Endless options and products

There are so many steps to redesigning a kitchen, from layout and functionality to colour, material and style ... and how do you decide with the endless options and suggestions out there?

Once you have your design started making sure it has flow and functionality, works for your family, lifestyle and space, it's time to start incorporating your style of cabinetry. Your style has a huge impact on the design aesthetically but also functionally speaking. If you are drawn to a minimalist style with floating shelves instead of upper cabinets for example, then you need to make sure your lower cabinets not only LOOK fabulous but function well for storage.

Selecting a style for some may be the easiest part! Some people love the rich, warm tones and strong lines of the Traditional style, choosing beveled door fronts in a solid maple with dark glazing to add depth, chunky hardware in rich dark metals and detailed crown molding to add height and create a statement. Others want modern and sleek, choosing white high-gloss cabinets combined with aluminum framed pull-up doors and brushed nickel knobs for a look that's clean and minimal. Maybe a mix of the two is your statement! Sleek door panels in a slab profile but with a vinyl wrap, textured like wood grain. The options really are endless for recreating a style you love or creating your own that's truly unique.

Whether your style is Traditional, Contemporary, Transitional or Eclectic, your material options are endless as well! If you need durability, opt for a product like Melamine or Thermofoil. These two products are very similar in construction and are comprised of engineered materials that designers love to use for cabinetry due to it's durability and subtle texture. They are constructed by wrapping and heat sealing, resins or vinyls around a sturdy engineered wood product. They have no seams, a very durable finish and are offered in many style and colour options. Want sheen and shine? Choose acrylic in a wide range of colours and add in some metal door styles to add even more creativity to your space.

If you still desire a warm kitchen constructed of solid wood, your choices again seem almost endless with options in Walnut, Maple, Oak, Cherry, Rustic Alder and Rift Oak, not to mention the door styles available in those species and then the stains, glazes, paints or finishes to complete the look. And that's just the outside!

Don't forget about the interior of your cabinetry, especially if you have transom doors with glass inserts or open shelving. Options for interior cabinet colours include white, plywood, natural coloured melamine or even colour matching that's available for almost all finishes. Then there are the drawers to think about, not only construction of steel, double walled steel or wood dovetailed, but the closures need to be considered too. Soft closure options on drawers and doors are almost essential these days with larger families, little fingers and all of the entertaining that we enjoy all year long in Muskoka.

Once those decisions have been made, it's time to discuss accessories that again, can be overwhelming with themultitude of options available. Pull out spice racks, small appliance racks and smart corner units that utilize every possible inch leaving no space unused.

The process can be long, but don't let it be daunting! Start early, do your research and consider all options before putting it all together. Most importantly, drop in to Refined Kitchen and Bath to view samples, browse catalogues, chat about options and get excited about your new upcoming space.

Make your kitchen a statement in your home, give it a pulse and a purpose and make it work for you!

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