Search results for "Skillful" in Home Design Ideas

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.”

This beautiful crystal white quartz countertop with brown outlines brightens your mood and creates a peaceful environment.
Kitchen - large modern u-shaped porcelain tile and gray floor kitchen idea with flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, mosaic tile backsplash and an island
Kitchen - large modern u-shaped porcelain tile and gray floor kitchen idea with flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, mosaic tile backsplash and an island

It sparkles, it shimmers, it glitters, its glass. Glass mosaics are everywhere, from gorgeous kitchen backsplashes like this one, to color baths and reflective fireplaces. But as beautiful as this backsplash is, it’s only the beginning of this great kitchen.
Our kitchen begins with a little bump, a simple little peninsula with room for one. Upon the deep dark espresso cabinets sits the contrasting countertop. The super glossy white stone with subtle swirls reflects the colors of the glass mosaics. We gave the peninsula a little overhang and pulled up an enticing contemporary stool.
Although the kitchen space is fairly large, two walls contained openings to other spaces, while a third contained a large and sunny bay window. Rather than bottle neck our traffic flow, we chose to make the most of the walls we had. We started with a deep undermount stainless steel sink with a far-reaching faucet with pull out spray. Beside this, we placed our contemporary stainless steel dishwasher.
To keep the feeling open and airy we installed dark floating shelves, which really pop against our multicolored glass backsplash. We added lighting under the bottom shelf for extra sparkle, as well as the perfect task lighting.
We needed some wall cabinets, not just for storage but to compliment our microwave. Above the stainless steel stove our matching microwave serves multipurpose, from cooking, to venting, to task lighting the stove. When space counts, make the most of it. We nestled our stove beside the dishwasher, giving ourselves room for a landing zone at the end. The cooking area feels even more spacious set next to our large bay window.
To give us the greatest amount of storage, we added a floor to ceiling pantry. Although it is only 12″ deep, it’s 48″ wide. The clean “slab” style door create an uncluttered look that compliments the patterning of the floor. We used 6″ x 24″ porcelain wood look flooring. This flooring exploded on the market not too long ago, giving you the look of hardwoods, without fear of water, dents and scratches. The floor will never need to be refinished, no matter how much abuse it takes.
Look at all that storage. There’s even room on the bottom for that huge mixer we all seem to have. The pantry gives us plenty of room for all we need to store and it’s 12″ depth means it’s easy to find what you’re looking for. No more pulling out half your stored items just to find that product in the very back.
We round out this fabulous kitchen with a full-sized, bottom freezer, French door refrigerator. Espresso panels encase the sides while a deep and tall upper cabinet gives us room to store some more. By placing the refrigerator between the two entrances to the kitchen, family and friends can get a beverage without getting in the cook’s way.
To direct our lighting around the room and focus on specific areas, we used a long track of spot lights with a contemporary look. Between the window in the daytime, spots and undercabinet lights at night, the kitchen is always bright, even with the darker cabinetry.
http://www.rjkconstructioninc.com/
Find the right local pro for your project

This kitchen remodel is truly one of a character. The warmth of these cabinets from New River, the sleek back-splash pattern, and the enormous amount of light coming in from a clerestory window, make this kitchen scream inviting.
Before this kitchen was somewhat dark, and did not reflect the personalities of our homeowners. They invited us into their homes, and together we created this gorgeous new kitchen.
Our homeowners frequently found themselves sitting in the balcony area of this kitchen, so together we came up with a design that incorporated this area into the kitchen. With Coffee or tea within an arm’s length, who wouldn’t want to spend the morning watching the sun rise right in this little area?
We wanted to create the look of “cabinetry to ceiling” but were unable to move the soffits in this kitchen. Our solution? Custom Cabinetry trim to create this illusion. We think it turned out beautifully!
We also wanted to work together to open up the kitchen into the formal dining space, but didn’t want to remove too many walls or sacrifice cabinetry storage. We created a pass through above standard counter top height with it’s own bar top between these two rooms. Now food, drinks, and conversation can easily pass through these areas.
Two recessed lights built into the cabinets add visual interest, and functional lighting in our new pass through area.
The products that you find in this kitchen are contributors of the warm feeling you get when you walk into this kitchen. The cabinetry is from New River, made in Roanoke, VA. The wood species is Maple, and the door style is “Somerset.” The finish called “choral” adds warmth with it’s reddish undertone.
On of our favorite features in this kitchen is the glass inserts in the cabinetry above and adjacent to the new gas stove from GE. Glass detail in cabinetry always breaks up the cabinets by adding a place for the eye to immediately go to. These are unique as they are a wavy textured glass that allow you to get a peek inside of the cabinets, but are not fully transparent.
http://www.designsbyskill.com/
http://www.rjkconstructioninc.com/

Kegerator and cabinetry recessed in the corner
Large transitional single-wall porcelain tile wet bar photo in New York with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, marble countertops, gray backsplash and matchstick tile backsplash
Large transitional single-wall porcelain tile wet bar photo in New York with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, marble countertops, gray backsplash and matchstick tile backsplash

This beautiful crystal white quartz countertop with brown outlines brightens your mood and creates a peaceful environment.
Large minimalist u-shaped porcelain tile and gray floor home design photo with flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, mosaic tile backsplash and an island
Large minimalist u-shaped porcelain tile and gray floor home design photo with flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, mosaic tile backsplash and an island

This beautiful crystal white quartz countertop with brown outlines brightens your mood and creates a peaceful environment.
Large minimalist u-shaped porcelain tile and gray floor kitchen photo with flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, quartz countertops, an island, white backsplash and mosaic tile backsplash
Large minimalist u-shaped porcelain tile and gray floor kitchen photo with flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, quartz countertops, an island, white backsplash and mosaic tile backsplash

It sparkles, it shimmers, it glitters, its glass. Glass mosaics are everywhere, from gorgeous kitchen backsplashes like this one, to color baths and reflective fireplaces. But as beautiful as this backsplash is, it’s only the beginning of this great kitchen.
Our kitchen begins with a little bump, a simple little peninsula with room for one. Upon the deep dark espresso cabinets sits the contrasting countertop. The super glossy white stone with subtle swirls reflects the colors of the glass mosaics. We gave the peninsula a little overhang and pulled up an enticing contemporary stool.
Although the kitchen space is fairly large, two walls contained openings to other spaces, while a third contained a large and sunny bay window. Rather than bottle neck our traffic flow, we chose to make the most of the walls we had. We started with a deep undermount stainless steel sink with a far-reaching faucet with pull out spray. Beside this, we placed our contemporary stainless steel dishwasher.
To keep the feeling open and airy we installed dark floating shelves, which really pop against our multicolored glass backsplash. We added lighting under the bottom shelf for extra sparkle, as well as the perfect task lighting.
We needed some wall cabinets, not just for storage but to compliment our microwave. Above the stainless steel stove our matching microwave serves multipurpose, from cooking, to venting, to task lighting the stove. When space counts, make the most of it. We nestled our stove beside the dishwasher, giving ourselves room for a landing zone at the end. The cooking area feels even more spacious set next to our large bay window.
To give us the greatest amount of storage, we added a floor to ceiling pantry. Although it is only 12″ deep, it’s 48″ wide. The clean “slab” style door create an uncluttered look that compliments the patterning of the floor. We used 6″ x 24″ porcelain wood look flooring. This flooring exploded on the market not too long ago, giving you the look of hardwoods, without fear of water, dents and scratches. The floor will never need to be refinished, no matter how much abuse it takes.
Look at all that storage. There’s even room on the bottom for that huge mixer we all seem to have. The pantry gives us plenty of room for all we need to store and it’s 12″ depth means it’s easy to find what you’re looking for. No more pulling out half your stored items just to find that product in the very back.
We round out this fabulous kitchen with a full-sized, bottom freezer, French door refrigerator. Espresso panels encase the sides while a deep and tall upper cabinet gives us room to store some more. By placing the refrigerator between the two entrances to the kitchen, family and friends can get a beverage without getting in the cook’s way.
To direct our lighting around the room and focus on specific areas, we used a long track of spot lights with a contemporary look. Between the window in the daytime, spots and undercabinet lights at night, the kitchen is always bright, even with the darker cabinetry.
http://www.rjkconstructioninc.com/

This is one of several custom made gates for a Tuscan Villa style home in Newport Beach, CA. Dynamic Garage Door worked closely with the proud homeowners to achieve a rustic style gate that transmitted the essence of Tuscany's rugged riviera homes. The gates features world-class European hardware including mortise style locks with roller catches and decorative iron pulls that feel authentic to the touch because they were made much in the same way tradition has dictated for centuries.
The goal was to achieve an architectural gate design that would harmonize, not compete, with the home's earthy elements including the rock walls and neutrally toned color scheme. We chose oak as our reclaimed barn wood species for its brown tones that differ from your typical pine species which give you a silver appearance. Oak give off a warmer, brown coloration that is closer to the tonalities found in Tuscan homes.
Nothing gives is more impressive than reclaimed bar wood gates because of the unique lumber characteristics that were given by mother nature over decades and centuries, nothing that can be achieved over night. Dynamic Garage Door craftsmen are highly skilled in preserving these lumber surfaces and keeping them intact. We developed designs and techniques that keep each piece authentic and true to its charming age. Just like wine, reclaimed wood will get better and better over the ageless decades and centuries to come. There is literally no maintenance on our reclaimed wood gates because each passing year is a new layer of gorgeous character that will pass the test of time over and over again!
As an added bonus and value to our already high-end gate designs, we craft each one of our gates on galvanized steel frames which will ensure our gorgeous gates will not only look fabulous but last a lifetime!
Contact us today for prices and perhaps design ideas you might not thought of yet or with your own ideas that others have declined to build for you.
Consultation Center: (855) 343-3667

It sparkles, it shimmers, it glitters, its glass. Glass mosaics are everywhere, from gorgeous kitchen backsplashes like this one, to color baths and reflective fireplaces. But as beautiful as this backsplash is, it’s only the beginning of this great kitchen.
Our kitchen begins with a little bump, a simple little peninsula with room for one. Upon the deep dark espresso cabinets sits the contrasting countertop. The super glossy white stone with subtle swirls reflects the colors of the glass mosaics. We gave the peninsula a little overhang and pulled up an enticing contemporary stool.
Although the kitchen space is fairly large, two walls contained openings to other spaces, while a third contained a large and sunny bay window. Rather than bottle neck our traffic flow, we chose to make the most of the walls we had. We started with a deep undermount stainless steel sink with a far-reaching faucet with pull out spray. Beside this, we placed our contemporary stainless steel dishwasher.
To keep the feeling open and airy we installed dark floating shelves, which really pop against our multicolored glass backsplash. We added lighting under the bottom shelf for extra sparkle, as well as the perfect task lighting.
We needed some wall cabinets, not just for storage but to compliment our microwave. Above the stainless steel stove our matching microwave serves multipurpose, from cooking, to venting, to task lighting the stove. When space counts, make the most of it. We nestled our stove beside the dishwasher, giving ourselves room for a landing zone at the end. The cooking area feels even more spacious set next to our large bay window.
To give us the greatest amount of storage, we added a floor to ceiling pantry. Although it is only 12″ deep, it’s 48″ wide. The clean “slab” style door create an uncluttered look that compliments the patterning of the floor. We used 6″ x 24″ porcelain wood look flooring. This flooring exploded on the market not too long ago, giving you the look of hardwoods, without fear of water, dents and scratches. The floor will never need to be refinished, no matter how much abuse it takes.
Look at all that storage. There’s even room on the bottom for that huge mixer we all seem to have. The pantry gives us plenty of room for all we need to store and it’s 12″ depth means it’s easy to find what you’re looking for. No more pulling out half your stored items just to find that product in the very back.
We round out this fabulous kitchen with a full-sized, bottom freezer, French door refrigerator. Espresso panels encase the sides while a deep and tall upper cabinet gives us room to store some more. By placing the refrigerator between the two entrances to the kitchen, family and friends can get a beverage without getting in the cook’s way.
To direct our lighting around the room and focus on specific areas, we used a long track of spot lights with a contemporary look. Between the window in the daytime, spots and undercabinet lights at night, the kitchen is always bright, even with the darker cabinetry.
http://www.rjkconstructioninc.com/

Voted Best Builder in 2013 by Arlington Magazine readers, Tradition Homes combines skill and talent with passion for creating beautiful custom homes in Arlington, McLean and Falls Church, VA.

For today's Friday Feature we wanted to show off a really cool living room remodel that we did. The homeowners are both professors and avid bookworms. They wanted room to store shelves and shelves of books while creating a livable space. These Custom Wood Products (CWP) natural oak cabinets provide a ton of storage space... even behind the TV!

Photographer- Katrina Wittkamp/
Architect- Visbeen Architects/
Builder- Homes By True North/
Interior Designer- L Rose Interior Design
Example of a mid-sized cottage enclosed medium tone wood floor family room design in Grand Rapids with white walls, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace and a wall-mounted tv
Example of a mid-sized cottage enclosed medium tone wood floor family room design in Grand Rapids with white walls, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace and a wall-mounted tv

The owner's preferred mode of transportation, a prized and valuble bicycle, is stored neatly behind a folding screen near the entry for ease of access and security. The large bike rack provides storage for all the necessities of "2 wheel" travel.

We renovated the exterior and the 4-car garage of this colonial, New England-style estate in Haverford, PA. The 3-story main house has white, western red cedar siding and a green roof. The detached, 4-car garage also functions as a gentleman’s workshop. Originally, that building was two separate structures. The challenge was to create one building with a cohesive look that fit with the main house’s New England style. Challenge accepted! We started by building a breezeway to connect the two structures. The new building’s exterior mimics that of the main house’s siding, stone and roof, and has copper downspouts and gutters. The stone exterior has a German shmear finish to make the stone look as old as the stone on the house. The workshop portion features mahogany, carriage style doors. The workshop floors are reclaimed Belgian block brick.
RUDLOFF Custom Builders has won Best of Houzz for Customer Service in 2014, 2015 2016 and 2017. We also were voted Best of Design in 2016, 2017 and 2018, which only 2% of professionals receive. Rudloff Custom Builders has been featured on Houzz in their Kitchen of the Week, What to Know About Using Reclaimed Wood in the Kitchen as well as included in their Bathroom WorkBook article. We are a full service, certified remodeling company that covers all of the Philadelphia suburban area. This business, like most others, developed from a friendship of young entrepreneurs who wanted to make a difference in their clients’ lives, one household at a time. This relationship between partners is much more than a friendship. Edward and Stephen Rudloff are brothers who have renovated and built custom homes together paying close attention to detail. They are carpenters by trade and understand concept and execution. RUDLOFF CUSTOM BUILDERS will provide services for you with the highest level of professionalism, quality, detail, punctuality and craftsmanship, every step of the way along our journey together.
Specializing in residential construction allows us to connect with our clients early in the design phase to ensure that every detail is captured as you imagined. One stop shopping is essentially what you will receive with RUDLOFF CUSTOM BUILDERS from design of your project to the construction of your dreams, executed by on-site project managers and skilled craftsmen. Our concept: envision our client’s ideas and make them a reality. Our mission: CREATING LIFETIME RELATIONSHIPS BUILT ON TRUST AND INTEGRITY.
Photo Credit: JMB Photoworks

Picture Perfect House
Inspiration for a large transitional dark wood floor and brown floor foyer remodel in Chicago with gray walls and a dark wood front door
Inspiration for a large transitional dark wood floor and brown floor foyer remodel in Chicago with gray walls and a dark wood front door

Green color living room with roman shades
Frank Oudeman
Inspiration for a transitional light wood floor kitchen/dining room combo remodel in New York with white walls
Inspiration for a transitional light wood floor kitchen/dining room combo remodel in New York with white walls

After a shoddy contractor was kicked off the job, ProSkill came in to fix and redesign this New Jersey kitchen. The kitchen is now functional and beautiful and the owner is thrilled!
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