This post is dedicated to my favourite room in our newly renovated home... the kitchen. I designed it (with some suggestions from Nick) and Nick built it (with some help from me). I have no regrets when it comes to the layout or the finishes, and so I want to take a few minutes to share some of the details.

All of the cabinets are custom which allows us to take full advantage of the space, give a built-in feel to our appliances, and accomodate interior organizers galore. At Kent Carpentry, we finish our own cabinet fronts, so I was able to choose any colour of the rainbow. Although I debated going with the ever-popular white kitchen I decided on a different, but still neutral, Stonington Gray by Benjamin Moore. 

The flooring is tile that imitates white-washed wood plank flooring... and the best part... it's heated!

Shaker style door and drawer fronts suited the modern country feel I wanted, while the tarnished bronze hardware from Lee Valley added a unique contrast. In my opinion, big drawers are where it's at for kitchen storage. These drawers are equipped with fully extendable slides so that things don't get lost in the depths never to be seen again as they often do in deep cupboards. Can you guess which one hides our garbage and recycling bins?

This ceramic farmer's sink from IKEA was exactly the look we were going for and the price was right. On another positive note, it has held up extremely well so far!

All of our appliances were selected from the new KitchenAid line. I picked these out at the beginning of the kitchen design process, so that I could plan the cabinets based on their exact dimensions and successfully achieve that built-in look I desired. 

During our visit to our Granite supplier to select our countertops, I fell head-over-heels in love with this honed granite. Unlike it's smooth and shiny counterpart, honed granite has an earthy look, minimal sheen, and a bit of texture. It also holds up well to stains and heat.

Last but not least, we added an abundance of extra storage space in the kitchen with this custom buffet unit. I'm extremely happy with the decision to use reed glass in the upper cabinets. It's a great feature in comparision to using all solid doors, yet the texture of the glass provides some camoflage for the items I store in there.

This kitchen is not only gorgeous and spacious, it is also very functional in both layout and the use of interior cabinet organizers that allow me to take full advantage of the space. Stay tuned for a future 'Inside the Cabinet' blog.

Click here to view our Kitchen Gallery and see other kitchens by Kent Custom Carpentry.

An unimaginable amount of effort went into this custom cottage build in the Gravenhurst area, and Kent Custom Carpentry is thrilled to share that this project is complete... and absolutely spectacular! As the finishing touches have been made, I figured I should probably get around to sharing some photos of the exterior.

The wall of windows on this side of the cottage will allow the owners to take full advantage of the lake view from their great room, dining room, kitchen, and master suite (complete with walk-out balcony). 

Here you have the front entry side of the cottage. The exterior is finished in a red Cape Cod wood siding in board and batten style with cedar shakes to finish the gables. The railings for the stairs, porch, and wrap-around deck are a combination of wood with black iron pickets.

Behold the 3-season Muskoka room and lower level gym. This room is deserving of it's very own post but let me tell you, it's the stuff cottage dreams are made of! Think cedar tongue and groove, a stone accent wall, granite tiles, and of course... breathtaking views everywhere you look.

We want to hear about your next project... be it a new build, addition, or a renovation of your exisiting home. Please contact us for a free estimate.

When working with a small space, it's all about making the most of what you have. This ensuite bathroom renovation in Oakville does just that. A shower niche and some trendy rustic wood-and-iron shelves give the homeowners extra storage. This bench seat with a white granite top not only adds dimension to the shower but is also convenient... in my opinion a must-have if the shower space is available! Using light paint on the walls and white subway tile was an fabulous way to keep this bathroom looking bright (the potlights don't hurt either!) but the honeycomb floor tiles and stylish double shower head add interest to the otherwise neutral area.

Anyone who has been to my house knows I have a love affair with the colour gray so it's no surprise that I think this vanity is beautiful. The homeowners opted for a single under-mounted sink, leaving them loads of counter space. The edison bulb light fixture is a gem, and the custom mirror ties everything together.

Please check out our bathroom gallery for more Bathrooms by Kent. Our team also renovated the kitchen in this house (blog post to follow!) but feel free to view picture of kitchens we have completed.

Merry Christmas from the Kent Custom Carpentry team!

We wish you a safe and happy holiday with friends and family. 

The Kent Carpentry team had a busy December wrapping up many projects so that their clients would be able to enjoy (and show off!) their renovations during the holidays. Even with all of the December chaos, Nick and I found the time to collaborate on some handmade gifts for our loved ones. Now that the big day has come and gone, and all of the presents under the tree have been opened, I can share our creations.

We created four of these Drink Local bottle openers, inspired by a project that I came across online during one of my holiday shopping binges. Stained gray and hand-painted... We loved this idea so much we had to keep one for ourselves!

With the exception of the bottle openers, we were able to use materials we had laying around to make these signs.

We played around with the size, distressed a couple of them, and made a Prince Edward Island version to ship to my parents who live there.

These bottle openers are truly one-of-a-kind, and best of all, they were made with love! I know... I know... so thoughtful... they can all make it up to me on my birthday in *cough cough* five days.

Next up: This festive sign. I absolutely LOVE gifting holiday decor and I love, love, love, LOVE how this sign turned out. What do you think of my painting skills? Not bad right!?

PS. Mother nature. If you're listening, my reasoning behind choosing this quote was purely for the sake of nostalgia. Please do not take it literally. Don't get me wrong... the Christmas snow is beautiful and magical, but come January I'd like it to be all done. Cheers!

Finally, my most favourite project of the year... the wooden Christmas tree. I'm honestly kicking myself for only making one because it's JUST. SO. CUTE. This is definitely going back on my list of things to make next year because I need one in my life! 

Well thank you for taking a peek at our holiday gift projects! The Kent Carpentry Crew is officially on vacation until the New Year, getting some well-deserved rest and relaxation. We hope to hear about your next home renovation project in 2017!

I am ALL about vintage bathroom vanities... And that's a good thing, because I have not one but TWO of them in my newly renovated house. My obsession started 4 years ago when Nick and I were planning to redo our one-and-only bathroom. I had had enough of the peach bathtub, stick-on tiles, and the ever-disgusting window-in-the-shower. I've tucked this image in the far back reaches of my memory, and even though I'm mortified to show you, here it goes...

GASP! SCREAM! CRINGE! This was the first room in the house the would get a major overhaul (At the time our whole-house renovation was still just a distant dream... or so we thought!). During the planning stage I started doing what I do best... Pinteresting. During these Pinterest adventures I discovered vintage vanities and it was love at first sight! 

Nick was skeptical, and rightly so. Refurbishing an old piece of furniture into a bathroom vanity is no small feat. Not to mention, the small size of the bathroom meant that I would need to find a piece of furniture of very specific dimensions. I scoured Kijiji like it was my job, but to no avail. But miracles do happen! Leaving a job site one day, Nick noticed this baby sitting at the side of the road waiting to be picked up with the trash:

The dresser was a little bit rough around the edges but it was the exact size that I had been looking for and... wait for it... it was FREE! In other words, it was meant to be. I sanded it down, and Nick primed and painted it with his fancy spray gun. Add custom granite countertop (cut the same shape as the oringinal dresser top), porcelain vessel sink, a super cute backsplash, some french-inspired handles, a new chrome faucet and... Oh! Nick had to rebuild all of the drawer interiors to fit around the plumbing (REPEAT: No small feat!) and ta da!:

And here's a look at the whole bathroom:

It was quite the transformation if I do say so myself! Four years later and I have NO regrets. This room was the one and only space in the house that was not torn to bits during the renovation and addition that would follow. I didn't know it at the time, but it would become my sanctuary during the insanity that was to ensue. In all honestly, I have to pay tribute to this vanity. This project helped me to find my style, and this bathroom has inspired the design of the other rooms in my home.

Check out other custom vanities by Kent Custom Carpentry by clicking here or visit our Bathroom Inspirations board on Pinterest.