Vol. 3:6 10 Surprising Takeaways from Sunday's Kitchen Event.

On Sunday afternoon, Sandra and Leah, kitchen designers and project managers from MASI DESIGN & RENOVATION, gave those of us in attendance an education in kitchen design and renovation.

Here are 10 surprising takeways from their presentation:

1. Want to install a kitchen that will look as modern and desirable in 10, 20, 30, 40, even 50 years from now as it does today? Think white on white - white cabinetry with white subway tile never goes out of style. Kitchen designers call this kitchen the Beatles of the kitchen world because it remains popular regardless of the decade.

2. Never reveal your budget to a contractor. I was sorry to hear this, because I’m already struggling not to tilt to the cynical side, but apparently if you tell a contractor about your $30,000 budget, you run the risk of a $20,000 job being quoted as a $30,000 one.

3. A contractor who provides a detailed breakdown of their quote as opposed to one overall number is more likely to be a contractor you can trust.

4. MASI DESIGN & RENOVATION is responsible for all of the kitchen installations in the IKEA showroom. (How much fun must that be?)

5. MASI DESIGN & RENOVATION is the official contractor for IKEA kitchen design consultations and installation here in Winnipeg. For $250, a MASI designer will spend up to 4 hours in your home either designing a new kitchen from scratch or helping you tweak a design you’ve been working on. AND....when you place your order with IKEA, you will get that $250 back in IKEA gift cards.

6. IKEA kitchen cabinetry has a 25-year warranty. And... it's transferrable! That's a great selling feature for when it comes time to sell.

7. IKEA kitchen cabinetry is manufactured by Astor Cucina, a name associated with high-end kitchens and one of the leading European manufacturers for contemporary and modern kitchen cabinets.

8. Every 4 months IKEA holds a kitchen event which gives 10% of the cost of the kitchen back to its customers in IKEA gift cards. When my parents installed an IKEA kitchen in their cottage up at Clear Lake, they used those gift cards to buy a gorgeous white pedestal table and chairs.

9. Make any kitchen more appealing by creating layered lighting. Under- and over-cabinet lighting is affordable and easy enough to install that even I can do it, and I don't have a handy bone in my body.

10. Mortgage Brokers have access to a mortgage product called purchase-plus-improvements which allows home buyers to add upgrades to their new home up front, the costs of which are rolled into their mortgage, kitchen renovations included.

Leah Bytheway and Sandra Romani of MASI DESIGN & RENOVATION love what they do and would love to talk with you about your kitchen (or bathroom) renovation. Make sure you tell them that Wendy sent you.

Leah Bytheway leah@masidesigns.ca (204) 479-1259

Sandra Romani sandra@masidesigns.ca (204) 296-2905