Author: canadianwoodworkingco

Whether you have a compact condo apartment or large suburban home, one thing is for certain: we all have kitchens. The kitchen is the most important room in our home. It is the centre of our day-to-day ritual, our social space, we prepare our meals and host large dinners.

For many people, whether you’re a full blown home chef or have a fridge full of frozen meals, the kitchen is undeniably the heart of the home. That is why everyone The Great Canadian Kitchen treats each kitchen renovation with enthusiasm, patience and an unwavering level of love.

At first thought, redesigning and equipping a kitchen sounds easy. All you need is a stove, a fridge, obviously a sink, a faucet, some cupboards, a few drawers, oh and a pantry, maybe a water dispenser, some people like a beverage cooler, is that needed, oh and you need to buy is few pots, pans, and dinnerware, and voila, you’re set, right?

Not quite. When you consider all the hardware, plugs, lighting, counter space and the ever growing list of small kitchen appliances that have become so invaluable to day-to-day life—Microwaves, Toasters, Can openers! Insta pots! Oven mitts!—well you realize it is far from straightforward has become very time consuming. And that’s only the essentials—you still need to make your space feel stylish and personal.

To best help our clients, we asked a handful of our Great Canadian design experts about the 10 things every homeowner should include in their kitchen remodelling project.

01 of 10

START With the ESSENTIALS

Faucets, hardware and cabinet details like door pulls go a long way in transforming a kitchen. Before thinking whether you need new cabinets, think how new handles or a designer kitchen faucet could breathe new light into the room.

02 of 10

Lighting, lighting, lighting

There is nothing more important to the home than good quality light and good lighting requires with layers. Layering your light enhances the aesthetic appeal and creates the mood and ambiance of a perfect living space. Ceiling fixtures that illuminate a room creates a safe and comfortable environment, decorative lamps, pendants and sconces add style to the interior décor and task based lighting like under-mounts ensure every inch of your kitchen is functional.

03 of 10

SURFACE TREATMENT

Create a foundation for your space by selecting the right quality surfaces for the areas you touch most. With all the many options available today, it’s no wonder choosing a countertop material is an intimidating decision. However once you have that selected the rest of the room will follow.

04 of 10

Find a Practical Rug

The kitchen rug trend isn’t leaving anytime soon, so we might as well make sure you choose a practical style that’s easy to clean and maintain.

“A machine-washable rug is essential. In a high-traffic area like the kitchen, you need a rug that you are able to wash anytime and all the time,” says Jeneva Bell, founder of Ruggable. “Adding a stylish rug is one of the easiest ways to bring new life to any room in your home, and machine-washability will ensure the mood doesn’t change when spills happen.”

05 of 10

INTRODUCE PLANTS INTO THE KITCHEN

Filling your kitchen with greenery has countless benefits: they improve air quality, reduce stress, feel great and generally make people happier. Oh, and they are nice to look at. Find ways to bring plants into the space through wall gardens, window planters, herbs, or even some small citrus trees.

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