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

What's on Your New Kitchen Wish List?

Design by Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre

One of the very first things a Monarch designer does with new clients is visit their home and review their concerns and "wish list" for the new space.

For this Toronto kitchen design, designer Kevin Samson asked his clients why they wanted to remodel, and their response was an overwhelming "We hate it!"

Design by Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre

"After asking them a series of questions and discussing their concerns with the existing kitchen, we determined a number of areas that required improvement," says Kevin.

"Their biggest complaint was the lack of adequate food preparation counter space, and the inability for two people to work in the kitchen at the same time."

Design by Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre

"The first item on their wish list was achieved by increasing the space between the sink and cooking surface, and adding a larger counter section on the left side of the sink," explains Kevin. "They now have a kitchen with large prep areas that comfortably accommodates two cooks."

Coming soon: Kevin reviews how he addressed more items on this client's wish list.

White Kitchen Cabintery Provides Light, Airy Feel in this Design by Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre

In this stunning transitional kitchen design by Marion Cuddie, white kitchen cabinetry is accentuated by exotic granite on the island and back splash. Under-cabinet lighting helps highlight the stone.

New pot lights and decorative pendants add to the natural light in this white kitchen design. Over-sized drawers provide a practical and easy-to-use storage solution. A custom table adds polish to this light and airy space.

The buffet area features matching white cabinetry and offers storage for items not used everyday. It also provides an additional serving area for hosting large family events.

This "extra special place for him" has matching white cabinetry, a TV, fridge, beer fridge and freezer drawers.

Does Your Dream Kitchen Include White Cabinetry?

Find these design ideas and more on Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre's page on houzz.com, or drop by our showroom and speak with one of our design team.