Design magic from Westend
BRIAN MCCULLOUGH
Postmedia Content Works
Banquette window seat perfect for non-standard angle space
Westend Bath and Kitchen designer Sarah Stott loves it when customers she has worked with in the past call her up to design a new renovation project. John and Sue, residents of the city’s West End, did just that last March, three years after Stott designed their dream, “magazine look” ensuite bathroom for them.
This time out the customers were looking for a complete kitchen makeover. On their list were modern countertops, an island work station, and better cabinet storage space than what they currently had. They were especially keen on improving a cluttered nook area adjacent to the front window where the wall angles were anything but square.
Sue said they weren’t sure what was even possible given the dimensions of their kitchen, but said there was no doubt when it came to who they would go to for answers. “We emailed Sarah and said we’re interested in doing our kitchen; we’d like you to design it — when can we come in to see you?”
What brought the couple back to Westend were the same things that attracted them to the company the first time around in 2014 — a reputation for quality work, and fully guaranteed, startto- finish project management.
“It was knowing that they would handle everything all in one,” John said. “They would be responsible for the design and the implementation, as well as any warranty work afterwards.”
“And they are reputable,” Sue added. “They’ve been around for a long time.”
Thirty years, in fact. The Mallet family owners and their longtime associates have grown Westend Bath and Kitchen into the professional centre of excellence for home renovations that people know it by today.
John and Sue’s full kitchen reno included new tile flooring throughout the kitchen and hallway entrance, solid maple cabinets from Deslaurier, bevelled Cambria quartz countertops with a hint of sparkle to reflect the new room lighting, and an attractive hexagonal-tiled backsplash.
“The contemporary geometric pattern of the backsplash blends with the traditional elegance of marble,” Stott said. “It was a perfect choice to complement the countertops.”
But it was on two of the main features where Stott really showed her design chops — the island and the window area.
“Space was tight for installing a kitchen island without compromising National Kitchen & Bath Association guidelines for clearances,” she said, “but I was able to fine tune the design of the coffee counter to accommodate one. For the corner banquette bench seating, I went with a solid dark-stained maple base to match the kitchen cabinets, and capped it with solid oak butcher block from the customers. The overall change to the kitchen is quite dramatic.”
The customers said some of the things they liked best about their Westend renovation experience were the high-quality work from veteran installers Eric and Alain Lachance, and Stott’s “good eye” for design and materials. “Sarah listened well and got a very good understanding of what our vision was,” John said. “She was able to work magic to fit everything in.”
“There’s nothing we would have wished to have done differently with the design or the materials,” Sue added. “Westend gave us that personal touch, and everything worked out perfectly.”
The Westend Bath & Kitchen showroom, located at 1660 Woodward Dr., is open Monday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. You can also visit www.westend bathandkitchen.com, or call 613-226-7701 to schedule a free estimate.
