Alcon Lighting chooses Minimal, Solid, and Clean. Alcon Lighting offers our customers LED lighting options that are contemporary and sophisticated. These lights can be put in a wide variety of homes and not look out of place. Our customers really appreciate their timeless appeal because they look simple, and elegant – two qualities that really work well in a home that has a modern interior design motif. Dimming for All It’s really important to set the right ambiance in your home. Lighting can be a huge factor in setting that tone; whether it’s when you’re entertaining, or it’s a regular week night at home with your family. You need a different amount of lighting when you or your children are sitting at the table doing their homework, or at 9:00PM, when you are winding down and the kids are in bed. Adjusting your lighting accordingly will help your body stay in sync with its circadian rhythm. Styles and Sizes Another great feature of the options here at Alcon Lighting is that despite our more modern leanings, we do still offer a variety of styles and different sizes to choose from. You have options for the shape of the mount, you can choose from round, square, or rectangular, and you can select how many lights you want on the fixture (you can have up to four) to control the brightness of your room. Customers can even select the diameter of the individual lights on their fixture (ranging from 2″-6″). When you come to Alcon Lighting, you have a lot of options to make the lighting perfect for your homes. Short Build Times No one wants to wait a long time for their lighting after they order it. We understand that home improvements can be disruptive; sometimes deliveries being made efficiently can mean the difference between ending a renovation project on time or ahead of schedule. This is the reason why Alcon makes every effort to ensure that you get your product quickly. Most of the products we sell can be shipped within three days and we aim to have every order delivered within four weeks, at the latest – even for special, customized orders. Alcon Lighting produces high end recessed light options for customers seeking a modern and tasteful look for their home lighting. The lights available come with many options, including style and size based on your needs and tastes. The next time you decide it’s time for new lighting, check us out first.

On our new series for ellentube, we are focused on creating affordable spaces in a short time ($1,000 budget & 24 hrs). It has been a dream of ours to design a vintage Airstream trailer and we finally got the opportunity to do it! This trailer was old dingy and no life! We transformed it back to life and gave it an outdoor living room to double the living space. You can see the full episode at: www.ellentube.com/GrandDesign

Troy Thies
Eat-in kitchen - cottage single-wall light wood floor and beige floor eat-in kitchen idea in Minneapolis with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, dark wood cabinets, stainless steel appliances, an island and green backsplash

This was a detached building from the main house just for the theater. The interior of the room was designed to look like an old lodge with reclaimed barn wood on the interior walls and old rustic beams in the ceiling. In the process of remodeling the room we had to find old barn wood that matched the existing barn wood and weave in the old with the new so you could not see the difference when complete. We also had to hide speakers in the walls by Faux painting the fabric speaker grills to match the grain of the barn wood on all sides of it so the speakers were completely hidden. We also had a very short timeline to complete the project so the client could screen a movie premiere in the theater. To complete the project in a very short time frame we worked 10-15 hour days with multiple crew shifts to get the project done on time. The ceiling of the theater was over 30’ high and all of the new fabric, barn wood, speakers, and lighting required high scaffolding work.

A custom TCS Closet in Aspen, a neutral palette that felt timeless which lets a wardrobe shine.
Walk-in closet - contemporary gender-neutral light wood floor walk-in closet idea in Other with white cabinets

This was a detached building from the main house just for the theater. The interior of the room was designed to look like an old lodge with reclaimed barn wood on the interior walls and old rustic beams in the ceiling. In the process of remodeling the room we had to find old barn wood that matched the existing barn wood and weave in the old with the new so you could not see the difference when complete. We also had to hide speakers in the walls by Faux painting the fabric speaker grills to match the grain of the barn wood on all sides of it so the speakers were completely hidden. We also had a very short timeline to complete the project so the client could screen a movie premiere in the theater. To complete the project in a very short time frame we worked 10-15 hour days with multiple crew shifts to get the project done on time. The ceiling of the theater was over 30’ high and all of the new fabric, barn wood, speakers, and lighting required high scaffolding work.

Living room - contemporary living room idea in New York

By Sara Pendleton I will never forget meeting Heidi for the first time in the store. She was checking us out after having a bad experience with design services through a different company, and she was so amazed at what we had to offer. We both got really excited talking about her new construction project, which is a second vacation home for the family. She has a really tight timeline and needed to be able to furnish the home in time for the Holidays. It was so awesome to have a big showroom and such a good variety of furniture, to be able to get everything done in a short time. She was so amazed at our selection and also the pricing. Working together was very natural and I was able to quickly determine their needs with functionality, and also cater to the style they were trying to accomplish. The install was completed in time for her family to arrive for the holidays and enjoy ski time and relaxation. I love being able to fill her families needs and show a new resident how awesome Park City design can be.

The Oval--featuring Calamagrostis, Arnoglossum, Echinacea, Schyzicharium, Liatris.
Inspiration for a huge eclectic drought-tolerant and full sun backyard stone flower bed in Philadelphia for summer.

Mini Star and Cross Tile in moody Tempest frame a grand soaking tub sitting on matching Large Star and Cross Tiles in matte black Basalt. Short on time? Hop in the custom shower clad in handmade Tempest 2x8 subway tile. Mini Star and Cross Tile in moody Tempest frame a grand soaking tub sitting on matching Large Star and Cross Tiles in matte black Basalt. Short on time? Hop in the custom shower clad in handmade Tempest 2x8 subway tile. DESIGN Claire Thomas PHOTOS Claire Thomas

Mini Star and Cross Tile in moody Tempest frame a grand soaking tub sitting on matching Large Star and Cross Tiles in matte black Basalt. Short on time? Hop in the custom shower clad in handmade Tempest 2x8 subway tile. Mini Star and Cross Tile in moody Tempest frame a grand soaking tub sitting on matching Large Star and Cross Tiles in matte black Basalt. Short on time? Hop in the custom shower clad in handmade Tempest 2x8 subway tile. DESIGN Claire Thomas PHOTOS Claire Thomas

Our client found Design Connection, Inc. through reading featured articles in local magazines for many years. Her home was 25 years old and never been updated. Their furniture and accessories were well past their prime. The brick fireplace, the focal point of the room, looked dark and dingy. Upon completion of our first interview with the client I realized her style was transitional and the facade of the fireplace would not work with her new furnishings as well as the golden oak paneling. We brought in our very talented faux painter to access the paneling about changing the color to a soft neutral glow and we completed the transformation in one a very short time.

Kitchen - transitional kitchen idea in Chicago

Cosmic Black granite is shown in this project! Search the specific granite name, see more granite or other stone options: http://www.stoneaction.com Learn more about granite to see if it’s right for you: Granite countertops can last a lifetime. It contains no harmful chemicals and do not emit harmful radiation or gasses. Granite is heat resistant and is one of the most heat-resistant countertops on the market. You can place a hot pan out of the oven directly onto the countertop surface. Experts do recommend the use of a trivet when using appliances that emit heat for long periods of time, such as crockpots. Since the material is so dense, there is a small possibility heating one area of the top and not the entire thing, could cause the countertop to crack. Granite is scratch resistant. You can cut on it, but it will dull your knives! Granite scores a seven on Moh’s hardness scale. Granite countertops are considered to be a low maintenance countertop surface. The likelihood of needing to be repaired or resurfaced is low. Granite is a porous material. Most fabricators will apply a sealer to granite countertops before they are installed which will protect them from absorbing liquids too quickly. Many sealers last more than 10 years before needing to be reapplied. When they do need to be reapplied, it is something that most homeowners can do on their own as the process is similar to cleaning. Darker granites are very dense and sometimes don’t even require a sealer. When it comes to pricing, there are a lot of variables such as edge profile, total square footage, backsplash, etc. Don’t be fooled by the stereotype that all granite is expensive. Lower-range granites will cost less than high-range laminate. Though granite countertops are not considered “low range” in pricing, there are a lot of affordable options. If you are looking for something truly unique, consider an exotic granite. Some quarries are not easily accessible and/or only able to be quarried for short periods of time throughout the year. If these circumstances exist in a quarry with gorgeous stone, the price will be driven upward You won’t find a lot of solid patterns or bright colors, but both do exist. Also, watch for a large range of color and pattern within the same color of stone. It’s always a good idea to view the exact slab(s) that will be fabricated for your kitchen to make sure they are what you expected to see from the sample. Another factor is that many exotic types of granite have huge flowing waves, and a small sample will not be an accurate representation of the whole slab. Granite countertops are very resistant to chemicals. Acids and bases will not harm the material.

Denison Lourenco
Inspiration for a mid-sized eclectic open concept dark wood floor living room remodel in New York with yellow walls

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.”

The Pros and Cons of Fix and Flip Real Estate Investment Last week, we covered The Pros and Cons of Buy and Hold Real Estate Investment for rental property investors. This week, we want to talk about the other most common type of real estate investment: “fix and flip.” The Appeal of House Flipping We all love the house flipping shows on HGTV and other reality channels. They’re great and they make the prospect of buying, renovating and flipping homes for big profits seem super sexy and fun. However, any experienced real estate investor will tell you it’s not quite as easy as they make it look. There’s a lot of work that goes into a successful fix and flip investment. The basic premise of a fix and flip investment is pretty simple. You buy a property, usually one that needs some work and is available at a great price. You renovate the property, making the necessary repairs and upgrades to maximize its resale value. Then, you sell the property on the open market for the highest possible price. You get in and out as quickly as possible. Full-time flippers will move from property to property or will have multiple properties being worked on at the same time. Rather than the “buy and hold” strategy where you keep the house while earning rental income and equity over time, you are looking for the quick sale to earn your profits. If you are going to explore house flipping—whether as a full-time career or just a side hustle—you will want to know exactly what you are getting into. That is why we are going to cover the pros and cons of fix and flip real estate investment in this article. The Pros of Fix and Flip Here are some of the pros of fix and flip investing: Faster Return on Investment—The biggest appeal of fix and flip investing is that it gives you a quicker return on investment. Buy and hold will take you longer to see your ROI. House flipping allows you to see your full profit (hopefully) as soon as the house sells. The average house flip for an experienced investor is around six months. It may take longer for a first-timer who is just learning how to do certain things. Fairly Safe Investment—As long as you do all your projections and calculations carefully and avoid any major problems along the way, house flipping is a relatively safe investment strategy compared to something as turbulent as the stock market. Real estate markets are generally predictable and the short time frame of a flip helps you avoid losses if the property happens to depreciate over a longer period of time. Exciting—There is a reason why there are so many reality shows based around flipping and none based on buy and hold investing. It’s an exciting process to buy a home, gut it and completely renovate it. Then, you get the ultimate reward of selling it and collecting the profits—as long as you do things right. The Cons of Fix and Flip Here are some of the cons of fix and flip investing: Upfront Expenses—A house flip will require a lot of upfront expenses. We’re not only talking about financing the house itself, but all the renovation costs and other expenses involved in the flip. You are laying out all that money at the beginning and only seeing your returns when the property sells. This can create cash flow issues and stress if you fall being schedule or go above your initial budget. Taxes—House flips will usually create dramatic swings in income year over year, and that can increase your tax bill. You have to pace things correctly to take advantage of specific capital gains tax rules. Capital gains taxes are higher on any property owned less than a year, so you have to find that balance of how long you own any specific investment properties and how long it takes to complete the renovation and sale. Before you get too deep into fix and flip investing, you will want to talk with your tax advisor to make sure you have the right plan in place. Surprises—All real estate investment is susceptible to surprises. You don’t always know what lies behind the walls until you start the renovation process. You cannot plan for everything as a real estate investor, but you have to be prepared for anything. It is a good idea to add some wiggle room in your budget and overestimate your renovation expenses/timeline to cover any surprises that may come up. These are some of the biggest pros and cons of fix and flip real estate investment. Of course, there are other things you need to know as an investor, so be sure and do your homework in order to get the most out of your investment portfolio. Both fix and flip and buy and hold strategies can be highly lucrative if you do things right. There are no wrong answers, but there are wrong ways of doing things if you truly want to be successful in this field. If you are looking for great investment properties to fix and flip, join the exclusive PropertyLark home buyers’ network. If you qualify, you’ll have access to our exclusive off-market deals and analytics tools that will help you identify the best investments and get the highest possible ROI. Fill out the contact form and questionnaire on the PropertyLark buyer’s site to apply!

This was a detached building from the main house just for the theater. The interior of the room was designed to look like an old lodge with reclaimed barn wood on the interior walls and old rustic beams in the ceiling. In the process of remodeling the room we had to find old barn wood that matched the existing barn wood and weave in the old with the new so you could not see the difference when complete. We also had to hide speakers in the walls by Faux painting the fabric speaker grills to match the grain of the barn wood on all sides of it so the speakers were completely hidden. We also had a very short timeline to complete the project so the client could screen a movie premiere in the theater. To complete the project in a very short time frame we worked 10-15 hour days with multiple crew shifts to get the project done on time. The ceiling of the theater was over 30’ high and all of the new fabric, barn wood, speakers, and lighting required high scaffolding work.