A Modern, Masculine Bath Design with Boys in Mind

Caesarstone quartz countertop on Urban Effects HDF cabinetry.
Bath design by Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre.

These homeowners wanted a clean, modern and masculine design for their busy family of boys.

"Although the design has an adult feel, it suits the family with multiple drawers for storage in the vanity and the installation of a new bathtub," says Monarch designer Jackie Schagen.

A hotel-style towel rack adds to the contemporary feel and helps keep the space tidy.

Modern bath design by Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre.

Design details

Cabinetry: Shaker cabinets in Urban Effects HDF, Black Bean

Countertop: Caesarstone in 3040 Cement (Classico collection)

Flooring: Sarana Tile, Artwork Acciaio porcelain tile

Artwork Acciaio porcelain tile from Sarana Tile. Bath design by Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre.

Give & Take: This Custom Kitchen Makes Cooking a Priority

Transitional kitchen design by Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre

To maximize the kitchen work area, these homeowners parted with their front hall closet.

"In this home, we had the front closet removed to create a more open kitchen and eating area," says Monarch designer Jackie Schagen. To compensate for this, the tall pantry beside the wall ovens hides a closet bar and room for boots and shoes.

"A single sink allows for increased counter top space and a large bowl for the items they choose to hand wash."

And since the homeowners enjoy cooking, they upgraded from a standard range to a separate cook top and wall ovens.

Tall pantry hides a closet bar and a room for boots and shoes.

"Our clients selected the durable Euro Finish cabinets in the Black Magic colour, which we balanced by having a light and bright Caesarstone countertop. The textured herringbone backsplash adds a touch of subtle sophistication," adds Jackie.

Euro Finish kitchen cabinetry in Black Magic.

Caesarstone quartz countertop in Ice Snow

Luxury Meets Style in This Stunning White Ensuite Bath Design

White bath design by Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre

By adding square footage to their ensuite bath, these Pickering homeowners were able to make room for both luxury and style.

"This was a significant renovation," says Monarch designer Jackie Schagen. "We took part of the closet to make the bathroom bigger, and then took some of the extra large bedroom space to expand the closet area."

White bath design with Cambria quartz shower by Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre

Standout items in this stunning ensuite bath design include a freestanding tub and a Cambria quartz shower (Summerhill). 

The plain white tile wainscotting and white inset Miralis Euro finish cabinetry provide clean lines in this transitional design. Recessed, wall and ceiling lighting help set the mood.

A soaker tub adds luxury to this white bath design by Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre

Monarch Adds a Fresh Take On A Tired Ensuite Bath

En suite bath design by Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre

These Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre clients were ready to update their ensuite bath from the builder's design to a space they could really enjoy.

Ensuite bath design by Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre

"When we started planning with them, we realized there was space wasted behind the shower wall," says Monarch designer Jackie Schagen. "We used the unused space to incorporate a larger shower with a seat."

Ensuite bath design by Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre

The addition of a bench integrated with a grab bar and both a rain and hand-held shower will allow the homeowners to stay in their house as long possible.

"These small but important changes combined with a warm fresh look provide a whole new bathroom experience for our clients," adds Jackie.

Does your outdated ensuite need a makeover? Drop by the Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre showroom for some design inspiration and advice from a member of our knowledgeable design team.

Why Young House Love DIYers Chose Custom Cabinetry and Cambria Countertops for Their White Kitchen Reno

Photo credit: Young House Love, used with permission

As kitchen and bath designers, Monarch's team is constantly monitoring trends and we draw inspiration from a variety of sources. 

Last October, when popular Young House Love DIY bloggers Sherry and John posted pictures of their latest kitchen renovation, Monarch designer Jackie Schagen was eager to see what they'd done. 

As a long-time Young House Love blog follower, Jackie wasn't surprised that Sherry and John had chosen to go with a white kitchen (their first two kitchens were also white); what she did find interesting was their departure from installing an Ikea kitchen.

For their kitchen renovation, Sherry and John chose white custom cabinetry from a local US manufacturer citing solid craftsmanship, colour consistency, and a variety of upgrade options as their reasons.

As Sherry notes in her kitchen-reveal blog post, using Ikea cabinetry "takes some ingenuity" to pull off some of the finishing touches and ensure everything looks well-balanced. 

For their kitchen counters, they went with quartz from Cambria, a name Monarch blog followers no doubt recognize. Cambria's durable, stain-resistant quartz countertops are nonporous and have been deemed as being as safe as stainless steel in commercial food preparation kitchens.
 
"Despite their love for Ikea cabinetry and saving money at every turn, in their third home renovation these seasoned DIYers decided to go with quality custom cabinetry and Cambria countertops," notes Jackie. A decision the design team at Monarch can totally get behind.

Related posts:

7 More Reasons to Love Cambria Countertops

Common-Sense Tips for Keeping Your Custom Cabinetry Beautiful

This White Kitchen Adds Warmth with Texture and Style

The Three Layers to Lighting Your New Kitchen Design

White kitchen design by Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre

With so many important elements vying for the attention of homeowners during a kitchen reno, it's easy to understand why many DIYers often make the mistake of leaving lighting decisions to the end of the renovation process. This can be a huge mistake.

Lighting plays a significant role in a kitchen's overall design. It not only serves to highlight select elements of the space, it enhances the practicality of one of the most used rooms in your home.

"When planning your new kitchen or bathroom, be sure to pay attention to your lighting plan," says Monarch designer Jackie Schagen. "To create effective lighting for your space, you should consider both function and aesthetics. Spend time considering who uses the space, at what of time of day and what tasks are being performed."

White kitchen design by Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre

Layering is essential to good lighting. There are three main layers involved in lighting a space effectively.

General Lighting

The purpose of this lighting is to illuminate the overall space. "Most often we are using recessed LED pot lights, but ceiling fixtures can also be installed," says Jackie.

Task Lighting

In the kitchen, under-cabinet lighting is both useful and safer than chopping in a dark, shadowy place. In the bathroom, it's important to have good lighting at the vanity area to reduce shadows on your face and ensure good makeup application.

Ambient Lighting

This includes decorative ceiling fixtures and lights inside glass cabinets. This use of lighting is intended more for decoration than function.

"It's important to remember that all of these lights will perform best when switched separately, especially with individual dimmers to accommodate different times of natural light," says Jackie. "The beauty of a well-lit space is not to see the light but know that it is there."

Choosing Cherry for Your Kitchen Cabinetry

A few weeks ago, we began our blog series on the different wood types available to choose from when redesigning your kitchen or bathroom. This week, we examine the distinctive characteristics of cherry.

Often associated with use in more traditional settings, cherry can be paired with modern finishes for a more contemporary look and feel. “There’s a richness and depth that you can only get with cherry," says Monarch designer Jackie Schagen. "The variation in colour and grain gives a very elemental look that can only come from a truly natural material.”

Cherry:

• brings a sense of warmth to any space
• smooth, fine-grained appearance with uniform texture and random markings
• character comes from mineral streaking, fine pinholes and pitch pockets
• ranges from tan blonde to deep brown and darkens naturally as it ages
• hard enough to withstand everyday life

Are you ready to make your kitchen and bath renovation dreams a reality? Call Monarch Kitchen and Bath Centre at 905-686-2001, or drop by our kitchen and bath showroom and chat with a member of our design team. 

Photo courtesy of Cuisines Laurier.

No Streaking, Scuffing or Fingerprints: Introducing Absolute Matte from Miralis

Monarch Kitchen Bath Centre is excited to offer the new Absolute Matte collection from Miralis.

"This new technology allows us to provide our clients with sleek, flat doors in a stunningly soft finish," says designer Jackie Schagen. "Highly durable and resistant to fingerprints, Absolute Matte is a practical solution for families wanting a more contemporary style."

Absolute Matte Facts

• Resistant to streaking and scuffing
• Uses nanotechnology allowing thermal reparation of streaks with the help of an iron
• Retains no fingerprint residue
• Strongly resists humidity
• Low maintenance, hygienic and with reinforced antibacterials
• Resistant to light, heat and friction
• Offered in 4 deep and intense colors
• Extremely matte and with no reflective qualities
  

Samples of Absolute Matte are available in the Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre showroom. Come see -- and touch -- for yourself!

Coloured Appliances: Are You Ready to Say "So Long" to Stainless?

Bertazzoni Professional Series

Not for the faint of heart, coloured appliances are slowly making their way into an increasing number of kitchen designs.

Bertazzoni Professional Series

For those homeowners who lived through the harvest-gold and avocado-green appliance trend in the 70s, it's understandable why committing to colour would require some courage. It also explains why stainless steel appliances are all the rage. After all, what doesn't go with stainless steel?

But if you're ready to add some warmth and character to your kitchen design -- and you're tired of constantly wiping fingerprint smudges off your stainless steel appliances -- there are many options to choose from.

Bertazzoni Heritage Series

"Coloured appliances can be a fun and unexpected way to personalize your kitchen," says Monarch designer Jackie Schagen. 

"In a contemporary kitchen, a Professional Series Bertazzoni range can pack a punch while their Heritage Series range selection is better suited to a tradtional style with a nod to the past. 

"If 50s retro is more your speed, why not try a coloured refrigerator from Smeg? They even have cute small appliances to match, like toasters and kettles!"  

Call Monarch today to learn more about incorporating coloured appliances in your new kitchen design.