How Can Your New Bath Design Help Save You Money and the Environment?

Choosing a new toilet and faucet is often one of the final design choices you'll have to make in a bath renovation, but potentially the most important.

From Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC):

A high-quality toilet can help you save money, protect the environment and conserve water, all without sacrificing performance or peace of mind. Choose the wrong toilet, and you could wind up flushing your hard-earned dollars down the drain.

In this short video, master plumber Ed Del Grande explains how Kohler's new products have been re-engineered to help you save up to 30% off your water bill.

With so many makes and models to choose from, deciding on which product is right for your home can be a bit overwhelming. If you're considering a bath renovation, Monarch Kitchen and Bath Centre can help.

Drop by our Pickering showroom today or call us at 905-686-2001 and speak with one of our designers. Book your bath renovation with Monarch before August 31, 2012, and you could win your new granite or quartz countertop. To learn more, click here.

Clean and Contemporary Bath Design from Monarch

Design by Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre

Design by Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre

Design by Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre

Design by Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre

Bathroom Design Inspiration: Walk-In Shower Wet Rooms

Photo courtesy of Duravit

Looking for the ultimate way to add the luxury of a spa to your bathroom?

Discover the latest European design trend now making a mark in North America: the walk-in shower wet room.

Walk-in shower wet rooms are bathrooms designed to function as full-room showers. With minimal use of materials, the bathing area is not segregated from the rest of the room by walls, enclosed stalls or even lips to step over. Instead, the shower is level with the rest of the floor, making the entire bathroom area easy to access and clean.

Ideal for North America's aging population, this open-concept shower experience can be made even more user-friendly and address accessibility and mobility issues with the installation of benches and handrails. In keeping with its sleek, modern design, toilet screens or separators are usually transparent and the entire bathroom area is intended to operate as a single space.

Trend Watch at the 2011 Interior Design Show

The Metro Toronto Convention Centre recently played host to the 13th annual Interior Design Show (IDS), Canada's largest contemporary design fair. This highly anticipated show is a favourite in the Canadian interior design world as designers watch for new product debuts and emerging trends.

Starck X from Duravit

"This year, it was apparent that there is a major trend starting to surface, and that trend is plumbing," says Amanda Willson-Suppa of Monarch Kitchen and Bath Centre. "All of the major brands were in attendance--Aquabrass, Blanco, Brizo, Delta, Duravit, GROHE and Hansgrohe--and they all displayed their newest and most innovative pieces. The look of 'plumbing' is evolving. Architects and designers are now behind these new creations and fresh shapes and design features are starting to from," Amanda explains. 

Arcon from Blanco

"Like the minimalist design of the Starck X toilet from Duravit, for example, or the stunning angular geometry of the Arcon line of sinks from Blanco. Plumbing pieces that rarely changed shape or design now take on an artistic flair and the consumer has so much more to choose from."

To learn more about incorporating these new products into your bathroom redesign, contact Monarch Kitchen and Bath Centre at 905-686-2001.

Cast Iron Sinks: The Beautiful Alternative

Although the kitchen sink is probably one of the most functional elements in your home, it is often one of the last products homeowners decide upon when designing their new kitchen.

Next to choosing the colour and material of your counter tops, deciding on a style and wood colour for your cabinets and picking out shiny new appliances, shopping for a kitchen sink can't really compare, can it?

After all, how do you excited about a sink?

Well, for starters, you might want step away from the stainless steel aisle and consider the beauty and durability of a Kohler cast iron sink.

Available in over 20 colours, Kohler's extensive line of cast iron sinks will quickly have you pondering how to incorporate their beauty and functionality into your kitchen redesign. And because beauty isn't everything, Kohler's cast iron sinks have an easy-to-clean, durable enamel finish and are guaranteed not to chip, crack or burn. 





Video courtesy of Kohler.

Looking Back: Top Kitchen and Bath Trends for 2010

Starting next month, Monarch Kitchen and Bath Centre designers will weigh in on their favourite new kitchen and bath design trends for 2011.

Before we move forward, let's go back to last May when the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) announced the top 10 Kitchen and Bath Design Trends based on winning entries in the 2010 NKBA Design Competition. They were:

1. Concealed Kitchens
"The incorporation of integrated and concealed appliances allows the kitchen to enhance rather than intrude into other spaces. Clean structural lines coupled with sleek color palettes enable the space to establish a distinctive identity, without overpowering the surrounding rooms."

2. Beverage Stations
This includes undercounter refrigerators and wine refrigeration, coffee/cappuccino makers, and the storage of stemware, coffee cups and silverware.

3. Scaling of Elements
 "An irregularly textured pebbled wall, marbled surface in glass tile, reflective metallic material, or symmetrically hung pendant lighting directs the eye around the room and contributes to a balanced space. Distinctive wall coverings, tin ceilings and the implied texture of a pronounced wood grain are all stand-out details that are being seen as contributors to the balanced scale of current designs." 
 
4. Color with Energy
Vibrant colours such as rich blues, purples, greens, and citric yellow were popular choices for kitchen and bath designs in 2010. "Colors exuding emotion, acting not merely as a passive backdrop for the room, but bringing life through lighting, wall colors, and wood tones, are profoundly impacting the most innovative designs." 
 
5. Soft Geometry
Rounded shapes for the edge of a counter or island top or on an arch over an entryway or cooking hearth allows for a "smooth-flowing traffic pattern throughout the room, while an appropriately placed arch will bring an overall softening to the more angular fixed features that are typical in kitchens and baths."

6. Space Subtleties 
"Floating vanities and wall-mounted toilets allow an unobstructed and spacious feel to a bathroom, while appliances that are stacked and positioned within islands are contributing to functionality in the kitchen by bringing together task space with the right appliances." 
 
7. Design Framing
"A seemingly simple detail, such as the use of a soffit along the ceiling or a width of wall space surrounding inset cabinetry, can call out the item being framed as a focal point while also providing visual balance to the room."

8. Varying Heights
"Pairing lower desk and prep areas with higher breakfast bar surfaces provides convenient task-specific spaces, which fosters a greater level of family interaction within the kitchen. In the bathroom, this design concept not only provides function, but balances the space."

9. Japanese Influences
"The impact of Japanese design can be seen very subtly in clean lines, open spaces, and neutral color palettes with bold splashes of color in select areas...Artwork, Japanese antiques, and the traditional qualities of Japanese culture are at the core of some compelling kitchen and bath designs."

10. Art Integration
Homeowners found a way to keep their kitchen and bath designs personal in 2010 by including a favourite piece of art or an antique sculpture in the overall theme of the room. "This method of integration allows the designer to fold all other aspects of the room around the treasured piece."

For the complete NKBA article, click here. 

Think SPA not SHOWER when Remodelling Your Bathroom (Part One)

Is remodelling your bathroom on your to-do list for 2011?

Instead of just replacing your existing shower stall and accessories with updated versions of the same products, consider incorporating spa-like fixtures into your shower space.

So instead of just having a place to take your morning shower, you have a spa-like retreat that can help you unwind and relax whenever you need it.



Video courtesy of Kohler.

Bathroom Remodeling: Before You Begin

If you're ready to renovate one or more of your bathrooms, it's important to do your homework before any work begins.

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) reminds homeowners to avoid surprises:

"Before you start renovating, you’ll want to think about your bathroom, your needs and your budget. Look carefully for signs of deterioration and the possible causes. This will save you money and also help you to be better informed if you’re dealing with contractors. Reflecting on your project will also help you to decide whether you need the services of a professional. Being unsure of what needs to be done, recognizing that the job is very complicated, or that you don’t have the time or energy to do the work, are good reasons to hire a professional renovator."

Photo courtesy of Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation

While each person's reason for renovating is slightly different, CMHC notes that the majority of reasons fall into the following categories:

1. Size and design
2. Fixtures
3. Structural
4. Moisture
5. Plumbing & Electrical
6. Heating & Ventilation

For CMHC's entire checklist of items to consider before remodelling your bathroom, click here.

For design inspiration, view Monarch Kitchen and Bath Centre's bathroom gallery here.