THE SETUP Located in a luxury high rise in Chicago’s Gold Coast Neighborhood, the condo’s existing primary bath was “fine,” but a bit underwhelming. It was a sea of beige, with very little personality or drama. The client is very well traveled, and wanted the space to feel luxe and glamorous, like a bath in a fine European hotel. Design objectives: - Add loads of beautiful high end finishes - Create drama and contrast - Create luxe showering and bathing experiences - Improve storage for toiletries and essentials THE REMODEL Design challenges: - Unable to reconfigure layout due to location in the high rise - Seek out unique, dramatic tile materials - Introduce “BLING” - Find glamorous lighting Design solutions: - Keep existing layout, with change from built in to free-standing tub - Gorgeous Calacatta gold marble was our inspiration - Ornate Art deco marble mosaic to be the focal point, with satin gold accents to create shimmer - Glass and crystal light fixtures add the needed sparkle THE RENEWED SPACE After the remodel began, our client’s vision for her bath took a turn that was inspired by a trip to Paris. Initially, the plan was a modest design to allocate resources for her kitchen’s marble slabs… but then she had a vision while admiring the marble bathroom of her Parisian hotel. She was determined to infuse her bathroom with the same sense of luxury. They went back to the drawing board and started over with all-marble. Her new stunning bath space radiates glamour and sophistication. The “bling” flows to her bedroom where we matched the gorgeous custom wall treatment that mimics grasscloth on an accent wall. With its marble landscape, shimmering tile and walls, the primary bath’s ambiance creates a swanky hotel feel that our client adores and considers her sanctuary.

Four stories is a long way to travel, and this staircase makes every level count. Seattle-style steel stringers from the Prestige Metal line carry the structure with industrial honesty, not hidden behind walls but celebrated as part of the design. Vertical metal bars reinforce that rhythm, while riserless white oak treads appear to float as they rise, light and shadow playing beneath them at every turn. The oak elements do more than add warmth, they add an organic balance. A white oak handrail caps the metal balustrade, and the shift from steel to wood under your hand transforms the daily climb into something quietly pleasant. Four stories of steel and oak, working in concert to create something architecturally bold and comfortable for daily life. 1976-2026 © Century Stair Company

Four stories is a long way to travel, and this staircase makes every level count. Seattle-style steel stringers from the Prestige Metal line carry the structure with industrial honesty, not hidden behind walls but celebrated as part of the design. Vertical metal bars reinforce that rhythm, while riserless white oak treads appear to float as they rise, light and shadow playing beneath them at every turn. The oak elements do more than add warmth, they add an organic balance. A white oak handrail caps the metal balustrade, and the shift from steel to wood under your hand transforms the daily climb into something quietly pleasant. Four stories of steel and oak, working in concert to create something architecturally bold and comfortable for daily life. 1976-2026 © Century Stair Company

Four stories is a long way to travel, and this staircase makes every level count. Seattle-style steel stringers from the Prestige Metal line carry the structure with industrial honesty, not hidden behind walls but celebrated as part of the design. Vertical metal bars reinforce that rhythm, while riserless white oak treads appear to float as they rise, light and shadow playing beneath them at every turn. The oak elements do more than add warmth, they add an organic balance. A white oak handrail caps the metal balustrade, and the shift from steel to wood under your hand transforms the daily climb into something quietly pleasant. Four stories of steel and oak, working in concert to create something architecturally bold and comfortable for daily life. 1976-2026 © Century Stair Company

Four stories is a long way to travel, and this staircase makes every level count. Seattle-style steel stringers from the Prestige Metal line carry the structure with industrial honesty, not hidden behind walls but celebrated as part of the design. Vertical metal bars reinforce that rhythm, while riserless white oak treads appear to float as they rise, light and shadow playing beneath them at every turn. The oak elements do more than add warmth, they add an organic balance. A white oak handrail caps the metal balustrade, and the shift from steel to wood under your hand transforms the daily climb into something quietly pleasant. Four stories of steel and oak, working in concert to create something architecturally bold and comfortable for daily life. 1976-2026 © Century Stair Company

Image by Drew kelly Proof that the adage “the best perfumes come in small bottles…” is true is this two-bedroom apartment in downtown San Francisco. We collaborated with the owner, a retired designer recently settled in San Francisco, to transform this non-descript modern space in a high rise building into a setting of panache and style. The living room was transformed into a “salon” where linen banquettes face a wall of portraits purchased over the years. Above the banquettes, current artwork by the owner is framed in various frame styles. In the center of the room, a round table draped with a toile de jouy and a linen cloth hosts a collection of vases and artifacts from his travels. A collection of chairs completes the room, including a stone garden seat, a French bergère, and a primitive African chair. One of the bedrooms is now an elegant dining room with a round table surrounded by archaic Chinese pottery and metal ware. A large Flemish tapestry creates a counterpoint to the Chinese objects. On opposite corners of the room, cozy reading seating areas were created to add to the versatility of the space. In the master bedroom, pillows made from antique Flemish tapestry enliven a linen bedspread. A large early 20th century portrait by John de Costa creates a link to the portraits in the living room.

Four stories is a long way to travel, and this staircase makes every level count. Seattle-style steel stringers from the Prestige Metal line carry the structure with industrial honesty, not hidden behind walls but celebrated as part of the design. Vertical metal bars reinforce that rhythm, while riserless white oak treads appear to float as they rise, light and shadow playing beneath them at every turn. The oak elements do more than add warmth, they add an organic balance. A white oak handrail caps the metal balustrade, and the shift from steel to wood under your hand transforms the daily climb into something quietly pleasant. Four stories of steel and oak, working in concert to create something architecturally bold and comfortable for daily life. 1976-2026 © Century Stair Company

Stunning open, fresh and clean high rise condo renovation does not disappoint. Our clients wanted a chic urban oasis they could call home. Featuring multiple lounge spaces, open to the modern kitchen and waterfall edge 10 foot marble island. This space is truly unique.

Four stories is a long way to travel, and this staircase makes every level count. Seattle-style steel stringers from the Prestige Metal line carry the structure with industrial honesty, not hidden behind walls but celebrated as part of the design. Vertical metal bars reinforce that rhythm, while riserless white oak treads appear to float as they rise, light and shadow playing beneath them at every turn. The oak elements do more than add warmth, they add an organic balance. A white oak handrail caps the metal balustrade, and the shift from steel to wood under your hand transforms the daily climb into something quietly pleasant. Four stories of steel and oak, working in concert to create something architecturally bold and comfortable for daily life. 1976-2026 © Century Stair Company

As you may know, Superior Chimney writes a lot of articles to educate the Chicagoland area on chimneys and how to identify problems. Every once in a while, it is good to go back and review the basics. That’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to discuss what are the components of a chimney. Let’s get started. What are the Components of a Fireplace? We’re going to get started on the actual chimney itself. Most chimneys are built of brick and some are constructed of a wood framed chase with siding on it to match the rest of the home. The traditional masonry fireplace chimneys include (from the inside out) a firebox, where the firewood burns and gas starter are located. Going up is the throat, smoke chamber and then chimney flue. These are the components of a masonry chimney where the exhaust/air travels through - From the firebox and out through the top of the chimney. You can most often ‘see’ your chimney from the ground, you will notice the bricks and on top of that will be the chimney crown (cement slab) which keeps the elements away from the brick chimney. On top of the chimney crown is the chimney cap. This is what keeps animals & debris from entering the chimney flue… raccoons, squirrels, birds, bats, etc… down the flue, and into the firebox. Now that we know what components that a chimney has, let’s focus on a couple of key areas. Fireplace Dampers All chimneys are fitted with a fireplace damper. A fireplace damper is a metal plate that opens and closes, allowing smoke from the fireplace to move up and out of the home. If you have a fire and the fireplace damper is closed, or restrictive, the smoke will back up into your home. The smoke needs a place to go. When the fireplace is not in use, the damper should remain closed in order to keep the cold air out of your home and warm air from escaping your home. Just because you have a fireplace does not mean that you have to deal with cold drafts in the room the fireplace is in. Chimney Flues As we all know, heat rises. The heat from the fireplace is going to rise taking with it the smoke, and other gases. This process is known as drafting. It is important to have good drafting as it prevents the smoke or gases from staying in your home and harming your family. Chimney Flue Liners Flue liners are important to the chimney; they are your firewall. It works to prevent overheating of any combustibles next to the chimney. And, it helps so the chimney construction doesn’t corrode from the byproducts of burning wood, or creosote. There are a few types of flue liners, such as fire clay tiles, heat resistant concrete, and stainless steel. Superior Chimney recommends the use of stainless steel in our geographic freeze and thaw climate. Our technicians can give you the details when we are at your home. What is the Purpose of Taking Care of the Chimney? Chimney Fires. This is where regular sweep & inspection is crucial to the health of your home. Without a chimney sweep or chimney cleaning each year, (whether you use the chimney or not, gas or wood burning) the chimney can cause a fire to transfer to your home. Only Nationally credentialed service technician professionals know and can inspect the key components of a fireplace for known condition and continued use. Be sure to contact us today!

One of our Louisville clients showed her sister what we had done for her Great Room with our Personal Shopper Service, and her sister said, “Do they travel?” The answer is “Absolutely!” When we arrived in the Windy City, we were absolutely blown away by the view and were excited to put the finishing touches on this High Rise condo. We worked with the homeowner’s existing furniture pieces (sofa, club chairs, and media console with towers) and added personality with accent furniture, accessories, lighting, and artwork. We opened up the seating area and made their beautiful rug more visible by selecting a sleek glass-topped coffee table. Accessories in a range of metal tones complement the existing furniture and rug. Oil canisters in pewter tones look fantastic on the coffee table. We added this concrete base lamp with square shade in between the club chairs. The white marble-topped two-tiered side table breaks up the dark leather of the club chairs. The countertops in the small galley kitchen are a grey blue, so we pulled that color into living space by selecting these great nesting tables with a blue soapstone top. We topped it with a metal lamp and organic white vases to soften the edges. The hallway prints and this beautiful blue watercolor pull the colors from the living space into the Entry. The homeowner was not fond of the existing media cabinet, but not anymore! We accessorized with varying metal tones and lots of texture that bring interest to an otherwise generic furniture piece.  With limited space, we made the most of views by placing our favorite marble writing desk in the bay window. We plan to add upholstered arm chairs on either end that can serve as dining chairs or extra seating for the living area. The important thing is to keep that view as open as possible. A big thanks to our Chicago client for having us up there to make her condo more of a home. Maybe we should change our motto to “Have paint deck & measuring tape, Will Travel!” Enjoy!

Stunning open, fresh and clean high rise condo renovation does not disappoint. Our clients wanted a chic urban oasis they could call home. Featuring multiple lounge spaces, open to the modern kitchen and waterfall edge 10 foot marble island. This space is truly unique.

This is our backyard fire pit The rim is 16" deep and we use it as a counter for food and drinks, mostly s'mores of course! The stone was is a cut river rock on 12"X12" mesh purchased from Flor & Decor for $9.99 s.f. The top is cut from travertine pavers. The fire pit is a poured concrete, the form was made on-site. It was then tiled. A single gas line was placed inside the fire pit and attached to a 4' fire ring. There are 3 circles one at 2', 3', 4'. The overall diameter of the pit is 7'. The pit has no drain, it is open to the dirt below. It was filled with lava rock, the fire ring was place on top and 2-3 inches of rock was added on top of the fire ring. The gas is turned on with a key and then a long handled lighter held just above the ring at any hole lights the ring. The flame travels slowly around the ring, until all is lit. The flame is controlled by the key and can rise to about 2' on center. The video screen in the background is 12' diagonal, hooked onto a home made aluminum frame and hung on the lanai soffit.

Image by Drew kelly Proof that the adage “the best perfumes come in small bottles…” is true is this two-bedroom apartment in downtown San Francisco. We collaborated with the owner, a retired designer recently settled in San Francisco, to transform this non-descript modern space in a high rise building into a setting of panache and style. The living room was transformed into a “salon” where linen banquettes face a wall of portraits purchased over the years. Above the banquettes, current artwork by the owner is framed in various frame styles. In the center of the room, a round table draped with a toile de jouy and a linen cloth hosts a collection of vases and artifacts from his travels. A collection of chairs completes the room, including a stone garden seat, a French bergère, and a primitive African chair. One of the bedrooms is now an elegant dining room with a round table surrounded by archaic Chinese pottery and metal ware. A large Flemish tapestry creates a counterpoint to the Chinese objects. On opposite corners of the room, cozy reading seating areas were created to add to the versatility of the space. In the master bedroom, pillows made from antique Flemish tapestry enliven a linen bedspread. A large early 20th century portrait by John de Costa creates a link to the portraits in the living room.

Four stories is a long way to travel, and this staircase makes every level count. Seattle-style steel stringers from the Prestige Metal line carry the structure with industrial honesty, not hidden behind walls but celebrated as part of the design. Vertical metal bars reinforce that rhythm, while riserless white oak treads appear to float as they rise, light and shadow playing beneath them at every turn. The oak elements do more than add warmth, they add an organic balance. A white oak handrail caps the metal balustrade, and the shift from steel to wood under your hand transforms the daily climb into something quietly pleasant. Four stories of steel and oak, working in concert to create something architecturally bold and comfortable for daily life. 1976-2026 © Century Stair Company

A closer view of the white oak herringbone, with the points meeting where the pattern turns. Finishing on site rather than installing prefinished boards leaves the surface flat across the joints, so light travels over the pattern without catching a bevel at every plank edge. Sanded with a Floortec Discus planetary sander, then finished with LOBA EasyPrime and two coats of LOBA 2K Duo in satin. Installed by Classy Flooring ATL.

Four stories is a long way to travel, and this staircase makes every level count. Seattle-style steel stringers from the Prestige Metal line carry the structure with industrial honesty, not hidden behind walls but celebrated as part of the design. Vertical metal bars reinforce that rhythm, while riserless white oak treads appear to float as they rise, light and shadow playing beneath them at every turn. The oak elements do more than add warmth, they add an organic balance. A white oak handrail caps the metal balustrade, and the shift from steel to wood under your hand transforms the daily climb into something quietly pleasant. Four stories of steel and oak, working in concert to create something architecturally bold and comfortable for daily life. 1976-2026 © Century Stair Company

Stunning open, fresh and clean high rise condo renovation does not disappoint. Our clients wanted a chic urban oasis they could call home. This Master Bathroom features a floating vanity, gorgeous mirrors and sconces and a walk in Master Shower lined with marble. Cure Design Group (636) 294-2343 https://curedesigngroup.com/

Four stories is a long way to travel, and this staircase makes every level count. Seattle-style steel stringers from the Prestige Metal line carry the structure with industrial honesty, not hidden behind walls but celebrated as part of the design. Vertical metal bars reinforce that rhythm, while riserless white oak treads appear to float as they rise, light and shadow playing beneath them at every turn. The oak elements do more than add warmth, they add an organic balance. A white oak handrail caps the metal balustrade, and the shift from steel to wood under your hand transforms the daily climb into something quietly pleasant. Four stories of steel and oak, working in concert to create something architecturally bold and comfortable for daily life. 1976-2026 © Century Stair Company