New Year, New Promotion…

Happy New Year everyone!  We hope your holidays were a time of enjoyment, rest, and relaxation…and to help extend that feeling of bliss a little longer, we’re introducing a new promotion for January.

We like to call this promo the New Year’s Promotion (yes, it took a lot to come up with that title).  What is being offered is as follows:

Save 7% off (the difference in tax) all orders placed by January 31, 2012*.
Receive an additional 25% off all Columbia Cabinet orders placed by January 31, 2012*.

This is one of the best deals we’ve been able to offer yet, so come in soon and let us design something amazing for you!

*Applies to orders of $2,500 or more (before taxes).  Cannot be applied to previous orders or combined with any other promotion.

Save the tax NOW!

If you have been holding off on renovating your home  due to the HST referendum, wait no more!  Until December 30th, we will pay the HST on new cabinetry, kitchen renovations, and refacing renovations* (a savings of 12%).

For those of you wanting to renovate your bathroom, we haven’t forgotten about you -  we will pay the 7% difference between the HST and the PST*.

So don’t wait, let us build your new kitchen or bathroom today!

*Offer applies to orders totaling $5,000.00 or more.  Cannot be combined with other offers.

Color Concepts: Wasabi Kitchen

Welcome to another installment of Color Concepts.  We love what we do and our designers are excellent at what they do.  Case in point: the gorgeous kitchen featured in today’s post.  We love the use of color that is both fun and classic.  We always stress the importance of choosing colors that are timeless as opposed to trendy, but that doesn’t equate to bland.  You can definitely incorporate fun color into your design – it’s all about subtlety and ensuring that any other color that is incorporated complements rather than competes.

The warm green is wonderfully complemented by the cream color of the remaining cabinetry and the countertop ties everything together with its flecks of green…so pretty.  So you see…color can be timeless too!

Guess that material: PAR-KER Original Ceramic Parket by Porcelenosa

Ok…we were all amazed when we were introduced to this product. It’s a new line of ceramic TILE (that’s right tile!) that replicates the look and texture of real wood without the maintenance and environmental impact. We love being able to offer “Green” products and the fact that this line looks so stunning doesn’t hurt either!

The line is called PAR-KER. As previously mentioned it’s tile that is created to look (and in some cases, feel) like real wood. They offer a plethora of colors to simulate a variety of wood species. They are available in several finishes and textures to complement any taste.

I know, I know, why on earth would someone want to use tile that looks like wood when they could use the real thing?

Well, there are several advantages:
1. Of course there is the environmental aspect…using tile that looks like wood doesn’t require the destruction of any living trees.
2. Tile is sturdier and can withstand daily wear and tear with fewer visible effects in comparison to its lumber counterpart. If you have pets and love the look of hardwood floors, but not the scratches caused by their little nails, tile would be an excellent option.
3. Tile is fire-retardant. Should a fire start (heaven forbid), tile will prevent it from spreading in the areas where it is installed.
4. Tile fares much better in areas of high humidity, moisture, and water content; thereby making it ideal for use in bathroom applications.

Just think of the possibilities…wood tile opens up options that you may not have previously thought possible…how about wood tile for your shower base? Or as a feature wall in a modern living area? Take a look at some of the concepts devised by the creatives at the Porcelenosa Grupo…you’re only limited by your imagination!

*Photo credits to Porcelenosa Grupo (www.porcelanosagrupo.com)

Guess that material!

Since it’s Friday, we’d thought it’d be fun to play a little guessing game to introduce a new line we recently heard about. So…let’s play guess that material!

What could it be?

Take a closer look

Here's another closeup

I'll give you a hint...it's NOT wood

We’ll let you stew on that for a bit…the answer and more information will be posted later today so stay tuned!

Door Style Overview

With the countless door styles available today, choosing one can be a daunting task.  Don’t panic just yet…most styles will fit into one of three main categories: Flat Panel (Shaker), Raised Panel, and Slab. While the options in each category are vast, narrowing down your basic silhouette will help simplify the decision. From there, it is a matter of determining which style fits your home and personal taste (traditional, modern, minimalistic, country, etc.).

Flat Panel: 

This style is sometimes also referred to as a “Shaker”.  It looks similar to a picture frame with a flat panel in the centre (hence the name).  The fist picture illustrates a very basic flat panel door.  The addition of various trims can change the look of the style in many ways; ranging from subtle to dramatic.

Basic Flat Panel

Flat Panel with Raised Moulding

Flat Panel with Slated Panel

Flat Panel with Ogee Cornerbead

Flat Panel with Bevelled Edge

Raised Panel:

I like to think of this style as a picture frame around a 3-dimensional object.  It is characterized by a raised panel in the center of the door (the first picture shows a basic raised panel door).  Again, the addition of various mouldings and trims changes the overall look and feel of the door and provides countless configurations to choose from.

Basic Raised Panel

Raised Panel with Raised Moulding

Raised Panel with Raised Moulding

Raised Panel with Bevelled Edge

Raised Panel with Ogee Cornerbead

Flat Slab:

This last category is a very basic flat front door. There are no features on the face of the door and minimal options can be made to the basic style. This door style lends very nicely towards a sleek, modern aesthetic and can drastically change the look of a room through the use of different materials and/or colors.

Flat Slab door

Flat Slab door

Flat Slab door

Flat Slab door

*Photo credits to Columbia Cabinets (www.columbiacabinets.com)

Every manufacturer will have their own interpretation of the configurations available in each category, but hopefully this post has clarified some things.

Product Feature: Cambria Quartz Waterstone Collection

Here at the Kitchen Idea Centre, we love Cambria Quartz.  We first saw pictures of their new Waterstone collection a few months ago and were so amazed at the movement and color selection.  Several pieces are intended to replicate the colors and designs found in natural granite…without the maintenance.

It took some serious restraint, but we wanted to hold off on featuring this collection until it was ready (or almost ready) for production.  A lot of love went into the design of these 12 colors…and it shows.  We hope you are as amazed by the collection as we were.  So…without further ado, let us introduce you to the Waterstone Collection by Cambria:

Westminster

Wellington

Torquay

Shirebrook

Sharpham

Praa Sands

Newport

New Quay

Buckingham

Braemar

Bellingham

Aberdeen

*Photo credits to Cambria Quartz (www.cambriausa.com)

The collection will be making its way into production towards the end of August-early September.  If  you’d like a closer look at these colors in person, we have samples available for viewing at both of our showrooms.

Product Feature: Richelieu Handles

It is the details that make all the difference in a design.  Adding sparkling new handles are a subtle way to add flare to any space.  If you are in the market for something special, Richelieu recently released a handle collection that is sure to add pizzazz to any room.  Some items in this collection feature semi-precious stone inserts such as: onyx, mother of pearl, and amber.  For something as dramatic, but without the shine, the collection also includes porcelain handles and handles of various geometric shapes.

*Photo credits to Richelieu

You may not want to use these handles on every single door in a room, but as feature on a few key doors and/or furniture pieces, the result would be stunning.

Product Feature: 180fx by Formica Group

A couple of weeks ago we featured the 180fx laminates from Formica as a budget-friendly countertop option.  Formica recently added some gorgeous new colors to this line that we will be featuring today.  We’ve already talked about what makes this line unique to other laminates so let’s just get on with the pictures shall we?

Formica 180fx samples

Petrified Wood

Soapstone Sequoia

Travertine Silver

Breccia Paradiso

Slate Sequoia

Calacutta Marble

Black Fossilstone

*Photo credits to the Formica Corporation (www.Formica.com)

Everyone here at the Kitchen Idea Centre is amazed at how realistic these laminates look and feel! This is not your grandmother’s laminate. Each pattern is available in a variety of finishes designed to complement the material they imitate…it’s something you have to touch to believe.

Hidden in plain sight…bathroom design with seniors in mind

While aesthetics are important in a bathroom…it shouldn’t be at the sacrifice of safety.  With an aging population, we have to keep their well-being in mind.  The problem with conventional grab bars and shower seats is that they are unsightly and look…well, functional.  Enter the Invisia Collection…they offer support rails that are cleverly integrated into the bathroom accessories that one would normally expect to find without being conspicuous.  They come in a range of finishes to match any decor and offer an almost spa-like feel to a bathroom…a huge upgrade over the previous generation of support bars…functional or not, these grabs bars are meant to be seen!

Towel Bar

Toilet roll holder

Soap dish

Shower seat

Corner shelf

Accent ring

photo credits to Invisia Collection (www.invisiacollection.com)

So…do you see yourself using any of these accessories in your bathroom?