Mosaic Tiles Make a Big Impact in This Small Powder Room

Transitional powder room design by Monarch Kitchen & Bath Design

Often overlooked because of its limited size, the powder room can be the perfect space to make a bold design statement with limited investment.

  A Caesarstone countertop and Miralis Euro finish shaker cabinetry add style to this powder room design by Monarch Kitchen & Bath Design

In this transitional powder room design, homeowners combined contemporary mosaic tile backsplash with Miralis Euro finish shaker cabinetry (Ember) for a look that is both eye-catching and inviting.

"Miralis Euro finish doors are an excellent alternative that provides the 'wood look' in a space that blends both traditional and modern door design," says Monarch designer Chantal Miller. 

Bath design by Monarch Kitchen & Bath Design

"By placing the backsplash tile in a vertical pattern, it creates a focal point in a small space and keeps your eye moving all the way up the wall," says Chantal. The alternating textured smoke glass mosaic tiles also effectively reflect the light, making the room look bigger while adding a touch of glamour.

"Flanking wall sconces are an alternative way to place lighting in a powder room and allowed us to place an equally proportional mirror in the space," adds Chantal.

Additional design features include a Caesarstone quartz countertop (Frosty Carrine) and porcelain tile flooring from Sarana Tile.

Common-Sense Tips for Keeping Your Custom Cabinetry Beautiful

After months of planning and renovating, your dream kitchen is complete and all that's left to do is sit back, relax and enjoy ... or perhaps start entertaining!

It's no secret that the custom cabinetry you chose for your kitchen makeover ate up a good chunk of your renovation budget. Quality cabinetry is worth the investment but needs care to maintain its beauty for years to come.

Recently, Miralis released an updated maintenance guide for their custom cabinetry. Here are a few of their common-sense tips for caring for your investment.

Protect your cabinetry from extreme heat or moisture

Although quality cabinetry is designed to stand the wear-and-tear of daily life, there are some occasions when extra precaution should be taken. For example, when putting your oven on self-clean mode, it helps to open surrounding cabinet doors and drawers. To protect your cabinetry from excessive heat, bring your oven forward six inches (if possible). Excessive or constant heat coming from appliances such as an oven or dishwasher can damage the sides of the doors and cabinetry.

Appliances such as kettles, coffeemakers, toasters or toasters ovens can also cause damage to cabinetry. Once these appliances are turned on, they should be pulled forward so the heat or steam they generate won't damage the underside of the cabinetry. 

Steer away from hanging damp dish towels or wet rags on your cupboard doors. Over time, the direct moisture can cause the door's edge-banding to peel off, and may even warp or change the colour of the wood. 

Use the right tools for the job

Miralis encourages their clients to treat their wood cabinets "like a quality piece of furniture," maintaining their beauty with products made specifically for varnished woods. Found at your local hardware store, these specialized products remove the grease from your cabinetry without causing any damage. 

For melamine, laminate, polyester, acrylic or lacquer finishes that are matte, wash using soapy water (a soft soap, not dishwashing soap), rinsing with clean water to avoid a soapy residue and drying immediately to avoid streaks. Glossy finishes can be cleaned with Windex or a vinegar-water mixture and wiped dry with a cloth. Caring for glossy finishes is similar to cleaning a mirror. Abrasive products such as Javex, Comet, Ajax or Vim should be avoided.

Make minor repairs as needed

Cabinetry manufacturers understand that as careful as you may be, damage can occur and affect the overall look of your custom cabinetry. While all major repairs should be carried out by a company that specializes in cabinetry, minor repairs often require a simple touch-up that can be performed by the homeowner. Ask your cabinetry manufacturer where you can find a stain touch-up kit, touch-up markers or wax stick suitable for your cabinetry.

Cabinetry hinges take a beating over time and may need to be adjusted. In this easy-to-follow YouTube video, Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre president Neil Samson explains how simple it is to adjust your cabinet door hinges using only a screwdriver.
  

Self-Healing Cabinetry? Discover Similaque Absolute Matte Doors from Miralis

Similaque Absolute Matte Doors

With so much family traffic in the kitchen every day, consumers have longed for a surface that can stand up to the daily wear and tear.

Miralis, a longstanding industry partner of Monarch, has recently introduced Similaque Absolute Matte Doors. Designed in Italy using NanoTech Matt material technology from Fenix NTM, this new surface material boasts an array of product benefits including:

• low light reflectivity, extremely matt surface
• thermal healing of microscratches
• soft touch and anti-fingerprint
• antistatic
• mould resistant
• easy to clean
• hygienic and suitable for contact with food
• resistant to impact and scratch abrasion
• able to withstand high temperature changes
• excellent intensity and colour depth
• resistant to high heat
• enhanced anti-bacterial properties
• highly resistant to acid solvents and household reagents
• hydro-repellent

"It's great to have a warm modern product that is suitable for a family," says Monarch designer Janet Dawson. "Self-healing doors are a life-saver!"

Similaque Absolute Matte Doors from Miralis

To learn more about this new surface, click here or on the copy below the image above.

Monarch Adds a Little Luxury to the Laundry Room

Laundry room design by Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre

Often placed in the basement and devoid of decor or design inspiration, the laundry room can be a forgotten space. It's no wonder no one ever wants to do laundry!

"Please get my laundry room out of the basement!” This was the request from a client of Monarch designer Janet Dawson.

"While the space I had to work with was small, the client's wish list was large," says Janet. "There had to be lots of counter space for folding, cabinetry that could withstand the rigours of high traffic, a sink, good lighting, lots of storage...and it had to look good, too!"

 

Laundry room design by Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre

To maximize counter and cabinet space, Janet's design includes a stacked washer and dryer in one corner of the room. The L-shaped cabinetry layout provides space for a folding area and a sink, and the glass and marble mosaic back splash accents the beautiful granite counter.

Laundry room design by Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre

"The Miralis cabinetry has a polyfibre finish and is extremely durable," explains Janet. "The large overhead light fixture and under-cabinet lighting ensure there is good lighting regardless of how bright it is outside." 

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!

Our 5 Favourite Kitchen & Bath Trends from IDS 2016

Last month, Monarch designers headed to the Interior Design Show (IDS) in Toronto. Every year, the IDS shapes the industry for the year to come by celebrating leading brands, innovative speakers and rising local talents. This year, the spotlight was on Canadian-made products and small-batch designers. Here are five of designer Jackie Schagen's favourite trends from the show:

New and improved corner drawers from Blum

Rich colour and texture in engineered wood flooring

New colours to come from Miralis kitchen cabinetry

Unique textures in glass for showers and other partitions

New colour from Cambria -- Brittanicca

Whether you're planning a major home renovation or modest redesign, Monarch's design team will help you stay on top of the newest products and design trends for your home. Call us today at 905-686-2001 or drop by our showroom to speak with one of our designers.

Need to Cut Costs on Your Kitchen Cabinetry? Think Polyester...

photo courtesy of miralis.com

Yes, that's right...

POLYESTER.

Heat and scratch resistant, polyester cabinet doors are a great way to create the kitchen you want without going over budget.

They offer the illusion of wood and coordinate well with melamine and laminates.

Miralis Polyester Cabinets are available in a variety of colours.

Easy to clean and durable, five-piece polyester cabinetry has become an affordable and stylish choice for today's homeowner.

At Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre, our designers rely on the quality and selection of Miralis, a Canadian company specializing in high-end kitchen cabinetry since 1976.








Their five-piece polyester cabinetry is available in a wide variety of colours and styles.

To learn more about how you can save money by incorporating polyester cabinetry into your kitchen or bath design, call Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre today at 905-686-2001 or drop by our Pickering showroom at 1020 Brock Road, Unit 6, and view our onsite samples.


Have a question? Email us at:
contact@mkbi.com.


For more information on Miralis, visit www.miralis.com.

photo courtesy of miralis.com

Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre's Black Friday Extravaganza Continues Until December 2nd!

You don't have to live south of the border to enjoy extended Black Friday sales!

Drop by Monarch Kitchen and Bath Centre's Pickering showroom from now until Friday, December 2nd, and receive 10% off your new cabinetry order (for installations done before the end of 2012).

Browse through our onsite selection from such suppliers as...

• Urban Effects by Norcraft 
• Cuisines Laurier 
• Laurier Lite 
• KitchenCraft Cabinetry 
• Miralis 
• 
  

...and let one of our designers help you choose the cabinetry that's right for your new kitchen or bath.

For more information, call us at 905-686-2001 or visit us at 1020 Brock Road, Unit 6, in Pickering.

What is Sarah Overholt's Favourite Design Trend for 2011?

White and Grey are Back

"Although white and grey are not defined as colours, they are the new staple finishes of 2011," says Monarch designer Sarah Overholt. "Whether you're looking to do a modern, traditional or transitional kitchen design, these tones are a beautiful way to give dark colours life with white or light tints to accent...or conversely, punch up lightly tinted expanses with darker accents.

www.benjaminmoore.com

"The combination of these tones--or used separately as creative accents--gives the look of luxurious elegance that is soft and clean," explains Sarah. "Miralis, one of our manufacturing facilities, specializes in custom paint colours and has collaborated with Benjamin Moore so our clients can get the exact white or grey of their choosing.

"Be open to combine the white and grey tones with earth tones or bold colour. When working with a designer, they will help you determine what colour combinations work best together and in your new kitchen design."