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3 Kitchen and Bathroom Trends

By | Bathroom Design Tips, Bathroom Design Trends, Bathroom Products, Kitchen Design Trends, Kitchen Products, Uncategorized

When it comes to investing your time and money into kitchen and bathroom renovations, it is paramount to have the design and décor selections to suit your personal style preferences and to encompass the current trends, but also to embrace a timeless appearance. The following upcoming and ongoing current trends will help you to attain these essentials for your kitchen and bathroom renovations.

1. Colour Trends

Bigger investment items, such as; cabinetry, flooring, countertops, and backsplashes, homeowners purchase with the intent of longevity, therefore, neutral finishes and colour schemes with clean lines will be the popular selection.

Less significant investment items, such as paint, will correspond to this colour scheme as well. Warm neutrals, white, off whites, and the new neutrals of greens and greys are going to take over the market. You can add a punch of colour in easily changeable items, such as; accessories, towels, dishes, vases, art pieces, etc.

2. Tiles

Tile trends are leaning towards larger tiles and tiles with interest and texture. Large rectangular and square tiles are very popular for flooring and walls. Not only do they make for less grout lines, they also create a cleaner, more modern look. Mixing and matching shapes and sizes for walls and flooring will be trendy. Accent tiles, for backsplashes, borders, or an entire wall, will consist of unique texture, and classic glass and mosaic tiles.

3. Relaxation/Spa Inspired:

The time for relaxation is wanted by all, but unfortunately only attained by few. Spa inspired bathrooms are on the rise and will continue to be in demand . Spa inspired bathrooms will stay within the neutral inspired colour theme and the fixtures installed will be largely influenced by the theme of relaxation, tranquility, and the escape of everyday life.

Although system tubs, such as whirl pools or air tubs, are soothing and relaxing, the demand for soaker tubs will continue to have a profound increase. The want and need for personal serenity and unwinding is at its peak with the hectic world we live in and are surrounded by today. Having your entire body submerged in a hot bath is one way of accomplishing a personal tranquility in the convenience of your own home.

While the time to have a relaxing, unwinding bath may not be realistic for all, the desire for shower systems will be increasingly popular for those who want a relaxing experience without the additional time of taking a bath. Soothing rain shower heads and calming body jets are going to be in popular demand.

So come visit our showroom at 5-850 Industrial Avenue in Ottawa. Our team of experienced bathroom and kitchen designers would love to take the opportunity to meet with you and discuss your kitchen and bathroom renovation project!

Vintage Kitchen Design

By | Kitchen Design Tips, Kitchen Design Trends

Pinterest  is one of the new and most popular social network people are using today to organize their ideas and inspirations. Users create photo boards to “pin” everything from home decor ideas to favourite recipes and travel destinations.

Whether you are a Pinterest user or not, you have free range to explore pins and boards of other users. Simply use the search bar to explore your topic of interest.

Vintage Kitchen Design

Here are a few of the kitchen design ideas that we have dug up from Pinterest.

This kitchen offers a great open concept bring lots of light into the space. There is plenty of working space and cabinetry which is always a plus in the kitchen. There are many great details in this space including the use of texture to and lines to create a “wow” factor. The looks is complete the various accessories and vintage fixtures to complete the look.

Vintage Kitchen Design

Source: google.com via Philip on Pinterest

Here is another vintage kitchen design that offers a little more pattern and colour. The entire kitchen includes vintage cabinetry, fixtures, colours and pattern. You can really see the clients personality come across in this design by highlighting the spice cupboard, collection of recipe books and fresh flowers.

Vintage Kitchen Design

Source: 4.bp.blogspot.com via julianne on Pinterest

Your kitchen is an important element of your home as it is space that allows you to cook and entertain. Nothing is better than a great kitchen.

Talk to a kitchen design specialist at Kitchens and Bathrooms First 5-850 Industrial Avenue in Ottawa to design and build your dream kitchen.

613-749-1512

Bathroom Renovations Ottawa – Before and After Photos

By | Bathroom Design Tips, Bathroom Design Trends

bathroom renovations ottawa

Do you have a bathroom dating back to the 80s? As bathrooms age, not only does their age show but they can also create health hazards. As moisture damage gets behind fixtures it can develop mold in the space.

 

Bathroom Renovations Ottawa

In the new bathroom designs, installers are moving away from the laminate “stick up” shower models and leaning toward tile shower backdrops. Tile is easy to keep clean and looks very nice.

bathroom renovation ottawa

Your bathroom is a space that you use everyday. Seek a professional to complete a bathroom design that reflects your style and needs. We work with our clients to transform their space to one they love.

Bathroom Renovation Services

  • 3-D Kitchen and Bath Design
  • Detailed Cost Estimates
  • Product Selection / Sourcing
  • Project Management

Contact Kitchens & Bathrooms First to request a quote at bathroom design consultation or visit our showroom located at 5-850 Industrial Avenue in Ottawa to meet with one of our kitchen or bathroom designers.  613-749-1512

 

Kitchen Renovations Ottawa

By | Kitchen Design Tips

Kitchens and Bathrooms First was established in 2002 as Bathrooms First. We initially just focused on bathroom design and renovations. By popular demand, we expanded our services offerings to also include kitchen design and renovations.

We now have two specialized in-house design teams that focus on bathroom and kitchen renovations exclusively.

Kitchen Renovation and Design Services

  • 3-D Kitchen and Bath Design
  • Detailed Cost Estimates
  • Product Selection / Sourcing
  • Project Management

Visit our kitchen and bathroom showroom located at 5-850 Industrial Avenue in Ottawa to explore our products and meet with one of our experienced designers. We focus on making your dreams a reality. Contact us today 613-749-1512

kitchen consultation ottawa

Shower Waterproofing

By | Bathroom Products
Shower Waterproofing : Leaky Shower

image source: wikibase.info

Ever notice how water never stays where you want it to? It’ll always run downhill, but it so often seems to be the wrong hill. Now, in defence of your average shower enclosure, it’s not an aquarium. It’ll keep most of the water where it should be, but you can’t expect miracles. The big problem spots in most showers are where different materials or panels meet. So, assuming that everything has been installed properly and cleanly, in shower waterproofing let’s look at where your damp spots are coming from.

If you have an acrylic or synthetic granite shower base and your walls are damp right where the base meets the wall or floor, you probably have water running behind the door along the tiling flange. Look for spots where the shower walls meet the base where the calking has failed or isn’t sticking. Once you’ve eliminated that possibility, it gets a bit messier. If you can’t keep the water from getting into that spot, you have to keep it from running out, so clean up that front corner and fill it nice and full of silicone. Maax actually recommends doing that and leaving a 1″ gap in the calking at the inside corners to let water in there run back into the base and drain.

If you have a leaky shower door, check where it’s calked. I know this is going to sound counter-intuitive, but the calking on shower doors is almost always done on the outside of the door. If you have silicone on the inside of it, there’s a good chance that’s what’s causing the problem. Shower enclosures are designed to drain back into the shower, so you need to let them.

Those two sources cover almost all of the leaky showers I’ve seen. I know it may not cover everything, and if it doesn’t, let me know 613-749-1512  or in person at 5-850 Industrial Avenue in Ottawa. I’d be glad to share what I’ve learned if you’re having drips.

Technical Support for Installation Problems

By | Bathroom Products

Talking to technical support people is always interesting. Why doesn’t my printer work? Why is my check engine light on? Why does my new shower door leak? We’ve all had those types of conversations with a bored sounding person on the other end of the phone and probably the other end of the world now. They really are bored, too. They have a script that they’re working from. If you make it all the way through their script without solving your problem, you get escalated and they get to pass you to someone else. They’re bored. They’re bored because just about all of the time they could have sorted out the difficulty with one question: Did you read the manual and follow the instructions?

I’ve been out to look a lot of fairly new bathrooms (not ours, by the way) that people say leak or don’t work and want the whole thing replaced. Imagine their surprise when I tell them that the shower door is calked improperly or that their shower valve is installed upside down. Easy fixes most of the time. It would have been even easier to do it right the first time though. To paraphrase the carpenter’s adage of measure twice, cut once: Read first, trust it, do it.

Come see us and we’ll walk you through any questions you might have!

5-850 Industrial Avenue Ottawa

613-749-1512

All Shower Walls Are Not Created Equal

By | Bathroom Products

Source: Fleurco.com

I was reading a Fleurco acrylic shower wall installation manual the other day. Ok, I know, it sounds like a pretty lame read, but I was actually impressed by this one. I had sold a shower door, base and walls to a nice couple and I gave their contractor the installation manuals in advance of the delivery.

I was impressed by two things, actually. First, their contractor actually read and followed the manual to the letter. I really should get his number. What really impressed me though was how Fleurco wanted the corner shower put together. It goes without saying that corner showers need to be built as level, plumb and square as possible for the door to fit, function and retain water.

I was surprised to see that Fleurco wanted you to level and fit everything and then bolt the walls to each other and then both walls to the base. They are the only manufacturer I’ve seen so far to do it this way. By the time it gets installed, it’s been turned into a one-piece unit. It’s a great idea! And it solves a bunch of issues related to joints and calking.

If you’re shopping for a corner shower, have a look: www.fleurco.com. At Kitchens and Bathrooms First we distribute and include Fleurco showers in our bathroom design and renovations in Ottawa. Contact us for more information on our design services and Fleurco products in stock at our showroom.

A New Year of Savings

By | Promotions
To help you celebrate this joyous time of year, we’re paying the HST on
your kitchen and/or bathroom renovation! Book your 2012 project by December 31st to secure these substantial savings!
Limited Time Offer. Contact us for more details.