Interior Design Blog by Jil Sonia McDonald of Jil Sonia Interior Designs

What color should I paint my kitchen cabinets?

8/27/2018

I've been in interior designer for 12 years now and when talking about kitchen renovation, the question I get most often is "What colour do I paint my kitchen cabinets?".

Painting kitchen cabinets is expensive and hard work, we don't want to have to do this every 5 years!

Jil Sonia interiors white cabinets blue accessories

Here our client chose to go with the classic white kitchen cabinets, which is something I recommend often.
White is classic and never goes out of style. To amp things up a little, the island was painted in a soft gray colour, which works so well with the marble countertop.

Jil Sonia Interior designs gray island Abbotsford, BC

Another great point about white cabinets, is that you can accessorize with whatever colour you are using in the adjoining rooms. Above it's blue! Below it's yellow!

white cabinets yellow accessories jil sonia interiors vancouver, BC

What is your favourite colour to use when accessorizing your kitchen? I'd love to know!

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Kitchen cabinets - Just how strong do they need to be? MDF, Plywood or Melamine?

12/22/2017

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kitchen cabinet construction mdf, melamine or plywood?

New kitchen cabinets are a wonderful thing. But do you know just how strong they need to be?

Kitchen Cabinets simply white Jil Sonia Interiors

Kitchen Design, Jil Sonia Interiors

When ensuring your cabinets are sturdy and top notch, here are some tests that show how cabinets are tested. I researched and found such useful information on the ANSI/KCMA website. (Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturer Association) These tests are meant to verify the structural integrity and strength of cabinets.

All shelves and bottoms are loaded at 15 pounds per square foot, and loading is maintained for seven days to ensure that there is no excessive deflection and no visible sign of joint separation or failure of any part of the cabinets or the mounting system.
Mounted wall cabinets are gradually loaded to 600 pounds without any visible sign of failure in the cabinet or the mounting system.
To test the strength of base-front joints, a load of 250 pounds is applied against the inside of cabinet-front stiles for cabinets with drawer rail, or 200 pounds is applied for cabinets without drawer rail, to ensure reliable front joints that will not open during stress in service or during installation.
To test the ability of shelves, bottoms, and drawer bottoms to withstand the dropping of cans and other items, a three-pound steel ball is dropped from six inches above the surface. After the test the drawer must not be damaged and must operate as before the test with no visible sign of joint separation or failure of any part of the cabinet or mounting system.
To test the ability of cabinet doors and connections to withstand impacts such as children may cause in falling against a cabinet, a 10-pound sandbag is used to strike the center of a closed cabinet door and repeated with the door opened to a 45-degree angle. The door must operate as before the test and show no damage or sign of separation or failure in the system.

If you need more help please check out this link https://www.kcma.org/certifications/ansi-kcma-certification

We design gorgeous kitchens! Feel free to contact us below:

kitchen interior design help

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Do I use plywood, MDF or melamine boxes for my kitchen cabinets?

6/28/2017

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Kitchen cabinets - Just how strong do they need to be? MDF, Plywood or Melamine?

My wonderful interior design client in Fort Langley, wondered if we should use Plywood, MDF or Melamine boxes for her kitchen cabinets. She had heard Plywood was stronger than Melamine or MDF. Is it? Here's the inside scoop with help from cabinet supplier Shari from Century Cabinets:

kitchen cabinets painted white, marble counter tops, Interior design by Jil Sonia Interiors Chilliwack BC

Abbotsford, BC Interior Design client. Kitchen cabinets, marble counter tops.

Plywood: Plywood boxes have a finish on them, but if oil or food spills, it will get into the finish; causing rings and we can't refinish them. Therefore, if you want to use plywood, it is best to use a shelf liner to protect the finish. Wood will take on odors that melamine will not.

Any cabinet that is wider than 36" should not be used for heavy dishes as the shelves may sag over time, this applies to plywood as well as melamine. Plywood is lighter than both MDF and melamine, and the installers like it, however, plywood has more of a tendency to warp. Plywood may last a bit longer than melamine if it gets wet, but not much. It will rot if it is constantly wet. Plywood is an upcharge as well, because good quality cabinet makers don't use Chinese plywood.

Melamine: Melamine is more economical and easier to look after for the kitchen and bathroom cabinet boxes and shelves. Melamine cabinets are made of a good quality fiberboard with a hard melamine surface that is waterproof and therefore will clean up with soap and water, and stains can be cleaned with Clorox wipes. They are the most durable surface and don't require shelf paper. They also do not tend to hold odors from foods or spices, and they are the most cost effective choice.

Kitchen nook, stripped pillows, wood round kitchen table, white walls Jil Sonia Interior Designs.

Kitchen nook, blue and cream, gray, round kitchen wood table.

MDF: (Medium Density Fiberboard). MDF is a dense fiberboard and very heavy, in fact, too heavy for cabinet boxes. MDF doors cost as much as Maple framed doors and they are heavier than Maple doors. Cabinets are not made of MDF because of its heavy weight. Most slab doors are made of MDF and have some veneer or laminate on the surface. Shaker MDF is a choice that allows for the shape of the shaker door without joints which crack when painted on a wood frame door.

The most expensive dining room table from Italy will often be made of MDF and have a beautiful veneer applied to it. MDF is very dense and it is what a slab door is made of with a veneer applied to it. MDF does not warp like solid wood does. This allows the table to open cleanly without sticking.

Many people have been convinced that wood is the only material to build from. This is just marketing hype. Wood has many great qualities but it also has downsides. It is worth learning about materials as they all have good sides for certain applications and they all have downsides too. Think of how old antique cabinets have squeaky doors and drawers that stick. That is because wood warps. :)

Hope this helps you make the decision between Plywood, MDF and Melamine kitchen and bathroom cabinet boxes and doors.

Check out this post featured here: http://topreveal.com/diy-kitchen-cabinet-shelf-ideas

Jil Sonia McDonald Interior Designer, Canada, USA

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Where to start with your Kitchen Renovation - for me!

8/28/2015

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We've been designing kitchens for years and our clients love us! Light and bright kitchens, that are functional and practical; rule today. However when we arrive home at night, we encounter our own drab and dreary kitchen. The designer who created this kitchen had unknowingly, selected competing undertones - orange floor, burgundy cabinets, black and PINK countertops and Tuscan gold backsplash. This is definitely not my style and I think it's time for a change! Don't you?

How to renovate your kitchen, #interior design

I know - it's bad, right? When designing kitchens for our clients, we start with choosing 2 items first. The counter top and the kitchen sink!
As I use Caesarstone almost exclusively (they have the best range of colours and patterns of quartz - in my opinion), I knew which counter top I wanted almost immediately. Frosty Carrina!
It's a warm white, with subtle flecks and veining of light warm gray. Giving almost a marble look, but without the hassle, upkeep, staining and etching of real marble. Their quartz has antibacterial properties meaning there is no need to seal the counters - eliminating the maintenance that is needed every few years.
Have a look at all the beautiful options from Caesarstone here!

Counter top interior design and decoration

Frosty Carrina 5141 by Caesarstone.ca

The next item I choose is the Kitchen sink. Of course the size is dictated by any existing cabinetry, if you are starting from scratch, the world's your Oyster. A favourite manufacture of mine is Blanco. They sell amazing sinks of all different shapes and sizes. Silgranit, Stainless steel, FireClay and more! Here's a cheat sheet on the great points.
Silgranit:

Made in Canada
80% natural granite composite material
Exceptional resistance to heat, stains, scratches and acids
Non porous - dirt and bacteria cannot penetrate the surface of the sink
Rear-positioned drain holes maximize usable bowl and cabinet storage space

Blanco Diamond U 1 3/4 Low Divide

Stainless Steel:

18/10 chrome-nickel content for exceptional lustre, durability and strength
Rear-positioned drain holes for maximum usable bowl and cabinet storage space
X-pattern drain grooves
15 mm radius corners for easy cleaning - they think of everything!

Blanco, QUATRUS R15 U 1¾

Fireclay sinks:
Apron sink - who doesn't love apron sinks?
Centre drain location
3 1/2'' (90mm) stainless steel strainer included

Blanco Cerana Apron sink

Stay tuned! Sneak peek photos coming up - we've just installed the gorgeous Caesarstone counter top and we are absolutely thrilled with it!
Stay tuned for more updates and tips and tricks!

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I'm thrilled to announce that I'm featured in Canadian Home Trends magazine!

5/12/2014

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I am happy to announce, my 12 page spread (6 double pages) in the Prestigious Canadian Home Trends Magazine....... Yippee!

Jil Sonia McDonald of Jil Sonia Interiors, Maple Ridge, BC.

I was over the moon happy to receive a letter from Canadian Home Trends magazine, mentioning that they saw my profile on Houzz and that they'd love to feature me in their Spring 2014 print and online magazine!

Interior design by Jil Sonia McDonald. Photos by Tracey Ayton Photography.

This prestigious magazine is the most helpful and innovative magazine I've ever seen. If you subscribe to their online magazine (which offers 168 pages!), you will see they've added special effects to the photos - such as the fireplace has a crackling sound, the photos change from the before to after right in front of your eyes. Amazing! Otherwise their print magazine is gorgeous as well. Who doesn't like to curl up with a nice glass of wine and a great magazine?