Modern kitchen make-over in Toronto's
beautiful Forest Hill - By BiglarKinyan Design Partnership Inc
Kitchen renovations were popular this year. This month we visit
a unique and modern kitchen make-over in beautiful Forest Hill by
BiglarKinyan Design Partnership Inc (BKDP).
THE PROBLEM
The existing kitchen cabinets were representative of the 1980s
and generic, in a white colour melamine slab door design. The kitchen
location was central to the house and separated from the family
room, with a dividing wall containing a small pass-through. The
partition wall blocked most of the sun-light that entered from the
adjacent family room. This resulted in a very narrow space that
was disconnected from the rest of the house. Cabinets above the
pass-through provided some storage, but they were difficult to access.
The home owners asked the designers at BiglarKinyan Design Partnership
Inc. to re-design their kitchen to be ergonomic and stylish. The
new kitchen was to open up into the adjacent family room and be
designed in a warm and timeless, yet modern fashion. After an initial
consultation with the home owners, the designers at BKDP first got
a sense for what their clients liked and disliked about the old
kitchen, then they began working on a proposal to create a dream
kitchen.
DESIGN GOAL 1: CREATE A MODERN, TIMELESS KITCHEN
First, to create a modern style the designers proposed a design
with wide slab doors in a warm and natural cherry veneer. To tie
the kitchen with the architecture of the rest of the house and to
maintain a timeless aesthetic, a streamlined single cove crown moulding
was added. The designers used a 2”x2” natural limestone
mosaic backsplash on a diagonal pattern to maintain a streamlined
look, while adding warmth to the modern style of the kitchen.
DESIGN GOAL 2: OPEN CONCEPT WITH AN ISLAND
The new kitchen was to feel like an open concept space, with an
island but without drastic modifications to the structure of the
house. To achieve this, the designers first relocated all tall cabinets
(major storage center containing additional pantries) and large
appliances to the north wall; this way the volume of these cabinets
would be out of sight upon entering the space.
On the south side, the pass-through height was increased in order
to give the impression of an open concept plan and to bring sun-light
into the kitchen space. On that same wall three glass upper cabinets
were installed as a module to give the kitchen an open and light
European look.
On the completely tiled west wall, a wide Miele stainless steel
vent hood was a unique focal point. The horizontal bias of the hood,
thick countertop edge, and drawers on that elevation gives an impression
of a wider space. This open space also balanced the masses on adjacent
walls, and since no upper cabinets were installed on the west wall
the concept of openness is emphasized further.
OTHER DESIGN SOLUTIONS
Small appliances often create clutter. The designers at BKDP resolved
this problem by incorporating 1) a full-depth appliance garage within
the tall cabinets of the north wall and 2) a wine cooler within
the peninsula. The built-in microwave and oven were relocated to
the right side of the cooktop, minimizing the distance between all
appliances, thereby increasing the efficacy of the layout.
To remedy the lighting problem, BKDP replaced the ceiling-mount
fixtures with strategically placed low-voltage halogen pot lights,
which give a brighter and better quality of light. These lights
were reflected off of the cabinet faces to produce a warm ambiance.
Low voltage dimmers allowed for personalization of lighting for
different occasions and 3200K warm toned mini fluorescent under-cabinet
lights produce a good work-light.
The key to any successful renovation is to pay attention to details.
The designers at BKDP listen to their clients’ wishes and
incorporate them into their work plans. To see more work by BiglarKinyan
Design Partnership Inc. or to learn about their services please
visit their website at www.bkdp.ca
Click here
to view more pictures of the Toronto kitchen renovation
BiglarKinyan Design Partnership is a member of
HandyCanadian.com. Click
here to view their profile.
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