Monarch's "More-than-a-Kitchen-Reno" Whole-Home Makeover Continues

For most homeowners, gutting their kitchen prior to renovation can be a bit overwhelming. From a physical standpoint, there is the inconvenience of not being able to use the space for weeks at a time, not to mention the dust that inevitably comes with a tear down. And emotionally—even though you’re excited about transforming and updating your home—it's tough to watch the place you've made so many happy family memories stripped bare.  

For Cindy, whose 1,000 sq. foot Toronto home is being renovated by Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre, seeing their entire home gutted was devastating.
 
"When I walked into my house after the first few days of demolition, I was devastated and terrified that we had made a mistake,” admits Cindy. “Seeing a house I love and have built a family in destroyed was hard to take...the realization that places in the house where memories were made were gone."

Monarch president Neil Samson was not surprised. "As much as we crave change and want to improve our surroundings, there's an emotional element to tearing down the walls of our home that often sneaks up on homeowners."

For Neil and his team at Monarch, this emotional turmoil only adds to the incredible sense of responsibility they feel to ensure each step of the renovation process runs smoothly. 

"In this case, we aren't just working on a kitchen or a bathroom, we're renovating an entire home," explains Neil. "We could sense John and Cindy’s stress and tension building during the rip-out and demolition—it really is the first serious test of your relationship with the homeowners.

“From experience, we know things will turn around when reconstruction commences,” adds Neil. “For now, however, we have to deal with demolition, previous building code infractions and any little ‘surprises’ that teardown reveals...anything that will compromise safety. All the while, maintaining a good working relationship with our clients.”

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. 

What Will Be Your Favourite Thing in Your New Kitchen?

Trying to decide which features to include in your kitchen redesign can be incredibly overwhelming. With so many elements to consider--cabinetry, countertops, flooring, appliances, sinks, faucets, lighting--it's no wonder some homeowners find it difficult to stay focused. Often, the best way to explore what's right for your kitchen is to learn from the experience of others.

www.dreamkitchenrenodiary.wordpress.com

A few years ago, one of Monarch's clients decided to write a blog chronicling her family's kitchen renovation process. Over several months, she recorded the reasons for the renovation, the before pictures, details and pictures of the tear down and wrote an ongoing description of how her family of four coped during that time of upheaval. One of our favourite posts--and one we're sure you'll find very useful--was written almost two years to this to day and, with her permission, we've reprinted it here:

These are a few of my favourite things
December 28, 2008

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens
Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens
Brown paper packages tied up with strings
These are a few of my favorite things!!

We’ve been singing this song ever since we saw The Sound of Music in November. (It was wonderful, by the way.) And I can’t think of a better way to describe my kitchen than to say that it is chock FULL of my favourite things. We have hosted three dinner parties since the majority of the renovations were completed two weeks ago and I must say that people have been blown away by how incredible our kitchen has turned out. The dust and  disaster of the renovations now seems like a bad dream and in the spirit of the “12 Days of Christmas,” I’m ready to share my 12 favourite things about our new kitchen.

12. A place for everything and everything in its place – There is a ton of storage space in this kitchen and so many opportunities to store things in logical places.

11. Hidden Spice Drawers – I love the two sliding spice drawers underneath my gas cooktop. No more rifling through my cupboards; everything is at my fingertips.

10. More Countertop Space – With the addition of the island, I have a ton of countertop space. This means I can now store my mixer, espresso machine and toaster on the countertop and it doesn’t interfere with my food prep area — the island.

9. Lowered Workspace – Speaking of the island, not only is it HUGE but we had the counterop made lower than usual to accommodate our height deficiencies (translation: we’re short!). Friends, family and even Nick (in the early stages) questioned our decision to do this, but this is definitely one of our favourite features of the entire kitchen.

8. Lowered Cooktop – We also had our cooktop lowered and this makes preparing food so much easier. Instead of grabbing a stool for the final stages of my wok cooking (stop laughing, it’s not easy being short), I can actually stir big pots full of pasta or soup with ease.

7. Gas Stove – Oh, how I love my gas stove! Of course, the fact that I spent the past eight years cooking on a 30-year old almond-coloured stove may contribute to this love…but only slightly. Instant heat is a beautiful thing.

6. Breakfast Bar – This is a family favourite to be sure and a great place for guests to congregate while we mix drinks or prepare dinner. Love, love, LOVE it!

5. Lights – We have gone from three lights (in total) in our kitchen and dining room to over 20 pot lights, four pendant lights, under-cabinet lighting and a chandelier-type light fixture over our table. Needless to say, we see things a little differently now :)

4. Two Sinks – While Nick may have briefly questioned the lowered countertop on the island, I questioned whether I REALLY needed a prep sink on the island. Thank goodness I decided to keep it; I love having a sink specifically for washing fruits and vegetables…right by my food prep area. And the main sink is huge. I can stack a pile of dishes in there and it doesn’t even look full! Having two sinks is an indulgence, but hey…go big or go home!

3. Back Splash - I wanted tumbled marble, but Nick had something else in mind. We took the advice of a good friend and went to Tile Zone in Ajax and found long, narrow porcelain tiles that our pal Christian installed with black grout. The result? An urban feel that makes the cabinetry pop. I love it and I love my husband for having such great taste.

2. Roll out drawers in the pantry cupboards – I had a walk-in pantry in my old kitchen, so space wasn’t really an issue…except for the fact that I could never find anything! I love being able to pull out a drawer and see exactly what I have. It’s really quite basic…but very important.

1. Room to Move, Cook, Party and Enjoy – I had to laugh at one of the electricians that came into our home. He had been there many times since the renovation began, so he had a good feel for the space. But once the cabinets and countertops were installed, he commented that “this isn’t a kitchen, it’s a banquet hall!” Yes, our kitchen is big. One might even say huge. And this is what I love about it most. We had 12 people for dinner on the Sunday before Christmas and as everyone stood around the island and sink and stove, I realized that there was still room to move! Lots and lots of it! One of the things that I hated most about my old kitchen was that, despite its size, it didn’t make sense. The layout didn’t allow for more than two of three people in the prep area at once. I’m starting to realize that our ‘dream’ kitchen isn’t just a room for us to enjoy, but instead, it’s a place we can share with our family and friends for years to come.

To view the entire blog, visit www.dreamkitchenrenodiary.wordpress.com.

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.

When Only a Happy Client Will Do

www.homestars.com

While an 8 out of 10 rating on Homestars.com might be enough for some kitchen and bath design companies, a recent review by "Jenni in T.O." left president Neil Samson wondering where Monarch had gone wrong. After reading her 8/10 review, Neil and designer Melissa Foley contacted Jenni immediately and resolved the outstanding issue to her complete satisfaction. Jenni re-posted her review and gave Monarch Kitchen and Bath Centre a 10/10 rating.

Bathroom bliss 

Posted by Jenni in T.O. on November 8, 2010

"Monarch did my bathroom renovation and there were a few outstanding issues which initially led me to give a lower rating. However, Neil and Melissa were amazing at following up to ensure that I was completely satisfied and I now am!! Thank you for superior customer service and believing in your product! I will definitely recommend Monarch to others and use them again myself!"

Another 10/10 rating posted last week:

Wow factor!
Posted by Jeff in Pickering on November 15, 2010
"We shopped around a few local kitchen places before we chose Monarch. Melissa was excellent in making us feel special and that we were making the right decision. She presented us with an excellent design that covered all of our 'must haves'. She was thorough, listened to our ideas and suggestions and both her and Neil were always accessible to answer any questions or concerns that we had. Of course as with any renovation, there are glitches, but the ones we had were very minor and handled in a professional and timely manner. We are extremely happy with the end results and have blown away our family and friends with the transformation. See the photos for yourself! We would definitely recommend Monarch Kitchen to anybody." 

 

For a complete list of Monarch Kitchen and Bath Centre reviews on Homestars, click here.