Hood House is a playful protector that respects the heritage character of Carlton North whilst celebrating purposeful change. It is a luxurious yet compact and hyper-functional home defined by an exploration of contrast: it is ornamental and restrained, subdued and lively, stately and casual, compartmental and open. For us, it is also a project with an unusual history. This dual-natured renovation evolved through the ownership of two separate clients. Originally intended to accommodate the needs of a young family of four, we shifted gears at the eleventh hour and adapted a thoroughly resolved design solution to the needs of only two. From a young, nuclear family to a blended adult one, our design solution was put to a test of flexibility. The result is a subtle renovation almost invisible from the street yet dramatic in its expressive qualities. An oblique view from the northwest reveals the playful zigzag of the new roof, the rippling metal hood. This is a form-making exercise that connects old to new as well as establishing spatial drama in what might otherwise have been utilitarian rooms upstairs. A simple palette of Australian hardwood timbers and white surfaces are complimented by tactile splashes of brass and rich moments of colour that reveal themselves from behind closed doors. Our internal joke is that Hood House is like Lazarus, risen from the ashes. We’re grateful that almost six years of hard work have culminated in this beautiful, protective and playful house, and so pleased that Glenda and Alistair get to call it home.

A quiet laundry room with soft colours and natural hardwood flooring. This laundry room features light blue framed cabinetry, an apron fronted sink, a custom backsplash shape, and hooks for hanging linens.

This is an example of a small traditional galley utility room in Chicago with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white splashback, timber splashback, white walls, light hardwood floors, brown floor, wallpaper, wallpaper, a stacked washer and dryer, a single-bowl sink, quartz benchtops and grey benchtop.

Design ideas for a contemporary single-wall laundry room in Auckland with an undermount sink, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, mosaic tile splashback, laminate floors, a side-by-side washer and dryer, white benchtop, white walls and brown floor.

After six years of living in their Huntley IL home, Chris and Meghan were tired of their dark, dingy, outdated kitchen and it was finally time for a long-anticipated change.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.”

We updated this laundry room by installing Medallion Silverline Jackson Flat Panel cabinets in white icing color. The countertops are a custom Natural Black Walnut wood top with a Mockett charging station and a Porter single basin farmhouse sink and Moen Arbor high arc faucet. The backsplash is Ice White Wow Subway Tile. The floor is Durango Tumbled tile.

The laundry cabinets have a designated spot for the dog and cat food as well as litter box.
Design ideas for a large traditional l-shaped laundry room in Philadelphia with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, medium hardwood floors and brown floor.

Photo: S.Lang
This is an example of a small transitional l-shaped dedicated laundry room in Other with shaker cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, vinyl floors, brown floor, blue benchtop, grey cabinets, blue walls and a stacked washer and dryer.

Laundry doors made in Zeroline, Arctic white, Velvet. Wall cabinet in Zeroline, Rumskulla Oak Matt. Benchtop in Caesarstone, Georgian Bluffs.
Photo of a small contemporary l-shaped dedicated laundry room in Christchurch with an undermount sink, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, porcelain splashback, white walls, laminate floors, a stacked washer and dryer, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Design ideas for a large transitional galley dedicated laundry room in Chicago with a farmhouse sink, flat-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, quartzite benchtops, white splashback, engineered quartz splashback, grey walls, medium hardwood floors, a side-by-side washer and dryer, brown floor and white benchtop.

This multi-use room gets a lot of action...off of the garage, this space has laundry, mudroom storage and dog wash all in one!
Photo of a mid-sized beach style single-wall utility room in Minneapolis with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, beige cabinets, white splashback, ceramic splashback, white walls, medium hardwood floors, a side-by-side washer and dryer and brown floor.

LUXURY IN BLACK - Matte black 'shaker' profile cabinetry - Feature Polytec 'Prime Oak' lamiwood doors - 20mm thick Caesarstone 'Snow' benchtop - White gloss subway tiles with black grout - Brushed nickel hardware - Blum hardware Sheree Bounassif, kitchens by Emanuel

Laundry Room in clean crisp whites with a warm brick tile floor. Engineered Quartz Color: Rio.
Small contemporary galley dedicated laundry room in Detroit with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, engineered quartz splashback, white walls, brick floors, a stacked washer and dryer, brown floor and white benchtop.

In this renovation, the once-framed closed-in double-door closet in the laundry room was converted to a locker storage system with room for roll-out laundry basket drawer and a broom closet. The laundry soap is contained in the large drawer beside the washing machine. Behind the mirror, an oversized custom medicine cabinet houses small everyday items such as shoe polish, small tools, masks...etc. The off-white cabinetry and slate were existing. To blend in the off-white cabinetry, walnut accents were added with black hardware. The wallcovering was custom-designed to feature line drawings of the owner's various dog breeds. A magnetic chalkboard for pinning up art creations and important reminders finishes off the side gable next to the full-size upright freezer unit.

Timber benchtops warm up the otherwise clean white laundry. The long bench and overhead storage cupboards make a practical working space. Interior design by C.Jong Photography by Pixel Poetry

Cabinetry: Showplace EVO Style: Pendleton w/ Five Piece Drawers Finish: Paint Grade – Dorian Gray/Walnut - Natural Countertop: (Customer’s Own) White w/ Gray Vein Quartz Plumbing: (Customer’s Own) Hardware: Richelieu – Champagne Bronze Bar Pulls Backsplash: (Customer’s Own) Full-height Quartz Floor: (Customer’s Own) Designer: Devon Moore Contractor: Carson’s Installations – Paul Carson

This East Hampton, Long Island Laundry Room is made up of Dewitt Starmark Cabinets finished in White. The countertop is Quartz Caesarstone and the floating shelves are Natural Quartersawn Red Oak.

This is an example of a small country l-shaped utility room in Other with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, engineered quartz splashback, white walls, dark hardwood floors, a stacked washer and dryer, brown floor and white benchtop.

A Laundry with a view and an organized tall storage cabinet for cleaning supplies and equipment
Photo of a mid-sized country u-shaped utility room in San Francisco with flat-panel cabinets, green cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, engineered quartz splashback, beige walls, laminate floors, a side-by-side washer and dryer, brown floor, white benchtop and recessed.