Recently renovated, parts of this in-town home in Rasteau, France are 800 years old. Photography by Geoffrey Hodgdon
Tuscan living room library photo in Marseille

This sophisticated metropolitan family room is the talk of the town. It connects the owners to their backyard, letting in lots of light from two directions. The space is fresh and inviting - the perfect place to hang out with the kids. Photo by Danny Piassick House designed by Charles Isreal

Kitchen Designer: Tim Schultz
Inspiration for a timeless kitchen remodel in Seattle with white appliances, open cabinets, white cabinets, white backsplash and subway tile backsplash

After six years of living in their Huntley IL home, Chris and Meghan were tired of their dark, dingy, outdated kitchen and it was finally time for a long-anticipated change. “The kitchen is the place where we live, it’s where we do everything,” Meghan said. “It was important that it be a space where we wanted to be.” Meghan loves cooking and enjoys including their girls in healthy meal prepping, this led them to want a brighter, more enjoyable kitchen with increased functionality and improved storage. For Chris especially, the laundry room was an entirely dysfunctional eyesore. “We had a washer and a dryer, but it was all kind-of cobbled together!” Chris said. “There were always laundry piles everywhere, we weren’t really sure what we wanted to do in there, but it was time for us to make a change.” The mess of the space was stressful every time they walked in the door from the garage each day. Kids’ backpacks and shoes piled up haphazardly in the makeshift boot-bench closet left the family feeling disorganized and stressed. They needed space for folding clothes and locker cubbies to help keep the family organized. Having known Christine and Todd in the Huntley community for years, Chris and Meghan were familiar with their work. “We already trusted them personally and having seen their projects for years we knew they did top notch work. After we reviewed the initial round of designs, we knew that hiring them was definitely the right choice,” Meghan and Chris said. Although Chris had done a lot of work in their home himself, the kitchen and laundry room renovation was such a large undertaking that he didn’t want to steal time away from his family to spend what would surely be many long weekends doing the job himself. “That would not have been a wise choice for us,” Chris laughed. “Our designer, Michelle was very, very, easy to work with; anything we wanted to see or weren’t sure about, she went above and beyond to make this easy for us. She was easy to get hold of and always quick to respond,” the couple said. Michelle pulled ideas that mirrored the couple’s taste and style and was adept at directing the couple to limited choices that didn’t overwhelm them and kept the process moving. “I have a hard time making decisions. Michelle made the decision-making process so easy. I loved how she listened to what I liked and then presented three great options for me to choose from,” Meghan said. The main objectives for the kitchen were better storage solutions, they wanted the space to reflect their lifestyle and taste, and they wanted it to last for years with low maintenance. One of the first steps in creating a more functional kitchen was relocating the refrigerator, creating an improved workflow for the busy family. “We didn’t know that we could even move the refrigerator to a new location where it is now, that was something that we never would have thought of,” Chris said. “The new refrigerator location makes the kitchen feel so much bigger. We didn’t add any space, but our whole kitchen with the new design just seems like it’s so much larger than before!” Meghan said. The perimeter mist colored cabinets helped warm and brighten the entire room, while the graphite colored cabinets on the island added contrast. Using this fresh, clean color palette satisfied the couple’s desire for a bright space that was the exact opposite of what they had before. Organization accessories were also added to the cabinets such as a spice drawer tray and roll outs to create hidden convenience. “I absolutely love the hidden spices – it makes cooking so much more enjoyable!” Chris said. “And all the pull outs, and the double trash bin, who would think you could get so excited about organization!” the couple said in unison. One thing they hated in their original kitchen was how dark the space felt. Added lighting on the ceiling with the new light fixtures combined with the lighter cabinetry colors throughout solved this problem. “Our new kitchen has this warm, almost cozy feeling that our old kitchen never had, it’s just a space that I love spending my time in now,” Meghan said. The light airy feeling was accentuated with the use of floating white shelves on either side of the decorative range hood. “We have so much cabinetry space, the new design is amazing we actually have more storage space than we will ever need,” Meghan said. The island was extended to create more work surface and added space for stool seating. “The new island changes how we live. Now the kids can be in the kitchen with us, doing homework, eating breakfast, and the three of us have special dinners there when Chris is working late,” Meghan said. The Carrara Marmi Quartz countertops were chosen because they are, not only beautiful, but are made from hard-working material that doesn’t require maintenance. The white subway tile backsplash that wraps to the ceiling behind the focal point cooktop range/hood compliments the crisp white countertops perfectly, while brushed brass hardware and light fixtures keep the design fresh and new. The couple had a few fears at the beginning of the project, as most homeowners do. Their biggest fear was being out of their kitchen and laundry room for an extended time. The crew made it very easy for the family to work in a limited space keeping the washer and dryer hooked up the majority of the time, and also getting appliances working with minimal downtime. “They above and beyond accommodated us to get us through the process,” Meghan said. “They did a great job making sure we were as comfortable as possible throughout the process,” Chris added. “Our project manager DJ did a great job. He was very good at updating us on schedule changes, getting guys in as quickly as possible. Everyone that stepped in the house was nice and did great work,” said Chris. They thought Advance’s carpenter was phenomenal and were impressed when he took a conceptual idea from a photograph and worked with designer Michelle to create a one of a kind range/hood that has become the topic of conversation with friends and family who visit the new kitchen. “He was in our house literally every day for several weeks. He was easy to work with and good at what he did,” Meghan and Chris said. The focal point of the kitchen; a hand-crafted, custom-built ventilation hood was clad with handpicked reclaimed barnwood. Advance Design’s carpenter built the framework and the cladding to create a one-of-a-kind design element that the couple loves. “I think it was especially fun for him to create something unique from scratch, showcasing his talent in this area,” Meghan said. “I love that my kitchen is not like everyone else’s. I got to pick out the wood on my hood and watch it being built and was able to choose what pieces of wood went where on it. It’s totally unique.” Red Oak flooring was toothed-in throughout the kitchen and the rest of the first floor anywhere changes were made. Then the whole floor was refinished to tone down the orange undertones in the existing floor stain, ultimately changing the color complexion of the entire first floor. The result is a completely new feeling to the entire home. Renovating the laundry room was extremely important to Meghan and Chris, but they had trouble visualizing what the possibilities were for the seemingly small space. Michelle produced beautiful 3D illustrations that helped them envision the space in a whole new way. “I must have told Michelle 100 times that I am a visual person, seeing the designs in 3D made it so easy to make decisions and see what we could really do with our space,” Meghan said. A dividing wall and doorway were removed between the existing laundry room and hallway formerly containing a coat closet, providing space to design specialized graphite colored cabinetry matching the kitchen island to house custom storage cubbies for each family member. Adding the tall utility cabinetry in the new laundry area helped solve the storage issue, tucking away cleaning supplies, household items, and even the cat got its own cubby. “I love how everything is now hidden in its own space. I can’t tell you how much I hated coming home and seeing everything sitting around on counters,” Chris said. Electrical outlets were planned for the inside of utility cabinets, so devices could charge in hidden locations. Stacking the washer and dryer allowed for wider countertop space to provide a folding area and a special space for clothes to hang. “The way I do laundry has been completely transformed! I can actually fold clothes and hang them now right out of the washer and dryer,” Meghan said. “The end result in the kitchen and the laundry/mud room was an updated light and bright space, with a smarter work flow that better meets the needs of this family,” Michelle said. “I would totally recommend Advance Design,” Meghan said. “Sometimes I sit and just look at my kitchen and laundry room and think ‘Wow, I can’t believe I get to live here!’ It’s an understatement to say we love our new space.”

Oversized pendant lights match the large scale of the custom kitchen island. The island features a built-in cooktop and built-in-place walnut butcher block top; open shelves made from the same walnut float above black basalt countertops and frame a farmhouse sink. Appliance nook is backed with penny tile that echoes the color and shape of the island lighting. Kurt Jordan Photography

Master Bathroom renovation. For convenience we also reversed a closet from behind the bathroom to make the existing linen closet deeper and accomodate a stackable washer/dryer. Paint color: B. Moore # HC30 Philadelphia cream Photo credit: Peter Rymwid

Please visit my website directly by copying and pasting this link directly into your browser: http://www.berensinteriors.com/ to learn more about this project and how we may work together! These custom designed floating bookshelves make for an artful way to display books and collectibles. Robert Naik Photography.

Laundry room - traditional laundry room idea in New York with a stacked washer/dryer and gray countertops

Venice Beach is home to hundreds of runaway teens. The crash pad, right off the boardwalk, aims to provide them with a haven to help them restore their lives. Kitchen and pantry designed by Charmean Neithart Interiors, LLC. Photos by Erika Bierman www.erikabiermanphotography.com

Everyday dishes are displayed on three understated shelves, also crafted from Reclaimed Chestnut. Photo Credit: Crown Point Cabinetry
Kitchen - rustic kitchen idea in Burlington with recessed-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, granite countertops, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash and stainless steel appliances

A complete painted poplar kitchen. The owners like drawers and this kitchen has fifteen of them, dovetailed construction with heavy duty soft-closing undermount drawer slides. The range is built into the slate-topped island, the back of which cantilevers over twin bookcases to form a comfortable breakfast bar. Against the wall, more large drawer sections and a sink cabinet are topped by a reclaimed spruce countertop with breadboard end. Open shelving above allows for colorful display of tableware.

cabinets made by Kerf Design site built hanging shelves Contractor: Blue Spruce Construction
Example of a mid-century modern kitchen design in Denver with open cabinets and light wood cabinets

A custom designed laundry area includes ample space for sorting and folding clothes, linen and accessory storage, a fold out ironing board and generous cabinetry and drawer space. Together, these design details create an organized space for doing laundry.

We basically squeezed this into a closet, but wow does it deliver! The roll out shelf can expand for folding and ironing and push back in when it's not needed. The wood shelves offer great linen storage and the exposed brick is a great reminder of all the hard work that has been done in this home! Joe Kwon

Cabinet paint color - Gray Huskie by Benjamin Moore Floors - French Oak from California Classics, Mediterranean Collection Pendants - Circa Lighting Suspended Shelves - Brandino www.brandinobrass.com

We took advantage of the double volume ceiling height in the living room and added millwork to the stone fireplace, a reclaimed wood beam and a gorgeous, chandelier. The sliding doors lead out to the sundeck and the lake beyond. TV's mounted above fireplaces tend to be a little high for comfortable viewing from the sofa, so this tv is mounted on a pull down bracket for use when the fireplace is not turned on. Floating white oak shelves replaced upper cabinets above the bar area.

Laundry, clean and organized space
Laundry room - transitional laundry room idea in Seattle with a stacked washer/dryer

The project is located in the heart of Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood. The client’s a young family and the husband is a very passionate cook. The kitchen was a gut renovation. The all white kitchen mixes modern and traditional elements with an oversized island, storage all the way around, a buffet, open shelving, a butler’s pantry and appliances that steal the show. Details include: -Subzero refrigerator, Scott custom designed a flip up stainless cabinetry above the side-by-side subzero to create a taller and monolithic look. -The absolute best stone was used- Calacatta Suprema countertops with a honed finish -White cabinetry by Dresner Design private label line with De Angelis -Hardware from Katonah with a burnished nickel finish -Sconces by O’Lampia above the buffet -Backsplash tile is custom dye lot from Artistic Tile, Pratt Larson -Custom sinks by Havens for cleaning fish descaling - Plumbing fixtures from Studio 41- main sink

This stunning living room was our clients new favorite part of their house. The orange accents pop when set to the various shades of gray. This room features a gray sectional couch, stacked ledger stone fireplace, floating shelving, floating cabinets with recessed lighting, mounted TV, and orange artwork to tie it all together. Warm and cozy. Time to curl up on the couch with your favorite movie and glass of wine!