Home Remodeling Blog

Chicago’s North Shore area is characterized by charming, historic streets lined with gorgeous homes. Bordering Lake Michigan, you can find the neighborhoods of Evanston, Wilmette, Kenilworth, Winnetka, Glencoe, Highland Park, Lake Forest, and Lake Bluff. Just inland, you’ll find Glenview, Northbrook, Deerfield, Vernon Hills, and Northfield. Each of these neighborhoods has their own unique attractions. Today, we’ll highlight six of our favorites: Libertyville, Wilmette, Lake Forest, Winnetka, Highland Park, and Glenview.

Asking how long a home remodel will take is a little bit like asking how long it will take to drive from one side of Chicago to the other. The answer, of course, is that it depends on a number of factors, such as the time of day, the traffic, and, of course, the exact locations where you begin and finish. In the same way, knowing how long a remodel takes depends on which room you’re remodeling, the scope of your project, and your contractor’s process. As contractors who have “driven the route” multiple times, however, we can give general guidelines for popular renovations, as well as a window into our design build process to help you estimate the timeline of your Chicago North Shore Area remodel.

If 2018 was the year that saw a surge in technology in the home, 2019 is the year that stylistically balances that trend. In saying this, we’re certainly not saying there’ll be a decrease in home tech in the coming year; rather, we’re saying that 2019’s trending materials, styles, colors, patterns, etc. all reintroduce biophilic elements that balance our increasingly tech-centric lifestyles. After consulting some of today’s leading home remodeling and decorating authorities like Elle Decor, Decor Aid, House Beautiful, and Realtor.com, here’s our synthesis of what’s trending in 2019.

The holidays are a joyful time spent with family and friends cherishing our shared time and memories. But they can also be dangerous if you're not managing your home safety seasonally or annually. We want you to enjoy your holidays without having to think twice about your home's safety.

Current Remodeling Market Report from NAHB

Based on 2018’s remodeling statistics, the remodeling market looks to remain steady going into 2019. The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) reports a remodeling market index of 58 for the third quarter of 2018. (Any number above 50 indicates a higher number of remodels than the previous quarter.) Each quarter’s index numbers have steadily risen/been above 50 ever since the second quarter of 2013.

Winter is just around the corner! In fact, it's already begun snowing in some parts of the Midwest. In Chicago's North Shore, we tend not to get snow quite yet, but it's still critically important to make sure your home is ready for that first deep freeze. We've put together four tips that you can do today to make sure your home is ready for a Chicago winter.

For those of you who are already pulling out your favorite recipes for holiday dinners and deciding where you’ll place your tree this year, we’ve got good news: Christmas fun in Chicago starts early and ends late. Here’s our favorite list of fun winter shows, date night ideas, family friendly events, and shopping!

For most of us, the holiday season means four things: family, food, friends, and shopping. If you’re as excited about the changing of the seasons as we are, and if you’re looking for a way to communicate to your loved ones how much they mean to you, this 2018 Chicago area holiday shopping guide is for you.

In the Chicago area, it isn’t uncommon to feel confined indoors during the long, chilly winters. While it’s more traditional to travel in summer, you may be surprised to discover that some of these getaways are actually more picturesque in winter. And if you’ve hired contractors to transform your home over the holidays, what better way to escape the noise than to get out of the house and find cheer and refreshment in nature’s abundant tranquility!

One of the most common complaints during a home remodeling project is dust. It's easy for dust to spread throughout an entire home - no matter what room is being remodeled. At BDS, we actively take steps to prevent spreading dust throughout your whole home - and here are our top strategies for limiting dust.