North Vancouver Kitchen& Bath Showroom

Bathroom Renovation

Cornerstone Kitchens & Design — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 14:15:42 -0700

Bathroom Renovation in North Vancouver

What do you need to know before starting a bathroom reno? We have prepared an extensive estimate with everything involved in remodelling your main or ensuite bathrooms. Call us today for more information at 604-986-9969

2013 Home Expo

Cornerstone Kitchens & Design — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 11:47:47 -0700

Visit us at the 2013 Home Expo

We're growing!!

Cornerstone Kitchens & Design — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 11:30:26 -0700

Cornerstone Kitchens & Design is growing!

We would like to welcome Eva Kozikowska to our design team. Eva will be servicing Downtown Vancouver with her excellent design skills and warm and professional personality.

If you are planning on renovating your kitchen or bathroom this year, please give Eva a call at 604-781-2267 or email her at: Eva@CornerstoneKitchenDesign.ca

We will also be at 2013 North Vancouver Spring Expo from March 22-24 at the Karen Magnussen Arena.

It's a 10!

Cornerstone Kitchens & Design — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 11:15:41 -0800

Townhouse Kitchens can be beautiful and funtional!

This townhouse was just completed. With Cloud White Cabinets, Praa Sands Granite and a gorgeous glass blacksplash tile, this North Vancouver Kitchen has the WOW factor!

For more of our completed projects, please see our Gallery or find us on Facebook!

Our Services

Cornerstone Kitchens & Design — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 12:23:58 -0800

Custom Kitchen, Bathroom Cabinetry and Home Renovations
from Initial Concept to Final Completion!

Kitchen & Bathroom Cabinetry

Custom Kitchen & Bathroom cabinetry built locally in North Vancouver.

Kitchen & Bathroom Countertops

We will source, measure and install countertops for Ceasarstone, Silestone, Avonite, Corian, Granite and Laminate.

Tile

We will help select your Floor, Wall, Shower, Accent and backsplash tile if required.

Plumbing Fixtures

We offer a selection of well priced faucets, sinks and accessories for the Kitchen & Bathroom. We can also source and price plumbing fixtures from across Canada.

Gibsons Kitchen Renovation

Cornerstone Kitchens & Design — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 15:53:43 -0800

This gorgeous kitchen located in Gibson's is our most recent completion!

The client chose a Cherry Slab Door stained in Golden Oak. The countertop is Quartz and on the Island the colour is Buckingham and the Sink Wall is Yorkshire.

Our Kitchen Backsplashes

Cornerstone Kitchens & Design — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 15:04:20 -0700

Selecting a Kitchen backsplash

With so much variety, colour and texture in tile these days, selecting a Kitchen Backsplash can be a challenge. It is the finishing touch to your Kitchen Renovation and it's important to know how you want to complete your whole new look.

There are two main options with placing the tile:

1. Straight Lay Pattern - a more contemporary finish

2. Off-Set Brick Pattern - a more traditional finish

Top 10 Kitchen Renovations Tips

Cornerstone Kitchens & Design — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 13:29:02 -0700

Renovating your kitchen will add ease to your lifestyle and value to your home.

Here are the 10 most important things to consider when you're updating your kitchen.

1 Use quality materials. -quality drawer slides and hinges mean cabinet doors will stay closed and drawers won't stick. Stay away from drawers that are stapled together or made of particleboard. For cabinet interiors, wood veneer is more durable than melamine, laminate, MDF or particleboard.

2 Determine cabinet heights. If you have eight-foot ceilings, choose cabinets that go to the ceiling. They offer more storage, enabling you to use extra wall space for artwork or open shelves. If your ceilings are higher than eight feet, leave 15 to 18 inches above the cabinets.

3 Decide whether to paint or stain. Though stained-wood cabinetry is forgiving, most finishes date quickly and aren't easily altered. Brush-painted cabinets can lend a unique personality.

4 Select an elegant countertop. Quartz products, Granite and Butcher Block wood can add elegance and warmth.

5 Install an island that works. Beware of placing a bulky cube in the middle of the room. We like islands that have an open, airy look. Ideally, an island should be unencumbered by appliances, but if you want it to house a dishwasher-sink combo or a cook-top, try to maintain the light look of a leggy harvest table.

6 Don't overdo the details. Design accents such as pediments over stoves and plaster mouldings on cabinet fronts can represent decorative excess. Remember that the style of your kitchen should be compatible with the rest of your home.

7 Avoid maintenance nightmares. Natural surfaces with inherent texture -- slate, terracotta, brick and tumbled marble -- are more difficult to clean but camouflage the odd crumb. Smooth surfaces in light colours, such as white laminate counters or ceramic floors, are easy to clean but show everything. And as much as we love stainless steel, it's not easy to keep smudge-free.

8 Stick to basic appliances. Instead of lots of appliances and gadgets, consider selecting a few reliable basics. For example, a commercial-quality stainless-steel range makes an interesting focal point and takes up less space than separate wall ovens and a cook-top.

9 Incorporate an adjacent dining room. A clever design, plus the appropriate lighting and furniture, will let you adapt the room's atmosphere to suit any occasion. Consider a banquette design combined with slip-covered chairs for an efficient use of space.

10 Add interest. Your kitchen should reflect you and your lifestyle. Maybe you have a unique piece of unique furniture and you can use it in your design.

How the reversal of the HST will affect your home renovation!

Cornerstone Kitchens & Design — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 13:44:29 -0700

Waiting for the reversal of the HST before deciding to renovate your home thinking that you will save 7%?

Think Again!

The first five months of 2012 would have been better spent on vacation for all those in the home renovation industry. The summer picked up a little and the fall/winter forecast is unpredictable. As a kitchen designer, I have had a real close look at the renovation trend over the past 9 years. And now I would like to make prediction for the spring /summer of 2013. During the building/renovation boom in 2005-2008, it was next to impossible for the home owner wanting a renovation to get a quality contractor to offer them an affordable price with a start-completion time table they could live with.

It all came down to supply and demand. Contractors were taking on far too much work at one time and were naming their price. This was a direct result of the real estate sales increase along with all the new buildings being created for the Olympics. Every trade was making hay and the sun was shining bright! If potential home owners are holding back until the spring, I predict this will happen again and will take at least 2 years for it to settle down. Homeowners are going to pay premium pricing as well as wait forever for the renovation to complete. Here is the difference with the PST/GST verses the HST.

As cabinet re-sellers, we will have to pay at a non recoverable 7% PST and recoverable 5% GST to our cabinet maker and then only charge the 5% GST to our client. This means that our price to our client will be increased 7% of our cost. There is also a yearly price increase by our cabinet maker due to the costs of lumber, gas, and wages. I suggest that homeowners should do all that they can to get started now on their renovation instead of waiting for the 12% HST to revert to 5% GST and 7% PST on April 1, 2013.

You will save money!

North Vancouver Condo

Cornerstone Kitchens & Design — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 10:58:00 -0700

North Vancouver Condo Kitchen.

Here's a great example of how beautiful a small condo kitchen can be!

The Countertops are a granite look alike........but much more cost effective!

The Cabinets are a painted Maple......we can do any colour but this one is very popular.

The Backsplash finishes off the whole look...

North Vancouver Kitchen Completion

Cornerstone Kitchens & Design — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 11:04:46 -0700

This is our most recent completed Kitchen project in North Vancouver.

The cabinets were created from maple doors in Devonshire Cream with a sand off with the island in espresso, also with a sand-off distressed look.

The countertop is a high end granite called Alaskan White which perfectly tied the two cabinet colours together.

The backsplash tile is a light grey glass tile.

Do you need a Kitchen Designer?

Cornerstone Kitchens & Design — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 12:58:34 -0700

So you are considering a remodel in the next 12 months and now the questions begin.

1. Where do I start? Cabinetry? Flooring? Colours?
2. Should I hire a professional? Contractor? Designer?
3. Where do I find the right person? Google? Recommendation?

Everyone asks these questions when beginning a large renovation project and there are many professionals in your area but how do you find the right company to work with?

A good place to begin is an obvious one.....family, friends, and neighbours. If nobody in your circle has required these services then the next best place is the internet. If you are reading this blog page then chances are you have 'googled' something and ended up clicking on our website.

So how do you know if we are the right choice for you? Well here's a few highlights of our services:

1. We will come and meet you in your home and have a look at the Kitchen or Bathroom, discuss some options and give you an opportunity to get to know us. This is a complimentary visit.

2. Next, we will have one of our designers generate some drawings and elevations so that you can have a visual of how your space might look. You will then come and visit our showroom where we will present you with a full quote along with the drawings. This is also a complimentary visit.

3. So now you have a starting place and an idea of what is possible in your home. At this point we will explain the next stages and if you want to take any of the drawings away with you all we require is a deposit of $1120.00. Keep in mind though that you haven't had to commit any money up until you are ready to go to the next step.

4. Hiring a Designer is not really 'hiring' at all as we offer a couple of visits free of charge to get you started on your renovation journey. That way you get to decide if we are the right people for the job. However, if you look through our website you will see that we produce quality work and have many very happy clients.

5. Call us and see if we are good on our word.

How to Remodel a Kitchen

Cornerstone Kitchens & Design — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 15:40:08 -0700

Homeowner's Workbook: How to Remodel Your Kitchen

Browse Furniture on Houzz- For Example:

Armchairs · Bar Tables · Chairs · Coffee Tables · Dining Chair Cushions · Dining Chairs And Benches · Love Seats · Sectional Sofas ·

Kitchen Trends

Cornerstone Kitchens & Design — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 14:43:23 -0700

Trends for 2012

What's your cabinet style?

From dark and dramatic to bold and beautiful, it's your choice when it comes to kitchen cabinetry. The result: there's no overriding must-have look for the kitchen, but there are mini-trends. Lovers of modern style are embracing colour: glossy lacquers of stoplight red, bright green and true blue are preferred by brave hearts. For those leaning to more transitional contemporary style, dark woods accented with stainless steel are chic and sophisticated. What's on the long-range trend forecast? European trade shows are showing an increasing number of traditional-style kitchens, and if it's happening in Europe (the continent that loves modern), it'll just be a matter of time before the past is au courant on our shores too.

Drawers, Drawers and more Drawers

This is a two-in-one trend: that's how hot drawers are. First, savvy consumers are insisting on top-quality drawer guides (the actual hardware) for durability as well as inner organizing systems for functionality. Now there's customized storage for everything from linens to recycling materials to dishware to food. The second trend story on drawers is the dramatic increase in how many appliance manufacturers are designing their appliances to fit into drawers, including refrigerated, dishwasher, warming and even microwave drawers. This trend satisfies the desire that consumers have for an uncluttered, fully customized and integrated kitchen with multiple zones for food prep and storage.

Real or Fake?

What's new in countertops? At the higher end, composites are giving granite competition. While the natural beauty of stone will always be a draw, composites like Corian's Zodiaq and Cosentino's Silestone – made from quartz particles and a synthetic binding element – have the properties of granite (such as strength, durability and heat-resistance) but offer more choice in colour and finishes and a guaranteed consistency in appearance. But the real news is that laminates are looking great in today's market. Their more natural-looking appearance and more sophisticated details – like ogee trim – give laminates an edge over other granite imposters.

No touching....please!

Electronic touchless faucets are now readily available in the marketplace. Since no bacteria are left lurking on taps, they're perfect during food preparation and cleanup. The water runs only when it's needed, so you don't waste the precious resource.

British Properties Beauty

Cornerstone Kitchens & Design — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 15:59:38 -0700

                           A recent Kitchen Renovation in
                        West Vancouvers' British Properties

                Slab Cabinet Door in Benjamin Moores''Cotton Balls'


                            Caledonia 4cm Granite Countertop

Cornerstone Kitchens & Design Ltd designs Kitchens & Bathrooms in West and North Vancouver.

Please call for a complimentary in home consultation.

Beautiful Home in Deep Cove

Cornerstone Kitchens & Design — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 14:12:17 -0700

Recently completed Kitchen and Ensuite Bathroom in Beautiful New Home
in Deep Cove, North Vancouver

Custom Built 3" Maple Shaker Door stained in Charcoal
Upper cabinets with glass doors have Queen Anne Mullions accented with
crystal knobs create the perfect polished finish for this contemporary chic kitchen

c

3" Maple Shaker Door painted in Alabaster
all cabinetry with cup pulls and crystal knobs

5 Tips to Choosing Cabinetry

Cornerstone Kitchens & Design — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 14:24:31 -0700

Are you planning on purchasing new kitchen cabinets? Whether for a newly constructed home or for a remodeling project, consider one important factor, your kitchen is the heart of your home! It is not just a place to dine; it is also the main gathering place for family and friends and a place for entertaining. This is particularly true with today’s popular open floor plans and great room designs. Because your kitchen plays such an important part of your home there are a few things to consider in your planning process.

1) Keep in mind future buyers

Even if you are currently building your dream home, it is possible that someday you will have a need to sell your home. Or, if you are remodeling your existing home to make it more comfortable for you and your family, you may still find the need to sell it someday. Because of this, even if you aren’t ready to sell your home today you should always ponder what potential buyers would think of your kitchen cabinet selection and layout because opinions of your kitchen can drastically either increase or decrease your selling price. A practical kitchen layout is typically everyone’s goal, but cabinet styles and finishes are more of a personal choice. Are you attracted to traditional styles or more modern styles? Do you like kitchen cabinets with distinct wood grain or ones with nearly no grain? Whichever you personally prefer always keep future buyers in mind as it can play an important part in your bottom line.

2) The Work Triangle

All homeowners seek a functional workspace in the kitchen. In planning your kitchen layout it is important to consider the distance between your sink, stove and refrigerator in relationship to each other. Connecting these three workstations from their center points should create an invisible “work triangle.” According to the National Kitchen and Bath Association the sum of the three distances should be no more than 26 feet, with no single side of the triangle being less than four feet or more than nine feet. There are a couple things to consider with planning a well-designed work triangle; watch out for any triangle legs that may intersect an obstacle like an island, and make sure that no major traffic patterns cross through the work triangle. Proper planning of your “work triangle,” taking all obstacles and limitations into review, will help create a functional workspace that will be both practical for you and your future buyers.

3) Kitchen cabinet storage is key

When designing your dream kitchen it is key to consider your storage space, along with ample countertop space. Kitchen cabinet layout services are available to help you maximize your space and create the best flow of cabinetry. The first place to look for extra storage space is your corners. In small, tight kitchens a blind corner cabinet can be used to get the most use out of the corner. However, to get the most efficient use of the corner space a lazy Susan corner cabinet or easy reach cabinet should be used. These cabinet options maximize the corner space while allowing easy entry to it contents. Or try adding rollout trays in your base kitchen cabinets to help access your pots and pans, or in your pantries in order to reach cans and dry goods more easily. Another suggestion would be to include a 24” deep bridge cabinet in your kitchen cabinet layout above your refrigerator. Most people keep unused or seasonal items above the refrigerator for the simple fact that they can’t reach the cabinet. Therefore, consider a 24” deep refrigerator cabinet for easier access.

4) Use kitchen cabinets to create islands or peninsulas

Kitchen cabinets can be configured to create center islands or peninsulas. These cabinet configurations are very attractive to homeowners with an open floor plan. Using kitchen cabinets this way creates an area for a breakfast nook with the ability to pull up stools. Kitchen cabinets used in this manner instantly increases seating space, which is ideal since kitchens are typically gathering places. Islands and peninsulas also create more storage space.

5) Bells and Whistles

Just like purchasing a new vehicle, there are upgrade options to consider when purchasing your new kitchen cabinets. For example, what type of drawers do you want in your base cabinets? Will the standard particleboard drawer secured with glue and staples be sufficient? Or would you prefer an all-wood drawer constructed with dove-tailed joints? Or better yet, would you want the all-wood, dove-tailed drawer with full-extension drawer glides that include a silent close feature? Other construction upgrades can include all plywood construction, and custom depth cabinets. Besides construction upgrades there are accessory cabinets that provide you with some “bell and whistle” qualities that can give your kitchen a custom and personalized look. Give consideration to glass door cabinets for displaying your keepsakes or china dinnerware, an appliance hutch for hiding small appliances on your countertop, roll out trays for base cabinets, integrated waste baskets, corner shelves, and wine racks. When selecting your bells and whistles keep in mind both your budget and overall functionality and flow of your kitchen for optimal results.

Remember, your kitchen is the heart of your home! Success in constructing a timeless, comfortable space is creating a balance between an efficient layout and design with your personal tastes, while keeping with the end goal of adding value to your home.

Remodelling A Kitchen

Cornerstone Kitchens & Design — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 16:25:13 -0700

Surviving the Remodel

Whether you’re doing a small remodel or a big renovation, living without a kitchen can be hectic, crazy and expensive. And eating out every night could end up blowing your remodeling budget. But if you plan and prepare, you can survive, thrive and even have fun while waiting for your new kitchen to be done.

Find a good place to locate your refrigerator or get a smaller unit for the makeshift kitchen area and keep your main fridge in the garage. If possible run a temporary water line to feed the ice maker and water dispenser, since you probably won’t have a sink close by.
A microwave oven and toaster oven can be your best friends, handling about 75 percent of meal preparation tasks.
A hot plate or single coil burner makes a great addition. However, do not use a propane or white gas stove inside the house! These can also be great temporary kitchen appliances but only for outdoor use.
Keep your food supplies and temporary kitchen appliances together in a single space to avoid having to run back and forth between rooms when preparing meals.
Dust infiltrates everything, so use airtight plastic boxes to store food items and kitchen utensils. Cover food preparation surfaces with plastic tarps during the work day and be sure to mark the top side or you’ll get even more dust on those surfaces!
Washing dishes may be the biggest hassle in your makeshift kitchen. If at all possible, relocate your old dishwasher temporarily. If that isn’t possible, get a portable utility sink and have your plumbing contractor plumb it in a convenient location as close to the fridge and makeshift kitchen area as possible.
If none of these options are available, you’ll have to get really creative by setting up a backyard cleaning station with a garden hose and temporary basin, using a bathroom or laundry room sink or even the bathtub if no other options are available.
Get some plastic tubs to haul dirty dishes to the clean up station and back to the kitchen space for storage in your airtight bins.
Since you won’t have a garbage disposal, keep a garbage can with airtight lid and plastic liner in the kitchen work area and plan to empty it at least once a day.
Use your outdoor barbeque grill as much as possible to reduce odors and indoor cooking activities.
Frozen foods and precooked meals that can be nuked in the microwave oven are a great way to reduce meal preparation messiness and get meals prepared quickly.
Keep plenty of snack foods like fresh fruit, granola bars, chips, crackers, etc. handy.
Use disposable plates and utensils during this difficult time; while nobody wants to add to the landfill, this is a good time to make an exception.
If budget allows, eat out or get take out to avoid meal preparation and give yourself a break from the chaos of construction.
For safety, always keep pets and small children away from the construction area.

North Vancouver Townhouse Kitchen Renovation

Cornerstone Kitchens & Design — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 13:50:09 -0800

Photo montage of a recent North Vancouver
Townhouse Kitchen Renovation.

At the start of the project in North Vancouver........getting ready.

Back to the studs.......window disappears, electrical and plumbing are taken care of.

Drywalling is completed.

Cabinets are installed!

WOW.......Granite Countertops and Backsplash tiling complete this elegant but functional Kitchen.

Cornerstone Kitchens & Design offer a complimentary in home consultation

Top 5 Reasons to use a Kitchen Designer

Cornerstone Kitchens & Design — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 14:02:45 -0800

If you are contemplating a Kitchen Remodel, here are 5 Reasons on why you should hire a Kitchen Designer:

1. Functionality

How will the Kitchen flow, is there a workable triangle and what configuration of cabinets will work the best.Especially in a remodel, homeowners have lots of ideas on how they may want their kitchen laid out. A kitchen designer is going to draw the space to scale and fit the cabinetry and appliances to the space, while maintaining the function of the kitchen. Kitchen designers also use guidelines on clearances and spacing. For example, one thing I commonly see is an average-sized kitchen without countertop space on each side of the cooking surface. This is a ‘no-no' by designer standards. Also, the NKBA (National Kitchen and Bath Association) sets forth standards for spacing on countertops, cabinetry sizes and appliance locations. Designers use these guidelines to create the best kitchen for their client.”

2. Knowledge

Kitchen design is a very technical profession. It requires a lot of knowledge about not just products but how to construct and install the materials. I think a lot of homeowners start a project thinking, ‘How hard can it be?' Not only is there a mountain of overwhelming choices to be made, but there is the technical knowledge to back it up, which the average homeowner has little experience with. One thing I hear frequently is: “I would have never known that was an option had I not had you involved.” Kitchen designers are constantly exposed to all the hot new things on the market, and most actively look for these new releases. You may have been interested in these items but would not have known to ask for them had you not been exposed by your designer. Another thing that you miss by not using a kitchen designer is a professional perspective. A designer can offer you the most functional use of your space—they have lots of ‘tricks of the trade' to maximize your space.”

3. Planning

Kitchen designers start by exploring the client's wants and needs. We ask a lot of questions to access what we should include in your project—those hot, new items that are out there to the traditional top performers. It is important that you have a very open mind and be very honest; You will get the best results. Then plans need to be drawn. Sometimes that includes providing architectural plans to your designer or possibly a site measure. A designer will come up with plans for what they recommend for your space, often accompanied by finishes, color palettes and samples of products they recommend. Depending on the project, there may be showroom visits to view products like appliances, tile and cabinetry. Once plans and finishes have been finalized, the job is usually put out to bid with multiple contractors for competitive installation pricing. Once the homeowner decides to proceed with the project, products are ordered. Each kitchen designer is different in how much ‘project management' they play a role in. But on average, most designers are responsible for ordering the products specified, arranging the delivery of the products to the job site and assisting the contractor with all the information needed to complete the installation.”

4. Experience

The primary resource a kitchen designer provides is the ability to understand a client's needs and translate those needs into a functional kitchen that is representative of their individuality. This is achieved through kitchen design skills, experience, product knowledge, access to products, connections within the industry, ability to conform to a budget and successful execution.” One thing the kitchen design industry has adopted almost universally is 3-D drawing programming. This offers you a better feel for the end result and gives you an opportunity to know what to expect. I find that a fair amount of people claim to “not be visual,” so to speak. Some programs can be very detailed with textures and colors, while others are line drawings.”

5. Design

Don't hire a contractor to design your kitchen! Professional kitchen design
needs a kitchen designer. A contractor won't do for you what a designer does.
And lastly, Word-of-mouth referrals are best. A business built on reputation is the
best one to hire.