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February 23, 2017

Luxury Meets Style in This Stunning White Ensuite Bath Design

White bath design Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre Pickering
White bath design by Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre


By adding square footage to their ensuite bath, these Pickering homeowners were able to make room for both luxury and style.

"This was a significant renovation," says Monarch designer Jackie Schagen. "We took part of the closet to make the bathroom bigger, and then took some of the extra large bedroom space to expand the closet area."

transitional white bath design with cambria quartz shower
White bath design with Cambria quartz shower by Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre
Standout items in this stunning ensuite bath design include a freestanding tub and a Cambria quartz shower (Summerhill). 

The plain white tile wainscotting and white inset Miralis Euro finish cabinetry provide clean lines in this transitional design. Recessed, wall and ceiling lighting help set the mood.

white ensuite bath design soaker tub cambria quartz shower
A soaker tub adds luxury to this white bath design by Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre

February 16, 2017

Reclaimed Barn Board Makes a Statement in This Contemporary Kitchen Design

reclaimed barn board contemporary kitchen by Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre
White kitchen design with reclaimed barn board by Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre
Homeowners Janis and Steve Wilkes got the inspiration for their recent kitchen renovation from seeing barn board being reused in many kitchen designs.

They searched online and found someone selling off genuine barn board from a barn torn down in Clarington.

"They felt this was an excellent opportunity to breathe new life into material that had a lot of history," says Monarch designer Janet Dawson. "They also appreciated that the demolition crew was working to re-purpose the barn board instead of simply burning it."
 
reclaimed barn board contemporary kitchen by Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre
White kitchen design with reclaimed barn board by Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre

The Challenge
Incorporate the reclaimed barn board into the new kitchen design without it overwhelming the relatively small space.
 
reclaimed barn board contemporary kitchen by Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre
White kitchen design with reclaimed barn board island by Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre

The Solution
"We decided to open up the wall between the kitchen and living room and add an island," explains Janet. The repurposed barn board was added to the island's base, making a significant design statement without inundating the space. "Using a fresh, crisp white on most of the cabinetry kept the look light, airy and contemporary."

A sliding "barn door" on the closet provided an additional nod to the barn-inspired design theme.

February 9, 2017

Monarch Adds a Fresh Take On A Tired Ensuite Bath

en suite bath design durham region
En suite bath design by Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre

These Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre clients were ready to update their ensuite bath from the builder's design to a space they could really enjoy.

en suite bath design pickering ajax
Ensuite bath design by Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre
"When we started planning with them, we realized there was space wasted behind the shower wall," says Monarch designer Jackie Schagen. "We used the unused space to incorporate a larger shower with a seat."
en suite accessible bath design whitby oshawa pickering ajax
Ensuite bath design by Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre

The addition of a bench integrated with a grab bar and both a rain and hand-held shower will allow the homeowners to stay in their house as long possible.

"These small but important changes combined with a warm fresh look provide a whole new bathroom experience for our clients," adds Jackie.

Does your outdated ensuite need a makeover? Drop by the Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre showroom for some design inspiration and advice from a member of our knowledgeable design team.

February 2, 2017

What's New in Bath Design? Here are NKBA's Top 10 Bath Trends for 2017

Last month, the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) published their Top 10 Bath Trends for 2017. Conducted online in August/September 2016, the NKBA surveyed 562 of its members from across North America. Here's a look at the major trends that came out the survey.

1. As with kitchens, contemporary and transitional designs have overtaken traditional styles for the first time.

Shaker is gaining momentum, with mid-century modern emerging. Many survey respondents described clients' tastes as modern, clean and sleek

White bath design by Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre

2. Whites, off-whites and greys continue to be the most popular colour schemes.

Blue is also trending upward, with younger design professionals choosing violet and purple colour schemes. Stainless steel is niche and emerging.

3. Storage solutions such as linen cabinets and wood vanities are most common.

Floating vanites and open shelving continue to be a popular and growing choice. The use of toilet topper cabinets is declining with requests for specialized storage options (custom medicine cabinets, drawers for hair dryers/curling irons, tilt-out hampers) on the rise.

4. Ceramic tile is the most popular floor option for the bath.

High-quality vinyl appears to be on the rise, with wood-look porcelain gaining ground.

5. Undermount sinks are in the most demand.

Use of vessel and pedestal sinks continue to wane, with trough sinks growing in numbers.

6. Freestanding tubs are on the rise.

Essencia Design from BainUltra
Although more than half of NKBA members eliminated a tub or whirlpool in a bath remodel over the past year, 60 per cent of respondents expect to specify more of them in 2017.

"An increase in soaker tub requests is a direct reflection of the lifestyle changes we have seen over the last two decades," says Monarch designer Chantal Miller. "People are spending more and more time commuting, longer hours at work, shuttling kids to activities, and less social down-time outside of the home as a result.

"The idea that your bathroom becomes your private oasis and escape from the chaos is a trend that will only continue to rise. Homes have now become a space for relaxation, reflection, and rejuvenation. Bathrooms are becoming less utilitarian and more about sustaining both your mental and physical health. The popularity of soaker and hydrotherapy tubs is a direct reflection of the trend toward the focus on personal wellness."

7. White fixtures are trending higher while bone-bisque units are declining.

Chrome and polished nickel continue to be the most popular faucet finishes, with gold and brushed brass emerging.

 

Self-cleaning toilet from American Standard

8. Safety- and comfort-improving amenities are still popular.

These include comfort-height toilets, shower seats and lighting, and no-thresold showers. Emerging trends include smart toilets and toilet seats, music in the shower and radiant floor heating.

9. Water-saving toilets and faucets are becoming more mainstream.

 

10. Technology-wise, video, audio and wiring pathways for future integration are beginning to emerge.