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.

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)

This project is an incredible transformation and the perfect example of successful style mixing! This client, and now a good friend of TVL (as they all become), is a wonderfully eclectic and adventurous one with immense interest in texture play, pops of color, and unique applications. Our scope in this home included a full kitchen renovation, main level powder room renovation, and a master bathroom overhaul. Taking just over a year to complete from the first design phases to final photos, this project was so insanely fun and packs an amazing amount of fun details and lively surprises. The original kitchen was large and fairly functional. However, the cabinetry was dated, the lighting was inefficient and frankly ugly, and the space was lacking personality in general. Our client desired maximized storage and a more personalized aesthetic. The existing cabinets were short and left the nice height of the space under-utilized. We integrated new gray shaker cabinets from Waypoint Living Spaces and ran them to the ceiling to really exaggerate the height of the space and to maximize usable storage as much as possible. The upper cabinets are glass and lit from within, offering display space or functional storage as the client needs. The central feature of this space is the large cobalt blue range from Viking as well as the custom made reclaimed wood range hood floating above. The backsplash along this entire wall is vertical slab of marble look quartz from Pental Surfaces. This matches the expanse of the same countertop that wraps the room. Flanking the range, we installed cobalt blue lantern penny tile from Merola Tile for a playful texture that adds visual interest and class to the entire room. We upgraded the lighting in the ceiling, under the cabinets, and within cabinets--we also installed accent sconces over each window on the sink wall to create cozy and functional illumination. The deep, textured front Whitehaven apron sink is a dramatic nod to the farmhouse aesthetic from KOHLER, and it's paired with the bold and industrial inspired Tournant faucet, also from Kohler. We finalized this space with other gorgeous appliances, a super sexy dining table and chair set from Room & Board, the Paxton dining light from Pottery Barn and a small bar area and pantry on the far end of the space. In the small powder room on the main level, we converted a drab builder-grade space into a super cute, rustic-inspired washroom. We utilized the Bonner vanity from Signature Hardware and paired this with the cute Ashfield faucet from Pfister. The most unique statements in this room include the water-drop light over the vanity from Shades Of Light, the copper-look porcelain floor tile from Pental Surfaces and the gorgeous Cashmere colored Tresham toilet from Kohler. Up in the master bathroom, elegance abounds. Using the same footprint, we upgraded everything in this space to reflect the client's desire for a more bright, patterned and pretty space. Starting at the entry, we installed a custom reclaimed plank barn door with bold large format hardware from Rustica Hardware. In the bathroom, the custom slate blue vanity from Tharp Cabinet Company is an eye catching statement piece. This is paired with gorgeous hardware from Amerock, vessel sinks from Kohler, and Purist faucets also from Kohler. We replaced the old built-in bathtub with a new freestanding soaker from Signature Hardware. The floor tile is a bold, graphic porcelain tile with a classic color scheme. The shower was upgraded with new tile and fixtures throughout: new clear glass, gorgeous distressed subway tile from the Castle line from TileBar, and a sophisticated shower panel from Vigo. We finalized the space with a small crystal chandelier and soft gray paint. This project is a stunning conversion and we are so thrilled that our client can enjoy these personalized spaces for years to come. Special thanks to the amazing Ian Burks of Burks Wurks Construction for bringing this to life!

ON-TREND SCALES Move over metro tiles and line a wall with fabulously funky Fish Scale designs. Also known as scallop, fun or mermaid tiles, this pleasing-to-the-eye shape is a Moroccan tile classic that's trending hard right now and offers a sophisticated alternative to metro/subway designs. Mermaids tiles are this year's unicorns (so they say) and Fish Scale tiles are how to take the trend to a far more grown-up level. Especially striking across a whole wall or in a shower room, make the surface pop in vivid shades of blue and green for an oceanic vibe that'll refresh and invigorate. If colour doesn't float your boat, just exchange the bold hues for neutral shades and use a dark grout to highlight the pattern. Alternatively, go to www.tiledesire.com there are more than 40 colours to choose and mix!! Photo Credits: http://iortz-photo.com/

Meghan Bob Photography

Blake Worthington, Rebecca Duke

photo credit: Haris Kenjar Original Mission tile floor. Arteriors lighting. Newport Brass faucets. West Elm mirror. Victoria + Albert tub. caesarstone countertops custom tile bath surround

Darby Kate Photography

michelle yeatts

Stunning Eco Bathroom with black and white geometric ceramic statement tiles on the floor, black vanity cabinets with wooden surface and inset white porcelain sink, chrome tap. Circular mirror with leather strap and circular light illuminating the mirror, all lighting in the bathroom was Circadian lighting to assist with good, deep sleep patterns. Wooden paneled feature wall with frosted glass panel to partially conceal the toilet. White beveled subway tiles on the walls through toilet, bath and shower area. Turquoise towel ladder feature, white ceiling.

Custom bathroom with an Arts and Crafts design. Beautiful Motawi Tile with the peacock feather pattern in the shower accent band and the Iris flower along the vanity. The bathroom floor is hand made tile from Seneca tile, using 7 different colors to create this one of kind basket weave pattern. Lighting is from Arteriors, The bathroom vanity is a chest from Arteriors turned into a vanity. Original one of kind vessel sink from Potsalot in New Orleans. Photography - Forsythe Home Styling

FLOOR TILE: Artisan "Winchester in Charcoal Ask 200x200 (Beaumont Tiles) WALL TILES: RAL-9016 White Matt 300x100 & RAL-0001500 Black Matt (Italia Ceramics) VANITY: Thermolaminate - Oberon/Emo Profile in Black Matt (Custom) BENCHTOP: 20mm Solid Surface in Rain Cloud (Corian) BATH: Decina Shenseki Rect Bath 1400 (Routleys) MIRROR / KNOBS / TAPWARE / WALL LIGHTS - Client Supplied. Phil Handforth Architectural Photography

In every project we complete, design, form, function and safety are all important aspects to a successful space plan. For these homeowners, it was an absolute must. The family had some unique needs that needed to be addressed. As physical abilities continued to change, the accessibility and safety in their master bathroom was a significant concern. The layout of the bathroom was the first to change. We swapped places with the tub and vanity to give better access to both. A beautiful chrome grab bar was added along with matching towel bar and towel ring. The vanity was changed out and now featured an angled cut-out for easy access for a wheelchair to pull completely up to the sink while protecting knees and legs from exposed plumbing and looking gorgeous doing it. The toilet came out of the corner and we eliminated the privacy wall, giving it far easier access with a wheelchair. The original toilet was in great shape and we were able to reuse it. But now, it is equipped with much-needed chrome grab bars for added safety and convenience. The shower was moved and reconstructed to allow for a larger walk-in tile shower with stylish chrome grab bars, an adjustable handheld showerhead and a comfortable fold-down shower bench – proving a bathroom can (and should) be functionally safe AND aesthetically beautiful at the same time.

Down-to-studs remodel and second floor addition. The original house was a simple plain ranch house with a layout that didn’t function well for the family. We changed the house to a contemporary Mediterranean with an eclectic mix of details. Space was limited by City Planning requirements so an important aspect of the design was to optimize every bit of space, both inside and outside. The living space extends out to functional places in the back and front yards: a private shaded back yard and a sunny seating area in the front yard off the kitchen where neighbors can easily mingle with the family. A Japanese bath off the master bedroom upstairs overlooks a private roof deck which is screened from neighbors’ views by a trellis with plants growing from planter boxes and with lanterns hanging from a trellis above. Photography by Kurt Manley. https://saikleyarchitects.com/portfolio/modern-mediterranean/

http://www.anthonymasterson.com

The ensuite shower room features herringbone zellige tiles with a bold zigzag floor tile. The walls are finished in sage green which is complemented by the pink concrete basin.