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.”

The owners of a charming home in the hills west of Paso Robles recently decided to remodel their not-so-charming kitchen. Referred to San Luis Kitchen by several of their friends, the homeowners visited our showroom and soon decided we were the best people to design a kitchen fitting the style of their home. We were delighted to get to work on the project right away. When we arrived at the house, we found a small, cramped and out-dated kitchen. The ceiling was low, the cabinets old fashioned and painted a stark dead white, and the best view in the house was neglected in a seldom-used breakfast nook (sequestered behind the kitchen peninsula). This kitchen was also handicapped by white tile counters with dark grout, odd-sized and cluttered cabinets, and small ‘desk’ tacked on to the side of the oven cabinet. Due to a marked lack of counter space & inadequate storage the homeowner had resorted to keeping her small appliances on a little cart parked in the corner and the garbage was just sitting by the wall in full view of everything! On the plus side, the kitchen opened into a nice dining room and had beautiful saltillo tile floors. Mrs. Homeowner loves to entertain and often hosts dinner parties for her friends. She enjoys visiting with her guests in the kitchen while putting the finishing touches on the evening’s meal. Sadly, her small kitchen really limited her interactions with her guests – she often felt left out of the mix at her own parties! This savvy homeowner dreamed big – a new kitchen that would accommodate multiple workstations, have space for guests to gather but not be in the way, and maybe a prettier transition from the kitchen to the dining (wine service area or hutch?) – while managing the remodel budget by reusing some of her major appliances and keeping (patching as needed) her existing floors. Responding to the homeowner’s stated wish list and the opportunities presented by the home's setting and existing architecture, the designers at San Luis Kitchen decided to expand the kitchen into the breakfast nook using Wood-Mode cabinetry. This change allowed the work area to be reoriented to take advantage of the great view – we replaced the existing window and added another while moving the door to gain space. A second sink and set of refrigerator drawers (housing fresh fruits & veggies) were included for the convenience of this mainly vegetarian cook – her prep station. The clean-up area now boasts a farmhouse style single bowl sink – adding to the ‘cottage’ charm. We located a new gas cook-top between the two workstations for easy access from each. Also tucked in here is a pullout trash/recycle cabinet for convenience and additional drawers for storage. Running parallel to the work counter we added a long butcher-block island with easy-to-access open shelves for the avid cook and seating for friendly guests placed just right to take in the view. A counter-top garage is used to hide excess small appliances. Glass door cabinets and open shelves are now available to display the owners beautiful dishware. The microwave was placed inconspicuously on the end of the island facing the refrigerator – easy access for guests (and extraneous family members) to help themselves to drinks and snacks while staying out of the cook’s way. We also moved the pantry storage away from the dining room (putting it on the far wall and closer to the work triangle) and added a furniture-like hutch in its place allowing the more formal dining area to flow seamlessly into the up-beat work area of the kitchen. This space is now also home (opposite wall) to an under counter wine refrigerator, a liquor cabinet and pretty glass door wall cabinet for stemware storage – meeting Mr. Homeowner’s desire for a bar service area. And then the aesthetic: an old-world style country cottage theme. The homeowners wanted the kitchen to have a warm feel while still loving the look of white cabinetry. San Luis Kitchen melded country-casual knotty pine base cabinets with vintage hand-brushed creamy white wall cabinets to create the desired cottage look. We also added bead board and mullioned glass doors for charm, used an inset doorstyle on the cabinets for authenticity, and mixed stone and wood counters to create an eclectic nuance in the space. All in all, the happy homeowners now boast a charming county cottage kitchen with plenty of space for entertaining their guests while creating gourmet meals to feed them.

Arlington, Virginia Transitional Kitchen #JenniferGilmer http://www.gilmerkitchens.com/ Photography by Bob Narod

Guest house kitchen remodel Los Feliz, CA Photographer: Casey Hale
ロサンゼルスにあるトラディショナルスタイルのおしゃれなL型キッチン (オープンシェルフ、黒い調理設備、エプロンフロントシンク、白いキッチンパネル、サブウェイタイルのキッチンパネル、ライムストーンカウンター) の写真

A cream, pearlescent beadboard ceiling sets the stage for hand-blown, 1960s Italian pendants with white glass and brass appointments and white mini subway tile. The inset of each charcoal painted cabinet’s doors is leaded glass. Bronze farm sinks, bronze hardware and a bronze raised bar are accented by fossil limestone countertops; a subzero wine refrigerator, dishwasher drawers, a Wolf gas, five-burner cooktop and a restaurant-style faucet of brushed nickel, giving this kitchen a gourmet touch. Mid-century Danish barstools, an original brick fireplace and woven wood blinds add warmth alongside the many stainless steel appliances. Designed for two, with its double sinks and dishwashers, this kitchen is durable enough for everyday life with a family and a 200-pound Great Dane. A light tile backsplash, ceiling, lights, and glass leaded fronts provide a good contrast that keeps the kitchen, with its dark cabinets, from being heavy and oppressive. This is the perfect spot for hosting parties – if people end up in the kitchen, cooking and sipping together, why not make it a spot where you love to spend time?

オレンジカウンティにある広いコンテンポラリースタイルのおしゃれなキッチン (エプロンフロントシンク、シェーカースタイル扉のキャビネット、白いキャビネット、ライムストーンカウンター、白いキッチンパネル、サブウェイタイルのキッチンパネル、シルバーの調理設備、磁器タイルの床、アイランドなし、ベージュの床、グレーのキッチンカウンター) の写真

シドニーにある高級な巨大なコンテンポラリースタイルのおしゃれなキッチン (茶色い床、シェーカースタイル扉のキャビネット、一体型シンク、白いキャビネット、亜鉛製カウンター、白いキッチンパネル、ガラス板のキッチンパネル、黒い調理設備、淡色無垢フローリング、グレーのキッチンカウンター) の写真

フェニックスにあるラグジュアリーな広いサンタフェスタイルのおしゃれなキッチン (エプロンフロントシンク、落し込みパネル扉のキャビネット、中間色木目調キャビネット、ライムストーンカウンター、白いキッチンパネル、モザイクタイルのキッチンパネル、シルバーの調理設備、無垢フローリング、茶色い床) の写真

This light and airy kitchen was painted in a Farrow and Ball green, with raised and fielded panels throughout . All the cupboards have adjustable shelves and all the drawers have a painted Farrow and Ball cock beaded face frame surround and are internally made of European oak set on hidden under mounted soft close runners. The island has a thick solid European oak worktop, while the rest of the worktops throughout the kitchen are green limestone with bull nosed edging and have a shaped upstand with a fine line inset detail just below the top. The main oven range is a Wolf with an extractor above it individually designed by Tim Wood with the motor set in the attic in a sound insulated box. Beside the large Sub-zero fridge/freezer there is a Gaggenau oven and Gaggenau steam oven. The two sinks are classic ceramic under mounted with a Maxmatic 5000 waste disposal in one of them, with Barber Wilsons nickel plated taps above. Designed, hand built and photographed by Tim Wood

パースにある高級な広いコンテンポラリースタイルのおしゃれなキッチン (一体型シンク、全タイプのキャビネット扉、白いキャビネット、ライムストーンカウンター、白いキッチンパネル、セメントタイルのキッチンパネル、パネルと同色の調理設備、淡色無垢フローリング、ベージュの床、グレーのキッチンカウンター) の写真

オースティンにあるお手頃価格の小さなモダンスタイルのおしゃれなキッチン (ドロップインシンク、フラットパネル扉のキャビネット、白いキャビネット、亜鉛製カウンター、白いキッチンパネル、石タイルのキッチンパネル、パネルと同色の調理設備、磁器タイルの床、白い床、白いキッチンカウンター、全タイプの天井の仕上げ) の写真

Silicon Valley family home with a central kitchen island designed and created to have an old world character. It is a highly programmed hub as it is the central gathering place for homework, meals, which opens to the garden, family and breakfast room. The limestone counters, hand painted English tiles with herbs and flowers painted from the garden, along with antique lights from France and Venetian plaster for the hood and hickory floors create the perfect environment. Matthew Millman Photography

Chris Snook
ロンドンにある高級なコンテンポラリースタイルのおしゃれなキッチン (フラットパネル扉のキャビネット、白いキャビネット、ライムストーンカウンター、白いキッチンパネル、ライムストーンのキッチンパネル、黒い調理設備、白いキッチンカウンター、アンダーカウンターシンク) の写真

Photo Credit: Mark Boisclair Photography
フェニックスにあるコンテンポラリースタイルのおしゃれなキッチン (シングルシンク、フラットパネル扉のキャビネット、濃色木目調キャビネット、白いキッチンパネル、ガラスタイルのキッチンパネル、シルバーの調理設備、ライムストーンカウンター) の写真

Eine grosszügige offene Wohnküche mit Zugang zur Terrasse.
ミュンヘンにあるラグジュアリーな中くらいなコンテンポラリースタイルのおしゃれなキッチン (フラットパネル扉のキャビネット、ライムストーンカウンター、白いキッチンパネル、黒い調理設備、ベージュのキッチンカウンター) の写真

Eine grosszügige offene Wohnküche mit Zugang zur Terrasse.
ミュンヘンにあるラグジュアリーな中くらいなコンテンポラリースタイルのおしゃれなキッチン (一体型シンク、フラットパネル扉のキャビネット、ライムストーンカウンター、白いキッチンパネル、黒い調理設備、淡色無垢フローリング、ベージュの床、ベージュのキッチンカウンター) の写真

Modern farmhouse bespoke kitchen complete with two-toned cabinets, clean and long hardware, and custom range hood finished to match exposed I beams. Photo by Jeff Herr Photography.

Lind and Cummings Photography
ロンドンにある広いコンテンポラリースタイルのおしゃれなキッチン (ダブルシンク、ライムストーンカウンター、白いキッチンパネル、塗装フローリング、茶色い床、フラットパネル扉のキャビネット、白いキャビネット) の写真

ダラスにある広いモダンスタイルのおしゃれなキッチン (シェーカースタイル扉のキャビネット、中間色木目調キャビネット、シルバーの調理設備、ダブルシンク、亜鉛製カウンター、白いキッチンパネル、無垢フローリング、茶色い床、ステンレスのキッチンパネル) の写真