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October 31, 2012

Happy Halloween from Monarch! Looking for Scary Kitchen and Bath Renovation Stories? You Won't Find Any Here

A review by Shawn Fryer of Toronto, posted October 21, 2012 on HomeStars.
The excellent staff at Monarch gave us the best quality of service from the time we walked in the door to the time the job was finished. We received a great design, honest and frequent communication and great care to meet our needs in a timely manner. Kevin, Neil, Melissa, Kelly, Rick, Clint, and Roland were all friendly, informative, and efficient, leaving no detail too small. I would highly recommend Monarch Kitchen and Bath Centre to anyone who wants a company with integrity, creativity, and great customer service. Thank you for helping to make our home more beautiful.

October 26, 2012

Benjamin Moore and Cambria Join Forces to Take the Guesswork Out of Paint Selection

Your kitchen or bath renovation is complete, your appliances have been delivered and you're ready for the final step: choosing the perfect paint colour to tie all of the elements of your new space together. If you're finding it a difficult task, you're not alone. 

Cambria, a leader in quartz countertop design, has partnered with Benjamin Moore to simplify the final stage of the kitchen or bath design process.

The perfect tool for homeowners and designers alike, every Cambria design has been meticulously paired with four complementary Benjamin Moore colors.

By using the interactive paint match tool on Cambria's website, you will instantly get a better sense of how each Benjamin Moore paint color plays against the shades, movement and colors inherent in your favorite Cambria designs.

Image courtesy of benjaminmoore.com
From Benjamin Moore:
"Cambria and Benjamin Moore have joined forces to make designer color selection easy. Benjamin Moore's design experts have paired four wall covering shades to every Cambria design, allowing you to match your Cambria designs to paint colors that are as rich and beautiful as the countertops themselves.

Now with more than 100 designs to choose from, Cambria is the industry leader in quartz countertops. Cambria and Benjamin Moore share the same deep commitment to quality and color innovation, with a constant and consistent focus on future design trends."

October 23, 2012

Refresh the Look of Your Kitchen Before Christmas: Book Now and Save


There's no avoiding it. No matter how you try to steer people out of your kitchen, as the heart of the home, it is where guests feel the most comfortable.

If you're dreading the idea of celebrating another Christmas in your outdated kitchen, don't despair! There is still time to give your kitchen a face lift before having your family and friends over during the holidays.

Give Yourself the Gift of a New Countertop and Backsplash
Imagine how much a new countertop and backsplash would change the overall look and feel of your kitchen. A new look may be all you need to love your kitchen again, so give the designers at Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre a chance to refresh your space in time for the holidays.

Book with Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre Now and Save

When you purchase any solid surface countertop for your kitchen between now and December 31st, 2012, receive up to 30 sq. ft. of backsplash at no cost. (Valued at up to $10 per sq. ft. Installation not included.)

For more details, drop by our Pickering showroom or call 905-686-2001. 

October 17, 2012

What's Monarch's Secret to a Stress-Free Kitchen or Bath Renovation?

At Monarch Kitchen and Bath Centre, we understand that major renovations -- particularly those which involve the kitchen area -- involve a large amount of upheaval and stress.

We've found that o
ne of the largest stress factors for homeowners during a renovation is dust management. In other words, finding a way to keep the dust generated during the tear down and rebuilding process confined to the space. 


Our team works hard to alleviate as much of your stress as possible. In the picture below, you'll notice we have completely encapsulated the renovation area: all doorways leading out of the kitchen are closed off and all cold air returns blocked.

If you look at the opening on the left, you will see a zippered door which allows the homeowners access to their living room and temporary kitchen in the dining room.

Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre uses zippered plastic "doors"
to keep renovation dust from spreading throughout your home.
Another zippered door (not pictured) closes off the space and restricts access to the upper level; this ensures dust does not enter the sleeping areas of the home.

This dust management system has proven very effective in keeping the dust particles within the work area, and minimizes the effects on the rest of the home.

“We now do this for every renovation project that we undertake," says Monarch president Neil Samson. "We care about your home and your well being." 

Are you considering a kitchen or bath renovation? Visit our new website at www.mkbi.com to learn more, or call 905-686-2001.

October 16, 2012

Addressing the Need for Kitchen and Bathroom Design Solutions for "Aging in Place"

As the "baby boomer" generation approaches the age of retirement, their need to downsize or retrofit their existing homes has become a priority.

Lessons learned from watching their own parents deal with the challenges of getting older and finding a safe place to live has no doubt inspired the "aging in place" movement.
From the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC): Impacts of the Aging of the Canadian Population on Housing and Communities
(2008) [Research Highlight]

“There will be profound changes in the age structure of the Canadian population over the next 25 years. These changes will transform our communities and significantly affect housing. Population aging is taking place in a society that is being reshaped by a range of remarkable demographic and socio-economic trends. These include changes in family size and structure, increasing numbers of immigrants with family traditions very different from those of earlier generations, a growing number of persons living alone and new urban dynamics with increased concern for sustainability in the face of urban sprawl.

Other significant trends include the intent of many of today’s near retirees to continue working beyond the traditional retirement age, the increasing participation by women in the workforce and the tendency of young adults to stay longer in their parents’ homes.

An aging population will change the pattern of housing needs and preferences, alter the nature of the demand for services, change transportation requirements, accentuate the need for making communities more responsive to people with disabilities and challenge existing neighbourhood design and community planning practices.

The increasing desire of seniors to “age in place” (that is, to continue to live in their current home and familiar community for as long as possible, even if their health changes) will have major policy implications for housing and communities. It will create a need for housing adaptations and other supports; for more innovative housing options; and for planning and zoning changes.”
At Monarch Kitchen and Bath Centre, we understand the challenges involved in designing a home which allows you to "age in place." Kitchen and bath suppliers such as Kohler do, as well.

Below are two videos which illustrate some of the options available to help you live safely in your home for as long as possible. If you're considering renovating your home as you age in place, drop by our Pickering showroom or make an appointment with a member of our design team by calling 905-686-2001.


October 11, 2012

Looking for Some Kitchen Design Inspiration? Tour House Beautiful's 2012 Kitchen of the Year

Designer Mick De Giulio takes us on a tour of his winning kitchen design in House Beautiful's Kitchen of the Year, on display in New York City's Rockefeller Center.



While your kitchen may not be this spacious -- or your budget this flexible  -- watching videos like these are the perfect way to find those "can't live without" items or ideas you can incorporate into your new kitchen design.

Mr. De Gioulio's philosophy for creating his winning kitchen design reminded us of our own:

"The thing I want people to take away from this kitchen is the idea of liveablity. If you have  a great space to work in...a great space to live in...that's everything," explains Mr. De Giulio. "Because people, no matter how you try to redirect them to other rooms in the house, they end up in the kitchen. So why not have a great kitchen to live in?"

Drop by Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre's Pickering showroom today. Explore our kitchen design displays and speak with one of our experienced designers to learn more about making your kitchen design dreams a reality.

October 4, 2012

Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre's Latest Design Success -- MKBI.com

Visit the Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre website at www.mkbi.com.

As a company whose primary focus is helping our clients' look good, we fell a bit behind in following our own design advice!

This week, we launched our newly "renovated" website at www.mkbi.com. If you haven't stopped by for a while, please take a few minutes to check out our new look and peruse the updated pictures and profiles of our design team.

If you're thinking about a kitchen or bath renovation, you'll want to take some time to go through our image galleries -- their chock full of beautifully transformed spaces.

If you're unsure of how the entire design process works, our FAQ section will help you to understand how your renovation will proceed. And if you have a question that the content on our site doesn't answer, you can fill out our "Ask a Question" form and someone on our design team will get back to you quickly.

Of course, as happy as we are with our new website, there is no substitute for discussing your design needs in person.

To discover how Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre can make your renovation dreams a reality, visit our Pickering showroom at 1020 Brock Road, Unit 6, Pickering; or call us at 905-686-2001.

October 2, 2012

Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation CIBC Run for the Cure Raises over $30 million

This past Sunday, Kelly Fonseca of Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre participated in the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation CIBC Run for the Cure. We were proud to support Kelly in her Run for the Cure.

Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre
To everyone who donated, thank you for making this year’s Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation CIBC Run for the Cure another truly inspirational day and for helping us work towards our vision of creating a future without breast cancer.

Thanks to your commitment and support, over $30 million was raised across Canada for relevant breast cancer research, risk reduction, education, community care and advocacy initiatives to improve the lives of Canadians affected by breast cancer.
We hope you join us again on Sunday, October 6, 2013,
Deb Dubenofsky Signature 2012
Deborah Dubenofsky
Chair, National Board of Director
Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation