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Step-By-Step Kitchen Design

Designing your kitchen can feel a little overwhelming – so many choices and options!

We simplify the process by breaking it down into manageable steps, and work through each of the options.

Below are some of the steps and options that your designer will guide you through, to make sure that your get the kitchen you’ve always dreamed of!

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Step 1

What kitchen style inspires you?

Contemporary

Current, trend-aware look with bolder choices than strict minimalism: mix of textures (matte + gloss), strong feature lighting, statement islands, and innovative storage solutions.

Modern – Minimalist

Flat-slab doors, handle-less or very simple pulls, and a tight, uncluttered look. Lots of negative space, integrated appliances, and very limited colour—often white, black, or grey.

Classic – Traditional

Raised-panel or detailed shaker doors, crown moulding, warm neutrals or creams, and decorative hardware. Feels formal and timeless, often with stone counters and detailed millwork.

Transitional

Hybrid of traditional and modern: clean shaker doors, simple lines, but still warm and inviting. Neutral palette, minimal ornament, mixing classic profiles with modern hardware and lighting.

Farmhouse

Shaker or beadboard doors, apron-front sink, open shelves, and warm wood or painted finishes. Feels casual and homey; often uses vintage-style lighting and classic hardware.

Cottage / Coastal

Light, breezy palette—whites, soft blues, sandy tones—with simple cabinetry. Often includes beadboard, open shelving, and relaxed hardware; focuses on brightness and casual comfort.

Mediterranean – Tuscan

Rich, earthy colours, natural stone, arches or curves, and more ornate doors. Warm woods, wrought-iron details, and textured walls or tiles give a “villa” feel.

2-Tone

A specific variant on contemporary, transitional styles which uses contrast in colours and textures to add visual interest and drama, often between the upper and lower cabinets, or island and main cabinets.

Step 2

Pick your door face

Flat – Slab

Usually associated with Modern, minimalist styles. Lots of flexible options for materials, colour and texture.

Shaker

A very popular, contemporary style. Typically painted, or finished with Thermofoil. The shaker profile can also be customized.

Raised Panel

A more traditional / classic style of door profile. Typically painted, or finished with Thermofoil. There are numerous options for the actual shape of the profile.

5-Piece

Constructed of central panel surrounded by a 4-piece frame, this is a more transitional style, and offers a variety of options for material, finish, texture and cost.

Textured / Beadboard

There are a wide variety of contemporary options for different textures and profiles, from traditional beadboard, to more modern faux wood finishes.

Skinny Shaker

A more modern take on Shaker style doors, with a thin, minimalist frame.

Recessed Panel

A simpler take on this more traditional / classic style of door profile. Typically painted, or finished with Thermofoil. There are numerous options for the actual shape of the profile.

Arched

A much more traditional, classic look, the arch is typically on the top, with a raised panel, but can also be on the bottom, with a recessed panel.

Glass Panel

Usually matched with Shaker, Skinny Shaker or 5-piece doors, the glass can be clear or frosted, to showcase the contents inside.

Double Shaker

A slightly more ornate take on Shaker style doors, with an additional thin, matte within the central panel

Recessed Panel – Flat

A simpler take Recessed Panel, but more ornate and traditional than a Double-Shaker.

Drawer Faces

Remember that your drawer faces will match the door face, so consider how this will translate to the shorter, narrow drawers. And don't forget to think about handle / pull placement.

Step 3

Material Options for Doors + Drawer Faces

$
Thermofoil

Any Profile can be finished with Thermofoil, a popular, budget-friendly option featuring a vinyl film heat-sealed onto an HDF core, creating a smooth, seamless, durable, and easy-to-clean surface that mimics painted wood or other finishes.

$
Melamine

Melamine cabinet doors are durable, budget-friendly flat (slab) doors with a decorative, resin-infused paper layer heat-fused to the surface, offering a smooth, easy-to-clean finish in various colours, textures (like woodgrain), and high-gloss or matte options.

$$
PET / Acrylic

Polyethylene Terephthalate or Acrylic cabinet doors are modern, durable, and low-maintenance flat-panel doors offering sleek high-gloss or super matte finishes, for slab/flat doors.

$$$
Painted

Any profile can be painted, on either the front, or both sides of the door. High quality, cabinet grade paint, to match any Benjamin Moore colour.

$$$$
Wood Veneer

Flat / Slab or 5-panel doors can have a wood veneer finish, in a variety of different wood species, which would then be stained.

$$$$
Stained Wood

5-panel doors can be constructed of real wood, in a variety of different wood species, which would then be stained.

Laser Edge Banding

Melanine, PET and Acrylic faces will require edge banding. Our Laser Edge Banding process provides a superior, beveled micro-edge.

$ – $$$$

Core Material

Door cores can be made of hardwood or plywood, but are more commonly made of MDF of HDF High Density Fibreboard, which is very durable but much less expensive than wood.

Step 4

Let's talk about your cabinets

$
Edge Painting

If you want to re-use your existing cabinets, we will likely have to paint the edges to match your new door / drawer faces.

$$
White Melamine
Particleboard

Our most popular choice for new cabinets; particleboard, coated with white melamine

$$$
Maple Melamine
Particleboard

We can also cover the inside of the particleboard cabinets in Maple melamine, for a more natural looking finish.

$$$$
Birch Plywood

Plywood provides the most strength and highest durability, and would typically be finished in white or birch melamine.

Step 5

Countertop Options

$
Laminate

Laminate countertops are durable, affordable surfaces made from layers of plastic-coated sheets heat-pressed together and bonded to a wood-based substrate like particleboard, mimicking natural materials such as stone or wood at a lower cost, offering vast style choices, & easy cleaning.

$$
Butcher Block

Butcher block countertops are thick, durable slabs made from strips of solid hardwood (like maple, oak, walnut) glued together, offering a warm, natural, and textured surface ideal for food prep and adding rustic or modern style to kitchens.

$$$
Quartz

Quartz countertops are durable, engineered surfaces made from roughly 90% ground natural quartz crystals mixed with resins, polymers, and pigments, creating a non-porous, stain-resistant, and low-maintenance alternative to natural stone like granite or marble, with wide design versatility.

$$$$
Granite / Marble

Granite and marble are popular natural stones for countertops, but differ in durability and appearance: Granite is harder, more heat/scratch-resistant, with speckled patterns, making it ideal for busy kitchens, though it requires sealing. Marble offers classic, elegant veining but is softer, more porous, prone to etching/staining from acids (like lemon juice), making it better suited for less-used areas like bathrooms unless properly sealed and maintained.

Step 6

Backsplash Options

$
Sheet / Panel

Budget friendly alternatives include metal sheets, Peel and Stick, painting techniques, and other alternative finishes.

$$
Quartz

A contemporary option that provides a clean, seamless look, to extend the countertop material up the wall

$$ – $$$$
Tile

Ceramic, porcelain, glass, natural stone) in subway, mosaic, or geometric patterns. Costs can vary widely depending upon materials and installation.

$$$$
Granite / Marble

Stone backsplash options range from luxurious full slabs of marble or granite for a seamless look to textured stacked stone tiles.

Step 7

Don't Forget About Functionality!

Drawers

Where ever possible, add drawers instead of static shelves or cupboards. We have lots or options to suit your taste and budget.

Corner Solutions

Blind Corners and Corner cabinets always present a challenge in you kitchen, but a well designed solution can provide better access and unlock extra storage.

Spice Solutions

Spice drawers, racks and towers keep all those frequently used items easily accessible, right where you need them.

Garbage & Recycling

Organics, Recycling and Garbage can be an eyesore. Explore some creative solutions to keep it handy, but out of site.

Pantries

Build in tons of accessible storage space to keep everything at your fingertips.

Upper cabinets

Dividers, Pull-Outs, Pull-Downs, Spice Towers and other smart storage solutions help you maximize these upper spaces.

Under Sink

Make the most of this high-touch area with risers, u-shaped pull-outs and organizers.

Tupperware, Pots & Pans

Get easy access and better organization with drawers and pullouts.

Step 8

Finishing Touches

Hardware, Knobs & Pulls

Plumbing Fixtures

Lighting & Electrical

Flooring, Trim & Painting