Planning guides for people about to spend real money
20 guides on what things cost, which materials suit which rooms, and the decisions that are cheap now and expensive later. Written by the people who draw the cabinetry, not by a content agency.
The three most people read first
- 01
Kitchen cabinet planning checklist
Everything worth settling, in the order it needs settling. Print it, work through it, and your kitchen project will run considerably more smoothly than most.
Read the guide8 min - 02
Kitchen cabinet trends in Toronto
An honest account of what we are being asked for in Toronto kitchens at the moment — separated into what is likely to age well and what is very much of this moment. Trends are preferences, not facts.
Read the guide8 min - 03
Smart kitchen storage ideas
Most kitchen storage advice is a list of gadgets. This is about the four decisions that change how a kitchen works daily — and an honest view on which accessories earn their cost.
Read the guide8 min
All guides by topic
Costs and budgeting
- How Much Do Custom Kitchen Cabinets Cost in Toronto?There is no honest square-foot rate for custom cabinetry.9 min
- Custom vs. Semi-Custom Cabinets: Which Is Right for Your Project?Three categories, and a lot of marketing blurring the lines between them.7 min
- What Affects the Cost of Custom Built-In Cabinetry?Built-ins are quoted from a drawing, not a formula.6 min
Planning and process
- Kitchen Cabinet Planning ChecklistEverything worth settling, in the order it needs settling.8 min
- Planning Custom Cabinets for a Toronto CondoCondo cabinetry is constrained in ways a house is not — and most of the constraints are administrative rather than technical.8 min
- How Long Does a Custom Millwork Project Take?Stage by stage, with honest durations and the three things that most often add weeks.7 min
- What Measurements Are Needed for a Cabinet Estimate?You do not need to measure like a cabinetmaker to get a useful estimate.6 min
- What to Know Before Building a Custom Media WallAlmost everything that determines whether you are happy with a media wall is invisible once it is built.7 min
Materials and construction
- Cabinet Door Styles: Shaker, Slim Shaker and SlabThe door is roughly eighty per cent of what you see.7 min
- MDF, Plywood, Melamine and Wood Veneer ComparedThere is no best cabinet material, only appropriate ones.9 min
- How to Choose Cabinet Hardware and FinishesThe part of the kitchen you touch several thousand times a year, and the cheapest thing to change later.6 min
Design and style
- Kitchen Cabinet Trends for Toronto HomesAn honest account of what we are being asked for in Toronto kitchens at the moment — separated into what is likely to age well and what is very much of this moment.8 min
- Slim Shaker vs. Traditional Shaker CabinetsThe same door with a different frame width, and a surprisingly different result.5 min
- Using Warm Wood Finishes in a Modern KitchenWood in a modern kitchen works when it is used as one material among several rather than as the whole scheme.6 min
- Are Flat-Panel Kitchen Cabinets Right for Your Home?Slab doors are the easiest style to clean and the hardest to get right.6 min
- How to Design a Timeless Two-Tone KitchenTwo-tone works when the division follows the architecture of the room.6 min
Storage and layout
- Smart Kitchen Storage Ideas for Toronto HomesMost kitchen storage advice is a list of gadgets.8 min
- Cabinet and Storage Ideas for Small Toronto KitchensToronto has a lot of small kitchens: narrow Victorian row houses, condo galleys, post-war bungalows.7 min
- What to Plan Before Ordering a Custom ClosetA closet works when the hanging heights match your clothes and the drawers match your folding.7 min
- Hidden Pantry and Appliance-Garage Design IdeasTaking the clutter out of a kitchen without taking the function out of it.6 min
Read enough? Tell us about the room.
Every one of these guides exists because somebody asked us the question. If yours is not answered here, ask it directly.