EPISODE 10: IT'S FINALLY HAPPENING - RENOVATING MY VICTORIAN HOME

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We finally installed the Victorian mosaic tiles I ordered from Winckelmans in the powder room!

RENOVATING MY TORONTO VICTORIAN HOME - EPISODE 10!

I know it’s been a few months since I last released an episode of my home renovation series but that is not because Adam and I have been relaxing and enjoying the summer, quite the contrary! Since moving back into the house and getting ourselves settled in, we have had to put our bigger renovation plans on the back burner and switch gears to concentrate on planning our wedding and getting married in Italy!

If you missed our big news, this past September Adam and I got married in Tuscany at the beautiful San Galgano Abbey. We kicked off our trip with a whirlwind weekend in Florence with friends before heading to Tuscany to check into our wedding villa where we would be hosting the majority of our wedding event. On the first night we hosted a large welcome dinner under the stars for all our guests before getting married the following day in front of all our family and friends. It was such a beautiful wedding and reception - a total dream come true! After one week in Italy, Adam and I headed to Croatia for our honeymoon where we spent a few days at a luxury boutique hotel in Hvar before sailing around to a few Croatian islands and finishing up in Dubrovnik for the last couple nights.

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My dreams of having Victorian Tiles in my house have finally come true!

Installation of My Victorian Mosaic Tiles From Winckelmans Tiles

Before leaving for our wedding, we were able to get a few things off our to-do list including the installation of our new Victorian mosaic tiles from Winckelmans Tiles that we had previously picked up from their distributor in Toronto, Deco Tile.

It felt so good to finally have my tiles from Winckelmans installed! Adam’s dad ended up helping me with the foyer install (making sure to add in some Schluter Ditra lining for extra waterproofing protection) while Duran from DuWolf tackled the powder room to ensure we could get both spaces done before we left. Although the sheeted tile format (which my Winckelmans Tiles came in) does make the installation process easier, it still takes a lot of thoughtful planning to make sure everything lines up properly and is measured and cut perfectly, so the install is no easy feat! In the end, both spaces turned out even better then I or Adam could have imagined and the black and white Victorian tiles with a matching boarder design turned out super sophisticated/elegant. I love how when you walk into the house the foyer plays off the black and white staircase in the background too which makes the whole entrance way feel cohesive and inviting.

There is still a lot of work we have to do to the powder room following the tile install on one of the walls and floor but I can already tell it’s going to look great once it’s done and the custom Victorian stained glass window I’m having made is installed. Stay tuned for the final look in the next episode!

Toronto home renoation - arched wine cabinet with fridge - compact wine fridge - at home bar cabinet with coffee nook - victorian cast iron radiator and herringbone floors with brass inlay

Our arched bar with wine storage is looking better than ever!

Installation of Our Wine Cabinet With Fridge for Our
Home Bar & Coffee Nook

Another job we were able to check off our to-do list before heading to Italy was the installation of our little arched bar/coffee nook!

Do you remember back in episode 6 when we started drywall and framed out an interior archway for a future little bar area with wine cabinet and wine fridge? Well the custom cabinetry we had ordered was finally ready for install! I went for a super simple design that played off the kitchen’s navy blue palette by having a small cubby with slanted shelves (perfect for storing wine bottles) made with a small drawer on top to hold bottle openers etc. We used the left over Calacatta Gold porcelain from the kitchen for a counter top and duplicated the natural oak shelves to add additional storage for liquor bottles and bar paraphernalia. All we had to do once the navy blue bar cabinet and shelves were installed was plug in our new dual zone wine fridge and Nespresso machine, and decorate! Adam and I saved a whole case of wine from our wedding that we are planning to stash away and open on future anniversaries so I’m really happy to have a nice space to store them. Not to mention a little area separate from the kitchen to mix cocktails for guests while hosting over the holiday season!

DID YOU KNOW the perfect wine fridge temperature ranges between 50 °F (11°C) and 65 °F (18°C) for red wine and 45 °F (7°C) and 50 °F (11°C) for white wine. Neither did I, I had to look it up. Also, needing to rotate your wine bottles every few months is a total myth. As long as they are stored on their side you’re fine! Learn something new every day! Haha!

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The plastic sheet draped over the front 2nd floor windows was becoming a huge eye sore!

Restoration of Our Original Victorian Windows

If you’re new to my channel or blog you might have been wondering why there is a big plastic bag draped across the front second floor window of our house. Well, do I have a nightmare story for you!

The evening before Adam and I were set to start drywall there was a massive rainstorm that called our attention to the badly deteriorated and rotted state of our 2nd floor windows. The water from the rainstorm was just pouring into our main floor front room and with drywall starting the next morning, we had no choice but to temporary fix it by draping a large plastic sheet of vapour barrier over the 2nd floor window as a way to keep water off of it as much as possible. This temporary solution worked very well. Amazing actually! The leaking instantly stopped but living with a large plastic sheet on the front of our house was a huge eye sore I was getting sick of looking at. So when Adam and I got back from our wedding and honeymoon, I called our carpenter and asked him to come work his magic.

Restoration of our front windows took a couple days but our carpenter quickly identify the obvious culprit. He started with removing all the rotten wood before replacing it with new wood and sealing any remaining gaps around the edges with spray foam. He did a great job replicating the original Victorian trim work and mimicking the original style just as I asked, and even primed the window with some primer paint to seal it in preparation for painting and a fresh outline of caulking.

It felts so good to not only get that plastic sheet off the front of our house but checking this off our to-do list gave me the reassurance I needed to feel confident that this window will no longer be a problem moving into the winter months.


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Giving the front of our house a little refresh!

Exterior Painting of Windows, Gable and Trim

After our carpenter wrapped up his work, Ariel and his painting crew came in to sand down and paint the front windows, gable, balcony and trim before sealing the windows off with some fresh caulking. Originally the gable, windows and trim was this dull grey colour and our front door and balcony spindles were black but none of it did anything to bring out the beautiful orange hue of the brick. I wanted something complimentary, that helped the house stand out and appear vibrant and glorious in its old age, and what better choice for that than orange’s most complimentary colour, blue! It’s my favourite colour after all!

So off I went to the paint store, with one small kitchen cabinet door tucked under my arm to find the perfect matching colour! Imagine my shock then to find out there is no Benjamin Moore colour that matches! The gentleman at the store ended up mixing the paint colour by eye and after a few small tweaks, we landed on the perfect formula! Thank god for paint snobs!

Now that the windows are restored and everything received a fresh coat of paint, the house is looking really sharp! I love how the navy blue paint accentuates the rich orange hue of the brick and how it changes colours (it sometimes almost looks black) depending on what time of day it is. To help underscore the navy blue trim we kept the front door, cast iron railing, 2nd floor balcony and eves/drain spouts black as a way to emphasize the difference in colour despite the navy appearing black at a quick glance.

Toronto home renovations - victorian homes - custom victorian stained glass window for powder room

Louis stopped by to drop off the completed stained glass window I had her custom make for my powder room!

My Custom Victorian Stained Glass Window Was Delivered!

Prior to leaving for the wedding, Louis had invited me to her studio in Etobicoke to finalize the design of the custom stained glass window she was making for the powder room. It was so cool to visit her studio and learn more about the stained glass classes she offers. The pieces she was working on for me looked incredible and exactly like the mock up design I had drawn for her months earlier. During my visit she showed me some final jewel options and glass colours she had selected, and asked me to choose what I liked the best before she began the welding phase of the production.

A few weeks later, while Ariel was still painting the house, Louis stopped by to drop off the finished stained glass window! IT LOOKED SO GOOD and I was so happy to see it installed and in all its glory in the powder room!


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Our La Cornue Cornufé range was finally installed!

Installation of Our La Cornue Range

It finally happened! After months of waiting for our new vent to arrive, two weeks ago we were able to get not only get it installed but we got our new La Cornue range installed too!

Originally, Adam and I had planned to have our stove installed in May when we moved in but the inspector saw the hole for the vent exhaust and said it was too big and not to code. Pivoting as best we could, we ordered a new vent that required a smaller exhaust hole but the kicker was we had to wait 16 weeks for it to arrive. In the meantime our new La Cornue stove lived in its crate in our dining room while Adam and I cooked all our meals on the BBQ.

After months of waiting our new vent arrived and we had our kitchen cabinetry maker from Domani Design Group come in to retrofit our range hood cabinet (because of course the new vent had to be a different size than our old vent) before having a professional appliance installer come in to finish the rest of the install.

By the way, if anyone is doing a kitchen renovations and needs a vent, we still have our old, unopened, Elica vent available for purchase! Model number is EAR140S4 if you want to check out the specs!

Now that our La Cornue stove is installed, Adam and I have been cooking up a storm. We love the duel electric ovens and powerful gas range. We also later learned that they discontinued making the La Cornue Cornufé range in the navy blue colour so it’s not even available for purchase anymore which makes me love it even more. I’m so excited to continue to play around with it over the holidays and feel way more confident about hosting family and friends for dinner now that we are not limited to just the BBQ. It’s going to make things so much easier and more enjoyable not to mention it looks like a piece of jewellery!

Overall, I am ECSTATIC about all the progress we’ve made on the house since moving back in. I even bought some lights on Black Friday which I can’t wait to arrive so I can install them! Christmas is also around the corner and I’m looking forward to getting our first Christmas tree and starting to host our friends and family for drinks and dinner.

Toronto home renovations - underpinning the basement - before

The current state of our basement - a sandbox!

2024 Plans: Tackling the Basement & Underpinning

In the new year Adam and I have plans to start tackling the basement which is currently a large sandbox. We want to do a big underpin in hopes of achieving an 8+ foot finished basement so it’s a bit more of a functional space and we can actually install our laundry machines (which is the last thing we need to install)! Until then they will continue taking up space in our living room. YAY! * eyeroll *

In preparation for the underpin (and before the ground froze) we had to cut away the bushes and smoke tree out front. Having to get rid of the smoke bush tree broke my heart, I loved that tree! Unfortunately it was so old, overgrown and wild that it produced less blooms each year and blocked all the light making it impossible to grow anything else. We have plans to re-landscape the front in the spring after the underpinning is done but for now we needed to prepare that front area for a demo bin.

Toronto home renovations - victorian homes - exterior window trim painting

The house after window restoration work and a fresh coat of black and navy blue paint!

Thank you so much for joining me today and for checking out my new Toronto home renovation series on Youtube. I am super excited to be modernizing a Victorian home while still keeping the charm of an old Victorian house. If you have any questions about my Victorian house renovations, what it’s like to live in Little Portugal, Toronto or recommendations for Toronto contractors, hit me up in the comments below!

Before I sign off, I’d also like to say a big thank you to Winckelmans Tiles and Deco Tile for partnering with me on this project. I’m so excited to be working with industry experts on our Toronto home renovations but want to reiterate that, like always, all opinions remain my own.

Until next time,

- Soheila

MORE BTS PHOTOS FROM THIS EPISODE


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EPISODE 6: THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL - RENOVATING MY TORONTO VICTORIAN HOME

Home renovations in Toronto - A Toronto Victorian Home - classical mouldings - plaster crown mouldings

Newly installed ornate plaster mouldings from Parsiena Design

RENOVATING MY TORONTO VICTORIAN HOME - EPISODE 6!

We are officially a month and a half into our finishes and I am already beginning to see the dream home I have been manifesting start to materialize. It’s one thing to dream and pin’ to Pinterest but now that it’s time to pull the trigger on the design elements I have been swooning over for the last year, my heart has begun to flutter with excitement watching it all come together.

Of course the finishes have come with their own set of challenges. Unlike everything that has happened up to this point, being ‘hands off’ means we’ve had to communicate very clearly and leave nothing to chance. There have been a few instances already where small assumptions have led to bigger mistakes and further work in order to correct immediately. Despite these obstacles, Adam and I continue to push our Toronto home renovation forward with bated breath, especially now that we are able to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

If this is your first time tuning into my new Toronto home renovation series and want to start from the beginning, check out Episode Episode 1: Sledgehammer Therapy and keep up with upcoming episodes by subscribing to my YouTube channel!

Since the last episode, a lot has happened at the house! Adam and I are happy to report that we passed our ‘pre-drywall’ inspection. I was so nervous for the inspection because I had to be on site by myself to answer any questions our inspector had. Thankfully I was able to calm my anxiety by keeping busy by cleaning the main floor and installing sound proofing insulation into the walls surrounding the middle bedroom on the 2nd floor.

toronto home renovations - soundproofing wall with sound batt insulation

Soundproofing the interior walls of our new second floor middle bedroom using batt sound proofing insulation

SOUNDPROOFING WALLS

Adam and I did a lot of research around soundproofing walls. Now that we had reconfigured the 2nd floor layout, adding in two new bedrooms and a bathroom, we thought it would be wise to soundproof the middle bedroom now if we hope to one day turn it into a nursery.

Although it is challenging to make a wall 100% soundproof there are a few things you can do to dampen the noise. The first thing we did was install sound proof insulation between the studs in the interior walls surrounding the middle bedroom. Given my recently acquired expertise in batt insulation (watch the last episode to find out what I mean) I was able to do this myself in just a few hours. After that, we had the drywall crew install SONOpan (soundproofing panels) prior to drywall as a way of adding an additional sound absorbing barrier between the rooms. This of course made the wall thicker, but it was a loss we were willing to accept in the name of comfort!

Home renovations in Toronto - A Toronto Victorian Home

We had to wrap the 2nd floor front window after we found a leak

WE FOUND A LEAK

Of course, nothing goes as planned when it comes to home renovations and the night before drywall was suppose to start we found a leak! There was a massive storm that night and Adam and I were at the house moving things out of the way for the drywall crew, when all of a sudden we spotted water drops coming from main floor ceiling at the the front of the house. Upon further investigation, we figured out that the leak was coming from our second floor windows and had to act quick. I ran to the basement and got a sheet of left over vapour barrier, which Adam and I used to wrap the front window and stop the leak. Thankfully our temporary solution worked and is holding up pretty well, but fixing the front windows is just one more thing to add to the list for spring.

Drywall went up pretty quick and obviously made a huge impact in making our Toronto Victorian home feel livable once again. Part way through, Adam and I did had to demo the existing stairs case and finish up the batt insulation along that wall, but other than that there wasn’t much work required for us to do at the house. Demoing the stairs did result in our basement turning into a bit of a sandbox though. Although we have no plans to start working on it now, we do plan to finish it after the work on the first and second floor is complete.

Home renovations in Toronto - A Toronto Victorian Home - ceiling medallion silicone mould replica

The first cast of the ceiling medallion Parsiana Design made from the silicone mould they created a month earlier

MY VISIT TO PARSIENA DESIGN

Since I didn’t physically have to be working at the house all day, I finally had time to turn my attention to the finishes! It had been a couple weeks since Parsiena Design had made a silicone mould of my ceiling medallion on-site, and although we had the good fortune of successfully removing the original medallion, Parsiena did make a replica using the mould and I was excited to see how it all turned out.

Located just outside Toronto in Vaughan, Parsiena Design’s production house was a feast for the eyes! Specializing in the manufacturing of architect elements, Parsiena is known as the place to go for custom fireplace mantels in Toronto. In addition to fireplace mantels, they also have a extensive catalogue of beautiful ornate plaster crown mouldings, stone range hoods, medallions, rosettes, friezes and trims. Not only can you see their work across the city of Toronto, but they have also done a lot of work internationally and in the US.

One of my favourite parts about my visit to their production studio was seeing their creative process in action! It’s not everyday an artist lets you peak behind the curtain, and I was thrilled to be invited into their workshop to see masters at work. During my visit they not only showed me the replica of my ceiling medallion, but also some beautiful stone fireplace mantels they had recently completed, I also got to see the crown moulding panels they had produced for me which were ready for install once the drywall was complete.

What do you think I should do with the replica of my ceiling medallion? Fell free to let me know in the comments below!

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The plaster crown mouldings that were installed in my kitchen


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The main floor after drywall is complete! So excited for my new kitchen to be installed!

INTERIOR ARCHWAY

By mid January, drywall was wrapping up and the house felt completely transformed. Now that we had walls you could really feel each room beginning to take shape.

One special request I had made prior to drywall was to make an archway where our future dining room bar will be. I was really happy with how it turned out and think it created a really interesting focal point within the room.

The kitchen area also had me giddy with excitement. With the new back door letting in all this natural light, the first floor looked better than ever.

The second floor was no exception. Our new bathroom was starting to materialize nicely as well as the two new bedrooms we had framed out in the last episode.

Even the fake vent exchange I had created had been drywalled, and Adam and I reached yet another high as we took in all our accomplishments.

INSTALLATION OF OUR NEW BESPOKE STAIRCASE

With drywall behind us we could finally turn our attention to our new custom staircase!

The first part of the instillation process took two days. However, since there is still a lot of messy work to do in the house we had the carpenters hold off on installing the balusters and railing, and instead had them cover it with a protected sheet.

It’s funny to look back now and think about how much Adam and I agonized over whether or not we should replace/widen the staircase. The original staircase was so skinny and in worse for wear condition with a noticeable dip. It is common for old Toronto Victorian houses like ours to have a skinny staircase but it made it really challenging to get furniture up and down the stairs. Now with the new staircase in and the opening made wider, it seems like a no brainier decision.

More to come on this topic in a future episode!!

REINTRODUCTION OF OUR BULLNOSE CORNERS

While the stairs were being installed, we also had someone come in to reintroduce the bullnose edge detail around the fireplace that was present in the original house. You can still see it in its original plaster form on the corbel in the entrance way, but in order to reintroduce it we actually had to finish the drywall corner using a bullnose corner bead first before adding an additional layer of 1/4 inch thick drywall on top. The results were remarkable and I am so happy with how it turned out! For me, it’s the small details like this that really give a house character!

Home renovations in Toronto - A Toronto Victorian Home - classical mouldings - plaster crown mouldings and corbel

An example of an original bullnose corner that once existed in various places throughout the house.

The bullnose corner detail that we reintroduced around the fireplace mantel using a bullnose edge and additional 1/4 inch drywall


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Installation of our new ornate plaster mouldings from Parsiena Design in our kitchen

INSTALLATION OF OUR CLASSICAL MOULDINGS

Of course, our house wouldn’t be complete without some new crown moulding from Parsiena Design. I could watch them be installed all day and never get bored. The large ornate plaster crown mouldings for the kitchen area were even more beautiful in their full format and took a master with over twenty years of experience to install. Each cut had to be made with such precision so that each corner lined up in perfect harmony and symmetry.

In the dining room and living room we went with a more understated, classic moulding design that echoed the egg and dart motif seen throughout the remaining plaster work in the house. I think the contrast in the size of the crown moulding works beautifully on the main floor because it actually makes the ceilings in the living room and dining room appear higher than the kitchen, when it fact they are slightly lower. I also love how much drama the big plaster crowns bring to the kitchen. I think if we had done them everywhere it would have been too garish and overdone so I’m really happy with my decision to just keep them in the kitchen area.

Home renovations in Toronto - A Toronto Victorian Home - classical mouldings - plaster crown mouldings and stained glass window

Halfway through our finishes! Can’t wait to see this room when it’s done!

To end off an incredibly productive week of finishes, Parsiena was also able to delivery the replicated cast and mould of my ceiling medallion and they were able to reinstall the original ceiling medallion, mending it back together piece by piece until it was hole once more. Since we had taken it down, I had some time to work on it in preparation for re-installation, and during this time I had actually discovered a whole extra layer of scalloping detail that was hidden under caulking and plaster. It was an incredible discovery which only adds to its unique character and beauty. I’m thrilled to have it back, not only in it’s rightful place but in all its grandeur.

DELIVERY OF OUR REFURBISHED CAST IRON RADIATORS

As the month came to a close, we also welcomed the delivery of our newly refurbished rads from Ironworks Radiators Inc. Although it is a little premature to install them, once the floors are done we should be close and I can’t wait to see them in their final position and glory!

More to come on this topic in the next episode! Hopefully!

UP NEXT!

Lots more exciting things to come in the next episode of our Toronto home renovation series including the installation of our beautiful herringbone floors from Chestnut Flooring, the tiling of new our master bathroom, and the installation of our custom kitchen from Domani Design Group!

Thank you so much for joining me today and for checking out my new Toronto home renovation series on Youtube. I am super excited to be modernizing a Victorian home while still keeping the charm of an old Victorian house. If you have any questions about my Victorian house renovations, what it’s like to live in Little Portugal, Toronto or recommendations for Toronto contractors, hit me up in the comments below!

Before I sign off, I’d also like to say a big thank you to Parsiena Design and Ironworks Radiator Inc. for partnering with me on this project. I’m so excited to be working with local industry experts on our Toronto home renovations but want to reiterate that, like always, all opinions remain my own.

Before I sign off, I’d also like to say a big thank you to Parsiena Design and Ironworks Radiator Inc for partnering with me on this project. I’m so excited to be working with local industry experts on our Toronto home renovations but want to reiterate that, like always, all opinions remain my own.

Until next time,

- Soheila


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10 KITCHEN TRENDS TO WATCH OUT FOR IN 2023!

2023 Kitchen Trends - Red Marble Island

Credit: Elizabeth Roberts Architecture

Can you believe it’s been over a year since I first started planning my Toronto Victorian home renovation? Now, 10 months into renovating, I’m only a few weeks away from the instillation of my new kitchein! I can practically reach out into the future and touch it! What recently sweetened-the-pot further for me though, has been seeing many of my design predictions from a year ago materialize in 2023.

There is no doubt that the kitchen is and will forever be the ‘heart of a home”, but when it comes to kitchen trends for 2023, what is leading the conversation is how we interact with it. If you are an introvert, this year’s trends around making your space feel warm and cozy will probably strike a cord with you. If you are an extrovert on the other hand, kitchen trends that focus on making the space better for entertaining and hosting will be music to your ears. Remember, it’s all about how you like to interact in and with the space.

2023 KITCHEN TRENDS

2023 Kitchen Trends - a 70s aesthetic with warm brown wood cabinetry and large island made of green marble

Designed by Simo Design

Organic Elements

Biophilic design is not a new concept, but it is one that has had a huge influence on kitchen trends in recent years. More and more, organic elements are making their way into kitchen design and you can see it in the movement towards the use of natural material like woods, glass, marble, plaster and pottery. Of course with this you will also see a counter movement away from the use of plastic and the once popular appeal of stainless steel. The use of plaster now also goes beyond crown mouldings with the rise in popularity of plaster light fixtures and range hoods. A need for natural light has people opting for big windows or Crittall doors that let the outside world in. Said to enhance a person’s creativity and general well-being, organic elements promote the notion of a balanced and environmentally conscious lifestyle through design.

2023 Kitchen Design Trends - Invisiable Kitchen with marble island from Blakes London

Credit - Blakes London

Smart Tech and Invisible Kitchens


Although people are no longer forced to stay home, it continues to be where the majority of their time is spent. Instead of focusing solely on comforts and cozy atmospheres though, there has been a shift to making the space work better for you. Whether that means an increased desire to entertain and host or simply living more efficiently, new smart technologies are allowing for all of that to happen. Appliances are getting smarter, quieter and even designed to be invisible. If you have a modern home or small kitchen, the need to have your space be as functional and practical as a conventional kitchen, yet discreet and minimal, probably resonates with you. Having an invisible kitchen not only allows you to use the space in more ways, but it’s also a great way to make a small space feel larger by blending one room into the next. This is often achieved by hiding appliances behind cabinetry faces and pocket doors, and keeping displayed objects to a minimum. Sensors on kitchen faucets are also allowing for touch-less uses, and you can now ‘order a coffee’ from your phone in one room only to moments later walk to your pantry to grab it. Further, island pop up plug outlets and sliding worktops allow for a more discrete application while allowing your island to double as home office desk. Fridges with cameras on the inside will have you ditching the need for grocery lists by allowing you to take stock of what you have at home even while on the go. This kitchen trend is only beginning to build momentum and my prediction is it’ll continue to do so for many years to come.

2023 Kitchen Trends - Natural Wood Cabinetry  and dark red kitchen island

Image by @nicole_franzen @grtarchitects Styling @_ridgehouse.

Natural Wood Cabinets

What once went out of style now seems to be making a come back. Natural wood cabinets in rich, warm walnut, chestnut, and mahogany hues are gaining traction and I think it’s obvious the influence biophilic design has played in its resurgence. Unlike previous wood cabinet trends of maple and oak, natural wood cabinetry is favouring darker profiles that act as a grounding counterbalance to both light/white and saturated colour palettes. Additionally, natural wood finishes that play up grain lines can do wonders when trying to create a warm, rustic atmosphere and look great when paired with tiled floor or stone countertops. Yum!

2023 Kitchen design trends - kitchen by paul with chevron floors, marble round island, modern wood cabinetry

Designer: Kitchen By Paul


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Kitchen by lofy studios - marble counters, marble range hood, marble backsplash with floating shelves and crown moulding.jpg

Credit Lofy Studios

Statement Veins and Slab Backsplashes

The design world’s obsession with marble (and materials that can easily mimic the look of marble, like porcelain) will be going nowhere. In 2023, statement veins are only going to get more popular as designers and homeowners continue to favour large expressive slabs that carry beyond just countertops and islands. An obvious benefit to this approach is a clean look with less grout lines, however it does come at a higher cost. More and more, designers are leaning on statement veins to add character to a kitchen, many favouring Calacatta Viola or Calacutta Gold, however some bold tastemakers are using colourful varieties that to me are total ‘design eye candy’.

2023 Kitchen Trends - marble island and wood cabinetry with herringbone floors, coffe and wine bar by constanze ladner

Credit: Constanze Ladner

2023 Kitchen Trends - wine display and bar by Maree Homer

Wine display and bar by Maree Homer

Pantries and Wine Displays

If how we interact in our space is leading the conversation around kitchens then it should be of no surprise that the desire for more concealed storage or even well displayed storage, has found its way onto this list of 2023 kitchen trends. Luxury home builders are already starting to incorporate butler pantries with additional work spaces into new builds while hidden coffee bars and glass enclosed wine displays are becoming more common place in home renovations. Instead of hiding things away in your basement cellar, kitchen larders allow you to store things close by while also hiding small every day appliances. If you like to entertain and happen to have a large collection of wine, putting it on display is becoming even more fashionable. Wine and beverage fridges alike are becoming more prevalent in households that love to entertain, and I have to say, I’m totally here for it.

2023 Kitchen Trends - Modern Natural Warm Wood Cabinetry and pink curved kitchen island made of marble. Cheveron floors.

Designed by Maison Veronique Toubiana

Kitchen Island Revised

Given curved furniture was such a big trend last year, it’s no surprise that it has also made its way into kitchen design. While rectangular islands are still a popular silhouette, curved kitchen islands are becoming increasingly trendy. Moreover, since the pandemic, homeowners need the kitchen island to serve multiple purposes. Larger, even ‘double island’ kitchen designs are popping up everywhere which is great if you have the space. For those of us who don’t, wood slats or tambour wood panels are a popular application DIY-ers and designers alike are using to draw attention to the kitchen islands.


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2023 Kitchen design trends - statement lighting using LED floating chandelier

Image Source: Decorilla Designer, Mena H

Statement Lighting

One of my personal favourite kitchen trends for 2023 - lighting in the kitchen - should no longer be just functional! More unique and interesting lighting is a major theme this year with plaster lighting specifically stealing the lime light. It’s about adding character to the space and I’m already seeing less ‘pairs of pendent lighting’ and more ‘over-scaled chandeliers’, that span the room horizontally. Other natural materials like rattan, cane, wicker and rope will also continue to remain popular in the year to come as well as the practice of layering your lighting. Personally I think lighting is often overlooked when it comes to kitchen design and I believe a simple lighting update has the ability to breath new life into a space without having to redo the kitchen entirely. And it’s a lot cheaper too!

2023 Kitchen Trends - Stained Glass Cabinetry!

Photography by Adam Kane Macchia

Glass and Cane Cabinet Doors

From stained glass to plain glass, homeowners and designers alike are looking for ways to add a touch of elegance into their kitchen designs. If you are not into the floating shelf or ‘no upper cabinetry’ trends that have been going strong since 2020, then perhaps this is the news your have been waiting for. Glass, stained or otherwise, doesn’t always have to follow the traditional sense either. Modernize it. Make it your own. Into minimalism, keep it simple with just a black Crittall style frame or play with the flutted glass panels. Want something more traditional, add colour accents into your motif or throw in some bevelled glass to make it sparkle! Cane is also a fun cabinet design trends that I have noticed gaining popularity in the last year and based on what I’m seeing, it’s all so gorgeous!

2023 Kitchen Trends - Beautiful creamy kitchen with arched marble backsplast, statement lighting chandeliere and light cheveron floors

Credit: Petra Tungarden

Arches In The Kitchen

A trend that is still going strong in 2023, interior archways are a beautiful way to add character into a home. Their design in nature has a way of elevating a space with minimal effort by drawing your eye up towards the ceiling. Having one or two can also help create focal points in a space (as long as you don’t overdue them!). Prior to renovating my Romanesque Victorian home in Toronto there were no internal archways but since we have one at the front entrance, I thought it would be suitable to bring that design feature inside in some way. What I ended up doing was using it as the entrance way into my small walk up bar/wine display. I think it helps create a focal point for the bar and makes for an interesting design feature.

Credit: Nicole Franzen

Warm Neutrals

If you love white kitchens you may be happy to hear that they aren’t going out of style. Well not exactly…more so evolving. Expect to see the adaptation of warm neutrals like creamy whites and soft greys in 2023, as we try harder to compliment the many natural wood tones and organic elements the design world loves so much. If you are scared to play with colour and don’t like the bold, warm or moody kitchen aesthetic (they definitely aren’t for the faint of heart), warming up the paint colours may just be the little refresh you need to update your home.

A Few Honorable Mentions

Art In The Kitchen

Instead of using plates or copper pots and pans to add character to the kitchen, framed artwork has made its way onto floating shelves and walls in recent years. Although not a new kitchen trend for 2023, it’s still one that is going strong and I predict will stick around for awhile.

Plaster Ranges

Designers and homeowners alike seem to be sick of looking at stainless steel hood ranges and I do not blame them. In 2023, expect to see more people opting for plaster range hoods with vent inserts instead of the wall mounted stainless steel ones that at one point seemed to be everywhere.

No Upper Cabinets

Not a new trend but one that continues to be strong is the theme of having no upper cabinets. Of course, not always practical if you need more storage, but if you like the minimalist appeal and white-space you get back from not having cabinetry everywhere, then by all means, go for it! After all, it’s really about what works for you.


Although this blog post is all about kitchen trends for 2023, remember it’s always best to design your kitchen based on how you interact with it, and what works best for you! Thank you for joining me today and taking interest in this 2023 kitchen design trend report! If you have any questions or comments about Biophillic design, butler pantries, smart kitchens, statement lighting, wood kitchen cabinetry, arch doorways or decor trends made of organic elements like rattan and plaster, feel free to leave them in the comment section below!

Until next time,

-S


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