It’s finally time to reveal the dramatic "after" shots of my new kitchen with cabinets from AyA Kitchens & Baths! So exciting. From being frustrated with my previous kitchen to planning for a new one, it’s a great feeling to have the project completed. (This blog is sponsored by AyA. Follow my kitchen reno progress here.)
Ta-da! The result is a contemporary bistro-style kitchen. In place of the usual kitchen table, we went with a long counter-height table outfitted in the same marble used elsewhere for ample workspace.
Here's the handy new bar sink in the corner, with a ledge above made out of salvaged timber. To go from those yellow walls and mismatched cabinetry to this is quite dramatic.
I love the new cookbook shelves AyA put in, complete with drawers underneath.
Here's the new sink — it's so great to not have it squished next to everything else in the kitchen. The dishwasher is placed next to it for convenience.
I really like the magnetic chalkboard wall we painted. It's a cute way to showcase kids' artwork.
I now also have double ovens and a garbage pull-out to the left of it — love them both.
Under-cabinet lighting and glass doors are two features that really make the space brighter. The overall change was quite substantial, and I'm happy with the design and workspace created.
Going through any renovation is a learning process! Here's my advice:
- It’s worth sitting down with all those involved in the kitchen reno to ensure everyone is aware of what is happening first, second, third, etc. For instance, if you’re installing new floors, requiring new electrical lines or water lines, ensure each of these steps are happening at the right time, and that everyone knows what will be needed of them.
- By working closely with the AyA team, you’ll ensure your needs and wants are addressed, and will have a clearer idea of what to expect, and the process will run smoothly.
- Going in with a good sense of what you want in a kitchen, including many photos for ideas and inspiration, can be very helpful. It will help you and the designer see what elements are truly needed and inject more of your personality in it, too.
- Read the AyA Design Guide to learn more about the choices you'll have to make.
If you haven’t already, watch this online TV segment of my kitchen reno. In it, Cameron shares more details on the design choices. Now it's time for me to get cooking!
Photo credits:
1-3, 6. Jason Stickley
4, 5, 7. Cameron MacNeil
Sources:
Cabinetry, AyA Kitchens & Baths, visit ayakitchens.com for showroom locations across Canada; antique brass hardware, Restoration Hardware, Vancouver (604) 731-3918, Toronto (416) 322-9422, (416) 223-2055, 1-800-910-9836 or visit restorationhardware.com; Bianco Carerra marble countertops and island top, Marble & Granite Stonecraft, Mississauga (905) 565-7557 or visit mgstonecraft.com; subway tiles, Moscone Tile, Toronto (416) 741-7385 or visit moscontile.com; Axor Montreux Bridge Model kitchen faucet with side spray (main sink), Axor Montreux kitchen faucet (bar), Hansgrohe North America, call 1-800-334-0455 or visit hansgrohe-usa.com for retailers across Canada; island construction, shelf brackets, Perfect Stainless, Toronto (416) 533-5653 or visit perfectstainless.com; counter stools, Crate & Barrel, Calgary (403) 278-7020, Mississauga, Ont. (905) 949-1545, Toronto (416) 657-4100, 1-888-657-4108 or visit crateandbarrel.ca; salvaged timber shelves, Canadian Salvaged Timber, Toronto (416) 889-7801 or visit canadiansalvagedtimber.ca; pendant light, West Elm, Toronto (416) 537-0110 or visit westelm.com; rug, Elte, Toronto (416) 785-7885, 1-888-276-3583 or visit elte.com; Active Wall magnetic primer, MagnaMagic, visit magnamagic.com; curtain fabric, Designer Fabrics, Toronto (416) 531-2810 or visit designerfabrics.ca; curtain sewing, Tonic Living, Toronto (416) 699-9879 or visit tonicliving.com.
After Cameron MacNeil and I chose new cabinetry for my kitchen renovation, and AyA Kitchens & Baths drafted the layout, it was time to bring our ideas to life! (This blog is sponsored by AyA. Follow my kitchen reno progress here.)
First, we removed the cabinetry and I donated the ones in good condition to Habitat for Humanity, along with my appliances, which were still working well.
We laid down new floors before the cabinets were installed. I chose maple with a custom grey stain.
It took just two days to install the kitchen cabinets. AyA delivered the cabinetry and got right to work. On the first day, two AyA employees worked away, and on the second just one employee was needed to finish the job. They really knew their stuff and worked quite quickly.
After it was all assembled, AyA even cleaned up so I wasn’t left with debris everywhere! As you can see, we also had new lighting wired by an electrician. So exciting to see the changes!
With the cabinets in place, it was time to get our sources for the countertops and backsplash to add in those finishing details. Here's the gorgeous Carrara marble we chose for the countertops. (AyA can suggest sources for tiles, countertops and more.)
Cameron spotted this light at a vintage shop down the street for $300. And, if you can believe it, found its twin at another vintage shop on the other end of the city for $200! What are the odds? The lights offer a bit of old-style contrast to the kitchen's modern design.
We had classic white subway tiles installed with grey grout on the feature wall.
Then it was time for me to load up my kitchen! Here's an AyA cupboard option that features two doors, but when open showcases four roll-outs. Drawers are great for seeing items kept at the back.
We even had our new dishwasher drawers outfitted with AyA cabinet facings for a seamless look.
Now, check out the after photos! Plus, get a peek of the new kitchen in this TV segment and learn more about AyA.
Photo credits:
1, 3, 4. Isabella Cairess Favaro
2, 5, 6. Cameron MacNeil
7-9. Jason Stickley
I love looking at blueprints and floor plans, so when the time came to draft one for my kitchen renovation with AyA Kitchens & Baths, I was very excited. An AyA in-house designer came to my house and measured every aspect of my kitchen, and then discussed whether my needs were being met in terms of storage space, counter space, appliances and the room’s purpose. She showed me what options were available for my kitchen, considering the cabinetry styles I'd chosen previously. (This blog is sponsored by AyA. Follow my kitchen reno progress here.)
As seen in the before shots, the original sink was small and in a cramped corner, so in the new plans we moved it in front of a window on another wall, which looks out into the yard. To draft these plans, the designers have to know their stuff inside and out to get the measurements just right.
Because the plumbing lines were already in the corner where the former sink was, we added a bar sink and moved it over to the left. We also sacrificed additional cupboard space for open shelving to give the room an airy, spacious feel. This was also the time for me to go from a basic oven to a six-burner range, so AyA recommended a Fisher and Paykel one. Now I feel like a professional chef!
I really wanted a counter-depth refrigerator that would sit flush with the cabinets, so this was the time to allot space for that, too. AyA ensured each space on this wall was filled with storage, given that we opted out of upper cabinetry on the centre wall.
Throughout the whole process I was able to voice what I wanted and didn’t want out of the design, and AyA made suggestions and addressed my concerns. There are lots of cool features available for all your various storage needs. We toyed with these options from AyA when planning (click the photos to see more from each kitchen):
Shallow drawers for spices to let you see everything you have at once.
Narrow drawers with shelves to hold taller bottles.
Pull-outs to neatly house our green bin and recycling station.
An under-counter microwave spot. Lots of people have been doing this to keep it out of sight, especially in islands. I didn't end up going with this as I went with a counter-height table in place of an island, but it's a great solution.
Once we’d settled on a design it was time for AyA to get the pieces and put it all together! Read my blog on the construction process. Plus, watch a video of the kitchen reno in the H&H online TV show, and learn more about AyA.
Photo credits:
AyA Kitchens & Baths
One of the most noticeable things in a kitchen are cabinets. They take up a vast amount of space, and the slightest shift in colour or style instantly change a kitchen’s look. So, for my current reno with AyA Kitchens & Baths, it was important I chose the right ones. (This blog is sponsored by AyA. Follow my kitchen reno progress here.)
Before I went to the nearest AyA showroom, I gathered photos from magazines and the web of my favourite styles, colours and finishes so I would be able to easily share what I was hoping to achieve with AyA’s in-house designers. Knowing what styles I was interested before showing up made the cabinet selection process much quicker.
Senior design editor Cameron MacNeil came along for the trip to the Missisauga showroom, where we could see several kitchens already put together, from traditional to contemporary designs. It was great to have his input — I definitely recommend bringing a friend or family member who knows your design style.
One of the kitchens displayed featured built-in wall ovens, decorative glass and a clean, covered range hood. I liked the clean yet warm aesthetic.
Condo dwellers need not worry about having a small space. A built-in freezer, refrigerator and dishwasher keeps this look clean. You can hardly tell which is just a cabinet and which is an appliance! Plus, two levels of upper cabinetry makes full use of the ceiling height. But this look was a bit too contemporary for me.
Once I selected a cabinet style I was interested in, Cameron and I were able to see the variety of colours and finishes the door comes in.
I decided on this charcoal grey cabinet style, and with the help of an AyA in-house designer and Cameron’s advice, went with a creamy white cabinet for select upper cabinets. The on-trend combination meant that my kitchen wouldn't be overwhelmed by grey.
After I was happy with what we’d chosen, we got to peek into the manufacturing centre — right here in Ontario! It was very cool to see the production line and how it was all made. I love that they support local workers.
The best part was knowing AyA is properly certified for eco practices. From finding ways to reuse paint to the leftover wood, their own recycling programs help reduce the company’s carbon footprint. The finishes and top coats are made of low pollutants, too. (Read more about the company’s green practices.)
See the kitchen floor plans drafted by AyA’s in-house designer and how AyA maximized the amount of space we had to work with in my next blog.
Photo credits:
1, 4-7. Isabella Cairess Favaro
2, 3. AyA Kitchens
As a producer/director for online decorating shows, I frequently see a lot of beautiful kitchens. Yet not too long ago, my own kitchen wasn’t that dreamy.
Don't get me wrong, my kitchen is a really good, large space, at around 19 x 23 feet, but it was very poorly laid out. It’s all my fault — I renovated it in 1999 and was left with a terrible work environment. Now, 12 years later, I enlisted the help of AyA Kitchens & Baths to help give my kitchen a well-deserved facelift. (This blog is sponsored by AyA.)
With the sink in the corner, everyone was always clustered in the same corner to work. The cupboards on the left also ended awkwardly before reaching the end of the wall, which meant we had almost no counterspace. To create another prep area, we added an island, but it never looked right in the room.
The mismatched cabinetry, varying door heights and finishes looked very “bitsy” — it wasn’t a well-thought out space, which made it a really painful kitchen to work in. Not to mention the yellow. I had gotten so tired of those yellow walls. The eat-in dining space wasn’t well used either, and added even more wood than was needed to the room.
With all of this, it was about time for a kitchen makeover. My colleague, Cameron MacNeil, had worked with AyA Kitchens & Baths before, and so I ended up working with them to give my kitchen chic bistro style and ample workspace. The company creates custom-looking cabinets for a much lower price than a custom kitchen would cost, so was very appealing for the project.
I knew I wanted a kitchen reno, but I wasn't sure what styles I would lean towards, so I took a look at the AyA website for inspiration. Here is a more traditional look, with the Ascot cupboards in Charleston Clove.
The Stratus cupboards in Slate Grey Zebrano and Oyster Maple offer very clean lines. Maybe a bit too clean for my style, but still very nice.
I did like the deep grey of the Allegra Anthracite cabinets, and the deep, stainless steel apron sink. Once I'd gathered more inspiration shots and had an idea of what options were available, AyA was able to take my kitchen from those before shots to something magazine-worthy in a few weeks.
I can’t wait to show you the dramatic after photos! For now, read about my visit to the AyA showroom and choosing cabinetry. Plus, learn more about AyA.
Photo credits:
1. Isabella Cairess Favaro
Let us continue on the grand tour of my new place — before the makeover! Again, stay tuned for the "after" photos in H&H's June 2011 issue. If you missed the main floor, click here, and for our kitchen, click here. Remembering these days right after we bought really reminds me of how much work we've done to spiff it up.
Let's start with the front bedroom. It came with lots of vinyl wallpaper and some apple green silk drapes. I thought I might be able to work with those drapes, to tell you the truth. Notice all of the nice mouldings, old doors and hardware? They're my favourite!
Here's a shot of the landing at the top of the stairs. It's unusually large and square for a house this old, but it's a really nice feature and provides a bit of breathing room between the bedrooms and bathroom. And you've got to love the old drapes on that little window!
This is the guest bedroom — it's about the same size as the principal bedroom except for the closets. This blue is one of my favourite colours, but of course I repainted! You'll have to wait and see what I chose instead...
More great old doors and doorknobs. And the floors are in really good shape up here, too.
And here's the old bathroom in all its glory. Wallpaper, drapes, drapes over the tub, linoleum flooring — you name it! This was the first room we tackled and yes, there was a crowbar involved.
The house came with a great original pedestal sink and a beautiful white tub, but can you believe those awful faucets?!?! And that medicine cabinet? What were they thinking? You can see the 'cultured marble' tub surround in this shot. That's where I employed the crowbar. It came down with a crash!
Finally, the principal bedroom. It's a decent size and has a nice big window looking out over the yard. The closet situation is kind of unusual — it's like a little room unto itself with a his and hers closet each! Plus, there's a door out onto the roof (for sunbathing, I guess?).
Even though I had been pulling wallpaper down in the bathroom and kitchen, I was dreaming of putting wallpaper up in this bedroom. I can't wait to show you the results!
See the photos from my main floor, watch the video tours, and also see what my colleague Catherine MacIntosh did with her own home renovation.
Photo credits:
Michael Penney
Well the cat’s out of the bag. For those of you who saw the June teaser in the May 2011 issue of House & Home, you’ll know that my wife Sara and I are going to have our first home featured in the June issue. After enjoying two years in our charming little apartment in the city, we decided to head back east to put down some roots and make a home out of a house. Located in Oshawa, Ontario, we’re a hop, skip and a jump away from our family and life-long friends and couldn’t be happier.
Here’s the house when we bought it in January 2010. We didn’t close and move into the house until the spring, though.
It's perfect for us because it's in near-original condition and has all of the character and special details we love. I wasn't sure I loved that red roof, but I was certain I could warm up the trim work and windows to bridge the colour gap.
Inside, there's a spacious living room with built-in cabinets and hardwood flooring.
The ceilings on the main floor are extra high and there's plenty of light coming in from the big bay window. And a fireplace? Score!
The woodwork continues in the dining room, complete with panelled wainscotting and a hinged door that swings back and forth just like in all of those classic sitcoms.
There’s even more light coming in through the dining room windows and look, we found the original French doors hidden down in the basement. They were covered with decades of dust and grime, but we wondered if we could put them back in the entrance. And how about that brass chandelier? I think I can work with it...
The kitchen is pure retro kitsch. It has a smallish footprint but lots of counter space when you measure it out and tons of cupboard space. In old houses like this, there’s no bulkhead, so they ran cabinetry all the way to the extra high ceiling, which means plenty of storage for us. One thing that must go? The red and yellow tile! Oh, and the fleshy coloured linoleum flooring!
Here you can see an interesting little archway and the dining rooms’ swinging door. This is an extra hall that separates the front hall from the kitchen and also the dining room from the kitchen. It speaks to the formality of the home and a genteel lifestyle of keeping kitchens hidden from guests. And what's that strange cupboard in the wall?
It’s a built-in ironing board!
The front hall is nice and wide with lots of special details. I knew immediately that the red carpet runner was history and that we’d need to get painting ... fast!
Oh, and one little bonus: a spacious and luxurious bathroom! Just kidding. This is the front hall closet that the former owner had turned into a powder room. Green toilet seat, anyone?
Well, that’s the first floor for you, click here for the second floor, here for our kitchen, here for the video tours, and stay tuned for some DIY projects we did to get the place ship-shape for the photo shoot.
To follow my colleague Meg Crossley's basement renovation and photo shoot, click here.
Photo credits:
Michael Penney
It’s been almost a year since my fiancé and I took possession of our fixer-upper in downtown Toronto and embarked upon renovating it. There has been a lot of dust, dirt, stress and fun along the way (but no tears I’m proud to say)! Our main floor is now complete, save for a few lingering projects like painting the back door and the window jambs, and sewing some linen blinds.
I’ve shown you the newly painted staircase, so here is the front hall from the other direction. Under the original floorboards, we found some old mail (with one cent stamps) addressed to the home’s first owner, which I framed in a shadow box to display above our foyer catchall.
I’m a little hesitant to show you the state of our little retro cocktail room, but here it is with the now-exposed fireplace. We still need new cosy chairs and to construct some bookshelves, but for now it’s a great spot for a game of chess or a glass of wine. The old suitcases belonged to my grandmother, and, yes, we do use the old phone. My sister so kindly sent me the rug after reading in an earlier post that it was on my wish list! The plaid throw was my prized purchase from a trip to London last Christmas.
I showed you one side of our kitchen a few weeks back. This is the opposite side of the room (the shot on the left was taken before the table was in the room and the range hood was up). It took five coats of blackboard paint to perfect the look. We purposely didn’t install a permanent island as we like the freedom to move furniture around… a lot.
We had originally planned to use our antique table in this area as a formal dining space, but found it fit perfectly in the kitchen. Here, you can see the completed slat wall (created from the wood lath that was part of the original plaster wall.) It’s a great place to cuddle up beside the cat and talk to the person doing the cooking.
Now that the construction is over, I am enjoying decorating. Above is a little vignette on the living room window ledge and the pile of artwork I have yet to get up on the walls. It’s surprisingly difficult to put a nail hole in a brand new wall!
Thanks for staying tuned to my extended DIY reno blog. I’m signing off for now, but don’t be surprised if I come back sometime soon with tales from our upstairs bathroom redo!
To follow the reno from my first blog post, complete with before photos, click here.
Photo credits:
1-8. Catherine MacIntosh
One of the best parts of my job here at H&H is editing the Artist File pages. My inbox is always full of beautiful exhibition catalogues and images from amazing artists. So, for my second to last Renovator’s Notebook post, I felt it was only right to talk about the artwork I hope to buy for our newly renovated home, and, all of the works that I have had stored away for almost a year.
I was a bit gutted back in the winter when I found out this piece by Stephen Appleby-Barr was sold. It might not be everyone’s choice, but I think it would have been perfect in our new dining area.
Some of the most incredible homes have truly unique, and sometimes downright odd, works of art. I am so inspired by Butch Anthony’s personality-infused home.
After we’ve spent so much money on this renovation, I’ll be cruising the student art sales at colleges and universities — always a great source for affordable works. And for those of you like me who love printmaking, proof sales such as the one at Toronto’s Open Studio each year can also net you some great pieces that will transform any space. At holiday time, many organizations and galleries also hold fundraisers that auction off original works for good prices.
I am thinking of supporting a good cause and buying this abstract piece from New Brunswick’s Matt LeBlanc, who is painting 200 pieces in six months to raise money for cancer. Beautiful!
I’ve also found some stellar limited-edition works and fun posters that I can’t wait to have framed from websites like Etsy.com and Velocityartanddesign.com. And, I’ll need to find some shelf space for some quirky multiples from Artmetropole.com. For small hits of colour, I may hit up a painting-a-day website like Dailypainters.com.
This photograph by Joakim Borén, another online score from Eyebuyart.com, is high on my wish list.
I am lucky enough to have a lot of talented friends, and have collected some of their works over the years. Time to dust them off and hang them! In two weeks, I’ll share with you more photos of the completed house, artwork and all.
For more tips on where to find affordable art, and how to display and hang it, see our Art Advice Guide.
Photo credits:
1. Neon Rider, Stephen Appleby-Barr, Narwhal Art Projects
2. The New York Times, photography by Robert Rausch
3. Painting 56 of 200, Matt LeBlanc
4. Untitled #6 from Monoliths series, Joakim Borén, Eyebuyart.com
During our renovation, something we did rather quickly was choose a countertop. We went with a fresh white quartz counter by HanStone (Swan Cotton) that we purchased at Ikea along with our cabinets. A sale that day spurred us on, but we are so pleased with how it looks. We choose the 1-1/4” thick counter and added a waterfall for a bit of drama. As we’re both on the taller side and keen to never hunch over a counter again, we raised our cabinets a few inches higher than the standard height. Goodbye lower back pain!
At first I was a bit unsure of the flecks in the quartz, but I really love it now. Plus, the surface is so nice to work on, and is stain- and heat-resistant to boot. As you can see, we still need to put up a backsplash and some shelves.
These are some of the other options we looked at:
This pretty one is by IceStone, which is made of recycled glass.
And this comparable white quartz counter by CaesarStone takes the thick countertop to new heights.
The lovely solid surface in this kitchen is by PaperStone, and made of, you guessed it, paper. Green and gorgeous.
Everyone here at H&H is busy producing our big October issue, which will be full of great kitchen ideas, but in the meantime, check out our gallery of 8 Kitchen Styles for more inspiration.
Photo credits:
1-2. Catherine MacIntosh
3. White Pearl, IceStone
4. Shaded White, CaesarStone
5. PaperStone
