusher.

Extensive Kitchen, living area remodel complete! There was a lot of demo, reframing and rearranging involved in this beautiful remodel to get it to it’s final result. We first had to remove every surface including several walls to open up the Kitchen to the living room and what is now a bar area where our clients can relax, play pool and watch TV. Off the Kitchen is a new laundry with extra storage and countertop space. In removing the walls in the kitchen, we were able to create a large island, move the appliances around and created a new open concept living space. The cabinets in the bar area, laundry and Kitchen perimeter are a white shaker style cabinet with the Island being a separate beautiful Grey color. All of the cabinets were topped with a gorgeous Vittoria white quartz countertop. The Kitchen was then completed with the stand out Grey Glazed Brick backsplash. Finally, the flooring! The home was also updated with a new 12x48 Aequa Tur wood look tile. We created a custom design with this tile at the entry way and transitioned between rooms with a soldier pattern. Lots of detail went into creating this beautiful space, let us know if you have any questions!

Extensive Kitchen, living area remodel complete! There was a lot of demo, reframing and rearranging involved in this beautiful remodel to get it to it’s final result. We first had to remove every surface including several walls to open up the Kitchen to the living room and what is now a bar area where our clients can relax, play pool and watch TV. Off the Kitchen is a new laundry with extra storage and countertop space. In removing the walls in the kitchen, we were able to create a large island, move the appliances around and created a new open concept living space. The cabinets in the bar area, laundry and Kitchen perimeter are a white shaker style cabinet with the Island being a separate beautiful Grey color. All of the cabinets were topped with a gorgeous Vittoria white quartz countertop. The Kitchen was then completed with the stand out Grey Glazed Brick backsplash. Finally, the flooring! The home was also updated with a new 12x48 Aequa Tur wood look tile. We created a custom design with this tile at the entry way and transitioned between rooms with a soldier pattern. Lots of detail went into creating this beautiful space, let us know if you have any questions!

"I want people to say 'Wow!' when they walk in to my house" This was our directive for this bachelor's newly purchased home. We accomplished the mission by drafting plans for a significant remodel which included removing walls and columns, opening up the spaces between rooms to create better flow, then adding custom furnishings and original art for a customized unique Wow factor! His Christmas party proved we had succeeded as each person 'wowed!' the spaces! Even more meaningful to us, as Designers, was watching everyone converse in the sitting area, dining room, living room, and around the grand island (12'-6" grand to be exact!) and genuinely enjoy all the fabulous, yet comfortable spaces.

Extensive Kitchen, living area remodel complete! There was a lot of demo, reframing and rearranging involved in this beautiful remodel to get it to it’s final result. We first had to remove every surface including several walls to open up the Kitchen to the living room and what is now a bar area where our clients can relax, play pool and watch TV. Off the Kitchen is a new laundry with extra storage and countertop space. In removing the walls in the kitchen, we were able to create a large island, move the appliances around and created a new open concept living space. The cabinets in the bar area, laundry and Kitchen perimeter are a white shaker style cabinet with the Island being a separate beautiful Grey color. All of the cabinets were topped with a gorgeous Vittoria white quartz countertop. The Kitchen was then completed with the stand out Grey Glazed Brick backsplash. Finally, the flooring! The home was also updated with a new 12x48 Aequa Tur wood look tile. We created a custom design with this tile at the entry way and transitioned between rooms with a soldier pattern. Lots of detail went into creating this beautiful space, let us know if you have any questions!