It can be tempting to see a fabulous model home kitchen and want to duplicate it in your own home. It’s easier and you can tell it works. The problem is, if others in your neighbourhood have done the same thing, what makes yours stand out?
“I see nothing wrong with copying a great model home,” counters designer Linda Nolan. Why not go with what works?
That’s what first-time buyer Matthew King did in his Claridge townhouse at Summerhill. Although he does know his own style, “I really related to the way that (the kitchen) was set up. It was really trendy and urban feeling.”
At the very least, the models “are generally a great starting point for inspiration,” says Windmill’s Rodney Wilts.
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Try to pinpoint and duplicate a few things that you love most about the model home, then select alternate and more personal choices around that, adds Laurie Jarvis of Unique Spaces. If it’s the white kitchen cabinetry with dark hardwood flooring that you like, choose a different backsplash, hardware and light fixtures to change it up.
Practical is also good, says Uniform’s Ryan MacDougall. Adding additional storage such as a pantry or pot drawers is “ always popular and easy to integrate into any design.”
Keys to great design
- Stay focused on the style you set out to achieve and avoid getting distracted by the many other options available, says Jarvis.
- Aim for longevity, adds designer Ulya Jensen. “You want your space to feel new for a long time. You don’t want to select finishings that will date quickly.”
- “Think about the budget and spend on the big-ticket items first,” says Nolan. “You can always add that fancy backsplash at a later date or delay expensive light fixtures.”
- Get input from other experienced buyers and ask the builder what most people are upgrading, says buyer Mark Thaw. That also worked for Judy Vaughan, who is buying a Tamarack home at Cardinal Creek Village. Both her mother and sister have been through the process so she asked what they would have changed in their homes in hindsight. She also brought them along to help her choose. “That’s not my forte,” she concedes, “so it was good to have somebody who had been through the process.”
