Our clients built their Manhattan dream house years ago, but a couple of decades in, the yellow and green palette seemed stale. We brightened the home with new paint and countertops, white oak flooring and updated carpet, custom fixtures and furniture, and new finishes, window treatments, and accessories. For enhanced functionality, we added built-in storage throughout, reupholstered existing furniture and the breakfast nook in performance fabric, and created a custom dining table that seats a dozen. To keep the dining room coastal and informal, we paired plush head chairs with rattan-backed side chairs and accented with sea-foam and sandy-hued floor and window coverings. The addition of a murphy bed, as well as shelving and file storage, made the office more suited to their growing family’s needs. In the second office, a standing desk, as well as a customized craft desk with built-ins for specific supplies, transformed the area into a completely personalized and effective space. New furniture and a ceiling-length fireplace facade of soft ivory and gray stone transformed the family room into a cozy and welcoming retreat. The overall effect is a home that feels spacious, beachy, and comfortable.

Inspiration for a small industrial gender-neutral playroom remodel in Omaha with beige walls

kelli kaufer
Inspiration for a small country medium tone wood floor enclosed kitchen remodel in Minneapolis with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, green cabinets, marble countertops, multicolored backsplash and a peninsula

Photo: Corynne Pless Photography © 2014 Houzz
Inspiration for an eclectic home office remodel in New York

This laundry, mud room, pool bath combination space is hardworking! Storage for family jackets, sports equipment, cleaning supplies,, laundry, and even the dog crate fills this space. the family powder room (pool bath) squeeked into a narrow space at the end of the room and is punctuated by sunny yellow wall covering.

This 1930's Barrington Hills farmhouse was in need of some TLC when it was purchased by this southern family of five who planned to make it their new home. The renovation taken on by Advance Design Studio's designer Scott Christensen and master carpenter Justin Davis included a custom porch, custom built in cabinetry in the living room and children's bedrooms, 2 children's on-suite baths, a guest powder room, a fabulous new master bath with custom closet and makeup area, a new upstairs laundry room, a workout basement, a mud room, new flooring and custom wainscot stairs with planked walls and ceilings throughout the home. The home's original mechanicals were in dire need of updating, so HVAC, plumbing and electrical were all replaced with newer materials and equipment. A dramatic change to the exterior took place with the addition of a quaint standing seam metal roofed farmhouse porch perfect for sipping lemonade on a lazy hot summer day. In addition to the changes to the home, a guest house on the property underwent a major transformation as well. Newly outfitted with updated gas and electric, a new stacking washer/dryer space was created along with an updated bath complete with a glass enclosed shower, something the bath did not previously have. A beautiful kitchenette with ample cabinetry space, refrigeration and a sink was transformed as well to provide all the comforts of home for guests visiting at the classic cottage retreat. The biggest design challenge was to keep in line with the charm the old home possessed, all the while giving the family all the convenience and efficiency of modern functioning amenities. One of the most interesting uses of material was the porcelain "wood-looking" tile used in all the baths and most of the home's common areas. All the efficiency of porcelain tile, with the nostalgic look and feel of worn and weathered hardwood floors. The home’s casual entry has an 8" rustic antique barn wood look porcelain tile in a rich brown to create a warm and welcoming first impression. Painted distressed cabinetry in muted shades of gray/green was used in the powder room to bring out the rustic feel of the space which was accentuated with wood planked walls and ceilings. Fresh white painted shaker cabinetry was used throughout the rest of the rooms, accentuated by bright chrome fixtures and muted pastel tones to create a calm and relaxing feeling throughout the home. Custom cabinetry was designed and built by Advance Design specifically for a large 70” TV in the living room, for each of the children’s bedroom’s built in storage, custom closets, and book shelves, and for a mudroom fit with custom niches for each family member by name. The ample master bath was fitted with double vanity areas in white. A generous shower with a bench features classic white subway tiles and light blue/green glass accents, as well as a large free standing soaking tub nestled under a window with double sconces to dim while relaxing in a luxurious bath. A custom classic white bookcase for plush towels greets you as you enter the sanctuary bath.

The owners of this beautiful historic farmhouse had been painstakingly restoring it bit by bit. One of the last items on their list was to create a wrap-around front porch to create a more distinct and obvious entrance to the front of their home. Aside from the functional reasons for the new porch, our client also had very specific ideas for its design. She wanted to recreate her grandmother’s porch so that she could carry on the same wonderful traditions with her own grandchildren someday. Key requirements for this front porch remodel included: - Creating a seamless connection to the main house. - A floorplan with areas for dining, reading, having coffee and playing games. - Respecting and maintaining the historic details of the home and making sure the addition felt authentic. Upon entering, you will notice the authentic real pine porch decking. Real windows were used instead of three season porch windows which also have molding around them to match the existing home’s windows. The left wing of the porch includes a dining area and a game and craft space. Ceiling fans provide light and additional comfort in the summer months. Iron wall sconces supply additional lighting throughout. Exposed rafters with hidden fasteners were used in the ceiling. Handmade shiplap graces the walls. On the left side of the front porch, a reading area enjoys plenty of natural light from the windows. The new porch blends perfectly with the existing home much nicer front facade. There is a clear front entrance to the home, where previously guests weren’t sure where to enter. We successfully created a place for the client to enjoy with her future grandchildren that’s filled with nostalgic nods to the memories she made with her own grandmother. "We have had many people who asked us what changed on the house but did not know what we did. When we told them we put the porch on, all of them made the statement that they did not notice it was a new addition and fit into the house perfectly.” – Homeowner

Design Customers often have abstract ideas about how an ornamental railing or staircase should appear. Our detailing team will capture that vision and adapt the design to your specific project.

Design Customers often have abstract ideas about how an ornamental railing or staircase should appear. Our detailing team will capture that vision and adapt the design to your specific project.

Paul Despenas: After using the screened in porch for a few years the disadvantages outweighed the benefits. Great Idea, but after a few years too much work, too windy some days too hot other days. The only real good season was spring and fall. Midwest Construction converted this screened in space into an all season space to use 365 days per year. Midwest Construction to remove existing screen panels and haul away. Supply and installed Oasis All Season Model 2600 walls systems with high performance Cardinal Glass system engineered specifically for Joyce Manufacturing. Clean up and haul away all construction debris. All permits pulled and previous footings meet engineering codes for city specifications.

Design Customers often have abstract ideas about how an ornamental railing or staircase should appear. Our detailing team will capture that vision and adapt the design to your specific project.

Design Customers often have abstract ideas about how an ornamental railing or staircase should appear. Our detailing team will capture that vision and adapt the design to your specific project.

As featured in the 2015 Jr. League Kitchen Tour, here is one of our favorite kitchens we had the pleasure of doing in the Long Lake subdivision. Custom cabinets really make the difference when trying to create a unique design for your specific needs.

Design Customers often have abstract ideas about how an ornamental railing or staircase should appear. Our detailing team will capture that vision and adapt the design to your specific project.

Design Customers often have abstract ideas about how an ornamental railing or staircase should appear. Our detailing team will capture that vision and adapt the design to your specific project.

Paul Despenas: After using the screened in porch for a few years the disadvantages outweighed the benefits. Great Idea, but after a few years too much work, too windy some days too hot other days. The only real good season was spring and fall. Midwest Construction converted this screened in space into an all season space to use 365 days per year. Midwest Construction to remove existing screen panels and haul away. Supply and installed Oasis All Season Model 2600 walls systems with high performance Cardinal Glass system engineered specifically for Joyce Manufacturing. Clean up and haul away all construction debris. All permits pulled and previous footings meet engineering codes for city specifications.

Design Customers often have abstract ideas about how an ornamental railing or staircase should appear. Our detailing team will capture that vision and adapt the design to your specific project.

A Tom Howley bootility can combine a range of storage solutions. Tall pantry style storage can be designed for specific jobs such as housing an ironing board, laundry products and baskets or essential cleaning supplies. Other small kitchen appliances that may be cluttering up your kitchen can also be stored in a utility.

With its wood and vinyl shops, AVO Fence and Supply is uniquely equipped to make custom gates according to your specifications. In this case the homeowner wanted a solid board fence with a diagonal lattice top and and a solid cedar arch over the gate.