Well guys, we made it here to the fun part - after photos! Getting to work with my parents as clients was such an amazing and unique experience. We had a few tense moments and many fun ones, and I am so happy with the final product. More importantly - they are happy. For over 30 years my parents have been putting me and my brothers first, and it makes my heart so glad to see them do this for themselves. They really deserve it!
The space feels so much brighter, lighter, bigger, and up to date. It also functions better and has way more storage. I know we will make many more memories together as a family in this kitchen!
Taking out the railing and bringing the cabinets right to the ceiling really increases the feeling of space. The light cabinet colour helps with this too. The cabinets are solid maple and sprayed in Simply White by Benjamin Moore. It is a slightly creamy white, which is warmer, more traditional, and works better with the style of the rest of the house than a cooler white would.
We went with polished nickel as our metal finish. It has a warmer tone than chrome, so it works great if you want to mix in brass finishes as well (we didn't do that here, but mixing of metals in the kitchen is becoming increasingly popular and is a look I personally love, so I'm passing on that handy little trick). Our hardware is the
Studio Collection from
Hickory Hardware in 3" and 5".
The hardware selection is actually one of those tense moments that I was talking about, as my parents and I had differing views on what the hardware should be...and by different views, I mean they were picking out some crazy 90's looking curvy things. When we found the Studio Collection, however, we all knew that we had a winner. It has nice clean lines with just enough detail to keep it from feeling modern or trendy. We were mindful of picking classic elements that would stand the test of time.
This is true of our backsplash as well. The oriental white marble backsplash from Creekside Tile in Toronto will never go out of style. The classic subway tile pattern in a slightly smaller size (2"x4") is simple and clean, and the natural material has beautiful variation in tones of cream, white and grey. The quartz countertops are speckled to hide crumbs so my mom isn't constantly scrubbing. I had to push my parents into quartz a bit (it has a higher price tag), but it is the best product on the market in terms of durability without compromising appearance.
This feature of the microwave cabinet coming down to sit on the counter adds extra storage and function. It also makes the microwave look more built in without the high price tag.
The old kitchen had a desk on the end of the run of cabinets. We still needed a spot for the phone and stationary items, but we chose to end the run of cabinets with a deep pantry. This way, the (sometimes messy) 'office' area is neatly tucked away as opposed to being the first thing you see when coming into the kitchen. Also, no one actually sat at the desk so we opted for a bottom cabinet for more storage.
Vintage glassware in shades complimenting the wall colour (Amalia by Beautitone Paint) is displayed in the angled glass cabinet. It's a bit of a tight squeeze here and we walk by this corner to get to the patio door, so angling it provided a less hazardous solution.
I really love the polished nickel pagoda lantern. It doesn't have any glass sides, which is key in a kitchen where grease and smoke in the air can be an issue. It was purchased at Universal Lighting in Toronto. It's large and makes a statement - perfect as it is in the direct sight line when you walk in the front door of the house.
What a transformation! I love you Mom and Dad!xox
To add even more colour, we found an inexpensive hutch and had it sprayed the prettiest blue. It was a happy accident that the colours that I proposed for the space in the initial design meeting went perfectly with Laura's vintage china. It was a design match made in heaven.
A sweet little white and gold starburst mirror over the bed frame adds height and whimsy.
