Recognized as a leader in top home improvement techniques, Acclaim Renovations & Design taps into the expertise of local designers to amp up the wow factor

By Patricia Nugent

Another courtesy-of-Covid trend in home renovation is re-creating what the home office looks like. From 2019 to 2022, the number of Americans who work remotely tripled. Currently about one in five Ohians punches the clock from their abode.

For the ultimate in productivity, more and more people are renovating their spaces. Designer Debra Metcalf teamed up with Acclaim Renovations & Design to create a stunning home office renovation in Concord.

“What we love about working with the top interior designers in the area is they bring to the table fresh ideas that help us push the envelope of what’s possible for our clients,” says Acclaim COO Bob Potocar. “Another thing we like about the relationships is that design professionals often help homeowners have less fear of thinking outside the box when it comes to their home. Taking a leap of faith is usually a positive move.”

One of those leaps is opting for wallpaper.

“Up until the past year, wallpaper was not at all in style. Now people are asking for it in smaller rooms and on accent walls,” says Bob. “Elegant and vibrant new styles and patterns are fairly avant-garde and interesting. This is not your grandmother’s wallpaper. We’re also seeing a lot of larger-format mural styles to anchor a room, lending perspective and depth.”

Sayonara to Dark and Dingy
“One homeowner wanted to get rid of dark, reddish wood and trim in favor of a lighter, more stylish esthetic,” says Debra. “The 11-by-11-foot space was blessed with 13-foot ceilings. We chose to punctuate them with a coffered treatment. I always like to do something a little different, so I picked a barely-there textured tweed wallpaper to hang inside the coffered squares. The large-scale wallpaper on the far accent wall made for major wow factor and visually expanded the space and added a sense of grandeur.”

A soothing color palette of soft white, grays and a splash of teal makes for a retreat-like feeling to help any workday be more pleasant. Painting the French doors, wainscoting and trim white makes the most of the abundant sunshine from the floor-to-ceiling windows. And the gold-tone geometric light fixture hovering over the desk adds the just-right pop of modern.

They kept the wood flooring and moody blue rug, because why throw out the baby with the bathwater?

Bob says they feel that no job is too big or too small for them, and they’ve been renovating many home offices lately, oftentimes reconfiguring and repurposing other spaces within the home, such as bedrooms and sections of basements, into beautiful and efficient home offices.

Meet the New VP
To keep up with its expanding volume of jobs throughout Northeast Ohio, Acclaim Renovations recently hired a new vice president, Chris Michalakes. He joins President Mike Pirc in bringing innovative design and old-world craftsmanship to local renovation projects.

With more than 20 years of experience in residential construction, Chris began as a finish carpenter, which gives him a special appreciation for well-done detail work. Working with local architects and designers, he has collaborated over the years on some of the most impressive custom homes in the area.

“I work with mostly repeat customers,” he says. “For me, building trust and communication through every step of project management in key. And I treat each home as if it were my own.”

Residents of Middlefield, Chris and his wife, Leah, have five children. He’s an active member of his church, and, if he’s not working, you’ll probably find him on a golf course.

Acclaim Renovations & Design is located at 8550 East Avenue in Mentor. The design-build firm has won numerous industry awards. Call 440-974-8082 or visit AcclaimReno.com.