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Barrel Creations: Putting Discarded Wine Containers to Good Use
Like many, I enjoy a glass of wine (or two) with a good meal, when on a social outing with friends and at the end of a particularly arduous workweek while chillaxing on the couch. This past Saturday whilst doing just that, I got to…
Warming up the Outsides with Wood
A few weeks ago, I reluctantly packed away our patio furniture and barbecue, marking the official end of ‘outdoor season.’ It’s a chore I loathe doing every year, as it serves as a reminder that winter will soon arrive. Thankfully, Toronto…
Joshia de Jonge: a Life of Wood and Music
To say Joshia de Jonge was born to make music wouldn’t be an understatement. From a young age, the Quebec-based guitar maker recalls spending days in her father’s workshop and taking quickly to the craft.
"My dad is Sergei de Jonge, who…
Vigilant Guitars: Strumming a Custom Tune
Trevor Woodland knows how to strike a chord with clients. Since 2015, the lifelong luthier has refined his reputation for building one-of-a-kind guitars out of his Vigilant Guitars workshop in James Bay, Victoria, in British Columbia.…
NKBA Releases its 2023 Design Trends Report
NKBA’s newly released 2023 Design Trends report revealed several new and upcoming trends as well as highlighted a number of others that continue to gain traction. The annual report, which surveyed over 600 members of the kitchen and bath…
Old School Values Meet High Style Design
It was over 25 years ago when Robert and Rhonda Thornton put their vision for a custom cabinet-making business into practice. With big ambitions and a 1 000-square-feet workshop, the husband-and-wife team pooled their passion and talents…
Colour will Rule Interiors in 2023: Trend Report
One of the things I look forward to in fall (other than the leaves changing colour) is finding out the on-trend hues for the coming year. Almost all the major paint manufacturers reveal their predictions for what will be in style and,…
Explore the Possibili-trees of Wood Design
As many people return to in-person work or at least split their time between the office and home as part of a hybrid solution, they continue to want warm living spaces that help them relax and reconnect with nature when in their element – a…
Chervin Kitchen & Bath: 30 Years Young
It was 1991 when Kevin Bauman shaped his woodworking passion into a custom cabinetry business in Waterloo, Ontario. Decades later, Chervin Kitchen & Bath has spread its roots to become a reputed provider of custom, luxury millwork for…
Corner Solutions for Any Kitchen
To create a highly functional, efficient kitchen, you need to use every square inch of the space intelligently and creatively, including those dreaded kitchen corners. Why? Because this will help capitalize on storage space. It’s one of the…
Top 5 Trends In Bathroom Design
The new focus on the importance of the bathroom environment has inspired designers and homeowners alike to rethink their decorative strategy for this space. More than ever, people want to create a relaxing, calming, Zen-like experience with…
The Home Buyer/Seller Standoff
In regular cycles, when faced with the twin realities of rising inflation and rising rates, demand dries, and home prices tumble. But these are not standard times. Although demand has fallen sharply – new and existing home sales are down…
Mastering Closet Design in the Master Suite
Closets have been historically underutilized despite the fact that having a well-organized wardrobe can save both time and money – you can prominently see what you own so you don’t buy things you already have – and increase storage…
Changing Business Dynamics Within Design
Designers are facing obstacles that were practically non-existent for much of the past year. Ratings by kitchen and bathroom professionals in the recently released second quarter NKBA/John Burns Kitchen & Bath Index (KBMI) study reveal…
Addressing Rising Costs
Rising costs are a significant concern among cabinet manufacturers, but a mixture of flexibility and ingenuity is helping to make the situation more tolerable. Cost of materials and cost inflation, identified as the #1 and #2 challenges…
K&B Sales Challenges Grow
Although 2022 industry sales are expected to increase by 9.4% compared to last year – healthy by most standards – it is the second downward revision for the year and well below the initial call for a 19% gain. This was among the many…
Reality Sets In – Q2 2022 KBMI Overview
Results from the second quarter NKBA/John Burns Kitchen & Bath Market Index (KBMI) study were a stark reminder that the kitchen and bath industry is not immune to overall economic turmoil. The overall KBMI for Q2 was 70.4, the lowest…
Furniture Trends That Are Here to Stay
Canada’s residential real estate sector experienced a massive boom during the pandemic thanks to record-low mortgage rates, which helped boost furniture manufacturing and retail industries. While the housing market has turned amid a series…