Large island perfect for open concept kitchen and family room
BRIAN MCCULLOUGH
Postmedia Content Works
Worry-free reno work done while clients away on vacation
It is a bit ironic that Barrhaven residents Jennifer and Will would take off for a Caribbean island vacation, while back at home an island was being constructed in their own kitchen.
The couple’s decision to get away for a couple of weeks while Westend Bath and Kitchen tucked into a major kitchen renovation that included a beautiful new island cooktop and meal preparation area was easy. They knew the company through a friend’s recommendation, and were reassured by Westend’s bonded status and customer satisfaction guarantee.
“We had no concerns about leaving the keys with Westend,” Jennifer said. “Will and I are both professional project managers, but we know nothing about renovation construction. We had a good feeling about the company, so we left it to the experts. There was no worry at all.”
Westend’s pet-friendly construction contractor Mo Savard made things even easier by telling the couple to leave their two cats at home during the renovation rather than kennel them. Savard dubbed one of the felines “Inspector Cat” because of the way it followed him around all day.
Before they left for their Jamaican getaway, Will and Jennifer had discussed their reno needs with Westend designer Joanna Dempsey. What impressed them about her was Dempsey’s flexibility when it came to arranging meetups, and the easy manner in which she offered the couple various material and design options without any pressure to upgrade.
“We told Joanna the colours we wanted, and she had samples set out for us to look at by the time we got to the showroom,” Jennifer said. “We really liked the one-stop shopping.”
Westend Bath and Kitchen offers convenient, turnkey service to their customers, eliminating the hassle of interviewing individual trades and coordinating delivery of materials.
The beautiful, quartztopped island is the centrepiece of the kitchen renovation, and replaces a much smaller rolling unit that Jennifer said had no storage space. Will joked that the new island is more like a “continent,” but as Dempsey explained, it suits the couple’s needs and lifestyle perfectly.
“The large kitchen island was designed to be as multi-functional as possible,” she said. “The piece gives Will and Jennifer extra countertop area for cooking, lots more storage and plenty of space for guests to gather around when they are entertaining.”
With functionality uppermost in mind, the layout of the rest of the kitchen incorporates extra cabinetry to store dishes, pots and pans, and small appliances. Freeing up the countertop areas around a central island focal point offered Westend’s clients the results they were looking for.
“We wanted a comfortable home environment where we can live and people can play,” Jennifer said. “The space had to be livable, and usable for everything. The island is big, but the kitchen isn’t crowded at all. I like the clean look.”
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.
