The Marrying of Modern and Rustic Design -- Sarah Holmstrom's Favourite Design Trend for 2013

"One of the most exciting design trends that is beginning to surface for the 2013 design year is the marrying of two styles," says Monarch designer Sarah Holmstrom. "The juxtaposition of Modern with rustic elements makes for some very exciting designs, and has some gorgeous results."

"Think of a white shaker door, and add a kitchen table made of barn board," explains Sarah. "Or think of stainless steel being married with a kitchen that has board and batten moldings. It can make for a warm and inviting space that has interest." 

Sarah also suggests using any exposed brick in your home -- or the slab doors in your new kitchen design -- to add interest to the space.

Thinking about redesigning your kitchen this spring? Call Monarch Kitchen and Bath Centre at 905-686-2001 to speak with one of our designers or drop by our showroom at 1020 Brock Rd., Unit 6, Pickering.

Monarch Kitchen Honoured by Ajax-Pickering Board of Trade

Monarch Kitchen and Bath Centre is pleased to announce that we have once again been recognized for our sustainable business practices. On Monday, April 23, 2012, Monarch designer Sarah Overholt visited the office of Ajax-Pickering Board of Trade and accepted the Eco-Business Level III award on Monarch's behalf.

Sarah Overholt, Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre (centre, left) and Don Terry, OPG (centre, right)
are presented with an Eco-Business Level III certificate from the Ajax-Pickering Board of Trade.

From the Ajax-Pickering Board of Trade:

"The Ajax-Pickering Board of Trade (APBOT) officially launched Level III of their Eco Business Program at the APBOT Offices today. The release of the Level III Checklist marks the third and final step in the Board's Award Winning Eco Business Program. Companies that have completed Levels I and II of the program are eligible to submit their Level III checklist and certificates are granted to companies that achieve compliance with 80% or higher on the checklist

"It is fitting to launch this third and final Level of our Eco Business Program here on April 23rd, the work day closest to Earth Day which was celebrated around the Globe yesterday," said 2012 Ajax-Pickering Board of Trade President Gary Strange of First Durham Insurance and Financial. "As a long standing member and former chair of the Eco Business Advisory Committee, it is with no small degree of pride that we take this next step." 

The special launch event was attended by many local dignitaries including Mayor Steve Parish and Councillor Joanne Dies of Ajax, Mayor Dave Ryan of Pickering and Peter Bashaw representing the office of Corneliu Chisu, MP for Pickering Scarborough East. Mayors Parish and Ryan brought greetings and words of congratulations to the Board of Trade. 

Level III certificates were presented to Don Terry representing Ontario Power Generation and Sarah Overholt representing Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre."

Walk-in Showers: Sarah's Favourite 2012 Bath Design Trend

Sleek and elegant, the walk-in shower is designer Sarah Overholt’s favourite bath design trend.

Often home to an elaborate, spa-like shower system, today’s walk-in showers can give an airy open feel to a large bathroom or keep a small bathroom from looking cramped.

“The walk-in shower is becoming a very important design feature in bathrooms where homeowners are searching for a 'spa-like' feel," says Sarah. "Where all aspects of the bathroom are open and flowing."

Walk-in shower -- Bath design by Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre

“There are many reasons why homeowners choose walk-in showers when redesigning their bathroom. For example, when you are looking to have open access to your shower, you can create a shower designs to incorporate many modern conveniences and contemporary looks suitable for a variety of bathroom décor,” explains Sarah. “And because walk-in showers are generally larger, you can also have a dry zone near your walk-out area. This is a great spot for adding teak benches and towel hooks.”

In this video, the designer of the 2011 NKBA Best Bathroom showcases an extravagant example of how seamlessly walk-in showers can be incorporated into a bathroom.

Visualizing Your Kitchen or Bath Design Using 20-20 Design Software

One of the biggest challenges homeowners face when renovating and designing a kitchen or bathroom is visualizing the way their new living space will look when the job is done. Although floor plans are helpful for measuring out what goes where, there's nothing quite like 3D imagery to help you get a true feel for how the room will look once the renovation has been completed.

At Monarch Kitchen and Bath Centre, we use 20-20 Design software to guide our clients through the design process, showing them their ideas as both a floor plan and with elevation views with 2D and 3D shapes.

"I've found the 20-20 Design program to be incredibly beneficial," says Monarch designer Sarah Overholt. "Not only can my clients see the layout we are proposing to them, but they can literally stand in their new space...and this is very helpful since most clients come to us because they are unable to visualize how their new space will look and feel."

This industry-leading software allows Monarch to design, plan and visualize kitchens and baths using thousands of products from manufacturer catalogs and realistic 3D renderings. Created specifically for the kitchen and bath industry, this dynamic program ensures that all designs follow the industry-standard design guidelines set out by the National Kitchen and Bath Association. In fact, when Monarch designer Melissa Foley submitted her design to the NKBA Kitchen Design Competition earlier this year, she submitted 3D renderings created with 20-20 Design software.

"With a wide range of appliances, furnishings, plumbing items, and finishes, our clients can get a true concept of their space," adds Sarah.

If the inability to visualize your new kitchen or bathroom is keeping you from making your renovation dreams a reality, Monarch's team of designers can help. Drop by our Pickering showroom or call us at 905-686-2001.

Another Spectacular Monarch Kitchen Design Transformation

Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre designer Sarah Overholt recently completed a stunning kitchen transformation. Her mission? To update the overall look and feel of her clients' kitchen, making it both functional for everyday life and perfect for entertaining.

With almost every kitchen renovation, there are barriers to overcome when combining a client's wants and needs with what can realistically be accomplished in the space available.

This kitchen was no exception.


"One of the biggest barriers in designing this kitchen was the sheer size of the island," explains Sarah. "Creating an open concept was also a challenge. We accomplished this by using a hutch cabinet to marry the kitchen and dining room together."

"One of my client's top priorities was having the cooktop placed in a very central spot in the space," says Sarah. "The colour scheme was important to them, as well; they had a two-tone look that they wanted to achieve."

"As big entertainers, they wanted to make sure that the island in their kitchen could accommodate the large parties they have...and more than anything, they were looking for a major 'wow' factor."
  
The kitchen's main highlight? "It is impossible to pick just one thing to love about this kitchen," says Sarah. "The cooktop is definitely a major highlight of the space...with the free-hanging hood over a corner cooktop area."

"But the raised seating portion on the island is stunning, too--it's solid heart-cut maple and provides a nice change of texture for such an expansive island. The sink area that was framed like a furniture piece, the custom hutch...there are so many little details that pulled this spectacular kitchen together."

Monarch's Whole-Home Makeover Continues: Safety First

The team from Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre continued work on John and Cindy's 1,000 sq. foot Toronto home--this week dealing with insulation and support issues.

The steel support beam installed in the ceiling replaces all interior support walls and creates an open concept.

“The exterior walls had no insulation in them whatsoever. We framed up new exterior walls and will insulate to bring the home up to current building code," explains Monarch president Neil Samson.

"The steel beam installed on the ceiling along the center of the room is what allowed us to remove all interior support walls and create this very open concept," says Monarch designer Sarah Overholt.

"Most of the second floor joists had to be replaced because of holes from previous renovations and cracks from age. The building inspector was very impressed that she didn’t have to issue an order to do this work," adds Neil.

"When it comes to issues of safety, we believe in being proactive. Our client's safety is our number one priority and we deal with every issue as it comes along and to the best of our abilities."

Many of the basement joists were compromised structurally.

This picture of John & Cindy’s basement shows the main floor joists after the room was stripped out. Many of the joists were compromised structurally due to cracking and dry rot." says Neil. “This is not uncommon in a home that is 100 years old or more. Most of these main floor joists will have to be replaced.”

Next blog post: Reconstruction begins

Follow this Renovation: Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre's "Whole Home" Makeover

This is John and Cindy’s kitchen. Their 1,000 sq. foot home, built in the 1920’s, is located in the Toronto neighbourhood of Lawrence Park.

"What began as a kitchen renovation turned into a whole home renovation," says Monarch designer Sarah Overholt. "When you start picking out the areas of your home that you don’t like, many parts of the home can be affected by the choices you make."

In this case, John and Cindy's objective was to create a warm, open concept while staying true to the time period of the home.

"The kitchen and dining areas were too small and the living room--also too small--had the staircase causing disjointed site lines," explains Monarch president, Neil Samson. "By creatively addressing these issues, we continued the flow of the design and new space through to the basement and second floor. The house will be completely gutted…all new electrical, all new plumbing, all new insulation...and brought up to code."

Follow us in the coming weeks as Monarch transforms John and Cindy's home.


Next post: Home renovation is definitely scary when you walk into your home and the inside is gone.

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."

Monarch welcomes kitchen designer Sarah Overholt

Monarch Kitchen and Bath Centre is pleased to welcome Sarah Overholt to their kitchen and bath design team.

Sarah's passion lies in helping clients create their dream home with creative designs that are as beautiful as they are practical.

"I am delighted to be joining the Monarch design team on a full-time basis," says Sarah, an honours graduate of Georgian College's design program.

"My previous duties as production assistant and part-time designer with Monarch have helped me understand how much time and care goes into each project from the initial design consultation until project completion."

Sarah is excited to expand her client base with Monarch and looks forward to creating more spaces that are truly unique for each homeowner.

"I'm incredibly grateful to owners Neil and Sharon Samson for their faith in my abilities," says Sarah. "Their dedication to client satisfaction has been truly inspiring."

Call Sarah today at 905-686-2001 and discover how Monarch Kitchen and Bath Centre can inspire your kitchen and bath design.