DII Architecture

My firm had the opportunity, as the GC, to build a couple of projects designed by DII, this ending year.The experiences were great and the results spectacular! Love it, Jereme! Looking forward for more projects in 2020!

When we moved into our home we knew it had potential, but the out-dated kitchen and flow wasn’t meeting our day-to-day needs five years later. Jereme / DII Architecture renovated and completely transformed our main living spaces, including kitchen, living room, family room and dining room. Jereme listened to our needs and ideas, and came back with a design that exceeded our expectations. We opened up walls and ceilings to make the spaces feel modern, bigger and MUCH more functional. He was with us throughout the entire process, in constant communication and even made last minute changes when requested. The result is a completely custom, beautiful space that not only accommodates our family of 5, but makes hosting large gatherings so much more seamless. We get so many compliments on the space, and would be happy to recommend Jereme and DII Architecture to others.

We were interested to have a master bath and closet addition built above our garage and contacted DII for a proposal. Our house was built in the 1940s and we wanted to ensure that the exterior would be seamless with the original architecture. The amount of buildable space is small, but Jereme and his team came up with an outstanding floor plan that exceeded our expectations to include not only the bath and closet, but a small office as well. We greatly appreciate the open line of communication with the DII team during the design phase, and the result is a set of construction drawings and 3D renderings that leave us very excited for the build phase. We’re confident that DII’s recommended construction teams will build out the addition skillfully, with minds towards excellent craftsmanship and budget consciousness.

Jereme/DII Arcitecture completed a large 3000+sq foot build out of our basement lower level. Jereme went out of his way to ensure we were happy with the design without any complaints which is unusual in construction business. His contractors are dependable, trustworthy, and meet their deadlines. My family enjoys the space, "Luxury Lower Level" daily. Jereme is an outstanding designer and I can recommend him without reservation.

Jereme was a pleasure to work with, we The Glass Connection, LLC supplied glass to his specifications for a custom bathroom build and the outcome was amazing, we will recommend his services to our clients.

Jereme / DII Architecture did a fantastic job designing a new open floor plan for our family room, including a custom built wet bar. His design and attention to detail surpassed our expectations, while his project and relationship management skills made for a very smooth experience. Jereme really is a unique combination of both artist and technical architect/builder. We found him to be a consummate professional and we would highly recommend him for any renovation or new build.

We were employed as the General Contractor for a custom renovation designed by Jereme Smith at DII ARCHITECTURE. The design was incredible and enjoyable to build. We built a palace out of an old home through Jereme's design. This was the kind of project that could have been on HGTV. We received unbelievable amount of compliments that actually belonged to the architect. We can only build what he designs. We forward to working with Jereme in the future as its fun to work on a project well designed, thought out, and runs smoothly.

We have had the pleasure of working with Jereme / Design Insight Inc. on a number of occasions on various projects. His attention to detail, quality and execution are what set him apart from most design builders we have worked with. His background in architecture is particularly apparent in his interior finish details.

MILK Design’s working experience with Design Insight Inc. was a highly collaborative effort that yielded one of our best outcomes ever. Jereme was very detailed oriented and was very involved in the project from beginning to end. He help to push us into new areas and was an amazing coordinator for the owners. It was a pleasure to work with DII, and we would recommend his firm to any of our clients for his ability to coordinate and execute beautiful work.

We worked with Design Insight for a couple projects and the outcome of each one was outstanding. Great attention to detail and follow ups. I recommend this company to anyone who wants to turn their home into a work of art.

Jereme at Design Insight Inc (DII) did a 2 bedroom addition that turned a great home into our dream home. The design work was at an expert level with some professional navigation with our village design commission. From the moment we met Jereme we knew he was invested in creating a design that exceeded our expectations. The team reviewed our lot and determined a way to fit our families requirements into a limited space while also respecting the classic tudor design of our neighborhood. Our home is now a combination of classic tudor and modern sleek lines, we are so pleased with the outcome. Are you are looking for an innovative architect that will work with you and design what you are looking for? If so, I would recommend Design Insight Inc. If you hire the firm to run your project, including construction, I would recommend that you require a detailed up front budget that explains how your design will be built. DII is a small firm that is finding their way in the design to build marketplace, and because of that, the firm represents some risk from a budgeting standpoint. If you get a up front budget and are satisfied that the detailed estimate covers your requirements, then please hire DII. If you are not satisfied, ask for what you need and keep working with them, the end result will be worth it. I recommend DII.

Design Insight did a great job with shaping wonderful spaces for us - creating two beautiful bathrooms and restoring a bedroom. Jereme's architectural work was inspired, and he was supportive, patient, and communicative through the process.

We fabricated a zinc bar top for Jereme at Design Insight and he was a pleasure to work with from start to finish. He is knowledgeable and professional, and I look forward to working with him sometime soon!

I have worked with Design Insights Inc., on many different jobs involving kitchen and bathroom cabinetry and with Jereme specifically and it was a good experience every time. He is professional and very knowledgeable and I'm looking forward to working with him in the future. Steven,

I recently worked with Jereme on the renovation of my 2 bed, 2 bath condo in Lake Forest. He was recommended by my real estate agent, someone my family has done business with for years. After getting several proposals, I chose Jereme’s because it was the most all-encompassing. I did not want to end up with any surprise add-ons as the work progressed. The process began back in January 2015 when we met and discussed what I wanted to do. I knew I wanted an updated open kitchen, in-unit laundry and updated bathrooms. The design process took several months. Unfortunately, some of Jereme’s more innovative ideas regarding the laundry room were unworkable because of the plumbing layout of the building. The plans were finalized and demo day came in late April. Once construction began, Jereme would email me a list of things I needed to choose and when he needed them by so that the build could continue at a regular pace. He was very helpful with his opinions and generous in sharing any vendor discounts he had. I did not live close enough to check on progress during the week but Jereme sent me pictures and texted me with regular updates. The renovation was finally complete in September. It took longer than originally anticipated however it was well worth it. I was expecting a new kitchen and updated bathrooms but Jereme's design went beyond that and I ended up with a fully renovated and coordinated condo. I have been living in my new space for several months now and it is so much better than I expected. I love coming home to it every day.

We completed a kitchen and dining room renovation with Design Insight this January (2015) on our 1940s home. The process started with a review of the space and idea discussions back in Summer of 2013 when we first moved into the house. He was thorough in his overview of the property and we talked ideas and primary concerns. After the meeting, we decided to get designs drawn up and get on our way to making the dream a reality. Jereme presented 3 different and innovative design options that met our primary criteria, but gave us different pros/cons to consider around cost and/or design. The designs were also accompanied by an estimate with specific line items/materials incorporated (plus some options if we wanted custom molding, upgraded appliances, etc.). We noodled and saved (and also had two other kitchen designers draw up their ideas) and finally to the plunge in November to start our 10 week renovation process. The idea of actually starting a kitchen renovation is scary, but the process actually went well. Both my husband and I remarked at how clean the crew maintained the worksite and how they paid attention to keeping the rest of our home as operational as possible. Jereme himself was super attentive and provided great communication. We handled the majority of our daily communication through email (preferred, as we both work and we could answer quickly) and he was personally on-site several days each week. Jereme gave us practical advice where necessary if it involved saving time/costs and was a sleuth at securing the best costs and presenting options for the various design decisions. That helped us focus on "high payoff" items vs getting dragged down into the minutia. We had complete trust in him. The build itself went pretty smoothly. The skilled laborers were professional and seemed to take pride in their work. After 6 months of daily cooking and weekly entertaining, the craftsmanship looks just like Day 1. As for our day-to-day general contractor, John, he was just ok. If Jereme had not been as great at communicating and making sure the job site looked great, we might have rated the overall effort differently because of that factor. John seemed to stop by when he could and didn't seem to have the empathy/follow-through when we could see that the timing was going to run over. At the end, the outcome is absolutely beautiful. Of course we were over a bit on budget, but within reason and it was largely our changes (went with high end appliances and required additional electrical work or decided to change from stainless to panels). What they say is true -- any single change after a design is set can have little repercussions. Make your decisions up front! We also went over our time estimate by a couple of weeks due to Thanksgiving/Christmas/New Years holidays but ultimately couldn't be happier with the results. The space is phenomenal for our family of four and expertly designed for our lifestyle and aesthetics. I think it is a kitchen that will stand the test of time. Michelle Christensen

Jereme and his team renovated our condo from design to build. Being a first timer to renovation, Jereme made the process really easy for us. We weren't pushed towards specific products but given instructions and recommendations to find items that would best fit our taste, budget and design. Jereme and his team were very professional and prompt throughout the project. It was easy to get a hold of them through text messages and emails. No project goes without hiccups. When issues happened with their contractor, Jereme was able to resolve the issues to our satisfaction in a timely manner. Overall, great experience with Design Insight Inc. Highly recommended for any type of renovation, especially for people who are new to renovation.

We had a wonderful experience with Jereme and dii. We presented Jereme with nothing less than a significant challenge: to meet our needs for more space while retaining the character of our house all within out budget. From our first meeting Jereme listened to our needs and ideas and designed an addition to our home that exceeded our expectations. Jereme helped us navigate this unfamiliar process with a great amount of understanding and patience. He was always available and easy to talk to throughout the process. Jereme went the extra mile during the design phase including going with us pick out tile and conducting all dealings with permits and inspectors in a very timely fashion. Jereme brought excellent people into the project during the build phase, and was still communicating with us and present at the job site. Jeremes thoughtfulness and attention to detail was made even more apparent in the final product. The addition to our house was everything we wanted and more. We asked Jereme for something different, not your run of the mill second floor addition. What we got was a very custom, interesting and innovative addition. We can't wait to use Jereme for our next project.

We carefully scoured the Houzz and Yelp reviews to find an architect to renovate our 1950's ranch home. Our main goals were an open floor plan and a larger kitchen. We got that and so much more!! A gorgeous and spacious cook's kitchen, open floor plan, open curved staircase to basement, new mud room and outdoor BBQ station. Jereme is a creative architect with a keen eye for details...not to mention a great, easy going personality, with very little ego. We had a couple of initial meetings to discuss our wants and needs and then Jereme dove into the design and ultimately presented a few design concepts. We quickly zeroed in on the one we liked best and collectively tweaked the design and components to best suit our needs. Jereme hired the construction crew and personally directed and supervised their work. He was on the job site every day and was in frequent contact with us. The end result is FABULOUS and more than we hoped for!! Jereme was great to work with...very responsive to all of our questions, concerns and ideas. He was also extremely budget conscious and economical. The project took longer than quoted, but the end result is a 10!! Highly recommended!

When we finally decided to do a major update on our 1970’s era home, we knew we were going to need a lot of help with the design. We had seen Jereme Smith's work firsthand since he had recently redone the kitchen in our son’s home, so we called him for a consultation. During our first meeting we talked about some of the changes we wanted to make, and we pointed out what we thought would be a major obstacle – an enclosed stairway to the basement right in the middle of the space. Jereme listened to our vision and came back to us with an innovative design that turned this liability into an asset, which is now the centerpiece of our spectacular new space – an open stairwell surrounded by a beautiful “river” of granite, and an open floor plan instead of a separate kitchen/family room, laundry room, dining room and living room. Everyone who comes into the house for the first time since the remodel is in awe of the transformation and they all love it as much as we do. We enjoyed working with Jereme on this project because he made it as simple as possible for us. He guided us patiently through the process, giving us suggestions and alternatives for all the materials and items we needed, making a checklist to keep us on track, helping us make the final decisions, and purchasing most of the items. He was also very conscious of our budget, making every attempt to keep costs low while not compromising on quality and functionality. While there were a few delays due to winter weather and some items we added to the design, the remodeling ran only a few weeks over the projected time. However, it was definitely worth the wait! We are greatly enjoying our beautiful new space, and we’ve recommended Design Insight to everyone who’s asked us who was responsible for the transformation.

Jereme transformed our closed-in dining room and kitchen (and living room) into an open exposure atmosphere with a new southern exposure brick window to let in light all day. Henri and the other workers were respectful of our needs to occupy the house during the renovation. The initial wall teardown exposed some obstacles, including several more heat runs to the upstairs than expected. Jereme and his contractor worked through the challenge and came up with an unobstrusive soffit to reroute the heat runs. The solution is an example of the imagination Jereme and his crew bring to design solutions.

We fell into a family owned 75 year old house after my husband's great uncle passed away and couldn't pass up the good deal. COULD do without the pink kitchen and yellow and black bathroom tiles. Aesthetics aside, there were some serious layout issues with the house that made it seem smaller than it actually was. Before just hiring a general contractor, we talked to Jereme to see if he had some design ideas that would be more interesting than just "knock down some walls and put new drywall up." Jereme worked really hard to keep within budget while still adding some fun touches that everyone comments on, like a reclaimed wood soffit that defines the kitchen area. He also used every square inch of the home to make sure we didn't have any wasted spaces. We used barn doors to make old bathrooms feel bigger and built ins to make the most of slanted attic walls. Overall, everything was on time and any extras were clearly laid out. Communication over email was great and he was very organized as we went along with the to do list and keeping all of the contractors on task. I would highly recommend Design Insight and will definitely use them again if we buy another house.

I am amazed at the results, as are all who have had the opportunity to see my home: kitchen, bathrooms, bedrooms and utility room. The metamorphosis of my home is remarkable! Skilled in design, construction, project and relationship management – Jereme is a rare gem. With keen attention to both form and function, he was masterful at integrating my personal aesthetics and values culminating in a design that was a reflection of me. Jereme's attention to detail translates beyond the design and to the bottom line, as well. While I carried the responsibility of overall project costs, I was appreciative of his consideration for cost at the micro level, while still ensuring a quality product. I've already recommended him to others.

We at The Knobbery love working with Design Insight. They have such wonderful and creative, yet practical and useful, designs. Each time we work with them to provide hardware for a project we are truly impressed.

This is my 5th year working with Jereme at Design Insight Inc. He is very detailed, has great follow thru and really designs the living spaces to best suit the clients lifestyles. He is a very professional and a pleasure to work with.

We hired DII to design our deck. We chose DII because we wanted to have a more modern aesthetic and after viewing Jereme's portfolio, we knew he'd deliver. Working with DII was easy and very collaborative. Jereme did an excellent job researching and reviewing local building code and creating the very largest deck our space would allow. The wire railing he selected is perfect. It looks fantastic and we've had tons of compliments from guests and neighbors. We highly recommend Design Insight Inc.

husband and I have worked with DII on several custom projects in our condo --- a glass and stainless steel bi-level table and leather bench for our uniquely shaped kitchen, a polycarbonate toy box for our modern living room, and a lighted niche for our artwork --- and have been extremely pleased with the results! Jereme always met with us to discuss our ideas, used his own vision and creativity to suggest improvements, and provided drawings so that we could visualize the item in our home. The projects are always a "design in progress", and that allows for a perfect fit! We already have many ideas for future projects and will definitely call DII!!

Design Insight Inc. Jereme Smith of DII has done two design and build projects in our home. We live in a duplex loft in downtown Chicago. The first project was a redesign and rebuild fireplace, second level railing and the stair railing. Jereme was given the challenge to build in as much storage and keep the design as sleek and modern as possible. He accomplished both and the work gets comments from anyone that visits our loft. The second project was to design and build a new bed that would be a art piece and function as a bed and provide storage. We had looked for two years to find a bed that we liked but were not able to find. The design that Jereme came up with is outstanding and received positive comments from everyone. He also designed a TV center for the bedroom that looks like a corner table when the TV is not being used and is lowered into the unit. Ed Jamison

We have had the pleasure of working with Jereme Smith and Design Insight Inc. for nearly a decade now. DII created several custom items for our last two homes, including a master bathroom spa oasis of our dreams. A complete office redesign is underway in our new home, and the initial designs far exceeded our expectations. It’s refreshing to find a designer who can execute creativity with such technical and professional prowess. Jereme has a unique quality of taking your vision and creating something better than you could have imagined. Thank you!

Jereme was recommended to us by a friend. He provided great ideas and was very easy to work with. He was able to couple all of our ideas into a beautiful solution that my wife and I love. I would highly recommend working with Jereme(Design Insight Inc.)

We recently hired Design Insight to design and remodel the kitchen in a new home we purchased. We were given three design schematics and chose based on our preference and the opinion and expertise of the architect. There's a real advantage to working with DII as it's a full service company. The designs are thoughtful and cutting edge while considering your personal taste and the general contract work was completed without problems. It was so nice to leave the coordination and budgeting to the professionals while also having the eyes of a talented architect affirm your finish choices or suggest alternatives. Our budget was met and the kitchen is beautiful. We didn't have to keep track of anything, every purchase and vendor communication was handled through DII. Everyone who visits our new home remarks on the beautiful kitchen. We highly recommend Design Insight, Inc.

I worked with Jereme on the Modern Farmhouse and his creativity on the overall house design working with the existing sight, views, and sun all played perfectly off of each other. - Lynne Shears, Senior Designer White Crane Construction

Design Insight Inc (DII) has worked with us at two separate houses! In the first space, they helped take an unfinished basement and turned it into a wonderful space with an office, bathroom, and amazing gathering/social area. The attention to detail was impeccable! DII has the ability to create very forward thinking designs but was able to work with our transitional suburban style. We were so happy with DII, we immediately thought of them to design a new master bathroom. Their design and suggestions were beyond our imagination. The plans left no room for guessing, and the build out went as planned! If you are looking for a detail oriented, honest, and trust worthy company, look no further!

Dealing with DII was a pleasure, added an addition to our home (10x14) room with beautiul store front windows. DII took the time to explain any design plan that was not understood. The project was completed in the timeframe explained which is always a plus! Also when a budget was set the goal was met, it was nice to work with an honest company.

Initially, we contacted Design Insight Inc. to get an idea of what we could do with out 1970's ranch home. Our thoughts were to remodel our kitchen-dinig room area, but with DII's help we decided on a more involved renovation. As our deign consultant, Jereme listened to our ideas and incorporated them into a plan that totally opened up our home to a more free-flowing space that we had not invisioned. Bringing his professional expertise and willingness to meet our needs, Jereme began with sketches that eventually transformed into a plan of action that allowed us to give input along the way for a fabulous improvement to our living space. We hired DII as our deigner and project manager which proved to be a great combination of his skills, Over a period of a month our plans evolved into 3D renderings of not only a kitchen-dining area remodel, but also opening space to our family room that allowed more free flow of foot traffic. Additionally, Jereme's knowledge of current materials made our project even more of a pleasure in its final form. Once we hired a general contractor, Jereme met with him not only to discuss the plans, but to get suggestions from him because of his 30+ years in the business. They worked exceptionally well together, and when changes needed to be made along the way, they communicated their ideas and concerns, always keeping us in the loop. We really appreciated the professionalism on both their parts. As the work concluded, DII stepped up with some very innovative concepts, that turned into the icing-on-the-cake with the use of resin panels the highlighted all aspects of our remodeled areas without being overbearing. Our friends comments, along with many of the trade workers, expressed how they had never seen these materials we used and how fantastically they added to our remodel. We can only add that we, too, are not only pleased with all aspects of Jereme's ideas and skills, but happy to recommend DII to anyone looking to remodel their home. David and Karen (Morton, IL)

Design Insight Inc.(DII) worked with me and my loft space to create the perfect separation for my bedroom, all while taking into account the curves of the room, colors of the wood, and modern appeal of the loft. The final design was way beyond my initial expectations in terms of the “wow” factor. Not only did it create the illusion of a separate bedroom in my open space, but it was also aesthetically pleasing to look at. I was so pleased with DII, I also enlisted them for the remodel of my kitchen and 2 bathrooms a few years later. My Chicago condo was breathtaking, and when I moved to California, sold quickly in a down market, thanks to DII.

I’ll be up front, Jereme, is our son-in-law. We were going to build a new house for our retirement home. It was on an old farm site. There were some buildings but no home. He asked if he could design our new house. We said Ok, with some trepidation. Why? Because Jereme loved modern architecture and we did not. We also wanted a sustainable house. I have to say, Jereme came through. We LOVE our house. I would classify it as a modern farmhouse. Whenever we wanted changes, Jereme would redo things until they came out the way we liked. Our house is very unique. The contractor as well as people he had build the house said it was one of their favorite projects. I know we had some new things that they had never worked on before such as polished concrete for the floors and Corten on the outside, as well as railings from steel cables. We also had reclaimed wood and in-floor heating as well as a wind tower. Looking back, the only area I can think of where I wasn’t satisfied around the design was around our front door area. Jereme and I went over and over about the front door. I didn’t like the way he was doing the whole area, but it finally was resolved when the contractor came up with an idea I could live with. We also regret trying to save money and doing electric in-floor heating. We now wished we had spent the money on Geo-thermal, but that wasn’t the fault of DII. In fact, Jereme provided us research on multiple options. All in all, we are very happy with our home and would definitely recommend Design Insight, and Jereme, as someone to design your house.