Kitchens, kitchens

This kitchen renovation was supposed to have happened in 2014! But that's when a series of misfortunes caused pretty much annual delays (with the penultimate one being the pandemic and Humphrey's demise). I suppose the silver lining was that I had nearly a decade to collect reference photos and figure out what I really wanted.

BEFORE:

It's not that the kitchen was awful, but it was a very 1990s Home Depot vibe, with warm wood cabinets, taupe glass mosaic tiles, and black countertops. Design-wise, this it had been a DIY job by previous owners using "out of the box" layout that did not match the kitchen shape. You can see a peninsula (with no storage underneath!) which was positioned in such a way that the balance of the kitchen was completely dead space--the peninsula was in the way of a table, there should have been storage along the wall even beyond the peninsula. The floor was a dark laminate that was not laid properly (so it had gaps everywhere, and the finish was wearing off when I moved here!). Moreover, it clashed with the oak hardwood in the rest of the place. Originally, the walls were painted a fairly vibrant orange, but I repainted them in a light taupe when I moved in.

THE DESIGN:

The idea was to extend the same aesthetic from the rest of the house, including the oak floors (this was the early tour of the place when the first set of updates/decorating was completed, and the livingroom has not changed). The colour scheme was to be mostly white, with the warm floors. Storage was key, so I envisioned a pantry (initially the plan was built-in).

As the design took shape, I ultimately decided to keep (and repaint) the cabinets since the wood was good and they were a fairly neutral shaker style. Because of the placement of the sliding door, having a built in pantry became a huge logistical challenge (the pantry could only be as deep as where the sliding door started, obviously). In the end, I was able to pick up a stand-alone pantry for $400 on sale that I think fits the space well, and I'm quite happy with it.

I made some spur-of-the-moment design decisions when Lowe's in Vaughan was closing down, and I was able to get materials for 80% off, including a Carrera marble mosaic backsplash in a herringbone pattern! The countertops are quartz with a beige vein to pick up the warmth of the floors (which now match the livingroom/diningroom oak) and gold-tone accessories. Some of the decorative accessories (including the rug and the tiny dog sofa) were things I got years ago when this renovation was supposed to take place. 

AFTER:

There is now a glass dinging table over that rug, and acrylic
chairs so that nothing obscures the view and sunlight.  

Detail of cabinets, countertop and hardware. The drawer pulls are a brushed gold.

A brushed gold faucet (which is more subtle than I expected, yay!)
I wasn't sure about mixing metals, but in the end I think the gold reads as 
a neutral/brown, and it corresponds to the floors.
I love this fancy new sink with all the accessories.

All the dogs love the teensy lounge! Can you spot Harpo there?
Soon there will be a tiny "Central Perk" sign over the little sofa:)

Once everything came together, the greenery from the balcony and beyond became really prominent! I brought in an artificial palm to tie the green into the room, and it makes the natural green stand out even more. For summer, I will be using palm-themed textiles (cushion covers, tea towels) to bring even more life indoors.