Distinctive Remodelers helps reinvent living spaces for Orland Park family

Seven years ago, Kevin and Angela Reynolds moved into their dream home that they had built in Orland Park. But as the years progressed and their two daughters were born, an unsettling awareness crept in. The couple realized that the home they had so carefully chosen and customized required some re-imagining to meet their changing needs and standards — especially in the kitchen, which was proving to be less functional and efficient for a family of four than they had hoped.

“When we first bought our home, I was pregnant with our first daughter, and we were trying to get in the neighborhood on a more limited budget,” said Angela. “We chose to spend money on exterior options and extras instead of investing in interior upgrades. But after only a few years, it quickly became apparent that the kitchen and other spaces needed re-inventing.”

The kitchen layout in particular “bugged us,” Kevin noted. “We didn’t have enough counter space, the countertops were less-than-desirable Formica, the ceramic floor tile was chipping, and the built-in pantry was taking up too much space. We wanted to do things like bump out the size of the kitchen, install higher quality custom cabinetry and countertops, add an island and put in hardwood floors.”

Determined to renovate, the Reynolds shopped around and solicited bids from several remodelers. Dissatisfied with the proposals and estimates garnered, they weren’t sure how to proceed. That is, until Kevin went jogging one day and noticed a sign for Distinctive Remodelers — the renovation division of Distinctive Companies, both based in the Reynolds’ neighborhood. Inspired, Kevin told his wife, who phoned Distinctive Remodelers on the spot. It wasn’t long before a team from Distinctive visited the home an in-house consultation.

“Originally, our idea was to expand the kitchen size by building outward,” Kevin said. “But they suggested that we could solve our space problem by utilizing our existing square footage instead. For example, they showed us how knocking out our pantry and expanding the kitchen footprint into the adjacent family room would better open up the flow between the two rooms. There was already a lot of wasted space in the family room, so compromising a bit of square footage there to expand the kitchen was a good solution.”

Enamored with Distinctive Remodelers’ fresh ideas and reasonable project estimate, the Reynolds hired the firm. Then came the challenging part: living without a working kitchen for several weeks during the remodeling process.

“They saved us some time, however, by ordering the cabinets earlier to minimize interruptions,” Angela said. “And the project was actually finished within the time frame they promised.”

The Distinctive crew virtually gutted the Reynolds’ kitchen and installed extra-tall custom birch cabinets sporting a cherry finish, European hinges and brushed nickel pulls. They replaced all the older, bisque-colored appliances with stainless steel KitchenAid models and added a garbage disposal unit. Attractive tan, black and red quartz-patterned granite countertops and an eye-catching island were implemented, as were new pendulum, can and under-cabinet lights. A new ceramic backsplash was put in. In place of the space-robbing pantry, a butler’s pantry with a wet bar — complete with a KitchenAid beverage center, wine rack and cabinetry above it — was inserted in the space between the kitchen and family room, creating a handsome transition between the living spaces. And the tile floors and carpeting prevalent on the main level were substituted with the exquisite hardwood floors the Reynolds had been dreaming about.

Additionally, Distinctive Remodelers upgraded the standard trim throughout the whole house with detailed white painted trim, enhanced the first-floor powder room with a new elegant pedestal sink and faucet, mirror and light fixture, and supplanted the main level’s original hollow oak doors with solid core, six-panel white doors.

“Their attention to detail was amazing, and they were courteous and tidy throughout the entire remodeling phase,” said Kevin, who noted that a Distinctive Remodelers professional visited his house regularly and checked on the progress. He’d ask if everything got cleaned up to the Reynolds’ satisfaction after the crew was finished for the day, and he made sure there was no construction debris or loose nails for the kids to step on.

Angela especially appreciated the help and guidance of Susan Sheehy, selections specialist for Distinctive Remodelers.

“Susan helped us pick out our colors, finishes and styles,” said Angela. “She was instrumental in assisting us during the selections process, and the quality of her service and commitment was wonderful, as was the case with the entire crew.”

“It’s amazing how this project evolved. Originally, we were determined to simply replace the tile and carpeting with hardwood floors,” said Kevin. But with the help of Distinctive Remodelers’ vision and craftsmanship, “we were able to improve many areas of our home for a more reasonable price than we had imagined. My wife and I had previously finished our basement and tackled other home improvement projects, but this was by far the best remodeling experience we’ve ever had.”

Distinctive Companies Chairman/CEO Bryan Nooner founded Distinctive Remodelers based primarily on rising demand from past home buyer clients seeking to modernize or expand their existing residences.

“We have a large base of satisfied, loyal customers from over the years who often contact us for future projects,” said Bryan. “We would often get calls and requests from many of these past buyers who wanted to hire us for projects like finishing a basement, adding a room or reworking a kitchen. Instead of turning down these requests, we created Distinctive Remodelers, which offers partial or whole-house renovation services throughout the suburbs.”

Distinctive Remodelers provides a wide range of renovation projects, including room build-outs, second-level additions, home theater room installations, basement finishing and kitchen makeovers — with no residential job too large for Distinctive Remodelers to tackle. Plus, all work is backed by a full warranty.

Distinctive Remodelers draws on the built-in advantages of being a part of Distinctive Companies — a successful, established area business with 20-plus years of collective experience.

“We know these homeowners and what they’re looking for, and we’re familiar with the territory we cover,” Bryan said. “And we have a highly skilled crew in place that we’ve added to, as well as an unparalleled reputation for outstanding quality and value.”

In addition, Distinctive Remodelers can draw from the parent company’s skilled architectural design team and its computer-aided design (CAD) resources to ensure that the conceptualizing and planning of every home project goes smoothly and efficiently.

What’s more, Distinctive Companies already has a 3,000-square-foot, full-service design studio, making it simple and convenient for remodeling customers to choose their exterior and interior product, finish and material selections. From cabinet pulls and plumbing fixtures to flooring options, door handles, appliances and trim packages, everything is there under one roof. Homeowners can browse through plentiful wall and floor displays, samples and swatches and consult with selections specialist Susan Sheehy to make more informed decisions.

“When you enlist us for your job, you can rely on courteous, knowledgeable professionals — all of whom have been carefully screened — who will treat you and your property with respect,” said Bryan. “You’ll get punctual responses to your questions and requests. And you can count on the highest level of customer service from a project manager specifically assigned to your home who will supervise your job from start to finish.”

To make an appointment for a free estimate, contact Distinctive Remodelers at (708) 479-7700. For more information, visit www.DistinctiveRemodelers.com.