Kitchen Floor Decor

There's so much that goes into the designing of a kitchen, that sometimes we forget to look down.
Whether we are debating tile vs hardwood, or ripping out old flooring vs keeping existing flooring… it can be tough to decide which way to go.

Just like kitchen design, flooring design is always changing and improving. Have a look at these products that may make your decision-making a tad easier.

1. Hardwood in the Kitchen:
LOVE hardwood in the kitchen. Yes, if you drop a dish, it may dent the floor. Yes, if your dishwasher backs up, it may cause water damage.  But in today's housing layouts we are almost always faced with open concepts. There's nothing worse then chopping up a gorgeous layout with an ugly tile to wood transition. It makes the room feel smaller, and draws attention downward. Also, there any many hardwoods nowadays that come "pre worn"… in other words, a little bit scratched, knicked, dented, scraped in order to camouflage the inevitable wear and tear of life.

2. Love the look of Hardwood.. but not bold enough to take the risk?
Try Ceramic Tile planks in wood imitation:
One of the hottest looks in the tile world as of late is imitating the wood look. There are thousands of products available that will give you the look of hardwood, without the risks of hardwood. Keep in mind, these are still tiles, so you will still have grout lines. But, they carry the benefit of being waterproof, so not just great in kitchens, but also mudrooms, bathrooms… and gorgeous in showers!

Ceragres Tile - www.ceragres.ca

3. Patterned Tiles:
This is a bit more of a commitment.. but a great way to introduce pattern into a normally un-patterned room. It can add character, charm and will look like art!

The ever-popular chevron pattern.. gorgeous and can be done in so many different materials.

www.ceragres.ca

www.ceragres.ca

Or… if you are feeling really bold….

www.ceragres.ca

4. Vinyl Planks or Tiles:
Vinyl has a bad reputation.. we all instantly remember our parent's houses with awful vinyl flooring peeling in the corners. This product really has evolved and has come a long way. Vinyl also offers the look of a tile (you can even grout them), or a hardwood plank and comes in many different colours and styles. Not to mention.. scratch-resistent, water-resistant, pet/kid resistant! Have a look at the vinyl of today:

www.armstrong.com

www.armstrong.com

Lots to choose from in every budget, style, look, etc. What is your favourite type of flooring in the kitchen?

Caring For Your BEAUTIFUL GCW Cabinetry

How do I clean my beautiful GCW Cabinetry? A question we are always asked! You want to keep your dream kitchen sparkling and stunning… here's how to maintain it's beauty for years to come:

Wood Face Frames: You have chosen Craftsman style cabinetry with wood doors and framework. Face frames are constructed from individual pieces of wood. The joints where the vertical parts meet the horizontal parts are susceptible to movement from the expansion and contraction that these parts experience with fluctuations in temperature and humidity and therefore small cracks may be visible over time.

Wood Doors: All wood doors will expand and contract with changes in temperature and levels of humidity. Although every precaution is taken to reduce the noticeable effects of expansion and contraction during the manufacturing process, variations in humidity levels may cause visible changes to the doors. With low humidity, the center panel of wood doors may contract and expose small areas of unfinished wood. With high humidity, doors may show minor gaps in the joints and the frames may bow slightly. These conditions are normal and temporary; they will disappear when the humidity returns to a moderate level. These potential fluctuations can be reduced or even eliminated if the humidity in the home is controlled and kept constant. Small amounts of touch-up stain can be made available for pick-up when requested, at no charge.

Wood Variations: The beauty and uniqueness of natural wood brings with it an intrinsic quality in grain and colour variation. The Craftsman Series of wood products consists of doors with a “Select” grade of wood (unless requested otherwise); small knots and mineral streaks are greatly reduced however, some mild variation in grain and colour should be expected. Lighter stains will enhance these characteristics; darker stains will tone down these characteristics and increase the overall appearance of uniformity to the finished product.

Antique Finishes: All antique finishes feature a hand crafted appearance, which gives this product the “antique look” which is so popular in today’s market. This process is applied manually, which will result in variations in the uniformity and consistency of the antiquing. The finished product is unique in appearance and the amount of antiquing may also vary from showroom samples.

General Information: Although GCW only uses the highest quality of paints and stains that are available on today’s market, it is important to remember that these products require extra care to maintain longevity. All finished products will require a minimum of 30 days to cure; more time may be required with higher levels of humidity. Therefore, extra caution is required in the handling of these products during this cure time.

Colour Samples: Showroom samples are only a reasonable representation of the final product at best; stain may vary slightly from batch to batch and the wood grain of samples will also be varied. These products are hand finished; therefore, some minor variation may also occur at the finishing stage.

Antique, Glazed & Finishes: All antiqued or glazed finishes feature a hand-crafted appearance, which gives this product the “antique look” which is so popular in today’s market. This process is applied manually, which will result in variations in the uniformity and consistency of the antiquing. The finished product is unique in appearance and the amount of antiquing may also vary from showroom samples.

Care and Maintenance: A solution of mild dish soap and water is ideal for cleaning all components of the cabinetry and countertops. DO NOT RUB excessively in one area as this may polish or bring up a glossy area noticeable in the light. All cabinetry must be dried immediately after cleaning. Do not use any abrasive cleaners, pads, thick cream solutions, bleach or furniture polish on any part of the cabinetry. WD40 may be used to remove stubborn stains on the melamine cabinet components, followed by a soapy water rinse and towel dry.

*the above applies to wood cabinetry. MDF Painted cabinetry is also to be cleaned with a solution of mild dish soap and water as well. 

Kitchen Trends of 2014

At the London Lifestyle Homeshow, two of our talented designers took the stage to talk about Kitchen Trends of 2014.

In case you weren't able to attend, or wanted a re-cap of the presentation, see below!

2014 London Lifestyle Homeshow

It sure was a cold and snowy weekend, but the Lifestyle Home Show was bustling!
If you did not get a chance to see our booth in person, have a look at the photos below.
A huge thank you to all of our Team Members that made the booth a reality, and to our generous partners - Home Sense, The Lighting Shoppe, and Ambrose Plumbing for providing the final touches that brought the display together!

We also were awarded with the Best Multi-Booth Award! We felt very honoured to receive this!