We put MSI Calacatta Elysio into a kitchen in Columbia, and it's one of those quartzes that just works in a room where people actually cook and live. Elysio's an engineered quartz manufactured right here in the great state of South Carolina. It features a bright clean background with soft gray and gold veining moving through it, the kind of look that reads calm from across the room but still gives you something to study up close at the counter. Engineered quartz like this is consistent in a way natural stone just can't be. Every slab off the line looks close enough to the next that we're not fighting to match veining across seams or worrying about a wild vein hitting the sink cutout wrong. That consistency matters in a kitchen with multiple runs of counter, because the eye catches it immediately if the pattern jumps from one section to the next. Templating still has to be dead on, and we take the time at the seams to keep that veining looking like it keeps moving instead of stopping and starting over. Day to day, Elysio holds up the way good quartz should. It doesn't need sealing, it resists stains from coffee, wine, and the everyday mess of a working kitchen, and it shrugs off scratches better than people expect. We still tell folks to use a trivet for hot pans straight off the stove, just good practice with any engineered surface. The edge is eased, clean and simple, the kind of detail you settle on at the end and then don't think about again because it just looks right. Columbia kitchens see a lot of real use, families cooking, kids doing homework at the island, company gathered around while dinner's going. A quartz like Elysio fits that life. It's bright enough to open the room up, patterned enough to keep from looking flat, and tough enough that it's still going to look this good years from now. That's what we're after on every job in the Midlands, something that looks sharp walking in and keeps earning its keep long after we've packed up the tools.

Our clients brought us in to update their first floor living spaces, comprised of the kitchen, dining, and living room. The living room had a large, but shallow, soffit built out on one wall that never felt fully realized. The clients asked that we design a new custom built-in to incorporate their TV and make sense of this architectural feature in the space. What I immediately noticed about the room layout though was that having the TV on this wall meant that the their backs and all of their furniture was turned away from the floating, two-story fireplace in the middle of their home. This layout seemed less than ideal and kept the family from truly enjoying another key feature of the space–the fireplace–that was important to them. After more consideration, I asked if they would be open to a design for the large soffit wall that was beautiful, provided storage and interest but did not house their TV. I wanted to re-orient the room toward the fireplace and hang an art frame tv on the fireplace wall so that the furniture set up could once again it. We wanted the whole space to feel modern but with a nod to the mountains, a bit woodsy, and definitely cozy. I think layering in this gorgeous walnut wood with their already beautiful maple floors and birch cabinetry was the perfect touch and to add extra interests and drama, we engineered custom, fluted or routed panels in various patterns for the center section. We anchored the spaces and the large volumes with the repeating dark charcoals, almost blacks in the soapstone countertops for the bookshelves, painted soffit, concrete coffee table and the fireplace tile. And the sagey, gray green couch in velvet gives the space that warm hug finish. The rebuilding of the fireplace was a big undertaking. We changed it from a wood-burning fireplace to a gas one so that we could also eliminate the sharp and bulky surround that had become a hazard for kids and grownups alike. This change greatly streamlined its profile and allowed for a low and long fireplace insert that would balance the large TV hanging above it. We were also eager to reclad the fireplace with larger format tile with less contrasting grout and paint out the chimney stack. In the kitchen, we traded out the dark backsplash for this skinny herringbone marble one in tones of warm whites, grays and tans. We used it a White Lux quartzite with a dramatic 2.5″ mitered edge in the kitchen to complement it and kept the perimeter countertops a dark granite. New bar stools, sink, faucet, cabinet hardware and the kitchen refresh was complete!

We put MSI Calacatta Elysio into a kitchen in Columbia, and it's one of those quartzes that just works in a room where people actually cook and live. Elysio's an engineered quartz manufactured right here in the great state of South Carolina. It features a bright clean background with soft gray and gold veining moving through it, the kind of look that reads calm from across the room but still gives you something to study up close at the counter. Engineered quartz like this is consistent in a way natural stone just can't be. Every slab off the line looks close enough to the next that we're not fighting to match veining across seams or worrying about a wild vein hitting the sink cutout wrong. That consistency matters in a kitchen with multiple runs of counter, because the eye catches it immediately if the pattern jumps from one section to the next. Templating still has to be dead on, and we take the time at the seams to keep that veining looking like it keeps moving instead of stopping and starting over. Day to day, Elysio holds up the way good quartz should. It doesn't need sealing, it resists stains from coffee, wine, and the everyday mess of a working kitchen, and it shrugs off scratches better than people expect. We still tell folks to use a trivet for hot pans straight off the stove, just good practice with any engineered surface. The edge is eased, clean and simple, the kind of detail you settle on at the end and then don't think about again because it just looks right. Columbia kitchens see a lot of real use, families cooking, kids doing homework at the island, company gathered around while dinner's going. A quartz like Elysio fits that life. It's bright enough to open the room up, patterned enough to keep from looking flat, and tough enough that it's still going to look this good years from now. That's what we're after on every job in the Midlands, something that looks sharp walking in and keeps earning its keep long after we've packed up the tools.

Our clients brought us in to update their first floor living spaces, comprised of the kitchen, dining, and living room. The living room had a large, but shallow, soffit built out on one wall that never felt fully realized. The clients asked that we design a new custom built-in to incorporate their TV and make sense of this architectural feature in the space. What I immediately noticed about the room layout though was that having the TV on this wall meant that the their backs and all of their furniture was turned away from the floating, two-story fireplace in the middle of their home. This layout seemed less than ideal and kept the family from truly enjoying another key feature of the space–the fireplace–that was important to them. After more consideration, I asked if they would be open to a design for the large soffit wall that was beautiful, provided storage and interest but did not house their TV. I wanted to re-orient the room toward the fireplace and hang an art frame tv on the fireplace wall so that the furniture set up could once again it. We wanted the whole space to feel modern but with a nod to the mountains, a bit woodsy, and definitely cozy. I think layering in this gorgeous walnut wood with their already beautiful maple floors and birch cabinetry was the perfect touch and to add extra interests and drama, we engineered custom, fluted or routed panels in various patterns for the center section. We anchored the spaces and the large volumes with the repeating dark charcoals, almost blacks in the soapstone countertops for the bookshelves, painted soffit, concrete coffee table and the fireplace tile. And the sagey, gray green couch in velvet gives the space that warm hug finish. The rebuilding of the fireplace was a big undertaking. We changed it from a wood-burning fireplace to a gas one so that we could also eliminate the sharp and bulky surround that had become a hazard for kids and grownups alike. This change greatly streamlined its profile and allowed for a low and long fireplace insert that would balance the large TV hanging above it. We were also eager to reclad the fireplace with larger format tile with less contrasting grout and paint out the chimney stack. In the kitchen, we traded out the dark backsplash for this skinny herringbone marble one in tones of warm whites, grays and tans. We used it a White Lux quartzite with a dramatic 2.5″ mitered edge in the kitchen to complement it and kept the perimeter countertops a dark granite. New bar stools, sink, faucet, cabinet hardware and the kitchen refresh was complete!

Mid-sized elegant carpeted straight wood railing home design photo in New York with carpeted risers

A beautiful design of Thassos and Mother of Pearl in a very unique shade of blue!
Minimalist bathroom photo in New York

Large country u-shaped medium tone wood floor kitchen photo in Milwaukee with white cabinets and a peninsula

Mid-sized elegant carpeted straight staircase photo in New York with carpeted risers

Example of a mid-sized transitional enclosed carpeted and beige floor home theater design in Salt Lake City with gray walls and a wall-mounted tv

The ground floor volumes wrapped in an elongated hand-fired brick, emphasizing the horizontality of the architecture that lays solidly on the land. (Photography by: Matthew Millman)

Modern luxury meets warm farmhouse in this Southampton home! Scandinavian inspired furnishings and light fixtures create a clean and tailored look, while the natural materials found in accent walls, casegoods, the staircase, and home decor hone in on a homey feel. An open-concept interior that proves less can be more is how we’d explain this interior. By accentuating the “negative space,” we’ve allowed the carefully chosen furnishings and artwork to steal the show, while the crisp whites and abundance of natural light create a rejuvenated and refreshed interior. This sprawling 5,000 square foot home includes a salon, ballet room, two media rooms, a conference room, multifunctional study, and, lastly, a guest house (which is a mini version of the main house).

Image courtesy of Avalon Interiors.
Inspiration for a large contemporary formal and open concept carpeted home design remodel in Toronto with gray walls, a hanging fireplace, a metal fireplace and no tv

Mid-sized traditional blue two-story concrete fiberboard gable roof idea in Chicago

Check out this beautiful garage floor coating on display in the Fall Parade of Homes, 2842 Deer Hill Road in Medina. Now is a great time to consider updating your garage with a beautiful, functional floor coating.

The master bath features stunning views of Puget Sound. The glass walls between the bath and hall have a hand-drawn etched glass pattern. Photo: Benjamin Benschneider

Photo by Roehner + Ryan
Southwestern exterior home idea in Phoenix

When Tom and Michelle Stien decided to remodel their kitchen, they chose Advance Design Studio to make it happen. They were looking for an innovative design that would open up an awkward wall, and we're hoping to remove some half walls that closed off their family room. "Of all the people we had come and give us quotes for our project, ADS/Scott, was the only one who came in with an idea right off the bat for what we could do. His knowledge of design and code was evident from the start," said the Stiens. The new design increased the seating area with a large peninsula, and the cooking area was expanded to accommodate Tom's cooking skills. A warming drawer was incorporated beneath a nearly hidden microwave drawer, along with a clever pull out for increased pantry storage. A built in message board area was custom designed for kids art and family communication. Roll out trays grace every base cabinet for easy pull out storage and a single floating shelf ties the contemporary kitchen design together. Starlight quartz countertops create ease of clean up, and the look is finished off with sharp gray and white mosaic backsplash tiles. The Stiens really liked a clean modern look, so the new crisp transitional kitchen design incorporated bright white shaker cabinetry from Medallion with gray and metal accents along with a modern feel. "Scott's presentation of what we could expect with ADS was clear and concise. He gave us a great deal of confidence in how the project would be handled". Homeowners are frequently concerned about project budgets that get quickly get out of control. "Scott's quote was well thought out, organized and offered options based on our budget," said Michelle. "I was worried about the project budget changing as we went through the process, but they did a good job managing the situation and minimized change orders as much as possible." When asked about their overall experience with their kitchen renovation he Stien's said; "Scott, Justin, Matt and Jason were great! They were all very friendly, personable, responsible and trustworthy. Advance Design definitely met and exceeded our expectations. Remodeling is a very challenging process to endure, but ADS minimized discomfort and inconvenience as much as possible and kept on schedule. The end result was well worth the investment in time and money." Designer: Scott Christensen Photographer: Joe Nowak

Mountain style home design photo in Denver

Example of a small transitional kids' gray tile and ceramic tile ceramic tile and white floor alcove shower design with shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, a two-piece toilet, gray walls, an undermount sink, quartz countertops and a hinged shower door