Small Kitchen Renovation: 25 Ways to Transform Your Home & Love Your Kitchen

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A small kitchen can be challenging to cook in and enjoy, but you can transform your kitchen from cluttered and cramped to convenient and classy. These 25 small kitchen renovation ideas will help you find the best design, lighting, and storage solutions to make your small kitchen a space you love. 25 Small Kitchen Renovation Ideas With the right strategy, a small kitchen renovation can transform your home and make your kitchen roomier, brighter, and more functional. Here are our best ideas and tips for your small kitchen reno. Small Kitchen Design Ideas Take a “less is more” approach to your small kitchen design. Make the best use of your small space by considering workflow and maximizing functionality.  1. Incorporate the work triangle The work triangle—a standard concept in kitchen design—is like an imaginary line between the sink, cooktop, fridge, and back to the sink. Its purpose is to minimize movement and maximize convenience. Learn more in How to Use … Read more

5 Easy Ways Your Kitchen Can Save You Time & Money

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Inflation is a topic we hear about constantly these days. When they reach their limit on financial frugality, some people work more hours to make up the difference. So, Canadians are looking for ways to save both time and money. Surprisingly, your kitchen design can help! 5 Tips for a Kitchen That Saves You Time & Money By incorporating a few strategic kitchen features and practicing a couple of helpful habits, your kitchen can lower your grocery costs and make efficient time management possible.  Here’s how to use your kitchen to help you save time and money.  1. Set up an information center to prevent impulse purchases The rising cost of groceries has significantly reduced the number of unplanned items Canadians buy, a recent study found. Impulse buying has become a luxury since sticking to our budgets is more difficult.  An information center—sometimes called a command center—in your kitchen can minimize the temptation to buy on impulse. Set it up … Read more

3 Helpful Ways to Reset Your Kitchen for the New Year

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The holidays are a busy time of year, and even the most prepared household experiences a disruption in routines. There’s a general sense of disorder when the festivities are over. So, as the new year approaches, we long for a fresh start. Taking some time to reset your kitchen will help you step back into normal (or new) routines with ease.  3 Quick Tips to Help Prepare Your Kitchen for a New Year These three simple tips are all you need to get your kitchen in order and help you set up for a successful start to the new year with less stress. 1. Plan Some Meals You need to eat. Period. After turkey feasts, limitless chocolate, and way too much of our traditional holiday goodies, we’re stuffed to the brim. So we sink into our easy chairs and declare, “I won’t need to eat till next year!”  But the reality is, you’ll wake up tomorrow and your body will … Read more

Improve Rental ROI With These Top 5 Kitchen Upgrades for Rental Properties

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Kitchen upgrades lead to plenty of valuable benefits for you as a landlord—increased property value, less maintenance, and attracting a better pool of applicants, to name a few. Statistics show that there is always value in a kitchen renovation.  3 Important Considerations Before Upgrading the Kitchen in Your Rental Property Your inclination might be to renovate your rental property kitchen with the lowest possible budget. But it’s important to consider the kind of renters you want to attract and the value of durability. You don’t want to be renovating after every tenant; you want something that can withstand the test of time.  Don’t worry! This doesn’t mean you need to put in a high-end custom kitchen. There is a happy medium that maximizes your investment.  Here are three other things to think about when upgrading your rental property kitchen. 1. Simplicity is key Your tenants want to customize the home as much as possible. They also have a monthly budget. … Read more

Is a u-shaped kitchen layout right for me?

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What kitchen design layout is right for you? Many factors determine the answer to this question. This post focuses on the u-shaped kitchen layout to help you decide if it’s right for you. We’ll look at the pros and cons of a u-shaped kitchen layout and give you some tips to make a u-shaped kitchen work for you.  What is a U-Shaped Kitchen Design Layout? A u-shaped kitchen layout has 3 connected sides that form a “u” or horseshoe shape. This layout provides an open feel, allowing you easy access from the wide open end and plenty of freedom to move around and work in the middle space. 5 Advantages of a U-Shaped Kitchen Layout Why would someone choose a u-shaped kitchen layout? What are the benefits? Let’s look at 5 pros.  1. Abundant Counter Space Because a u-shaped kitchen has 3 connected walls, this layout provides plenty of counter space. This allows multiple work areas and can accommodate more … Read more

How to Choose the Best Flooring for Your Kitchen Renovation

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Your kitchen flooring is an important selection. It’s the foundation of your entire kitchen design, and it’s also the foundation you stand and walk on as you work in your kitchen. It must be beautiful and durable at the same time. Here are some tips for choosing the best flooring for your kitchen renovation. 5 Things to Consider When Choosing Kitchen Flooring The prominence of your kitchen flooring makes it crucial that your choice isn’t based on colour or price alone. There are various factors to consider. Let’s look at 5 key things that determine the best flooring for your kitchen. 1. Ease of Maintenance The kitchen is arguably the messiest area of your home. Your flooring collects crumbs and catches spills. It gets sticky and needs regular cleaning. When choosing kitchen flooring, ask “How easy is it to clean and maintain this flooring?” Choose a material that’s water-resistant and stain-resistant. 2. Comfort You don’t think of flooring as something … Read more

9 Simple Ways to Design a Timeless Family-Friendly Kitchen

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Traditionally, we consider the kitchen the heart of the home, and for good reason. In the kitchen, you nourish your family with food, meaningful conversation, and homework help. The design of your kitchen should support these connections. So how can you create a family-friendly kitchen? How to Design a Family-Friendly Kitchen Every family is unique, so the kitchen design that works best for someone else might not work best for you. That said, there are a few universal tips to make sure you optimize your kitchen for your family.  1. Evaluate your needs What’s important to your family? How do you want to use your kitchen? Think about your needs and make a list to understand your kitchen design goals. Here are a few things to consider: Do you want your children involved in preparing meals? How many people do you expect to be in the kitchen at the same time? Do you want your children to ‌prepare some foods … Read more

3 Reasons Our Experience & Expertise Gives You a Better Kitchen Renovation Experience

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Choosing the right designer or project manager for your kitchen renovation is one of the most important decisions you’ll make in the entire process. The right person for the job will give you confidence and peace of mind, streamline the experience and minimize stress, and communicate clearly. Why Experience & Expertise Makes Your Kitchen Renovation Better With so many kitchen renovation companies to choose from, experience and expertise should be at the top of your list of criteria. Here’s why.   1. Confidence & Peace of Mind A kitchen renovation is a big project, and during the process, it can feel a bit unsettling. As your old kitchen is dismantled and removed, you’ll stare at a gaping space where you once enjoyed delicious meals and made precious memories. You wonder, “Are we doing the right thing?” When you place this monumental task into the hands of an experienced expert, you can have confidence and peace of mind for several reasons. … Read more

10 Places to Put the Microwave in the Kitchen

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Wondering where to put the microwave in the kitchen? You are not alone. It’s a common conundrum.  Moving your microwave to a new spot can get complicated quickly. The electrical outlet complicates things. If there’s no outlet in a convenient location for the microwave, rewiring turns a minor location shift into a massive job requiring a professional.  Fortunately, there are plenty of options for ideal microwave placement! Here are 10 places to put the microwave in the kitchen. Elevated Locations  An overhead microwave keeps your countertop clear and saves space. Here are 5 overhead spots for your microwave.  1. Over the range  This is the most common choice in kitchens. Position your microwave above the stove to keep it up and out of the way. This makes access easier and saves space.  Be sure to consider the size of your microwave. Too large, and it’ll overwhelm the space; too small, and it’ll look awkward here.  2. A drink station A … Read more

10 Practical Design Ideas for the Awkward Kitchen Corner

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The corner space where two banks of kitchen cabinets meet is called a “blind corner”. It’s often wasted space because it’s deep, dark, and inaccessible. Even when the design provides access by including a cabinet door, it’s difficult to reach items stored at the back unless you have exceptionally long arms and flexibility.  There are many tried and tested solutions to the blind corner cabinet conundrum. Here are 10 of our best practical design ideas for the awkward kitchen corner.  1. Lazy Susan A lazy susan is the classic go-to for corner cabinets. Spinning shelves allow you to access anything in the cabinet without having to reach. This type of cabinet typically has a bifold hinged door. There are 3 main types of lazy susans: Full circle shelves set back into the cabinet so the door can fully close Pie-shaped shelves to allow for the folding door Pie-shaped shelves attached to the door so they automatically pull out when the … Read more

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