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.

Have Clear Goals for Your Kitchen Renovation

Before you begin renovation on what is probably the most-used room in your house, it's important to envision what you want to accomplish with your kitchen redesign. You'll also need to understand what problems you may be dealing with from the onset so you can budget accordingly.

The clearer your expectations are from the beginning, the happier you'll be throughout the renovation process and, ultimately, with the finished product. At Monarch Kitchen and Bath Centre, we encourage you to spend time dreaming BIG and exploring your options.

For a helpful tips on how to plan for and proceed with a successful kitchen renovation, visit the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) website.

Monarch Steps Up Clothing Drive to Help Herizon House

With Southern Ontario's unseasonably warm weather coming to a close, Monarch Kitchen and Bath Centre is looking to the community to help clothe the abused women and children who turn to Herizon House for help.

Located in Ajax, Ontario, and serving the Durham/Clarington Regions, Herizon House is a shelter for abused women and their families that provides a place of safety, support and empowerment.

Herizon House Needs Your Help

Women and children fleeing abusive situations often arrive at the shelter with only the clothes on their back. For many, having the courage to leave is just the first step in a long road to independence and healing.

Support the women and children of Herizon House with donations of brand new practical items that will help keep them warm this winter and help get their life back on track.

Some suggestions:

Brand New Practical Items for women, children and teens (girls and boys under 18 years of age) such as:

• Pajamas
• Slippers
• Socks, underwear, bras, etc.
• Hygiene/personal products
• Bed linens, towels, pillows
• Curling irons
• Hot rollers
• Makeup
• Household items
• Teens/kids – electronics, CD players, CD's, games, DVD's, etc.

All donations can be dropped off at the Monarch Kitchen and Bath Centre showroom, 1020 Brock Road South, Unit #6, Pickering. For more information, call 905-686-2001.

Monarch Designer Enters NKBA Kitchen Design Competition

Monarch designer Melissa Foley is hoping a recent kitchen design has what it takes to catch the attention of judges at the National Kitchen & Bath Association's (NKBA) annual design competition. 

Monarch is proud to be a member of the NKBA, an organization that promotes professionalism and ethical business practices and sets industry standards for conduct and construction around the world. With over 40,000 members, winners of NKBA's annual design competition represent the top kitchen and bath designers in North America.

"I decided to enter this kitchen project into the NKBA design competition because it is one of the biggest transformations of a space I have designed so far in my career," explains Melissa. "The client's typical U-shaped kitchen and closed-off dining room has been transformed into an open concept space where they feel comfortable entertaining their guests."

Creating a warm, welcoming and functional environment to entertain friends and family was a priority for Melissa's clients. The wall between their kitchen and dining room was removed, opening up the main floor so it now illuminates with natural light, creating a bright and cheerful feel.

To keep costs down, the structural post was left in and the island became the focal point of this new area. The newly acquired space allowed room for the pantries, refrigerator, microwave and a decorative open-shelf unit, and all tall units were put along one wall, opening up the rest of the room for much needed counter and workspace.

With the back wall now the cooking area, a convenient prep sink under the window and ample workspace on each side of the range, Melissa's happy clients can now easily work side-by-side. A small desk area at the very end of the range wall keeps papers within reach but out of the way. The old dining room—now part of the open-concept kitchen—with double beverage fridges, a wall-mounted TV and wine racks became the ultimate entertainment space and serves as the main eating area, as well.

"The traditional look of the cabinetry, the modern look of the hood fan, tile, faucets and stools, the elegance of the lighting fixtures and the vintage feel of the recycled wood table has transformed this into a unique, inviting dream entertainment space," says Melissa.

Click here to view NKBA's 2010 winning designs.

Help Monarch Support Herizon House

Please join us as we support Herizon House, a shelter for abused women and their families that provides a place of safety, support and empowerment.

Located in Ajax, Ontario, and serving the Durham/Clarington Regions (including Ajax, Bowmanville, Brooklin, Courtice, Oshawa, Newcastle, Pickering and Whitby), Herizon House is committed to ending the cycle of abuse and violence in the community.

How can you help? Drop off new or gently used household items at the Monarch Kitchen and Bath Centre showroom and Monarch staff will ensure your donation is transported to Herizon House.

Brand new household and clothing items--and even gift certificates--are given directly to families in need. For a complete list of suggestions, please click here. Gently used items are sold at their New Starts Store, with the proceeds benefiting the women and children served by Herizon House.

For information on dropping off items at the Monarch showroom, contact Amanda Willson-Suppa at 905-686-2001.

To learn more about supporting Herizon House directly, call 905-426-1064, or visit them online.