The Not So Big Author and Architect

Recently Randy and I had the privilege and honor to meet the author and architect behind the Not So Big concepts that we model our business after, Sarah Susanka.  Sarah is part of a program with Marvin Windows called The myMarvin Project, a program where they've approached known names in the design world and asked them to design their own signature window (see Sarah's window below).  The Marvin Windows Gallery in Lake Bluff recently invited Sarah to visit and give a talk on her Not So Big concepts and it was a fabulous event.  Sarah is one of the nicest, most down to earth people I have met and she just lives and breathes her beliefs like it's just the way it always has been and always should be (and she's right on the last part!).

Randy and I with author and architect, Sarah Susanka

Sarah's Signature Marvin window designed through the myMarvin Project

Okay, but here's the coolest thing . . . Sarah has been asked to design one of the houses in a new subdivision that is being built in Libertyville, Illinois called The School Street Homes.  It is a remarkable new development going in that (in their words right off their website - I couldn't have said it better) develops a streetscape of 26 Front Porch Revival homes in harmony with transforming the historic Central School into 15 Urban lofts. Enhance SchoolStreet resident's quality of life to align with the cultural shift in the United States of how people want to live. Promoting a New Urban lifestyle that is connected to the community, pedestrian friendly, less excessive, more sensitive to the environment and within steps of Libertyville's vibrant downtown.  Sarah got involved in this project as she was investigating builders who were interested in building smaller, smarter homes and because of the current economic culture we are in, she wasn't finding any who were willing to go outside the box.  Click here to read more about her involvement in the School Street Homes project.  As you will see from her website, there is an public meet and greet with Sarah tonight from 6 - 8 p.m. at The Libertyville Civic Center, 135 West Church St.  She really is a genuinely nice, intelligent and passionate women who is worth the time to go meet.

Illustration of School Street from porch

Folks this is our passion, this is right up our alley, THIS IS SO COOL!!!  YES!  Let's get back to porch living, being an involved and productive member of our community - let's actually talk to our neighbors and do life with them, all while living in homes that are sound for the environment and are built to last!  Learn more about this amazing development by click on their name above.  Enjoy scouring their website - be inspired and get excited!  I know many of us aren't in the market for a new home, but check out Sarah's Not So Big Books and website and get inspired to make changes in your own home to make it more suitable to the way you and your family live.

Creating Beauty from the Wreckage

On one of our latest jobs, we had a customer come to us as a referral from another job we did, who had water damage in her house and her insurance company sent in an adjuster to investigate the damage.  In the process, however the contractor the adjuster sent out to investigate did way more damage than she started with, inappropriately cutting into materials and slicing at the hardwood floor to where she needed much more repair work done because of the damage he caused.

"Picnik Show"

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After seeing a spot on the news last night about an insurance adjusting scam that is currently going on, I have to wonder if that is what happened here, but thankfully, she did not have any further involvement with the adjuster and instead, found her own contractor to do the work.

To stay within her budget, we replaced the kitchen cabinets in the same general layout that they originally were in, we moved the refrigerator to give her more counter space and added some nice, personal touches to give her a new space to call her own.

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Our motto and focus in general is that we strive to give our customers an enjoyable, stress-free remodeling experience.  But, especially when there is stress and strife to begin with on a project, we make sure to take the absolute best care of our customers so their minds can be at ease in knowing they are going to end up with a lovely, comfortable space and they can leave the memory of what went before in the dust.