Distinctive Remodelers adds new life to older Mokena home

Frank and Robin Toland certainly weren’t living in a fixer-upper. In fact, they had their Mokena home built from the ground up only 10 years earlier. But while things weren’t exactly falling apart at the seams, the couple had been suffering a bit of buyers’ remorse when it came to original material selections, layout and spatial efficiency in certain areas of their abode—particularly their kitchen.

“Our kitchen was no longer meeting our needs,” said Frank. “Now that our son and daughter were getting older, we needed more elbow room and shelf space. The cabinets were getting older, the island was too close to the cabinets, and there wasn’t a lot of extra room to maneuver.”

Robin said she dreamed of a “more functional, open, well-organized kitchen that flowed better into the adjacent dining room. The kitchen is the most important room in the whole house to me, and I wanted a more user-friendly design with upgraded appliances, cabinets, countertops and flooring that would add character to the room and provide lasting value.”

Luckily, the Tolands knew exactly who to turn to for help: Distinctive Remodelers — the renovation division of Distinctive Companies, based in Orland Park. Before long, a team from Distinctive came over to Frank and Robin’s home for an in-house consultation.

The professionals at Distinctive “offered a lot of helpful, creative ideas on how we could maximize the space in our kitchen based on the plans we had in mind,” said Frank. “But it was my wife who had already done all the homework in terms of envisioning the overall design, researching and choosing the brands, materials and finishes, and having an overall plan for how the new kitchen could work for her.”

After enlisting Distinctive Remodelers for the job, Robin visited with Susan Sheehy, the firm’s selections specialist, at Distinctive’s design center in Orland Park to finalize her choices. She also visited a cabinetry warehouse that Distinctive Remodelers Chairman Bryan Nooner recommended and talked with a distributor.

Bryan “really impressed by Robin’s in-depth preparation for this project,” said Frank. “My wife left nothing to chance—this new kitchen had to be done right, with no second guessing on the products, materials and finishes.”

When it was time for the heavy lifting to commence, Bryan’s team replaced the Toland’s older cabinets with attractive new oak cabinets that provided ample storage space. They installed all-new Kenmore appliances, including an in-wall double oven that Robin had been hoping for for years. The poorly positioned old island was removed and a new, more efficiently organized island was built that featured cabinets on both sides. Gone were the worn, chipped laminate countertops, replaced by salt-and-pepper-toned granite.

The crew also knocked down a section of the wall separating the kitchen and the dining room, which added spatial dimensionality and extra light to the already dramatically improved kitchen. Additionally, new can lights were implemented, as well as a new sink, faucet and gas cooktop range.

“But we didn’t stop there,” said Robin. “We also had Distinctive Remodelers take out the old ceramic tile floor and install gorgeous new hardwood flooring throughout most of the main level, including the kitchen and dining room. And they breathed new life into our first-floor bathroom, installing a new toilet, sink and vanity. It’s like we snapped our fingers and got a whole new first floor.”

“What amazed me was how quick, resourceful and tidy their crew was during the renovation phase,” said Frank. “I would get home from work and not find a wayward tool or a trace of debris or dust. Their team ensured that we weren’t inconvenienced and that the level of disruption was as minimal as possible.”

In fact, Frank added, “they finished the job earlier than they had expected, so we were able to enjoy our remodeled first floor even sooner than planned. We couldn’t have asked for a better turnout.”

Robin said that she appreciates her new kitchen all the more with each new day.

“There’s so much more room to operate and move around,” she said. “I’ve been able to arrange things exactly the way I want them with plenty of cabinetry space to spare. I now have an island that can actually be used as a functional workspace. And it’s so much easier to prepare meals and entertain friends and family. We probably should have done this project years ago.”

Distinctive Remodelers provides a wide range of renovation projects, including room build-outs, second-level additions, home theater room installations, basement finishing, kitchen makeovers, and roofing, siding and window replacements — 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.

Bryan said that he launched Distinctive Remodelers based in large part on growing demand from past home buyer customers eager to upgrade and expand their existing residences.

“We enjoy a sizeable base of contented, loyal clients from over the years who often call us for future projects,” said Bryan. “We would often receive requests and calls from many of these past purchasers who wanted to recruit us for jobs like adding a room, finishing a basement or reinventing a kitchen. Instead of declining these requests, we founded Distinctive Remodelers, which offers partial or whole-house renovation services throughout the suburbs.”

“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.”

Additionally, Distinctive Companies 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.

What’s more, Distinctive Remodelers relies on 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.

“You can count on courteous, knowledgeable professionals when you hire Distinctive Remodelers. Everyone on our team has been carefully screened, and they will treat you and your property with the utmost respect,” said Bryan. “Furthermore, you can rest assured that you’ll get punctual responses to your questions and requests.”

Above all, he added, “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.