Paradigm Kitchen Design

We're On The Move!

2012-02-01T08:06:00.000-08:00

Paradigm Kitchen Design is pleased to announce that we are moving our showroom and fabrication operations to a new, combined facility at 720 Alexander Street in Vancouver’s historic Railtown district effective immediately.

"We felt it was time to bring things together," said Paradigm owner Justin Horn. “The convenience of having everything under one roof allows us to operate more efficiently. We can offer our clientele locally manufactured custom cabinetry and millwork without having to rely on products from out of town or overseas. It is great to be able to employ talented local designers and skilled tradespeople and keep them working right here in the heart of Vancouver.”

We opened for business in Coquitlam in 1995, but moved to the corner of 14th and Cambie Street in Vancouver in 2000. The new location meant more sophisticated projects and our design team soon realized they needed a more flexible and reliable cabinet and millwork supplier. We expanded with his own manufacturing facility to answer this need in 2006.

This amalgamation of the design showroom and manufacturing facility to 720 Alexander Street represents a vertically integrated business that is unique to the urban landscape of Vancouver.We look forward seeing you at our new showroom. Contact one of our design team to set up a meeting.

Gallery: Fine in False Creek

2011-11-25T11:37:00.001-08:00

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This project is one of the most extensive remodels we've undertaken. The ground floor suite was completely gutted and reconfigured, taking 3 rooms and turning them into one open living space. The kitchen was transformed from a tiny box into a chef's dream. Cabinetry throughout the kitchen is engineered veneer and the countertops are Caesarstone quartz.

Even the foyer was remodelled, taking 3 poorly configured closets and creating a large concealed space for laundry and linen storage, as well as convenient coat and shoe storage at the entrance. The tile floors in the foyer protect this more heavily used space, while the engineered flooring in the rest of the suite make for a more warm and inviting living space.

More details on the complete remodel can be found HERE.

Gallery: Pleasant in Mount Pleasant

2011-09-16T14:39:00.000-07:00

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A very dramatic transformation from the original layout (seen in the last photo) was achieved by opening up the walls between the kitchen, family and dining room. The result is a space designed for entertaining. The large 10' long island defines the actual "kitchen" area and provides seating for up to 6 people. Finishes are very contemporary; the upper cabinetry features high-gloss painted doors (handle-less for a clean appearance) which contrasts nicely with a horizontal grain laminate for the base and pantry cabinets. Countertops are quartz in two different colours.

Gallery: Easy Being Green

2011-08-03T08:30:00.000-07:00

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This project in North Vancouver is a great example of what happens when the client has a plan before they come to see their kitchen designer. Before a single line was drawn the client knew the appliances they would be using, the colours they wanted to use, and a general idea as to where things should be located. We made very few changes to their original ideas, only tweaking them slightly to achieve a nicer visual balance, and to ensure the accessories we installed worked properly.

The cabinetry is a simple shaker style, painted in Benjamin Moore "Ranchwood" and the quartz countertops are Cambria "Aragon". We think you'll agree this kitchen makes it very easy to enjoy a green lifestyle.

Gallery: Before And After on the West Side

2011-07-15T13:52:00.000-07:00

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Nothing illustrates the impact a well thought-out remodel can have for your home like a set of "Before & After" photographs. As you scroll through the pictures featured here from one of our most recent projects, start thinking about the changes you could make to make your kitchen the dream space you'd like it to be. Then contact one of our designers and see how to make those dreams come true!

The Village - Pronto Caffe

2011-05-31T16:22:00.000-07:00

The lunch options in the Cambie Village just got much tastier with the opening of Pronto Caffe, just across the street from the Park Theatre. Pronto is a brand new, beautifuly designed diner that features the heavenly creation known as porchetta. Porchetta is Italian roast pork, stuffed with herbs and roasted for about 4 hours on the premises. You'll notice the heavenly aroma the moment you walk in the door. The result is the most flavourful roast pork ever. There's even cracklins!

Porto offers porchetta sandwiches (available for take away) and dinners, served with fresh and seasonal sides like roasted potatoes. They also offer a range of other sides (like sauted kale) traditional dishes (panini, pasta, etc.) and even offers some vegetarian options.

The atmosphere is casual and friendly – an ideal neighbourhood destination and well worth journeying across town for. Located across the street from the Park Theatre, Pronto is the go-to place for a comforting meal before or after a movie, or your appointment at Paradigm.

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Pronto Caffe
3473 Cabie Street
Vancouver, BC
604-722-9331

Why We Provide Quotes, Not Estimates

2011-05-20T15:56:00.000-07:00

As you start gathering prices for your kitchen or bathroom project, you'll come across both quotes and estimates for the work. There's a big difference between the two:

Estimating is equivalent to guessing. It's like saying "We don't know exactly what the project will cost, but here's our best guess. Oh, and by the way, if we're wrong we'll be adding to your final bill."

Quoting is different. Quoting is offering a specific price that will be charged for the work in question. It's based on facts and experience, and if the bidder has made a mistake in the bid, then the customer isn't on the hook.

At Paradigm Kitchen Design, we quote whenever possible. The kitchen we design for you will have specific cabinets, handles, countertop and installation requirements where we can be almost 100% certain of the cost. Even with renovation elements like plumbing, lighting and painting, we can bid with relative certainty. All items we have included will be listed on your quote. Items we haven't specifically chosen (e.g. handles, countertop material, etc.) will be listed with the allowance we have included. The final price may or may not change depending on what you select and how it compares to the allowance.

There are some instances where estimating is required. Areas where the work to be done is not visually apparent (e.g. behind walls yet to be removed) will be estimated to the best of our knowledge. These items will be identified on your Project Specifications and our quote (or allowance) will be noted. Once we can get in and actually see what needs to be done we'll be able to bid on the work.

In order to properly compare competing prices, it's important for you to know what you're comparing. When doing so, remember that it takes an expert to stand behind their price.

Source: James Dibben (Blue Collar Coaching)

Wood Those Cabinets Make You Happy?

2011-05-12T11:04:00.000-07:00

These days we’re hearing a lot about “environmental design” and “healthy homes”. Formaldehydes in board materials, VOC’s in finishes and closer to home mould & mildew found in the walls of improperly built condominiums; all of these can have a physical impact on the inhabitants of a given space. Fortunately we have the ability to choose proper materials to prevent these situations.

But what about the emotional impact of our choice of materials? For example, do the materials used in a kitchen affect the inhabitants emotionally as well as physically? That was the question researchers at the University of British Columbia and FPInnovations set out to answer. In particular they were looking at how the presence of wood in one’s environment impacted their levels of stress.

119 people took part in the study that measured several physiological stress reactions when exposed to environments that contained wood, and those that did not. What they discovered was a significant decrease in the stress-related responses in the “wood environments.” The results of this study can be easily applied to environments like schools and hospitals, but home environments as well.

So when you’re planning your kitchen remodel, consider how stressful you may feel while cooking or cleaning. Perhaps a wood kitchen is the answer.

Source: "More Wood = Less Stress" by David Fell. Canadian Woodworking Magazine March/April 2011

Corian® Countertops - Care & Feeding

2011-04-12T11:38:00.000-07:00

Corian® solid surface is one of the premier countertop surfaces available today. One of the reasons for that is the way that Corian looks after its customers. In addition to their 10 year warranty, there's a lot of information available on-line. This video is a great example:

For more information on Corian surfacing for your kitchen or bathroom project, contact one of our design professionals for a showroom consultation.

Gallery - Contemporary in the Cove

2011-04-07T15:50:00.000-07:00

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Deep Cove is one of the most beautiful places in Metro Vancouver ... when it's not raining. The stunning West Coast scenery of Deep Cove is made possible but many many days of rain. The owners of this 1970's post-and-beam home wanted to keep the room as light and bright as possible, but still wanted to embrace the dark woods featured throughout the home.

The cabinetry is finished in Brookside's "Rift-Cut White Oak". The softness of the engineered veneer plays nicely against the bamboo flooring and the simplicity of the slab door compliments the European aesthetic found throughout the home. Countertops are Zodiaq quartz surfacing in Crema Botticino and the backsplash tile is a mixed marble bullet tile featuring Crema Marfil and Grey Carrera.

This Just In - Dupont Palate Refresh

2011-03-24T11:16:00.000-07:00

Courtesy of DuPont

As colour trends change, so must the manufacturers of some of the many materials we use in the kitchens we design. Dupont (the manufacturers of Corian® and Zodiaq® surfaces) is continually adding and removing colours from their extensive palettes to stay up to date. In "marketing speak" they call this a "palette refresh". After reading through some of these changes perhaps you'll feel refreshed too!

Colours being removed from will not go away ... they'll just be available as part of the custom colour programme and no part of the regular library.

The following colors are being removed from the Corian® palette offering:
• Tranquil • Bronze Patina • Stone Harbor

If you're looking for alternatives, consider the following:
Tranquil: Whisper, Tarragon and Green Tea
Bronze Patina: Anthracite, Medea, Earth and Sorrel
Stone Harbor: Gray Fieldstone

The following color is being removed from the Zodiaq® palette offering:
• Marrone Emperador

Consider Marrone Emperador: Saddle Brown and Smokey Topaz as alternatives.

The new colours for 2011 are typically released around KBIS, which is coming up at the end of April. Stay tuned for some exciting new colours from Corian® and Zodiaq®. To see the current line-up of colours, contact one of our design professionals for a showroom appointment.

Design Tips - Have a Seat!

2011-03-09T09:54:00.000-08:00

It used to be that arranging for seating in the kitchen simply meant leaving enough room for a small table and some chairs. But with the increased popularity of the "social" kitchen where the kitchen party truly never ends, we are facing the greater challenge of properly integrating seating into the actual kitchen cabinets. Whether it's a kitchen nook or a raised bar at a kitchen island, it is important the diners in the kitchen are comfortable where they're sitting, and that the kitchen will continue to function with seated diners in it.

Photo Credit: NKBA.org

We've already dealt with NKBA Kitchen Design Guideline #8 in a previous post, but the issue is important enough to bare repeating. At minimum we need to allow 32" between the counter space and any wall or obstruction behind the diner. This would simply allow the diner to be able to get in and out of the dining area and doesn't account for anyone wanting to get past this diner. To allow for movement behind the seated diner, 44" is required (the guidelines mention 36" if you want to "edge" past, but who wants to do that?). In terms of Universal Design standards allow for 60". W

Photo Credit: NKBA.org

So now that we've got room for our diners to get in and out comfortably, what about the space they need while sitting down? In Guideline #9 we learn that there's different space requirements depending on how high the seating area is. For a 30" dining surface, we should allow 18" deep knee space. Increase the height to 36" and we can reduce the space to 15", and for a 42" top the minimum requirement is 12". If you consider where your knees are in relation to your body at the 3 different heights it makes perfect sense. This is why many designers like using the raised bar, it means they have more room to work with.

As for width, the Guideline asks for 24" per diner. More is better, but if you're trying to determine how many people can sit at the island 24" will give you a good approximation. Keep in mind that if you're seating area has a corner in it you cannot allow 2 diners to occupy the same corner.

Gallery - A Whiter Shade of Stunning

2011-03-02T11:01:00.002-08:00

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This breathtaking kitchen shows you can create a warm and inviting space using mostly white. Painted white cabinetry, quartz countertops and bullet marble backsplash tile, set against hardwood flooring provides just the right amount of contrast. Also note how both the cabinet and countertop materials change from the perimeter cabinetry to the island.

Most of the appliances are fully integrated (hidden behind door panels) which really allows the cabinetry to take centre stage. Cabinetry running to the ceiling could have been overwhelming, but by splitting the upper doors with a glass panel the visual weight of the cabinetry is lessened, and our eyes are drawn away for the over height ceilings.

Avoiding Headaches with Integrated Aplliances

2011-02-22T12:09:00.000-08:00

We really appreciate companies like Sub Zero: companies that take the time and effort to ensure designers know precisely how their appliances fit into our clients' projects. The "Trade" section of their web site is filled with drawings and specifications for all their products.

Recently, Sub-Zero added some pretty amazing videos to their already comprehensive website, showing installers exactly how all the pieces are designed to fit together. But the videos are not nearly as interesting as this disclaimer:

The importance of the installation of the Sub-Zero product cannot be overemphasized. Installation should be done by a qualified installer.

You have to agree to that statement before you can view the videos, which is another reason we appreciate Sub-Zero; they take the installation of their appliances very seriously.

If you are selecting integrated, or built-in appliances for your kitchen project, it is important to remember that these are not the type of appliances that you and your contractor can just "pop in" once the cabinet installation is finished. The precision required for so many of today's integrated refrigerators, wall ovens, coffee makers, etc. means that as little as 3/16" can be the difference between a successful install and a massive headache. And so as required, we take the extra step of hiring an trained appliance installer to ensure a successful installation. We're not big on headaches.

To discuss your kitchen project with qualified professional, please click the "Contact" tab at the top of the page.

Home Grown Quality

2011-02-18T10:56:00.000-08:00

One of the most important ways that Paradigm Kitchen Design has contributed to reducing it's carbon footprint has not been in material or finish choices. Although material choices are important, we feel the biggest impact we have on our carbon footprint is the fact that we build all our cabinets right here in Vancouver, BC.

We opened our own manufacturing facility in 2005 in order to allow the designers at Paradigm to tailor cabinetry to precisely meet the demands of each project, something virtually impossible with a stock line of cabinets. In addition, technical needs for specialty appliances, hardware and fixtures can be anticipated and incorporated into the project from the outset. The result is a project that is completed with greater satisfaction, reduced complications.

Building their own cabinetry also affords Paradigm the luxury of having a range of designs as varied as the neighbourhoods of Vancouver. Whether it’s a chic lofts in Yaletown with a contemporary, or even industrial contemporary design, or a bungalow in Kerrisdale that would lend itself to a more classic or mid-century styles, Paradigm has the cabinets to fit.

Today’s customer is more design-savvy and product-educated than ever before. Thanks to the internet and home renovation television they have a clear vision for their project long before it begins. The designers at Paradigm are experienced in taking that vision from concept to completion; from creating plans and specifying materials to supplying the trades to undertake room renovations. The established channels of communication between members of our skilled team contribute to positive results and timely completion.

To discover how locally made cabinetry can benefit your project, get in touch with one of our designers for a showroom consultation.

Gallery - Not Just For Kitchens

2011-02-08T13:02:00.000-08:00

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Lest you think Paradigm Kitchen Design only works on kitchen projects, we present to you this west side project. In addition to the kitchen (which we'll feature on a future Gallery) we designed their bathrooms, bar, laundry and fireplace surround. By procuring materials for all these rooms from one source the client was able to achieve continuity in their design, and simplicity by dealing with only one designer.

Design Tips - Making Up Is Hard to Do

2011-02-03T15:43:00.000-08:00

Illustration credit: www.homeenergy.org

Some more ventilation discussion for your consideration: It wasn't long ago that hood fans rated at over 200 CFM were considered "powerful". Today it’s not uncommon to see range hoods rated at 800 CFM or better. CFM stands for cubic ceet per minute, and its the measurement of the rate the air inside your house is being moved outside your house.

The CFM rating of your hood fan isn’t just going to affect how quickly the smell of a fish dinner will be cleared from the kitchen. It’s going to have an impact on your entire house. As the fan takes air from the house, the air pressure inside the house will drop, causing air outside the house to attempt to get inside. It will find its way through cracks in the exterior of your house, around poorly sealed windows and doors. If you’ve gone to the effort of sealing those entrances (well done!) the air is going to find its way in through any chimneys or exhaust vents. Along with the outside air, fumes from your water heater or furnace (for example) will be drawn back down the exhaust flue and into the house. This is called backdrafting and presents a very dangerous situation; Carbon monoxide poisoning.

The good news is that this can all be prevented simply by replacing the air you exhaust from the inside of the house with air from outside the house; make-up air. Make-up air prevents backdrafting, but it also allows the hoodfan you purchased to work at exhausting cooking odours and fumes rather than sucking the air in from the outside.

Unfortunately, there’s no “standard” to determine what size fan will require make-up air. It will depend on the house, the fan you wish to use, and many other factors. Newer homes (e.g. R2000 rated) with tighter envelopes may require make-up air with a fan rated at only 450 CFM. An older home may be fine with a 650 CFM fan. Building codes are not much help either. Bruce Manclark , co-owner of Delta-T, an energy services company in Eugene, Oregon, offers this observation:

With few exceptions, residential codes are silent on the question of providing makeup air. The Uniform Mechanical Code (section 706, 1994 edition) states vaguely that "operation of exhaust fans, kitchen ventilation systems, clothes dryers, or fireplaces shall be considered in determining combustion air requirements to avoid unsatisfactory operation of installed gas appliances."

The only way to be sure how much (if any) make-up air you will require is to have an HVAC engineer test your home. It’s important to consider this, as well as the cost of adding make-up air to your project when determining the project’s budget. You’ll also need to consider the possibility of having to heat the make-up air, especially in cooler climates.

An easier solution is to limit the size of the fan you wish to use. A 1200 CFM fan is overkill for the average cook. A correctly positioned and sized fan (wider than the cooking surface!) rated at 600 CFM and under is more than adequate unless you plan on running an underground restaurant out of your house.

For a more detailed look at make-up air, this article from HomeEnergy.org provides a detailed overview. Your kitchen design professional is also an excellent source of information.

Design Tips - Let's Clear the Air

2011-02-01T07:00:00.000-08:00

36" Fan Over a 30" Range

The subject of ventilation has been coming up a lot lately amongst the designers here at Paradigm. It used to be that you would simply toss in a $50 hood fan above your range and you were set. However with the introduction of “pro” style ranges and serious home gourmets, kitchen designers today have pay a lot more attention to the business of clearing the air in your kitchen.

This week one of designers met with a client who had purchased a 30” wide Wolf gas range for her kitchen. It’s a beautiful appliance with plenty of power cook up whatever she wants. But as Spiderman was once told, “with great power comes great responsibility.” An appliance like this requires sufficient ventilation to remove not only the cooking smells but carbon monoxide and other gases as well.

We had specified a 36” wide hood fan to go over top of this range. Since cooking fumes don’t simply go straight up from the cooking surface, having a wider hood ensures you capture as much as possible. The same goes for the depth of the hood … think about that the next time you’re considering an over the range microwave. If there’s nothing over what you’re cooking, odds are it’s not being properly ventilated.

Unfortunately, the client purchased a 30” wide fan. The reason? Cost. 30” is a pretty common width for ranges and range hoods, so manufacturer’s make a lot of them resulting in a less expensive appliance. Will the 30” fan work? Of course, just not as well as a 36” fan.

As your kitchen designer, we just thought you should know.

This Just In - Cambria & Benjamin Moore Remove the Guesswork

2011-01-29T12:00:00.000-08:00

www.cambiausa.com

Cambria Quartz Surfacing has teamed up with Benjamin-Moore paints to offer consumers (and designers) a helping hand when it comes to selecting coordinating colours for your kitchen project. Simply visit the Cambria web site, select your countertop colour, and you are presented with a series of palates from Benjamin-Moore's extensive selection of paints chosen by one of their colour experts.

For more information on Cambia Quartz surfacing or for help coordinating your own kitchen design project, contact one of our design team for an in showroom consultation.

The Village - Benkei Ramen

2011-01-28T17:30:00.000-08:00

Benkei Ramen is within a block of the corner of Broadway and Cambie, so we've decided to make it an honorary member of the Cambie Village. Part of a group of 5 restaurants, Benkei serves up traditional Ramen, along with other Japanese specialities.

Ramen is a traditional Japanese noodle soup made with a a variety of broths, and garnished with meat and vegetables. Benkei serves up the traditional Shoyu broth, but for a real treat try the Shio which is made by boiling pork and pork bones to extract all the rich taste. This Fukuoka-born ramen contains collagen and calcium - a source for beatiful skin and strong bones. And its delicious!
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Benkei Ramen
545 West Broadway, Vancouver, B.C.
Phone: 604-568-4861

Remodelling is a Team Sport

2011-01-24T13:17:00.000-08:00

Watching the Packers and Jets win their way into this year's Superbowl, you couldn't help but marvel at the incredible amount of teamwork it took to achieve this level of success. Offensive linemen clearing the way for fullbacks, corners covering receivers, and the myriad of coaches and coordinators all communicating with each other to secure the victory.

Whether you decide to renovate your kitchen on your own, employ a design firm or hire a general contractor, it is imperative that all involved work together and communicate well with each other. Framers, drywallers, plumbers and millworkers all rely on each other to prepare the job site for their section of the job.

If the framers don't follow the architects plans, the kitchen window might end up a couple inches from where it was planned. Not a big deal right? If the window isn't in the right location, the cabinets that were planned for that kitchen won't fit the way they were designed. Now we have a much bigger issue, since the homeowner was expecting the sink to be centred beneath the window

Paradigm Kitchen Design offers both full kitchen remodelling and installed cabinets & countertops only. If we are providing a complete remodel, it's easy to stay in communication with all the trades and make sure everyone's on the same page. But if my client is using their own contractor, it becomes even more important to be sure the design we have planned is communicated to all involved.

Good plans are important. A picture is worth 1000 words. But nothing communicates like a site visit, face to face with the tradespeople. Whether it's the client or the designer (or both!) it's important to make regular site visits throughout the job. This extra work up front will pay off in 8 weeks when the cabinets are installed. True, lights can be moved and drywall patched and repaired. But if some simple information is communicated to all involved, delays are avoided, and the project is completed sooner.
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This article originally appeared on useful spaces - THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2009

Choices - Backing it Up

2011-01-18T15:17:00.000-08:00

The backsplash is the area of wall situated above a countertop and below the upper cabinetry (if any) in a kitchen (or bathroom). The backsplash provides a terrific opportunity to augment the design theme of the kitchen, but because of its associating with a work surface, attention needs to be paid to the functionality of the material used.

The best choices for backsplash material will depend on the design of your kitchen and how you plan on using it. Here are some of the most common choices we've seen over the past few years:

Tile is easily the most common choice for a kitchen backsplash. Tile is available in an almost infinite array of materials, sizes, shapes and colours. Design choices are only limited by one’s imagination.

Many of our clients express concern over the use of tile because of the grout lines typically associated with it. While a sealant can be applied to grout lines, the roughness of the grout usually means that food particles can still get trapped in the grout. Epoxy based grouts can also be used, but are very difficult to work with. From experience we find that the best solution is to simply wipe up splatters as soon as they happen.

Stone can be used in tile form, or as a slab. Consider covering the backsplash with the same stone you use on the countertop, or even using the same stone, in tile form, as inserts in a tile splash. Natural stone should definitely be sealed.

Glass has become increasingly popular over the past few years. Tempered glass is back-painted to achieve a unified colour for the backsplash creating a stunning almost luminescent effect. In addition to regular "float" glass, textured and etched glass can also be used. In most glass applications, a seam will be required if the height of the splash changes. Look closely in the picture on the left and you'll notice a seam on either side of the hood fan opening.

Stainless steel creates a very distinct contemporary look. It can be applied in panels or larger sheets, and is available in many embossed textures as well as simply “brushed”. It's one of the simplest materials to keep clean but is quite unforgiving if it is damaged. Dents typically cannot be removed. Many of our clients will simply use stainless steel behind a cooktop or range for a more “commercial” appearance.

Beadboard can be used in more traditional kitchens. Attractive, simple to install and economical, beadboard can work with virtually any countertop material because it can be painted any colour you choose. The vertical grooves in the beadboard can also help add a sense of height to your splash. However, because the beadboard is typically made from painted wood or fibre-board (MDF), special attention needs to be paid to cleaning spatters as soon as they happen.

Many other materials can be (and have been) used for a backsplash. Be sure to consult with your design professional before finalizing your choice.

Gallery - Kitchen On The Lam

2011-01-11T13:04:00.000-08:00

Normally, we don't start a Gallery post with the "Before" picture. To be honest, it's often because we forget to take any, but more often than not, the finished project has little resemblance to the original that it's just not a useful comparison. Such is not the case with this post and beam home. With a couple small changes, the room is pretty much the same shape as before. It's just the contents that have changed.

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This kitchen features the new Green-Lam doors we were introduced to back in August. Paired with a light quartz countertop the contrast between the two surfaces allows the kitchen to take centre stage in such a large room. You'll also notice the addition of hardwood floors throughout the main floor. The linear nature of this floor helps the kitchen and the living room (through the door) flow together. For a fun splash of colour, the backsplash behind the cooktop is glass back-painted a vibrant blue.

Design Tips - Walking Down the Aisle

2011-01-06T11:10:00.000-08:00

So far in the Design Tips series, we've addressed working space the relationship between those spaces. In this instalment we're going to look at Guideline #6 which deals with aisles.

An aisle is created any time there are two work surfaces running parallel to one another. The most obvious example is a "galley" style kitchen, but there are also aisles to consider when you're considering an island.

NKBA standards state that for a single cook, the aisles should be 42" wide.

If you regularly have more than one cook in the kitchen, then the aisle should increase to 48". This allows space for people to pass behind each other without interfering with the work at hand.

Remember those dimensions are from the furthest point into the aisle way. Don't measure from the cabinet face if the countertops or range extend past the cabinet face.

As with all NKBA Guidelines, these dimensions are "best case". If you have more room, by all means, use it. Keep in mind that the further apart the work surfaces become, the more difficult it is to move items between them.

As with most of the other guidelines, #6 also has an accessibility component to it. At each kitchen appliance there should be a clear area of floor space of at least 30” by 48”. These areas can overlap, but you shouldn't have to step over anything to clean out the dishwasher for example.

This Just In - Bamboo Panels & Countertops

2010-12-21T08:55:00.000-08:00

We've just received a new sample box of bamboo from Teragren. Teragren has been working with sustainable bamboo products since 1994 and today features a wide variety of countertops, veneers, panels and flooring suitable for many applications.

Of particular interest to us are the Parquet Butcher Block panels, suitable as a cutting surface (cutting on edge grain material will dammage it). Not only is the Parquet functional, it's beautiful and would make a gorgeous feature area in any kitchen.

The panels and veneers can be used for cabinet doors and other surface applications. The strong grain works very well with today's modern "linear" aesthetic and the durability and dimensional stability of bamboo means the material will stand the test of time.

For more information on Teragren's product line, visit their website, or contact one of our designers to view the samples in our showroom.

WIP & Gallery - Ridge Meadows Reno - Finale

2010-12-15T20:47:00.000-08:00

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Just in time for the Christmas season, our Ridge Meadows reno is complete! This extensive re-do kitchen involved flipping the location of the original kitchen from one end of the great room to the other. Cabinetry is a modern take on the Arts & Crafts motif, featuring white oak doors with our own Balsamic stain. The countertops are quartz, and the flooring is vinyl in a very realistic looking woodgrain. New, pro-style appliances complete the kitchen that, as you can see by the decorations, is already being put through its paces.

To see the previous entries documenting this project, just click WIP in the Categories list on the right, and look for "Ridge Meadows Reno".

Choices - Countertops Part 3 - Quartz

2010-12-13T09:43:00.000-08:00

Quartz is a relatively new kid on the block when it comes to countertops and is rapidly becoming a favourite amongst the designers here as well as many of our clients. Quartz, or "engineered stone", is a combination of natural quartz (approximately 93%) and epoxy resin binders and colours (approximately 7%). The resulting product has the appearance and hardness of stone but dues to the resins doesn't require sealing.

Another benefit to quartz surfacing is the consistency of the product. Each sheet of material will have the exact same proportions of colouration which avoids the sometimes undesirable randomness of stone. No threat of a natural mineral discolouration in the middle of your island with a quartz countertop! When it comes to cleaning quartz, most brands simply require a mild, non-abrasive cleaner. However you should be sure to follow the instructions provided for the specific brand you select.

Quartz surfacing behaves almost identically to stone in terms of fabrication. So you can expect seams in your quartz countertop and integrated sinks are not possible. Depending on the manufacturer, quartz comes in either 19mm or 30mm thick slabs, so depending on the thickness available, the front edge of your countertops may or may not have a seam in it.

Overall, expect to pay about $70-$250 per square foot. As with all of the higher end counter surface materials, be sure to get your specific layout priced rather than going on average, or lineal-foot pricing.

We have access to most brands of quartz here at Paradigm Kitchen Design, but feature the following in our showroom:

Caesarstone
Silestone
Zodiaq

Gallery - Embracing Earth Tone

2010-12-09T16:09:00.000-08:00

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The materials selected for this Vancouver kitchen renovation centred around the existing Terra Cotta tile flooring. The cabinetry is rift-cut white oak finished in our ‘Balsamic’ hand-wiped stain. Engineered stone countertops and glass mosaic backsplash embrace the earth-tone palette. Renovation upgrades include new halogen pot lights, relocated appliance locations and new oak and wrought iron banisters (the oak banisters finished in the same stain as the kitchen cabinetry).

WIP - Ridge Meadows Reno Part 7

2010-12-01T18:54:00.000-08:00

We refer to them as the "short strokes"; the part of the project that that often feels like it takes the longest. Cabinets installation is complete, countertops are installed, the flooring and painting is done. The backsplash tiles are being installed and then the appliances will be hooked up. A quick sweep up with a broom and is sounds like we should be able to plan the house-warming party, right?

Well for many home owners, these last few items can feel like they take forever. After weeks of having contractors in their house every day, they are eager to put their kitchen back together and get their lives back to normal. Unfortunately the smaller jobs that need completing don`t often take that long, and as a result get spread out over the trades peoples`schedules. With Al`s help we've been able to keep things moving. At this stage, sooner is always better than later.

These are the new Caesarstone countertops ... one of their new recycled collection in a colour called Chocolate Truffle. You can also see the backsplash tile being installed, and the beautiful new Fluid sink.

Speaking of appliances ...

The microwave and dishwasher have already been put in place and hooked up. The refrigerator just needs the plumber to connect the water line, and the range ... well the range needs about 4 strong backs to carefully put it into place. This thing is HEAVY, so even though we had the gas fitter in to hook it up, he came alone. He`ll be back tomorrow and we`ll bring more strong backs.

Links to other posts in this Reno:

Part 6

Washroom on the Wild Side

2010-11-22T09:00:00.000-08:00

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This powder room can be found in the same Yaletown apartment we featured last week with the Wild Side Kitchen. High gloss black wall treatments and stone work surfaces accent the bamboo print cabinetry. This bathroom is a bit different in that all the storage is found opposite the vanity area; an arrangement that is not always possible unless you have a larger than normal powder room! By placing all the cabinetry on one wall we've allowed the unique pedestal lavatory to take centre stage.

WIP - Ridge Meadows Reno Part 6

2010-11-18T16:03:00.000-08:00

The floors are in!!

After a 3 day installation, the beautiful new floors have been installed in the kitchen, dining room and living room. What a difference it makes!

Flooring makes the room look a LOT more finished.
Having proper flooring down greatly reduces the amount of dust that kicks up into the air.
The lighter flooring reflects light making the whole room brighter
The material is softer than the subfloor so the room sounds quieter ... until the saws start up again for the baseboards and trims. But that's not until tomorrow.

The material we're using is Karndean flooring. It's made of part recycled PVC with high quality plasticizers. This material enables Karndean to create a textured surface that looks amazingly like a real wood or tile floor. We chose a "Tasmanian Wattle" wood floor that is very difficult to tell from the real thing.

As mentioned, base trims and painting will be completed by the weekend, and the countertops are being installed on Monday.

Links to other entries in the WIP series on the Ridge Meadows Reno:
Part 5
Part 7

On the Wild Side

2010-11-15T14:27:00.000-08:00

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We originally featured this project on this blog a year ago, but wanted to show you what it looks like through the eyes of a professional. Marcos Armstrong has a terrific sense of style when it comes to interior photography and really captures the drama of this room in these shots.

This showstopper of a kitchen is the centerpiece of this Yaletown loft. High gloss black and Macasar Ebony veneer cabinets and a custom painted glass backsplash help set off the appliances. The quartz countertops extend into the living space for a convenient eating bar, perfect for entertaining.

WIP - Ridge Meadows Reno Part 5

2010-11-10T16:52:00.000-08:00

Monday was an exciting day at our Ridge Meadows household. For the home-owners, cabinet delivery day is almost always the highlight to this point of the reno. After all the earlier mess the arrival of the cabinets is the light on the horizon. The room is getting put back together and the plans we worked on all those weeks ago is about to become a reality.

For the designer, this is where the anxieties begin. Did we measure everything correctly? Will the cabinets and appliances fit? Is all the electrical and plumbing where it needs to be? It's not that we expect a disaster. Far from it. But accidents do happen from time to time, and this is typically where we discover them. But for this reno, everything is going together nicely.

A nice shot from the living room. You can see the opening for the fridge and microwave on the back wall. The sink will be located beneath the window on the right (with a nice view of the mountains and the dike along the Pitt River) and the island in the middle of the room will be covered across the back with panels that will match the rest of the cabinetry.

The working side of the island showing the opening for the 48" pro-style range. The skinny cabinet to the right of the opening is a pull-out that will hold oils and spices conveniently near the cooking area. Pot and pan drawers are right of that. Also, note the door panelling on the end of the island. The tall unit that will act as a support for the raised eating bar also opens up revealing some hidden storage.

Another picture showing the inside of the kitchen. The 3 cabinets to the right of the fridge opening are each pot and pan drawers. Further in is a recycling centre and a food waste centre located right beside the large sink.

The installation to this point took approximately 2 days, and we expect there to be another day and a half to finish up. The countertop manufacturer will be templating on Friday. The next instalment on this blog will appear once the tops are in ... in about 10 days time.

To see how we arrived at this point, visit our previous post in the WIP series: Part 4

WIP - Ridge Meadows Reno Part 4

2010-11-08T21:12:00.000-08:00

The man in the denim shirt is Al, a contractor we work with on many of our projects. Al is screwing down the subfloor in the kitchen . The installation of the kitchen cabinets is starting today. The subfloor was supposed to be installed on Friday.

We're telling you this not because Al is a bad guy. Quite the contrary. Al is great. We love Al. Why? Because Al showed up on site first thing in the morning, making sure the subfloor will be installed before the cabinets. True, it would have been great to have the subfloor in place by Friday, but other aspects of the project got in the way and that just didn't happen. That's the way things go sometimes. And when that happens, you want someone like Al on your side.

While the subfloor is being installed, the cabinet installers have a chance to organize and inspect the cabinets. Being that this is the first day of installation, not much will actually be installed. The installers will spend the morning going over the plans with the designer, discussing installation details and potential areas of confusion. Items such as built-in appliances and crown moulding details look good on paper, but an on site meeting with all parties involved make the installation go much smoother.

There's activity going on outside as well with the stucco contractor putting the finishing touches on the repairs around the windows.

Links to other entries in the WIP series on the Ridge Meadows Reno:

Part 3
Part 5

WIP - Ridge Meadows Reno Part 3

2010-11-04T12:29:00.000-07:00

The rough-in work (plumbing, electrical, heating, ventilation) is complete at our Ridge-Meadows renovation, which means the drywall can begin.

This is where the new kitchen will be. The windows have been replaced and raised to allow for the cabinetry beneath. The wall in the middle is where the new island will be. You can see the openings for the gas connection and the vent for the fresh air return (for the furnace) which we're going to hide beneath the range rather than leaving it out in the middle of the kitchen where it was before. Lighting is visible in the ceiling at the moment. Once the ceiling is painted and the light trims added they will be much more conspicuous.

This is the dining room end of the room. The entry staircase (behind the wall on the left) was open to the main room. By closing it off we've created a more intimate entry to the house, while increasing the size of the dining room and creating a wall on which the homeowner can place a hutch.

The drywall phase is one of the most trying in the reno experience for a couple reasons:

It marks a sort of "no-return" point in the project. While it is true that lights and outlets can be relocated once the drywall is up, that involves bringing in the trades again, creating delays and adding costs to the job. So, before the board goes up we go over the design to make sure everything is where it needs to be. This pictures shows the new duct work we installed for the ventilation hood. The location of this is critical as it needs to be perfectly centred over the range in the island.

The mess. As careful as are, drywall dust is one of the most invasive substances known to humanity. It will get in everything. Even if we have the doorways sealed with plastic, the dust will find a way through. The best solution is to empty the room. The more valuable an item is, the greater the need to keep it away from the dust. Electronics are especially affected by drywall dust.

The length of the drywall phase is also affected by something we have no control over: the weather. The mud that is used to make everything smooth takes time to dry. That drying time is affected by both heat and moisture. While we use fans and heaters to help things along, if the mud isn't dry it isn't dry, and cannot be sanded. We've been lucky this week ... the weather has been pretty good. We still needed to use some heaters to help things along, but delays were minimal.

Up next: the cabinets!!

Links to other entries in the WIP series on the Ridge Meadows Reno:

Part 2
Part 4

Gallery - Kai Sushi

2010-11-01T15:33:00.000-07:00

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While the majority of our work is residential, we occasionally design for commercial and retail space. This is a brand new restaurant: Kai Sushi Bar – located at 3093 Oak Street in Vancouver. Rift White Oak cabinetry with inlaid Bamboo panels are the main focus of the bar. The bench seating, baseboard moulding, wall wainscot and bamboo planter box continue the rift-cut white oak theme throughout the restaurant. Corian countertops are both beautiful and practical; a seamless fit and completely non-porous. Table tops are made of a plastic laminate that resembles a tatami mat and are finished with white oak edging. The finished room is a perfect backdrop for the excellent food they serve.

WIP - Ridge Meadows Reno Part 2 / Design Tips - Clearance at Seating

2010-10-29T10:13:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week the homeowner sent us this email:

I was thinking about the right hand side of the bay window (the side by the patio door) and was wondering if we could now fit a small cabinet there, perhaps a corner style one now that we have more room as the stairs are wider. Is this possible? What do you think?

As much as we try to anticipate every design question in advance, sometimes ideas pop up as the renovation unfolds and we have to make some design decisions on the fly. In this situation we were able to relocate a support column making our stairs into the dining room quite a bit wider.

The area where the customer would like to add cabinets is the blank area to the left of the cabinet labelled BEA1215R. As you can see there is definitely space available, about 5 feet to be exact. So we can order more cabinets, right?

Courtesy of NKBA.org

Before we answer that, let's examine NKBA Kitchen Guideline #8 - Traffic Clearance at Seating. In a seating area where no traffic passes behind a seated diner, allow a minimum 32” of clearance from the counter/table edge to any wall or other obstruction behind the seating area. If traffic passes behind the seated diner, allow at least 36” to edge past and at least 44” to walk past.

This is a wider view of the area in question that shows the island that sits in the middle of the kitchen. Across the back is a raised eating bar, and with this family of 6 the bar will definitely be used. The distance between the bar and wall is shown as 60". If the guideline says we need 44" then we should be able to put cabinetry up to 16" deep along that wall. Order more cabinets already!

Courtesy NKBA.org

Guideline #8 continues, stating that if traffic passes behind the seated diner, we need to plan a minimum of 60” to allow passage for a person in a wheelchair. This addresses "Universal Design". We'll deal with Universal Design in detail in another post, but for now it refers to making a room as accessible to as many people of as many abilities as possible.

In this situation, nobody in the homeowner's family is in a wheelchair. In fact they're all very fit. But there are 6 of them (4 active kids), and they also enjoy entertaining. The staircase (directly behind the island) is the only access into the living room and the back patio and pool. In other words, it's going to be a very busy staircase.

While adding cabinetry to this design would fall within the basic guidelines, the more stringent Universal Design guidelines seem to be a more prudent course of action. In the end, it's the homeowner's decision. But for this situation we suggested not adding cabinetry. We'll keep you posted as to what the decision was in the end.

Note from Paradigm: We spent some time with the client today (10/29/10) mapping out the cabinets on the floor and actually standing in the space. With the Christmas party season fast approaching they saw this area as a potential bottleneck and decided to leave the cabinetry as planned.

Links to other entries in the WIP series on the Ridge Meadows Reno:

Part 1
Part 3

Gallery - Hotel Spa Chic

2010-10-26T12:21:00.000-07:00

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The residents of this Dunbar area home wanted a high-end hotel spa feel to their new bathroom. From the roomy walk in shower to the luxurious finishes used throughout this reno would have you wondering, "Why go anyplace but home?"

Crema marfil sets the scene from the shower walls to the floor, vanity countertop to funky accent tile with glass. The contrast of the Hoisin stained Shaker cabinetry and streamlined chrome fixtures pulls the whole look together. Added details include a separate toilet area, continuous tile into the shower area, an over-sized rain shower head and linen towers flanking the vanity.

WIP - Ridge Meadows Reno - Part 1

2010-10-21T13:16:00.000-07:00

There's a saying that goes: "Misery loves company" and while we hope that any project you'd do with us wouldn't be classified as misery, we thought that we could help with the "company" part of that equation by sharing a renovation project with you in real time. The is WIP (Work in Progress), and for the next few weeks we'll looking at a project in Ridge Meadows.

The interesting thing about this project is that we've been here before. Paradigm did the first kitchen renovation for this client back in 2000. At the time it was quite an extensive remodel, but 10 years and 2 (additional) children later the space didn't quite meet their needs any more. What was needed was more room for the family, and the guests they entertain.

The new kitchen design is an even bigger departure from the original kitchen than the first renovation. In fact it's almost 180 degrees different since the entire kitchen is switching places with the dining room. This means all the services have to move to the other side of a very large room! In addition we're also removing a wall to make the new dining room even larger, and we're making the access into the living room a little wider.

This is our original renovation just after it was completed back in 2000 ... and the site of the new dining room. The wall behind the refrigerator is the wall we're removing, which will add another 48" to the room. All the cabinetry you see in the room has found a new home, something we try to do for every old kitchen we remove.

Here's the room now. The black pipe you see on the right is a drain stack from the upstairs bathroom. We knew it was there before we took out the wall, but our hope was that we were going to be able to relocate it. However, until the drywall came off and we looked at things close up we couldn't be 100% certain we could do it. This is a very important thing to remember when you renovate. Plan ahead whenever possible, and when you can't you have to choose between making a design decision on the fly, or anticipating a "worst case scenario".

For us, the worst case was not being able to remove the wall. Would the design be possible even if the wall couldn't be removed? For us it was and we were able to proceed without waiting. But if it hadn't been we would have been forced to do some pre-design demolition, or to wait until the phase we're at now. Of course the sooner you can be certain the better, but sometimes it's just not possible.

This is the wall that used to house a pantry, desk area and wall oven. In the new design it will be home to the fridge, microwave and a long run of pot and pan drawers. Directly opposite this wall will be the new island and the 48" professional style range.

This is the same wall now. We've furred out the wall to even it up from some previous framing. You'll notice another black drain pipe to the right of the ducts. This was relocated from it's original home on the opposite side of the room something we were able to do since we'd added some extra depth to the new wall. We are fortunate that this kitchen also has a crawl space beneath, making the majority of the mechanical (plumbing, electrical, heating) work much simpler.

This is where the new kitchen will be. Cabinetry and countertops will run beneath all 3 windows providing a very large work surface. The sink will be situated beneath the middle window and the aforementioned island and range will be in the middle of this space.

Something else of note in these pictures are the pot lights in the ceiling. Whenever we are involved with a complete renovation like this, we work out a lighting plan to go with the layout of the kitchen. However, until the ceiling is explosed we have no idea if what we have planned will actually work with the framing in the room. In this case, the lighting plan worked about 75% from what we had planned. The designer and the electrician met on the job site to discuss the required changes. These changes were then discussed with the client to be sure they met everyone's expectations.

Coming up next: drywall, floor prep and cabinets!

Links to other entries in the WIP series on the Ridge Meadows Reno:

Part 2

The Village - Halloween Hunt 2010

2010-10-19T09:46:00.000-07:00

The Cambie Village Merchants Association organizes many family friendly events around the holidays. For Halloween, visitors to The Village can participate in another edition of Halloween Hunt.

From noon to 3:00pm on Saturday, October 30, 2010, ghosts and goblins can pick up a treasure map at Cambie & 18th and visit Village merchants for treats and treasures (stickers & stamps). There will be face painting, magic shows and pumpkin decorating at City Square. In addition, The Park Theatre will be hosting a "by donation" viewing of some family-friendly cinema!

For more information check out the Cambie Village Merchants Association web site.

Gallery - Klassic Kerrisdale

2010-10-12T08:57:00.000-07:00

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This stunning kitchen was recently installed in a new Kerrisdale home. Our recessed panel wide-rail door in our painted and stained cherry combination fits this craftsman decor beautifully. Features include 2 different colours of engineered stone countertops, integrated appliances, furniture base and posts, leaded glass doors and decorative hood fan shroud. Over-height cabinetry and tall crown moulding with matching ceiling soffit fill the space and make a grand statement. Watch for a future blog post featuring the rest of the cabinetry installed in this home!

Choices - Countertops Part 2 - Solid Surface

2010-10-07T10:31:00.000-07:00

Next in the Choices countertop series we’re going to take a look at solid surfacing. Solid surfacing covers a wide range of products that share the following characteristics:

Man made
Non porous
Repairable
Post-formable

Probably the best known brand name of solid surfacing is Corian, which has been around for over 40 years. Today there are many others on the market: Avonite, Gibraltar, Hi-Macs, and Staron to name but a few. Colour and composition are what differentiate these manufacturers from each other, but for the end user they all behave more or less the same.

Composition is typically acrylic polymers and alumina trihydrate, but polyester and other resins are also used. Colouration comes from other minerals, pigments and even ground up bits of solid surface itself. From personal experience, we look for the acrylic based products. Most manufacturers that once used other resins are switching to acrylic as well which is a good indication of the direction to follow. Bottom line: acrylic is more colour stable and maintains its strength longer than the other resins.

What makes solid surface most appealing is the fact it’s non-porous. Many solid surfaces are acceptable for use in commercial food prep areas because they do not absorb bacteria. Non-porous also means stain resistant, so if you forgot to wipe up the red wine you spilled the night before, you don’t have to worry about it staining.

The colour of each sheet of solid surface is continuous through the thickness of the sheet giving solid surface the benefit of being repairable. A Corian rep we know tells a story about a massive fire in the bar at the Sydney Yacht Club in Australia. The Corian bartop was recovered, and although warped and burned, fabricators were able to straighten it, clean it up and re-install it as though it were brand new.

Of course, most home-owners don’t have to deal with repairs of that magnitude. But for minor scratches and abrasions, solid surface performs equally as well. A little bit of buffing will get out most minor damage, and most can be handled without professional help.

Another attractive feature of solid surface is “invisible” seaming. While it may appear that a solid surface countertop is made from one piece, or even that it was formed from a mould, the fact is there are going to be seams. However, because of the adhesives used and the nature of solid surface these seams are practically invisible to the naked eye. Invisible seams also means there’s nothing for dirt to catch on. In the case of a solid surface sink this is a real benefit; countertop messes can simply be wiped straight into the sink with no ledge to catch on.

To take advatage of the post-formability of solid surface, fabricators apply heat, bend the material into whatever shape they'd like, and allow the material to cool. A little creativity allows fabricators to bend sheets of solid surface into furniture, sinks and even lamp shades.

For more information on solid surface check out The International Solid Surface Fabricators Association web site. As always you can also contact one of our designers for an appointment, or drop by the showroom.

Choices - Countertops Part 1 - Recycled Glass

2010-09-30T16:13:00.000-07:00

Over the next few installments, Choices is going to be focussing on the work-horse of the kitchen: the countertop. We'll do our best to cover as many of the different materials available for your working surface, focussing primarily on how well they perform. First up is a relatively new player in the market - recycled glass.

Considering the attention being paid to the environment today, it is of little surprise that the variety of “green” building materials is on the rise. Whether it’s reclaimed lumber for cabinet doors, Energy-Star compliant appliances or low VOC finishes, there’s no shortage of ways to keep your kitchen “green.”

One of the fastest growing segments of this industry is recycled glass surfacing. There are several brands available: Vetrazzo, IceStone, EnviroGlass, amongst others. The make-up of each brand is essentially the same: The recycled material is crushed and combined with a binder (e.g. cement, epoxy) and then treated with various pigments and additives (e.g. hardeners, strengtheners).

Recycled glass countertops are some of the most beautiful available. Each of the websites noted above will have photos of the colours they have available. But do yourself a favour ... go see them in person. This is a great example of a product being improved by the use of a recycled material. The depth and shine created by the segments of glass is unique in the industry, and while the colour choice at the moment is somewhat limited, time and market share will improve that.

On the downside, recycled glass does not fabricate as well as other surfaces like quartz or stone. The fabricator has to pay particular attention to edges where chunks of glass can become dislodged. Recycled glass countertops also need to be sealed, which is not a major problem, but needs to be considered when comparing it to quartz or solid surfaces.

To discuss recycled glass and other countertop materials for your project, please contact one of our designers for an appointment, or drop by the showroom.

A Gallery Remodel

2010-09-27T12:08:00.000-07:00

Every now and then it pays to revisit things, tidy them up and make them just a little bit more useful.

Today, we present the new and improved Paradigm Kitchen Design Gallery. We've added detailed escriptions to many of our existing galleries, and categories have been applied to help you sort through all the different styles and materials we've used.. Just click on one of the categories on the right hand side of the blog to refine your search.

By searching the gallery of some of our clients' dream kitchens, we hope to help you find some of the details you're looking for to fulfill your own dream. And be sure to check back often as we're continually updating the gallery with new projects.

The Village - Tropika

2010-09-23T13:54:00.000-07:00

With it being the first day of Autumn, and the weather cooperating with a mood-dampening mist, our thoughts turn to things warm and comforting. Staff lunches change from salads and fresh fruit, to soups and stews.

Being in the middle of the Cambie Village provides us with some excellent lunch options for this time of year. One of our favorites is Tropika at 2975 Cambie ... the opposite corner of our showroom at 14th & Cambie. Tropika specializes in Malaysian and Thai food. Everything from curries and Laksa (Malaysian soup) to Mee Goreng and Pad Thai. Several lunch specials are offered for under $10, but the best way to appreciate Tropika is to get a group and order several items to share.

Our staff pick? The Sambal Bunchies!

Design Tips - Keeping it Working

2010-09-18T13:01:00.000-07:00

In the last Design Tips we had a look at work centres and how they related to each other. In this installment we're going to fine tune things a little bit to keep your kitchen working at its best.

If a kitchen is a collection of work centres, and how each work centre relates to each other is important to the "flow" of the kitchen, then it's important not to put obstacles in the middle of that flow. NKBA Guideline #4 states that a full-height, full-depth, tall obstacle (such as a tall pantry, refrigerator or wall oven cabinet) should not separate two primary work centers.

The top illustration on the left shows a wall oven cabinet to the right of the cooktop. This may be viewed as a convenient placement (keeping all the cooking centres together), but by interrupting the countertop we've interrupted the work flow.

As will all rules, there are exceptions. The exception for Guideline #4 comes when we recess a tall unit into the corner (lower illustration). Done properly, such a tall unit will not interrupt the work flow and is acceptable. The only caveat to note here is that any object placed in the corner takes up a rather large amount of wall space in each direction of the corner. It's a great solution for the right situation, but an expert's eye is needed.

Guideline #5 seems a bit obvious at first glance, but you'd be surprised how many kitchens quite literally trample all over it. No major traffic patterns should cross through the basic work triangle. Think of it this way: if the primary path to the back patio runs directly across the path between the sink and the fridge, how many times will you be interrupted by stampeding kids while preparing for a BBQ?

The illustrations shows one of the simplest ways to avoid this mistake. An island can clearly define the footprint of the kitchen, and will nicely direct non-kitchen traffic away from the work spaces.

Well Accessorised

2010-09-13T09:00:00.000-07:00

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This kitchen features a classic combination of painted recessed panel cabinetry with a ‘Hoisin’ stained cherry-wood island. Fully integrated dishwasher, fridge and beverage fridge keep a nice aesthetic balance between the appliances and the cabinetry. The Sub-Zero fridge features the latest “flush inset” installation option – which provides a more integrated look. Many features in this kitchen include large pots and pans drawers, double cutlery drawers, tray storage, tall pantry storage and decorative glass display cabinetry. The engineered stone countertops are complimented by a polished marble tile backsplash.

Choices - Wood Cabinet Doors - Part 2

2010-09-09T11:14:00.000-07:00

In the last installment of Choices, we looked at the characteristics of wood and how they can impact the look of your cabinet doors. In this installment we'll focus on the construction techniques used in making wood doors. While important for the structural integrity of the door, these techniques also impact the shape, and subsequently the style of your kitchen.

A typical wood door is made of two basic parts: the frame and the panel. A door frame is much like a picture frame in that it features 4 pieces fashioned into a rectangular shape. The panel fills the opening of the frame. What distinguishes one door from another is how these parts are shaped, and then put together.

There are two common methods of joining the corners of a frame. They can be mitred or coped. In the picture on the left you see two examples of a coped frame. A coped frame has the horizontal piece (rail) and the vertical piece (stile) meeting at a 90 degree angle. In the examples shown here, you also notice there is a sort of tongue and groove joint holding the pieces together. This is known as a coped joint. Not only does the coped joint allow for a very strong bond between the two frame pieces,it also allows for some shape (or profile) to be added to the inside corner of the frame.

In this picture we see two examples of a mitred frame. The joints in a mitred door are equally as strong as those in the coped door, so the primary reason for selecting this door is aesthetic; mitres are considered to be more "refined" than a coped corners. In fact, the frame style on the right is refered to as a "Victorian" mitre. However, because the mitred frame is fussier to make, and uses more material (the material cut away to make the mitre is "waste") it is typically more expensive than a coped door.

The second part of the door, the centre panel, will either be raised or flat ("recessed"). A raised panel is typically made from solid wood, and is shaped around it's edges to add detail. The flat panel is less detailed than the raised panel. Solid wood flat panel doors are available, but veneer is most often used.

Which door you select is going to depend on the style you are trying to achieve. While it is often true that a mitred door with a raised panel is used in "fancier" kitchens, don't think that a similar look can't be achieved using coped corners and flat panels. The kitchen on the left illustrates how adding a little detail to an otherwise simple door can achieve a very sophisticated look. Similarly, a mitred door can be used in a very unfussy, contemporary style.

To see the almost endless variations in wood cabinet doors, please contact one of our designers for an appointment, or drop by the showroom.

Choices - Wood Cabinet Doors - Part 1

2010-09-07T10:07:00.000-07:00

In this issue of Choices, we're going to explore some of the aspects involved in the selection of wood cabinet doors.

Wood has been a top choice in cabinet doors as long as furniture has been made. From the cabinet maker's point of view it's versatile, easy to work with, and has the ability to take on a multitude of finishes. From the consumer's side - the warmth of wood is a pleasing addition to any decor. The durability and timelessness of wood also gives it some permanence in your kitchen - if done well, a wood kitchen will stand the test of "design fatigue".

Each and every piece of wood has its own unique characteristics that makes it distinct from another. Trees are affected by the environment in which they grow. Minerals within the soil can result in colour variations withing the wood fibre. Grain patterns are a consequence of the amount of water a tree receives and the effects of the elements on that tree. These natural occurrences create a natural beauty within the wood used for cabinet doors, but also make it impossible to create a kitchen that is perfectly matched in grain and in colour.

The Heart-Birch door shown above illustrates in dramatic fashion the mineral variations mentioned above. Notice the colour variation between the frame and the centre panels, and even within the frame itself. You'll also notice the knots in the upper panel that give this door a very rustic appeal.

The finishing process used by Paradigm Kitchen Design enhances and protects this natural beauty. Hand-wiped stains emphasize the natural grains, and our tough catalyzed lacquer coating seals and protects against most household chemicals. Ultraviolet inhibitors in some of our finishes slow the aging process, but cannot stop it. Wood will change colour over time. The degree and rate of that change will depend on the species.

The doors above are from a display in our showroom. They're made from Black Walnut and show what natural light can do to a door over time. The doors in the background our exposed to the light in our front window, while the dark door in the foreground is showing the backside of the door, which is "behind closed doors". While not all colour changes are quite this extreme, they are inherent in all wood doors.

To get a full appreciation of all the species of wood available for your kitchen, it is best to come see them for yourself. Contact one of our designers for an appointment or drop by the showroom.

Extremely Entertaining

2010-08-27T11:58:00.000-07:00

Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer

We're really excited to show you this project ... so much so that it's fresh from the camera this morning! The doors are wrapped laminate which is a very cost-effective way to achieve a very modern aesthetic. The countertops are Caesarstone Lagos Blue, done with a 6cm edge rather than the standard 3cm thickness.

This kitchen is designed for entertaining. The cooktop situated on a large island allows the cook to interact with guests. The large pro-style fridge keeps all the food near that cooking area, and another nearby wine-fridge keeps thing cold and convenient near the dining and living room. There's a steam oven below the cooktop, but the double ovens are situated out of the way, allowing for more storage in the main kitchen area.

In the News: Dishwasher Safety Recall Notice

2010-08-26T10:18:00.000-07:00

This recall notice affects dishwashers of the following brands:

Maytag, Jenn-Air, Amana, Admiral, Magic Chef, Performa by Maytag and Crosley. Only certain models are affected. To determine if you have a faulty dishwasher, locate the serial number as per the video below:

The serial numbers of the affected dishwashers are listed at the Maytag Repair Website, or you can call 1-800-544-5513.

The issue is a failure in the dishwasher's heating element which can pose a fire hazard. If your dishwasher is affected, stop using the dishwasher, disconnect the electrical supply by shutting off the fuse or circuit breaker controlling it, and either schedule a free in-home repair, or elect to receive a rebate following the purchase of a new Maytag dishwasher.

This Just In - A Green Look at Laminate

2010-08-19T11:38:00.000-07:00

One of the best “bangs-for-your-buck” in the cabinet department is plastic laminate. Commonly refered as "Arborite" or "Formica" (both brand names) plastic laminate is the same material used for countertops ... and more and more these days as cabinetry. When you combine its relative low cost with the almost endless variety of colours, and then consider the popularity of the“sleek” look it’s easy to see the appeal of laminate.

One of laminate’s drawbacks has been its inability to produce a crisp corner when post-formed (or “wrapped”). The Greenlam laminates we’ve been using of late have that little problem licked. You can see in the picture the difference between a standard laminate door (left) and a Greenlam door (right). Installed, the difference is even more pronounced.

Something else of note: take a look at the ends of the doors. The regular laminate door uses a PVC edge tape that “coordinates” with the laminate. Greenlam has ABS tape that matches each laminate they offer. ABS is tougher than PVC and is widely being adopted as the edge material of choice.

And if you need more incentive to have a look at Greenlam, consider the “green” aspects this product offers. Greenlam laminates are GREENGARD certified for indoor air quality (low formaldehyde off-gassing) and will also qualify for LEED credits. The paper used in the creation of the laminate contains 40% recovered material and the factory that makes the laminate uses Bio Mass to fuel its boilers.

Contact one of our designers for more information on Greenlam and laminate kitchens.

Design Tips - Distance Between Work Centres

2010-08-11T16:04:00.000-07:00

In this installment of Design Tips, we're going to look at NKBA Guideline #3. Some of you may have already had a look at the pictures below and said "I know what this is about! It's the Kitchen Triangle!!" ... and you'd be right, mostly.

The concept of the kitchen triangle has been around since 1944 where it was developed at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The Triangle was developed not so much with the cook in mind, but as a means to standardize, and thus reduce cost.

This doesn't mean that the Triangle is a bad thing. In fact the Triangle is one of the best ways to to create an efficient kitchen. But it's not the only way, and that's an important concept to keep in mind. Your designer may create a kitchen for you that employs the Triangle, but also adds to it.

Guideline #3 is really about the workspaces in the kitchen and how they relate to each other. In a kitchen with three work areas for example (sink, stove, fridge), the total distance between each work centre should total no more than 26 feet (9.5 metres). Furthermore, no single distance should be less than 4 feet (1.47 metres) and no longer than 9 feet (2.74 metres).

So what about a kitchen that has more than three work centres? What about the coffee machine? The deep fryer or grill? How about that second sink on the island with the extra dishwasher? Pretty soon that triangle is starting to look like a trapezoid or hexagon.

Relax. The same rules still apply. What's important here is not the shape, but the proximity of each work centre to the other. Sometimes you may have two work centres you use together all the time ... a coffee maker and a beverage fridge (for cream, Irish or otherwise). You'll never get 2 work centres to make a triangle, but if the two items are further apart than 9 feet ... even 4 feet ... you're going to need running to shoes for all the travelling you'll do!

Another hiccup in this rule comes when you introduce and island into the equation. As you'll see in the drawing on the left, one of the legs of our triangle gets interupted by the island. Think about running between the cooktop and the fridge and imagine how bruised your hip could get.

In a perfect world that island should cut into the path no more than 12" (30.5 cm). However, it should be noted that avoiding this situation is not always possible. We try, really we do. But sometimes you just run out of room to work, or moving the cooktop towards the left side of the island (the simplest solution) will break some other guidelines we haven't addressed yet. There's a lot going on in your kitchen and sometimes something's got to give.

Illustrations (C) NKBA.org

Let the Buyer Beware

2010-08-05T10:36:00.000-07:00

We've all seem them ... the Direct Buy ads promising us the opportunity to buy sinks, faucets, cabinetry, etc. at a "designer's rate." The fact is, Direct Buy is a rip-off. Think we may be biased? Do a quick Google search. Or better yet, we direct your attention to Consumer Reports who had a look for themselves.

To evaluate the pitch, we went undercover at two DirectBuy franchises in New York. Both gave us the same hard sell and offers of up to 70 percent off retail prices if we were to join. Only after an hour and a half of sales pitches and video testimonials from members did we learn the membership fee: $4,900 to $4,990 (plus tax) for three years and then $190 a year for seven more. Financing is available at 17.75 percent.

After the fee disclosure, we discovered that we had to sign up on the spot or never come back. We couldn’t bring DirectBuy’s “confidential” prices elsewhere to comparison shop, the representatives said, because this would likely anger retailers who might then retaliate against the manufacturers by refusing to sell their merchandise.

The fine print in the DirectBuy contract says you cannot return items, cancel orders, or terminate your membership. When we asked if, after plunking down $5,000, we could cancel and get a refund, a salesperson said, “You’ll have to check state law.” A review of New York state law revealed that the three-day cooling-off period for canceling contracts wouldn’t apply in this case.

Tacked onto the cost of merchandise—which you select from catalogs since DirectBuy has limited showrooms—are a 6 percent handling fee, shipping fees, and tax. Goods are typically shipped only to your local center, so you might pay additional fees to actually get your new stuff home.

Direct Buy is preying on the consumers' natural desire to save a buck. The fact is, once all the fees are factored in, you're paying retail prices anyway ... assuming you don't want to try and return something. This is certainly one situation where "if it sounds to good to be true, it probably is." Do your research. Ask a design professional.

That's what we do.

Thanks to Paul at Kitchen & Residential Design for bringing this information to our attention.

The Village - Coffee Fix

2010-07-30T11:06:00.000-07:00

This behemoth is the automatic, built-in coffee centre at the Paradigm Kitchen Design showroom. It grinds the beans and makes coffee, espresso and numerous other coffee drinks. It is the first thing we turn on when we open in the morning. When you come to see us for a design consultation, this is where your coffee will come from.
However, if you'd like a place to sit and relax with a coffee before or after you meet with us, we'd like to offer a list of our favorite coffee spots in the area. Some specialize in coffee, others offer lunch or breakfast options as well:

Blenz
#108 - 3297 Cambie St (@ 17th)

Trixi's Crepe & Coffeehaus
3306 Cambie (@ 17th)

Caffè Artigiano
525 West Broadway (@ Cambie)

Elysian Coffee Broadway
590 West Broadway (@ Ash)

Choices - Kitchen Sinks - Part 2

2010-07-27T10:40:00.000-07:00

Today we'll continue with Part 2 of our first installement of Choices on Kitchen Sinks.

Part 1 can be found HERE.

Green Mountain Soaptone

Stone - Stone sinks often come with an apron front. Some of the most popular stones used are granite, soapstone, marble, travertine and onyx.

Pros: Heavy and durable. Resistant to heat and cold. Quiet and retain heat well. Will not fade in colour or corrode.

Cons: Susceptible to chips and scratches, which are difficult to repair.

Tip: Stone is porous. To protect it regular oiling or sealing is required

Fact: Porosity of the stone varies depending on the type of stone and finish. Granite can contain pits or fissures. Marble is the most porous and requires careful maintenance. Soapstone is the least porous; however it is quite soft and will develop a scratched patina with time.

www.raichlecopper.com

Copper - Highly lustrous, copper sinks are becoming increasingly popular. They are available in a multitude of finishes to suit a variety of needs.

Pros: Low maintenance. 100% copper will not corrode or rust. Bacteria cannot survive on copper so it is extremely sanitary.

Cons: Made of soft metal, so it is susceptible to dents. Can be very costly because copper sinks are typically hand-made. Patinas over time.

Tip: Look for soldered joints as opposed to welded ones as the latter can corrode and turn black. Beware of recycled copper as it is not pure and can rust.

Fact: Waxing will prevent oxidization of copper. A thicker gauge of copper well reduce the risk of denting.

Wood - Used for hundreds of years, wood sinks can be sculpted into any form.

Pros: Can withstand the rigors of daily use. Material maintains richness.

Cons: Naturally organic product, so more conducive to the growth of bacteria and spread of germs. Tends to darken with time.

Tip: Certain organic oils can be applied to alter the colour and sheen of the wood.

Fact: Make waterproof with wax or oil. However some woods, such as teak, have inherent anti-bacterial and waterproofing properties.

Glass - Although more commonly used in bathrooms and low-usage areas, glass vessel sinks have found a niche among the adventurous and in high design.

Pros: Available in a variety of shapes, colours and finishes, including frosted, etched, textured or polished.

Cons: Can chip or scratch when it comes into contact with metal or glass objects. Cannot be repaired if chipped, cracked or broken.

Tip: Don not install where waste overflow is required as glass sinks typically do not offer this features.

Fact: Tempered glass is stronger and more shatter-resistant than non-tempered. However, it can still crack. Laminated glass contains an inner layers of resin or plastic that acts like a bond, making it sturdier and particularly resistant to shattering.

This article first appeared in Design Quarterly - Fall 2008 Issue, and was written by Justin Horn CKD and Tröe Collier

Choices - Kitchen Sinks - Part 1

2010-07-21T10:49:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Choices, a feature on our blog that will (hopefully) dispel some of the confusion around the almost infinite choices you have to make when designing your kitchen. We'll feature a type of product, outline the choices, and tell you some of the pros and cons of each. In the end it's up to you, but an informed decision is the best way to go.

Today, we're featuring the first of a 2 part series on kitchen sinks. When it comes to kitchen sinks there are many configurations to choose from, including top-mount, under-mount, apron-front, and many others. There are similarly a wide variety of materials available, all of which come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colours.

Stainless Steel - Most popular amongst consumers for its clean contemporary look, stainless steel sinks are fabricated by drawing a sheet of stainless steel over a die.

Pros: Available in a wide variety of styles, sizes and finishes. Virtually care-free, easy to maintain and affordable. Resistant to staining and will not rust or corrode unless exposed to harsh chemicals such as chlorine bleach.

Cons: Scratches easily. However, the scratches become less apparent over time as they blend in with other fine scratches. Thinner stainless steel sinks can be quite noisy.

Tip: To help reduce the clattering of dishes against the sink, look for a sink with a sound deadener applied to the bottom.

Fact: Premium sinks are made from higher quality steel (18/8 or 18/10 grade). The thicker gauge steel prevents water spotting and provides heat retention.

From www.corian.com

Solid Surface - Solid surface sinks are made from a man-made material and typically combine two main ingredients: a natural mineral (the “filler”) and a resin (the “binder”),

Pros: Durable and adaptable. Excellent insulation properties. Heat, cold and sound resistant

Cons: Can scratch or chip, however, because the colour runs all the way through the material, surface scratches can be easily buffed out and scratches filled.

Tip: Custom made drain-boards or inlay designs can be built directly into the sink or adjacent countertop.

Fact: The only product that can be colour matched and integrated with countertops, creating a “seamless” look.

Porcelain or Enamel - Offering a more traditional look, porcelain or enamel sinks are made by applying a glass coated finish to metal or cast iron

Pros: Very durable and resistant to hot and cold objects.

Cons: Susceptible to scratching and chipping. Extended exposure to certain items such as tea bags will cause staining, and aggressive cleaning can dull the surface. Surface damage that exposes the metal substrate can lead to metal corrosion.

Tip: Look for a lifetime warranty against chipping.

Fact: This sink material is quite heavy, so under counter cabinetry and braces must be sturdy enough to support the sink. These sinks often come with a front apron (often called “farmhouse” style).

This article first appeared in Design Quarterly - Fall 2008 Issue, and was written by Justin Horn CKD and Tröe Collier

Design Tips - Doors & Entries

2010-07-13T10:19:00.000-07:00

Designing a kitchen or bathroom is one of the most complicated projects you will undertake in your home. And even before you get around to selecting countertops for the kitchen or choosing tile for your shower, you need to decide where everything will go; the function of the room.

The decision process for even the simplest room can be quite staggering. The best way to tackle your project design is to come and meet with one of the design professionals at Paradigm Kitchen Design, but before you book that appointment we'd like to offer up some "Design Tips." In this series of posts we'll be focussing on some of tricks of the trade we've learned over the years and offering insight into the excellent guidleines set out by the NKBA.

Today we'll start at the beginning ... or rather NKBA Kitchen Guideline #1.

For a minimum standard, the clear opening of a doorway into the kitchen should be at least 32’’ wide. This would require a minimum 2’-10’’ door.

However, the desired clear opening of a doorway would be at least 34’’. This would require a minimum 3’-0’’ door since we're measuring the actual opening with door open to 90 degrees (door to frame).

If the passage into the kitchen is deeper than 24" (for example, you have cabinetry on either side of the opening) that doorway increases to 36".

Now that we have all the doorways handled, we still have one more thing to consider; interference. Nothing is quite as annoying as having a kitchen door open, only to have it block access to the wall oven, or if the dishwasher is open and you cannot open the oven door. In addition, we should also consider what's going around an open door. If the dishwaser is open for example, it's important to allow space to stand, move and put away the dishes!

The important thing to remember with any of the guidelines is that they have been designed for optimal situations. Proper access into the kitchen just makes life better, preventing doorway collisions with others and helping you enjoy your new space. However, in some kitchens it's just not possible to achieve a 36" opening. Don't panic. Your design professional will help you decide what's best for your particular project.

Illustrations (C) NKBA.org

Maximum Suck

2010-07-06T17:01:00.000-07:00

This is an article I published in another blog a while back, and it deals with one of the most understood parts of the kitchen. Ventilation.

A number of years ago, a friend of mine wrote a terrific article on ventilation for the food website egullet.org. Dave Scantland's article was so thorough I asked him if I could use it to help my clients understand the importance of the subject.

(I've edited the original article slightly for brevity.)

Your home is full of holes.

Buildings must breathe; occupants need fresh air; combustion in furnaces and appliances requires oxygen. Since most of us don't live in pressurized capsules, we take it for granted that the air pressure outside the home will equal the pressure inside. And this is the job of holes. When air is expelled via one hole, new air rushes in through another to replace it. So your home is full of them.

Since the energy shocks of the '70s and '80s, buildings have been constructed with tighter joints, more insulation, more efficient insulation, and greater attention to weather-stripping and air-tight glazing. All of this means fewer holes.

An increasing affinity for high-output ranges, downdraft cooktops, and the idea that the way kitchens look is as important as how well they work, have led to an increase in home ventilating power.

In the US, at least, there is no standard for how much ventilation should be applied for a given size or output of range (Paradigm's note: same applies for Canada). In a way this is understandable. Ventilation fans should remove smoke and odor, but the size of your stove, the BTUs it generates, and the amount of smoke and odor you create when using it are not necessarily related. Even if you're a serious cook, the relationship is tenuous. You can simmer a stock all day and not have a problem. But neglect three measly bacon strips -- whether the pan is on a five-inch electrical coil or a multi-ring 18K BTU burner -- for just a moment, and you can fill the house with the airborne effluent of carbonized fat and flesh that will linger for days.

Like many suburban houses, ours came with a built-in exhaust fan over the stove. It is white; its 30-inch width is the same as the width of the range. The fan is 5 inches in diameter and is mounted behind a removable, metal mesh filter. The filter and fan are in a 10-inch square casing set in the center of the hood. A label inside the hood says that the fan moves 160 cubic feet per minute (CFM).

The range is 25-3/4 inches deep, but the front edge is about 27 inches out from the wall. The edge of the largest burner is 24 inches out, and the hood is 17 inches deep. Is it reasonable to assume that the fan can remove smoke from that far away? How strong a pull is 160 CFM?

According to the NuTone Group the world's largest manufacturer of residential ventilation products:
For conventional electric and gas ranges or cook tops, we offer a complete line of hoods that can fit your cooking needs with features you desire. For high output gas ranges or cooktops, the minimum rate of 1 CFM of ventilation per 100 BTU is recommended.
The first part of this statement is not very helpful. The second part, however, provides some sort of guideline. Find out the BTUs, divide by 100, and you have a starting point.

The range is electric and, like the vent hood, it came with the house. My first stop is the owner's manual. Unfortunately there is no list of specifications. Looking the model up on the manufacturer's Web site, I find no mention of BTUs. Instead the burners are rated in watts.

Can watts be converted to BTUs? Since they are both units of energy, yes (we'll skip over the explanation that energy output ought to be expressed as watt-hours or BTUs per hour, but never is). One kilowatt-hour is equal to 3,412 BTUs per hour. So the 2,500 watts of my nine-inch burner is equal to 8,500 BTUs; the 1,500-watt burners are 5,118 BTUs; and the 2,000-watt, eight-incher is 6,824. All told, it comes to 25,560 BTUs. If I want to plan for a worst case, I need 256 CFM. Or do I?

I rarely, if ever, have all the burners cranked all the way up at the same time. If I had the two larger burners running at full blast, the 160 CFM supplied by the present fan should be sufficient. But the fact is that I can fill the house with smoke using only one burner turned up maybe 75%. The output of the burner is not really the issue; the issue is smoke and odor.

Let's look at it another way. My kitchen is 11 feet wide and about 14 feet long, and the ceiling is nine feet, making the volume of my kitchen 1,386 cubic feet. At 160 CFM, the air in my kitchen should be completely replaced in a little over eight and one-half minutes -- actually somewhat less, since a lot of volume is consumed by cabinetry and appliances. So what gives?

I assume that the manufacturer's label isn't lying. But maybe the rating is for the fan alone, without regard for the filter between the fan and the smoke, and the resistance of several feet of ductwork between the fan and the outside. Maybe the answer is to crank up the CFMs. Lots of people do -- it goes along with the fad for commercial-style ranges. Given the popularity of commercial-style cooktops featuring six or more burners rated at 15,000 to 18,000 BTUs, you might assume that these ranges require heavy duty ventilation -- up to 1,200 CFM. Indeed people do install such systems. Downdraft fans for small island cooktops start at a minimum of 600 CFM (partly because they have to fight convection). If a measly 160 CFM won't do the job, multiplying it by five or six ought to and probably will.

Imagine what happens to a 2000 square-foot room when you turn on a 1200 CFM ventilation fan. With eight-foot ceilings, the room would have a volume of 16,000 cubic feet, and the fan will revitalize the room’s air in 13 minutes. Where is the clean air going to come from? Answer: through the holes -- gaps in the floor, walls and windows.

If the doors and windows are open, air movement is easy. But if it's recently built or remodeled housing, it has openings that are well weather-stripped, and a heating/ventilating/air-conditioning (HVAC) system that gets its air directly from the outside. In this case, air comes in through places where it isn't supposed to.

Air comes in through holes where it ought to be going out such as the fireplace, the furnace flue, and the water heater vents. This is air laden with exactly the sort of things you don't want in your house: carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen, and smoke particles. You might even spot a wisp or two of dryer lint along with anything that might be stuck to the inside of your furnace filters. A few pieces of lint are fine, but the rest is potentially very dangerous. It's called backdraft, and people die from it.

Home kitchens aren't subject to the same regulations as commercial kitchens, and there are good reasons for this. A commercial kitchen must vent everything, including aerosolized grease, or risk creating significant fire hazards (or a stampede of patrons). One of the first things commercial kitchen novices remark upon is how noisy the lines are, and it's no surprise, given the 1 CFM/1K BTU guideline. Twelve 20K BTU burners means 2,400 CFM ventilation (and the required make-up air). It's like working in a wind tunnel.

Although change appears to be coming, few residential rules are included in the government regulations, and most are vague guidelines. One of the few specific directives available is from the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers. The applicable document is Standard 62-1989: Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality. It prescribes an absolute minimum of 100 CFM, or 40 CFM per linear foot of cooking area. On that basis, a 30-inch range needs the minimum. OK, it's specific. But in the end it's not helpful, since my 160 CFM unit, at 60% above the requirement, is not doing the job.

The problem is that neither Broan nor ASHRAE address the real problem: you've got a source of smoke sitting in a specific spot, and you simply want to direct the smoke out of the house. So it's not an issue of power, it's an issue of control. One way to exert control is to make sure that the vent hood covers the entire cooking area, and take advantage of convection. Smoke, along with the hot air, will rise naturally to the fan intake. Island hoods do this job very well, since they usually match or exceed the cooktop in size. This coverage means that they can sit higher than the standard under-cabinet vent hood, which is usually 27 to 30 inches above the cooking surface or 63 to 66 inches above the floor. If the perimeter of an under-cabinet hood matched the cooking surface, anyone of average or above size would be banging their head against it with painful and annoying frequency.

The fact that a typical under-cabinet fan does not cover the entire cooking surface may not be significant for most cooks. It works for my Mom. A colleague of mine was surprised that I used one at all -- hers seems to be most useful as a microwave platform. But if you're still reading this, you are not most cooks. You stir-fry at extreme temperatures. You blacken fish in cast-iron skillets -- on purpose. You sear the edge fat on 2-inch-thick New York strips. But because you sometimes play with vacuum cleaners and shoeboxes, you have also learned that to remove smoke, brute force alone will not avail. The only avenue left is finesse. You have to make the smoke want to go where you want it to go. And as with children, spouses and co-workers, sometimes gentle pressure is most effective. (Paradigm's note: There is another option: increase the depth of the hoodfan canopy. Most manufacturers offer "commercial depth" fans.)

We can also infer the corollary: positive pressure pushes things away (imagine reversing the motor on your vacuum cleaner while it's still attached to the shoebox). So if we could create an area of positive pressure between the housing of the fan and the outer edge of the cooking surface, we could nudge the rising smoke into the negative pressure area, and it would go up the chimney. Luckily, we have a way to create a high-pressure area: we have a fan right there in our vent hood. With a little duct-work engineering, we can push air out on one side and suck it in at the other. As it turns out, Broan actually makes such a contraption -- the Allure. (Paradigm's note: Gagganeu and Miele also make such a fan, as do others.)

And so we come to my original plan for this article. I am no Norm Abrams. I am not Handy Andy or Ty Pennington. I'm not even Tim Allen. My first attempt at appliance upgrade left us without a working toilet for three and a half days. That was twenty years ago, and I haven't improved much, except to recognize -- sometimes -- when it would be advisable to call for professional assistance. However, in fulfillment of my manly duties (and so I could go one up on the Magic Board), I set out to install a new vent hood. I expected the installation to be a disaster, but anything that involves power tools, hot air, and a legitimate chance to use duct tape for its intended purpose is too grand to pass up. At the least I would have a great farce for the Webzine. But much to my surprise (and probably that of the rest of the household, though I am too proud to inquire), it works, and I accomplished the feat in less than a day.

I admit that I wasn't confident enough in my own grasp of physics to resist springing for the top-end, 400 CFM boost unit. But we don't use it. Score one for science.

Dave Scantland is an Atlanta-based writer and graphic designer.
Photos and illustrations by the author.

This Just In - Flint is a Hit

2010-06-23T16:44:00.000-07:00

One of the great things about the kitchen and bath industry is being introduced to products as soon as they are released ... sometimes even before. Posts in this blog labeled "This Just In" will be featuring such products so you'll be hearing about them as soon as we do!

Vetrazzo is a surfacing material made from concrete and recylced glass. We were introduced to it a little better than a year ago, and liked it so much we included it in one of our showroom displays. Fast forward to today when our local rep from Vetrazzo came in with these little gems ...

These are the new "Flint Series" of Vetrazzo. They focus on the greys and taupes that are becoming uite popular now. The sample with the blue glass in it is another new colour called "Floating Blue", so called because it uses tinted glass reclaimed from apartment buildings.

Contact one of our designers for more information.

The Village - Balliliscious

2010-06-21T10:19:00.000-07:00

Photo - Laura Leyshon for The Globe and Mail

Believe it or not, Paradigm Kitchens is not the only reason to come to the Cambie Village. We've been lucky enough to have had our showroom in this vibrant neighbourhood for quite a while now, and it's allowed us to explore some of the best shops and restaurants this city has to offer. So we thought we'd take the time to share some of this "research" with you in the for a The Village

Posts labelled The Village in our blog will introduce you to some of the best that Cambie Street has to offer. First off, a restaurant called Balliliscious (formerly Saté Satu). Recently reviewed in the Globe and Mail, this new addition to the drive offer up a modern take on Indonesian cuisine. It's a short walk from our showroom making it a great place to stop for lunch before meeting one of our designers. Just be sure to brink us some satays!

A New Dimension in Surfacing

2010-06-16T09:20:00.000-07:00

Whether you're considering laminate, solid surface, stone or quartz (and many others), every surface material has its own characteristics that will make it the perfect countertop for you. The folks at Caesarstone have taken their product and added another dimension to take it from your countertop to whatever surface you can imagine.

Called Motivo™, it is the first quartz surface to use texture. Two patterns are available: Lace and Crocodile. Either texture can be applied to any of the Caesarstone colours, but look best with solid whites and blacks. Possible applications include the kitchen backsplash, fireplace surrounds and feature areas in a bar.

Contact one of our designers for more information on Motivo™.

We're A Selling Feature!

2010-06-07T13:07:00.000-07:00

It's like hearing yourself being quoted.

A home we renovated went up for sale recently, and the kitchen by Paradigm was listed as one of its selling features. Check out the listing here.

East Side Transitional

2010-03-22T10:06:00.000-07:00

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Making A Splash

2010-02-15T13:45:00.000-08:00

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A burgundy Bertazonni range and the Tilt hoodfan from Zephyr are the centerpieces of this Richmond remodel. A truly amazing tile backsplash was created from recycled glass tile to help unify the design. Cabinetry is rift-cut white oak, countertops are quartz, and the floor is a custom designed vinyl tile.

Rockin' the Ensuite

2010-01-29T15:20:00.000-08:00

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A previously dark and dreary bathroom has been transformed into a bright and spacious retreat. River-rock inset tiles unify the space while also bringing some of the outside aesthetic indoors. Quartz surfacing is used on the window sill, shower threshold, vanity countertop and the tub deck, which also double as a seat in the custom shower.

Cook's Paradise

2010-01-29T13:38:00.000-08:00

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This Point Grey remodel took advantage of a new addition to create what can best be described as a cooks' kitchen. A large work surface on the island, professional style range and fridge and lots of natural light create an environment suitable for the homewner who likes to spend her afternoons cooking with the grandchildren.

Coquitlam Classic

2010-01-15T14:26:00.000-08:00

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Painted white cabinets and quartz countertops brighten up this Coquitlam home. The homeowner uses the ample counterspace for baking, a hobby that puts this kitchen to good use.

Island of Contrast

2009-08-24T14:29:00.000-07:00

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This custom island is designed to look like a piece of furniture. Nicely coordinated with the custom painted cabinetry on the perimeter it also doubles as a bar and servery for entertaining.

Thrice is the Charmer

2008-12-15T14:31:00.000-08:00

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This Point Grey remodel features a tri-colour kitchen. The profiled flat panelled doors are painted in two different colours with a maple island. The cabinet on the left is a custom three-appliance cabinet with a built in microwave, coffee machine and oven. Backsplash tiles compliment the colour scheme and grantie counter tops tie the whole thing together

Keeping it Clean

2008-11-04T15:23:00.000-08:00

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Straight Flush

2008-11-03T14:32:00.000-08:00

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White and Bright

2008-11-01T14:33:00.000-07:00

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This bright kitchen features painted recessed panel cabinetry. Craftmen style leaded glass inserts, custom hood fan shroud make this a one of a kind space. Finally it wouldn't be complete without the furniture kick bases, granite counter top and a ceramic tile back splash.

West Coast Sleek

2008-09-28T14:40:00.000-07:00

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A modern aesthetic is illustrated in the large kitchen. Featuring smoke coloured veneer for some cabinetry and high gloss poly finish on others, it also uses quartz surfacing for the counters. The unique backsplash tile is made of glass. In keeping with the sleek designmany of the appliances are hidden behind custom made panels.

Got Da Blues

2008-07-25T14:41:00.000-07:00

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This small galley kitchen is typical of many condos and cityhomes we renovate downtown. Space-saving European appliances create more room for cabinet storage. European influence is also evident in the sleek 1/4 cut mahogany cabinets and the trendy blue glass backsplash. Engineered stone for the countertops and porcelain tile flooring finish the look.

New Westminster Heritage

2008-01-07T10:45:00.000-08:00

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These painted white shaker doors compliment the darkly stained 1/4 cut white oak island in this character home in New Westminster. The mosaic tiled back splash and the stainless steel appliances stand out against the white back ground as the engineered stone countertop blends it all together.

Seaside Rendezvous

2007-06-22T14:42:00.000-07:00

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This West Vancouver apartment takes advantage of an amazing view, and shows a creative use of a room with very limited space. The refrigerator and dishwasher are tucked around the corner, providing additional storage and countertop space in the main kitchen.

His & Hers Heaven

2007-05-28T15:22:00.000-07:00

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This large ensuite remodel took a disjointed room and cleverly divided it to create "his" and "hers" areas. Each area is joined by a large soaker tub in a common area. Painted white cabinets contrast with the dark granite to create a sense of drama.

Poly Want a Kitchen

2007-03-26T14:44:00.000-07:00

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This polyester high gloss finished cabinetry coupled with the exposed stainless steel and dark granite countertops suit this open, modern aesthetic styled kitchen. The raised island with the bar stools creates balance with the pony wall above the bar sink, as the hanging hood fan above the gas stove centers the space.

The Heart of the Matter

2007-03-22T15:04:00.000-07:00

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Coastal Exotic

2006-11-29T15:05:00.000-08:00

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A Tale of Two Finishes

2006-09-06T15:06:00.000-07:00

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Touch of Glass

2006-07-14T15:06:00.000-07:00

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The Dark and the Light

2005-12-20T15:08:00.000-08:00

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Arts and Crafty

2005-11-24T15:10:00.000-08:00

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Anchors Away

2005-10-17T15:13:00.000-07:00

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This striking kitchen was created with nautical elements in mind. Broken edge glass, green quartz composite countertops and the green glass backsplash tile all create a feeling of the open ocean. Other details like porthole glass frames and solid cherry wood are similar to themes found in boatbuilding.

One Good Turn ...

2005-02-17T10:47:00.000-08:00

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This luxurious kitchen is finished in both stained cherry with painted and glazed accents. Large custom turned posts, cross door detail on the pantry and fridge panel doors, and a custom hood fan shroud all complement the traditional styling. Countertops are solid granite with a coordinating solid stained cherry-wood raised eating counter.

Saltspring Farmhouse

2004-09-24T15:15:00.000-07:00

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A flush-inset door enhances the old-world charm of the kitchen in this Gulf Islands home. French blue island cabinetry also features a custom-built pot rack with integrated halogen lighting and wrought iron pot hangers. Solid maple butcher-block and white marble countertops finish the look.