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April 27, 2011

Redesigning Your Kitchen or Bathroom This Spring?


We can relate...our designer kitchen showroom in Pickering is under renovation, too.

At Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre, we believe the best way to keep up-to-date with our clients' design needs is to have our showroom reflect the latest kitchen and bath design styles and trends. 

Monarch will remain open for business during the showroom renovation. After all, our clients live through major renovations for weeks at a time. If they can do it, we can too! If you'd like to drop by and take a tour of our showroom, why not come by now and view a renovation in progress? 



We'd like to thank our partners Cuisines Laurier and Interstone Marble and Granite Limited for their support. 

Stay tuned for the "after" pictures of our new designer showroom and our stunning new silver wave countertops.

April 21, 2011

Monarch's "Whole-Home" Makeover Nears Completion: Walls and Ceiling Primed, Hardwood and Stairs Installed


John and Cindy will soon be returning to their newly renovated Lawrence Park home.


“The drywall-joint taping, filling and sanding is complete. We always prime the walls and ceilings on every Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre project before the final skim coat of plaster,” says Monarch president Neil Samson. “This reveals any slight imperfections which will impact the end result. Small details make all the difference.”


“John and Cindy have chosen a traditional hardwood application in keeping with their century home,” says Monarch designer Sarah Overholt. “This involves installing raw kiln-dried material, sanding, filling, staining, sealing and applying two coats of urethane. Their other choices were prefinished or engineered hardwood. The floor will match with the solid oak staircase…and the results will be spectacular!”


Coming next week: we will be installing cabinets in this area, as well as trim, casings and fixtures.

April 13, 2011

Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre Celebrates 30 Years

30th
The Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre Team
Back row: Neil Samson, Melissa Foley, Kevin Samson
Front row: Sharon Samson, Sarah Overholt, Marion Cuddie, Amanda Willson-Suppa


How does a company stay in business for 30 years?

Passion? Sure.

Dedication? No doubt.

Hard work? Without question.

At Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre, we believe the true key to our 30 years of success is YOU.

It is because of your loyalty--your referrals and your repeat business--that we have been able to thrive during times when others have not.

And by sharing a desire for design excellence and customer satisfaction, Monarch's team of designers and installers work as a family to provide you--our extended family--with only the very best.

With honesty and integrity.

Each and every time.

Help us celebrate our 30th anniversary on Saturday, June 11th, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at our Pickering showroom and enjoy great food and drinks and a variety of "no-strings-attached" giveaways.

April 8, 2011

Monarch's "Whole-Home" Makeover Continues: Drywall Done Right & Small Bathroom Design Strategies


After weeks of construction, John and Cindy are starting to get a real feel for how their “new” home will look and are eagerly anticipating getting their life back to normal.

Drywall and corner beads have been installed.
“The drywall and corner beads have been installed,” says Monarch president Neil Samson. “We apply Durabond before taping the board on all Monarch renovation jobs. It’s an additional step, however, it helps reduce the risk of cracking later.” Once the drywall has been primed, Monarch’s crew will install the solid oak staircase.

Work continues on John and Cindy's ensuite bathroom.
Stay tuned in the coming weeks for a blog post featuring John and Cindy’s ensuite bathroom--complete with a steam bath in the shower.

“We have selected a very interesting 20” x 36” tile for the walls and a river rock mosaic on the floor that adds a natural touch to the space,” explains Monarch designer Sarah Overholt.

“Designing warm, inviting spaces in a 1,000 sq. foot home can be a challenge.
In this case, we chose larger ceramic tiles to make the shower appear bigger than it actually is,” says Sarah.

Monarch uses Schluter products wherever possible in wet areas. “We find this to be the one product that is truly waterproof,” adds Neil.

Watch for further progress next week.

April 7, 2011

Why Summer is the Best Time to Renovate Your Kitchen

No matter how well you plan for the disruption of a major kitchen renovation, there's nothing that quite prepares you for the inconvenience of preparing meals and doing dishes in a temporary kitchen. As the heart of our home, the kitchen is more than the place we eat our meals, it's the central gathering point for most families. 

Booking your kitchen renovation during the summer months has its advantages.

You Can Eat Outside

Polish up the patio set, turn on the portable CD player, set the table and VOILA! You've got yourself a temporary kitchen away from the dust and mess of your kitchen renovation.

You Can BBQ

Eating at restaurants and bringing take-out food home is not only expensive, it can be tiresome as well. With the Internet at your disposal, you can discover numerous creative ways to use your barbecue to grill meat, poultry, seafood and vegetables. 

You Can Grab a Breath of Fresh Air

With any renovation, there will be dust. You can close off rooms, shut doors...but the dust will follow you--except outside. Grab a book, your laptop or a deck of cards and head outside for a breath of fresh air. (Opening your windows to let a fresh breeze in also works better in the warmer months!)

You Can Hit the Road

Why not plan a summer road trip or vacation to coincide with your kitchen renovation? You may not be able to avoid living at home during the entire period of upheaval, but you can reduce the amount of stress your family feels by planning to be away during some of the "messier" periods of your renovation.

April 1, 2011

Monarch's "Whole-Home" Makeover Continues: The Importance of Inspections and Permits

John and Cindy's home is now insulated, inspected and ready for drywall.

The electrical and plumbing rough-in has been completed and inspected at John and Cindy’s 1,000 sq. foot home in Lawrence Park.

“We found the vent to the basement water closet terminated under the backyard deck instead of being tied in to the main stack,” says Monarch president Neil Samson. “This is just one of many issues that Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre finds on renovation jobsites on an ongoing basis.

“Everything in John and Cindy’s home is now safe, insulated, inspected and ready for drywall. I can’t emphasize enough the importance of permits and inspections,” explains Neil. “This is your guarantee that work will be done to Ontario Building Code Standards and your home will be returned to you in a safe and secure manner.

“We’ve been hearing a lot more stories about insurance companies denying homeowners’ insurance claims because work was done by unlicensed trades and the required permits were not issued. You’re spending a lot of time, energy and money on your renovation—be safe and protect your investment.”

Next week: Finishing begins