When it comes to kitchen renovations, it takes several teams of contractors, designers, and cabinetry specialists to bring your vision for your home to life. For this project, we were lucky enough to get to work with one of our contracting partners, Alair Homes Oakville on this main floor renovation. Here’s how this space was totally transformed:
Before The Renovation:
As you can see in the images above, before this home renovation there were walls that separated the kitchen, living and dining room. This made each space feel small, closed off and wasn’t functional for day to day family living or entertaining. By removing the walls that divided the spaces and vaulting the ceiling of this split-level home – Alair Homes Oakville created the perfect canvas for us to work with.
Client Wishlist:
The clients knew they wanted to create the perfect entertaining space and a kitchen with ample storage and a sizeable island with seating. They wanted the space to feel bright and airy.
They preferred to have their sink in the island so that they could keep an eye on the kids and be able to be part of the conversation while entertaining.
They wanted to keep the kitchen functional while still being aesthetically pleasing. By installing a panel ready dishwasher, decorative hood and a sleek microwave drawer – appliances that typically distract are blended in more seamlessly.
They wanted functional storage and separate work zones. A wall of pantries and cabinetry that was accessible on three sides of the island maximized storage space. Keeping enough space between the range, sink and fridge meant no one would get in the way if someone else was working in the kitchen.They wanted a separate coffee station beside the fridge – which was a great way to break up the pantry wall and transition to shallower cabinetry by the patio doors.
Our Process:
Step 1: Initial Consultation
As a first step, we typically will have an initial consultation with the clients at the showroom to discuss the cabinetry styles, client wish lists, appliance preferences and any other important details. For this project, Alair Homes Oakville was able to provide construction drawings for the main floor – so we knew exactly what we would be working with which made this process easy!
Step 2: Digital Rendering & Design Review
Digital renderings are one of the tools our designers use to ensure that the specs outlined in the blueprint make sense when brought together. It helps all of our clients see exactly what their kitchen will look like once the process is completed. As it’s typically easier for a homeowner to start visualizing colour combinations and layout pros and cons at this stage, we continue to tweak the layout to hone in on the final design.
Step 3: Final Planning
Once there are no more changes to the layout, final floor plans and elevations are created. These drawings help both the homeowner and contracting team by detailing the specs of the space, locations of appliances and accessories as well as projected depths for the cabinetry.
Step 4: Execution
After the demolition is complete, utilities are relocated as necessary, drywall is prepped and flooring is installed – our cabinet installation team gets to work bringing your vision to life!
Design Elements:
Colours:
Before a layout was even finalized – the clients knew that they wanted Benjamin Moore Duxbury Gray cabinets for the perimeter and a Benjamin Moore Simply White island. In being able to customize the cabinetry colour – they were able to complement and carry the colours used in other elements of their project
Shaker Cabinetry, Crown Moulding & Decorative Hood:
They wanted to keep the kitchen cabinetry simple yet timeless, so a classic shaker door style was used. Rather than using an overly ornate crown or coved moulding – we simplified and selected a square-step crown to keep with the modern aesthetic. The decorative hood creates a more cohesive look and elongates the wall on the left. There wasn’t a lot of upper cabinetry on this side, so our design team didn’t want to break up the space with an exposed hood.
Black Hardware:
The light fixtures and hardware in this space are mostly black, so black cabinet hardware was selected to create continuity. A combination of pulls and knobs were used to add interest as well.
Home renovation is no easy task, but with talented partners, we’re able to work together to make any dream home a reality. We have so many exciting projects going on with Alair Homes Oakville this year and we’re so excited to show you more transformations! If you’d like to learn more about The Wright Kitchen, click here. Or, if you’d like to learn more about Alair Homes Oakville, click here.