Spacecrafting Inc

Photo by Jordan Powers

Kathryn Millet

You've got to make the best out of the space you have and this bathroom outdoes itself! The before pictures shows a dark and dated bathroom that we managed to transform into a bright clean space with the latest fixtures, features and beautiful design.

New ProFlo tub, Anatolia Classic Calacatta 13" x 13" porcelain tub/shower wall tile laid in a brick style pattern with Cathedral Waterfall linear accent tile, custom recess/niche, Delta grab bars, Brizo Rook Series tub/shower fixtures, and frameless tub/shower sliding glass door! Anatolia Classic Calacatta 12" x 24" porcelain floor tile laid in a 1/3-2/3 pattern, Medallion custom cabinetry with full overlay slab doors and drawers, leathered Black Pearl granite countertop, and Top Knobs cabinet hardware!

A pretty snazzy pocket door into the toilet room. Milk white glass brings in light while keeping it private. Brian Covington Photography

Mike and Anne of Barrington Hills desperately needed to update and renovate both their kid’s hall bath and guest bath, and in their 1980’s home each project presented a different set of unique challenges to overcome. When they set out to identify the right remodeling company to partner with, it was important to find a company that could help them to visualize design solutions for the bath renovations. When they came across Advance Design Studio’s website, they were immediately drawn to the solution-oriented remodeling process and the family friendly company. They say they chose Advance Design because of the integrated approach of “Common Sense Remodeling”, making the design, project management and construction all happen in one place. When they met with Project Designer Michelle Lecinski, they knew they chose the right company. “Michelle’s excellent work on the initial designs made it easy to proceed with Advance Design Studio,” Mike said. Like most homeowners anticipating a big renovation project, they had some healthy fears; with two bathrooms being remodeled at the same time they worried about timeframes and staying within budget. With the help of Michelle, and the “Common Sense” guidelines, they were confident that Advance Design would stay true, orchestrating all the moving parts to stay within both the estimated timeline and budget. The guest bath offered the biggest design challenge. A dormer obstruction made the already cramped shower awkward to access. Mike and Anne also wanted the shower size to be expanded, making it more accommodating. Working with Advance’s construction expert DJ Yurik, Michelle relocated the shower concealing the original dormer and creating a larger, more comfortable and aesthetically pleasing guest shower. The unsightly and not at all user-friendly closet was removed and replaced with elegant White Maple Dura Supreme cabinetry with much improved function featuring dual tall linen cabinets, a special makeup area and two sinks, providing a dual vanity which was extremely important for better guest use. The Fossil Brown quartz countertop is in pleasing contrast to the white cabinetry, and coordinates nicely with the mocha porcelain tile gracing the shower for an accent. The decorative glazed turquoise tile backsplash, tile border, and bottle niche adds a taste of marine green to the room, while marble-looking porcelain tile makes guests feel they are staying in a 5-star hotel. Polished nickel Kohler plumbing fixtures were chosen to add a touch of sophistication. This renovated guest bath is comfortable and elegant, and Anne and Mike’s house guests may never want to leave! “The end result was updated and restyled bathrooms that the client will enjoy and increase the value of their home,” Designer Michelle said. The children’s hall bath had its own set of challenges. The current placement of the sink was not conducive to the best use of the existing space, nor did it allow for any visual interest, something Advance’s designers always work to achieve even within the tight confines of a small bath. Advance removed the linen closet and used the gain in wall space to create a dramatic focal point on the vanity wall. They also took additional space that wasn’t being used for new Storm Gray Dura Supreme tall built-in linen cabinets, creating functional storage space that the former bath lacked. A customized glass splash panel was created for the bath, and the high ceilings with skylights were accented with a custom-made track lighting fixture featuring industrial pipe and cage materials. Authentic cement encaustic tile was used wall to wall surrounding the vanity to create a dramatic and interesting back drop for the new elegant and stately furniture-like double sink wall. Hand-made encaustic tile originated in Western Europe beginning in the 1850’s and reminded Mike and Anne of tile they had seen and loved from their travels overseas. Today, encaustic tile has made a re-appearance in today’s modern bath design with its wide array of appealing patterns and artistic use of color. Oil rubbed bronze Kohler fixtures echo the black accents in the beautiful tile pattern and reflect the matte black of the unique lighting detail. Easy to maintain Blanca Arabescato Quartz countertops add practicality and natural beauty and compliments the warm wood porcelain tile floors. This handsome bath has generated praise from friends and family even before it’s complete unveiling as photos of the space leaked out on social media! It’s not only completely functional to use, but especially pretty to look at. “Advance Design Studio did a terrific job for us. We really appreciated how easy it was to work with them on a complex project of the complete remodeling of two bathrooms. They very capably handled all the details from design, to project management, to construction. It is a great group of people to work with and we would welcome the opportunity to work with them again anytime,” Mike said.

Arch Studio, Inc. Architecture & Interiors 2018

Lee Monarch

One of our favorite clients requested our services once again, this time to update their outdated full bath. The main goal, aside from keeping the existing tub and surround in place, was to replace the tired vanity, small medicine cabinet, countertop, sink, flooring, light fixture, shower valve and trims with products that are more on trend. The desire was to create a wow factor and display their personal style. Designing a bath with transitional finishes and a clean aesthetic was top of mind when we selected a white painted inset-style vanity, contrasting marble-look quartz countertop in suede finish and classic 3” x 6” white subway wall tiles. Tying together different patterns and incorporating 8” x 8” black and white deco floor tiles provides an interesting and refreshing industrial look that is an expression of our client’s individuality and style. Adding to this industrial style feature was the double light fixture with clear seeded glass mounted over the new framed recessed medicine cabinet with matching painted finish. Also, a priority in the remodeling process was to provide proper ventilation to not only keep air moving, but to ensure moisture is cleared from the room while showering. This newly remodeled updated bathroom is light and airy, and clients are thrilled with the result. “Hi Cathy, I just wanted to let you know how pleased we are with our bathrooms and stairs!! Ed, Bradley, and Charlie did their usual fantastic job, not to mention your guidance and expertise. We could not be more thrilled! Each and every time I look at the wall color in the upstairs bath, I comment to myself that Liz really is a ‘wiz’. Thank you, thank you, thank you!” - Susan and Hal M. (Hanover)