Photos by Jennifer Oliver

Jeff McNamara Photography

This 1930's Barrington Hills farmhouse was in need of some TLC when it was purchased by this southern family of five who planned to make it their new home. The renovation taken on by Advance Design Studio's designer Scott Christensen and master carpenter Justin Davis included a custom porch, custom built in cabinetry in the living room and children's bedrooms, 2 children's on-suite baths, a guest powder room, a fabulous new master bath with custom closet and makeup area, a new upstairs laundry room, a workout basement, a mud room, new flooring and custom wainscot stairs with planked walls and ceilings throughout the home. The home's original mechanicals were in dire need of updating, so HVAC, plumbing and electrical were all replaced with newer materials and equipment. A dramatic change to the exterior took place with the addition of a quaint standing seam metal roofed farmhouse porch perfect for sipping lemonade on a lazy hot summer day. In addition to the changes to the home, a guest house on the property underwent a major transformation as well. Newly outfitted with updated gas and electric, a new stacking washer/dryer space was created along with an updated bath complete with a glass enclosed shower, something the bath did not previously have. A beautiful kitchenette with ample cabinetry space, refrigeration and a sink was transformed as well to provide all the comforts of home for guests visiting at the classic cottage retreat. The biggest design challenge was to keep in line with the charm the old home possessed, all the while giving the family all the convenience and efficiency of modern functioning amenities. One of the most interesting uses of material was the porcelain "wood-looking" tile used in all the baths and most of the home's common areas. All the efficiency of porcelain tile, with the nostalgic look and feel of worn and weathered hardwood floors. The home’s casual entry has an 8" rustic antique barn wood look porcelain tile in a rich brown to create a warm and welcoming first impression. Painted distressed cabinetry in muted shades of gray/green was used in the powder room to bring out the rustic feel of the space which was accentuated with wood planked walls and ceilings. Fresh white painted shaker cabinetry was used throughout the rest of the rooms, accentuated by bright chrome fixtures and muted pastel tones to create a calm and relaxing feeling throughout the home. Custom cabinetry was designed and built by Advance Design specifically for a large 70” TV in the living room, for each of the children’s bedroom’s built in storage, custom closets, and book shelves, and for a mudroom fit with custom niches for each family member by name. The ample master bath was fitted with double vanity areas in white. A generous shower with a bench features classic white subway tiles and light blue/green glass accents, as well as a large free standing soaking tub nestled under a window with double sconces to dim while relaxing in a luxurious bath. A custom classic white bookcase for plush towels greets you as you enter the sanctuary bath.

Photography by Starboard & Port of Springfield, Missouri.

Phil Bell

Taryn DeVincent

This compact bathroom and laundry has all the amenities of a much larger space in a 5'-3" x 8'-6" footprint. We removed the 1980's bath and laundry, rebuilt the sagging structure, and reworked ventilation, electric and plumbing. The shower couldn't be smaller than 30" wide, and the 24" Miele washer and dryer required 28". The wall dividing shower and machines is solid plywood with tile and wall paneling. Schluter system electric radiant heat and black octogon tile completed the floor. We worked closely with the homeowner, refining selections and coming up with several contingencies due to lead times and space constraints.

Laundry room's are one of the most utilized spaces in the home so it's paramount that the design is not only functional but characteristic of the client. To continue with the rustic farmhouse aesthetic, we wanted to give our client the ability to walk into their laundry room and be happy about being in it. Custom laminate cabinetry in a sage colored green pairs with the green and white landscape scene wallpaper on the ceiling. To add more texture, white square porcelain tiles are on the sink wall, while small bead board painted green to match the cabinetry is on the other walls. The large sink provides ample space to wash almost anything and the brick flooring is a perfect touch of utilitarian that the client desired.

Utility Room, photo by VJ Arizpe

In this bathroom, the customer wanted to incorporate the laundry room into the space. We removed the existing tub and installed the washer and dryer area. We installed a Medallion Silverline White Icing Painted Lancaster Doors with feet Vanity with Bianca Luna Laminate countertops. The same countertop was used above the washer/dryer for a laundry folding station. Beaded Wall Panels were installed on the walls and Nafco Luxuary Vinyl Tile (Modern Slate with Grout Joint) was used for the flooring.

A high performance and sustainable mountain home. We fit a lot of function into a relatively small space when renovating the Entry/Mudroom and Laundry area.

Joseph Teplitz of Press1Photos, LLC

Maryland Photography, Inc.

Ariana with ANM Photography