SMOOTH STYLE
New kitchen is both beautiful and functional for this young family
BY SUSAN KELLY
A clean and contemporary look was foremost for the young professionals who commissioned this new-build kitchen for their Woodbridge home. Aesthetics aside, with a new baby, they needed no-fuss function as well.
To get their dream kitchen, they went to Atlantis Bath Centre. Bath centre?
More specifically, to a kitchen designer at Morelli Fine Cabinetry that, thanks to a new venture, can now be found at the four Toronto-area Atlantis Bath Centre showrooms. It’s a natural partnership, according to Carlo Perfetto, CEO and president of Atlantis. Bathrooms and kitchens both involve plumbing, tilework and cabinetry. “There were so many customers who wanted Morelli quality and craftsmanship for custom cabinets in the kitchen as well,” he says.
Baltic birch was used for the cabinets, which were given a neat and contemporary Shaker style and a soft gray painted finish. “The owners wanted a softer look than lacquered cabinetry would have provided,” says Rocco Morelli, founder and president of Morelli Fine Cabinetry. “And the high shine of lacquer also tends to show fingerprints —not practical with a small child in the house.”
A host of custom elements can be found behind the scenes. Not shown here, a separate service kitchen lies behind the wall where the range, hood and refrigerator are visible. It contains a second fridge and stove, and is where most of the prep work and messy part of cooking is carried out when the couple entertains.
A large proportion of the pull-out drawers have custom cutlery sections, designed not only to fit utensils but to keep them handy. Drawers were made large, and some were built to accommodate plates and pots. “Custom organization is a major trend in kitchens today,” says Morelli. “People want storage that offers more than just extra space.”
There is no open shelving in this kitchen. Here everything is neatly tucked away behind soft-close doors. The few glass-paneled cabinet doors have frosted glass to minimize the view of the contents.
Morelli, who has been in the cabinetmaking business for 31 years, is busy installing more model kitchens to highlight the range of Morelli design and craftsmanship. They are on view at the Atlantis Bath Centres in Woodbridge and at 665 Caledonia Rd. in Toronto. Customers can meet with designers there, or at Atlantis showrooms in Barrie, Woodbridge and Stoney Creek, by appointment.
