What Dreams are Made of

Recently, I’ve noticed several surveys floating around Facebook and Instagram asking people which room in their home they find themselves spending the most time in. For me, the answer is definitely the kitchen; it’s the epicentre, mission control room, Grand Central Station, or whatever you might call it, and it’s the heartbeat of the home.

When we planned our recent kitchen renovation, it was important for me to not only think about the basics that I absolutely needed, but also consider elements that would make it my dream kitchen. Those who know me will attest to the fact that I love to cook, bake and entertain, and consequently, the kitchen is the hub, whether we are hanging out as a family or entertaining extended family and friends. However, even if your primary entertaining space is your living room or dining room, it seems inevitable that at some point your guests will end up in the kitchen!

My daughter, Ashley, is an interior designer and, at the time of our renovation, she was working for a kitchen design company. Not only was it exciting to contemplate a new kitchen, but it was also a lovely opportunity to work with her in designing a space that worked well for our needs as a family to create an aura of warmth, functionality and beauty. Ashley’s philosophy is: “If you’re going to spend a lot of time in the kitchen, you really want to fall in love with the space. The number one goal is to create a beautifully aesthetic design while also making sure it is functional.”

We knew it was time to update our 1990s kitchen with its dated lino flooring, green laminate countertops and tired appliances. We gutted the entire space and started from scratch, keeping some elements from the original layout but adding a sit-up peninsula. For me, this was an important feature in redesigning the kitchen, so I was insistent that we incorporate either an island or a peninsula into the layout. The beauty of any sit-up counter space is that it provides an additional social area for your family or guests. Our peninsula has become the hub for morning coffee, breakfast, lunch and especially happy hour; it also provides a perfect space for laying out drinks and appetizers when entertaining. People inevitably gravitate to the kitchen and this area provides both a functional and aesthetically pleasing space to gather prior to sitting down to a meal. 

Countertops

While options such as marble, quartz, laminate, butcher block and other stone countertops are still popular, Ashley maintains that “Quartz is the big seller right now, and it's what I would recommend to 99% of my clients. It's almost indestructible—much tougher than granite and easier to clean without needing daily maintenance and resealing down the road. Additionally, since quartz is manmade engineered stone, manufacturers are able to offer a huge variety of designs, colours and textures.” For our kitchen, we chose a white marble style of quartz that complemented the surrounding flooring and cabinets.

Kitchen cabinets

It’s hard to beat the refreshing look of white in a kitchen, and popular trends right now include mixing white cabinets with darker colours, which is why we opted to introduce grey cabinet accents in our kitchen. Other popular trends for 2022 are dark blues, various green tones, wood grain accents or even black. Adding open shelving to display dishes, bowls and other signature pieces has also become a new feature in today’s kitchens, but I prefer more traditional cabinets, as my priority is to keep the kitchen looking clean and uncluttered.

Appliances

Stainless steel has been around for some time, but they are still the most popular look for kitchen appliances, so we moved away from our previous look of white appliances. The stainless steel complements the contrast of white and grey in the kitchen. Since I spend a lot of time cooking and baking, we also included two convection ovens, which are so helpful, particularly when preparing large meals. We also felt it was important to include two dishwashers in the kitchen, and that has been one of our best remodeling decisions. Now that I’ve become used to having a second dishwasher, it’s hard to imagine living without it, particularly during those times when we are entertaining.

If cooking is important to you, then consider carefully the type of stovetop you plan to include. “Induction ranges are a popular choice in creating a dream kitchen. It's in line with many environmental movements being a non-fossil fuel range, but also hugely functional and fast,” says Ashley. Now that I have the induction stovetop, I am convinced we made the right choice. In addition to the speed in which it heats up, it is incredibly easy to keep clean.

Time well spent

Home improvements have been hugely popular during the pandemic, as people were unable to travel and instead spent more time doing home and yard projects. If you are planning a kitchen renovation, you need to consider that time constraints and supply issues may be a factor. “In any kitchen reno there are many different factors: contractor availability, supply lead-times and many other hiccups that may come up along the way,” explains Ashley. “For the design process, I would allow around three to four weeks for plans to be drawn up, fully measured and time to go through design and material options. The cabinetry wait time may be the longest and you will want to get that locked in sooner rather than later.” In general, you can expect the construction time to vary from six to twelve weeks.

Most importantly, do your research, check design websites and magazines for ideas, and come up with a wish list that will incorporate what you need for your dream kitchen. Once it is completed, you won’t regret taking the time to carefully consider what makes the kitchen the heart and soul of your home.