Toronto, even Calgary, teach lessons in contemporary kitchens

By Frank O’Brien

Sliding glass and aluminum doors, at right, are both practical and stylish. Kitchen island with room for stools and wet islands are part of the contemporary look.

“It’s all about cabinets, quality and functionability,” said Gordon Taylor, a designer and manager of the Yaletown office of Calgary-based Empire Kitchens, “and I’m afraid Toronto is a bit ahead of Vancouver.”

To prove his point, Taylor walked Home Makeover through some displays of what defines the thoroughly modern kitchen: sleek cabinets, hidden appliances, high-quality finishing and strange looking knobby things on top of solid countertops.

The knobs are metal marbles that allow hot pots to be placed on a counter and, according to Taylor, they are all the rage in top Toronto and Calgary kitchens.

Taylor says there is a misconception in Vancouver that trendy translates into contemporary. He has a point. Home Makeover also visited another Yaletown kitchen showroom, which shall remain mercifully nameless - that sported glass countertops. Very nice, until we noticed a large chip broken off one corner.

“Glass counters are not the best idea,” said Roel Schootman, president of the Vancouver chapter of the National Kitchen and Bath Association.

Schootman agrees with Taylor that truly modern means truly smart. And this means choosing kitchen cabinets, countertops and appliances carefully — not scrimping on the basics.

Sleek Downsview cabinets, marble countertops and hot pot protectors define the sleek, contemporary kitchens. Note the stylish fan exhaust and (inset) pantry behind sliding doors. Refrigeration is tucked within the drawers and cabinets.

First, choose high-quality solid wood cabinets with durable hardware. Taylor is convinced that Toronto-made Downsview International cabinets are the best choice. They are expensive, he notes, but each unit is hand crafted and, he says, they now dominate the high-end Toronto market and are making inroads into West Vancouver and upper Shaughnessy.

Schootman urges top-end hardware. New products allow cabinets to open upwards, for example, and soft-close drawers and cabinets bespeak luxury while protecting the wood, he noted.

Aluminum and glass sliding doors are a cutting-edge design treatment that makes sense in a kitchen, Taylor said. They are incorporated into the cabinets, allowing easy access, yet closing to present a clean wall treatment.

Forget the granite countertop – there is simply too much of it around – and opt instead for marble or engineered solid surfaces, such as Caesarstone, a quartz composite, the experts told us.

For appliances, think zoned units where the fridge units are hidden in drawers, and built-in wall ovens are flush to the cabinets. There are two options for cooking tops: some say go with the big Wolf range and make a statement; others urge blending a quality ceramic cooktop into the counter.

Don’t be afraid to build in a coffee maker — Miele makes a great one — because the designers think the café craze will continue.

Ditto for wine coolers. Taylor explains that modern wine coolers are not only efficient, they are big space saver when compared to adding a wine room.

Besides, they can look terrific and add that upscale touch.

When remaking a kitchen, always buy the highest quality you can, advises Schootman, since it is the top brands that set the trend and deliver durability.•