Canadian Home Trends MAKEOVERS FOR EVERY BUDGET | Page 50

be chosen before a counter plan is
designed. Lighting should also be
planned. Traditional beadboard
used in the counters adds modern
crispness to the kitchen. Metal pot
lights, chandelier, and
three-pendant lights all add to the
forward-looking country aesthetic.
Every renovation’s budget has
wishes and misses. “In a perfect
world I would have preferred
to have the oven wall mounted.
To keep the cost down we went
with the double oven,” Cheryl
comments. Savings were also
gained by using oversized subway
tiles for the backsplash.
Investing in the quartz counters
and the cabinetry’s antiqued
pewter hardware were key to
ensuring the kitchen’s enduring
elegance. As an avid baker and
cook, Cheryl needed durable
low-maintenance counters. “I
researched it. We chop/cut on it.
You can lay hot pans on it without
leaving any marks,” Cheryl notes.
The handmade valances were
also a splurge. The bird pattern
combines contemporary and
traditional sensibilities. “My
husband still doesn’t know the cost
of the valances. Had to have them!,”
Cheryl joyfully notes.
“We love our new kitchen!  The
redesign functions perfectly in how
we use the new area on a
day-to-day basis and to entertain”
says Cheryl.

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