If there is ANY place in our home where we pulled out all the stops it was the kitchen. Because let’s face it, as a food blogger I basically live in here! Keep reading for all the details including what I love the most about the space!
SHOP MY KITCHEN
As a food blogger and dietitian it makes sense that our kitchen would get a bit more love compared to the rest of the house. Charles and I spent a LOT of time in the design stage to make sure that the space really worked for us functionally and aesthetically. And am I ever happy we didn’t rush this step!
In the end I’m head over heels in love with our kitchen: I wouldn’t change a thing. I broke up all of the key elements below and am super happy to answer any questions you may have of course, just comment at the end of the post!
Cabinetry
Our friends at Norelco designed our kitchen cabinets for us and they hit it out of the park! Picking out a white was like pulling teeth for me – some were too warm, others were too pink … we settled on Benjamin Moore Simply White and chose a simple shaker profile with a slight curved detail in the inside of the frame to make the cabinets a little less modern looking. I also added glass doors last minute to flank the range for the upper cabinets. They made a huge difference: the glass really breaks up the space and allows me to display all of my favourite things (all white, of course!).
Norelco was beyond amazing to work with. They spent countless hours on the design getting it just perfect with impeccable attention to detail and have THE best customer service and team. I can’t say enough good things about them – we had them back to design our office and I can’t wait to share that with you too!
Range & Hood Fan
We cook a lot, so getting the ‘work flow’ of the kitchen right was super important to us. From a design perspective, one of the best things that we did was to widen the space between the island and the stove (we have 6′ between the two): it gives us so much room to work in, and there are zero issues when the dishwasher and the oven is open. As a family that cooks a lot I applaud Charles here: I wasn’t convinced it was the right move but he was right (just don’t tell him lol)!
We went with an 8 burner gas Fisher & Paykel range with dual stoves (gas as well) and it’s been nothing short of amazing. It has a bit of an industrial feel to it, and quite frankly I loved the fact that it doesn’t have digital controls (the old fashioned dials). Our hood fan was also a custom Fisher and Paykel hood fan from Norelco (they did SUCH an incredible job!).
Dishwasher
We do a lot of dishes in our home which is one of the reasons we went with a set of drawer dishwashers from Fisher and Paykel. Not only do I love how they look but they are super practical as they function independently. They do a great job of washing the dishes (I use Nellie’s powder dishwashing detergent for the record)!
Fridge
We have dual fridges from Fisher and Paykel that we had integrated by Norelco (when they put the cabinet faces on the appliances) and I must say that while it felt very very overboard we really use them given what I do for work. The fridges aren’t super deep so you don’t loose things in the back and have a large pull-out freezer in the bottom. I have a feeling I may be thankful for the extra space as the boys grow older too (Max is already eating his weight in food!).
We went with the same colour of hardware on our fridge with this Spindle appliance pull from Emtek and it is one of my favourite things in the kitchen! They are so classy and really make a statement!
Lighting
Lighting… ugh! I had SUCH a hard time finding the perfect lights. The first ones we got were pretty but not a good fit (too big), and when I ordered these ones I panicked a bit thinking they were way too big for the space. Charles hung them anyway when I was gone one day (sneaky move Mr. Wesszer) and lo and behold I LOVED them. They make a statement and really frame up the island. These are the 17″ version of the lights (I found a less expensive version after here that is 1/3 of the price) and we hung them just under 4′ apart. Our island is 8’x5′ for the record, and I think the spacing was spot on.
Charles also installed a ton of pot lights in the ceiling – it looked like someone took a machine gun to the ceiling when we were building I thought he was crazy to put in so many! But… again, he was right. We went with the Sylvania LED pot lights and I am so impressed. They are incredibly energy efficient (our electrical bill is a fraction of what it was in our old house, and the home is twice the size now!) and give off a really nice natural light that you don’t get with a lot of LED lights. Lighting is a big deal to me as it can make or break a mood (ever gone to a restaurant with bad lighting?). They are so much more environmentally friendly, and you can even get them in a Smart Home function to customize and automate your lighting.
Counters
I really wanted to get the look of that marbled Carrera but without the headache of the staining and everything that comes with it – we went with Silestone Statuario by Cosentino and absolutely love it! It has a light marbling that is classic and timeless and resists staining unlike Carrera marble (it does mark up if I leave something harsh on it like red wine or turmeric but the stains don’t last – it’s really a very durable product that I highly recommend).
We decided to go with a thicker countertop on the island which was a really good move. We did the standard thickness on the kitchen counters that flank the range, but went with a 2.5″ thickness (install by Colonial Countertops) on the island which really helps it stand out. Our kitchen has an open concept main level so this really made a difference!
Hardware
I waffled so hard on hardware. I had polished nickel picked out for the longest time and at the last minute my cousin Jillian convinced me to switch to the brass – BEST MOVE EVER! We got all of our hardware for the house from Emtek and they do not disappoint. These are the French Antique Brass Cup Pulls with these round Norwich knobs in French Antique Brass. They really warm up the space.
Flooring
We went with Shaw Castlewood Oak in Tapestry flooring which is an engineered hardwood and it is so beautiful and forgiving. It is a nice wide plank, light in colour but has enough grain in it to hide almost anything. I love it.
Tile
Our backsplash tile is Frost in 3×5″ from Fireclay Tile – we used ‘Alabaster’ as the grout colour. It is a nice warm white and has a beautiful crackled finish. Totally timeless!
Sink and Faucets
I really wanted a farmhouse sink, and ended up going with the Kohler one that has the divide just offset from the middle – it was the best choice. I highly recommend the divide versus the single sink – it’s nice to have a place to drain vegetables or rinse dishes. Our faucets are from the Artifacts collection from Kohler in polished nickel which is a warmer finish. We also added in a pot filler from the same collection which is really nice to have.
Stay tuned for a post on my favourite design elements that made our kitchen extra functional!
xo
Tori
Love your Kitchen!
Any chance you’ll share floor plans of House one day soon ?
Thanks Barbara! We might soon!
I was going to ask this too!
I love everything about your kitchen! Could you share the layout of your kitchen a little more and where your pantry access is? We are building right now and would love some layout advice!
Thanks!
Thank you Jenna! We are looking at sharing our plans on the blog in the near future!
I’ve commented on your Instagram page but wanted to say that it’s a lovely, well thought out kitchen. Classy like you are!!
Thank you Chris that is so sweet of you!!!! Tori
beautiful! love the lights too! 🙂 and the cabinets and the counter top….
Thank you Jill!!!!
Where did you get your barstools? 🤗
Hi Jill, Wayfair but they don’t sell them any longer!
Such a beautiful kitchen! Thanks for sharing! Any chance I could get info on your counter stools? Thx!
Hi Heather unfortunately they don’t sell them anymore! Ugh! And thank you! Tori
Hi. What colour did you choose for your kitchen wall colour and the rest of your home. Thanks Tori
Hi Dana it is ALL Simply White by Benjamin Moore! It just comes out different colours in different applications!
Hi Tori, is your ceiling colour also simply white? Thanks 🙂
yes it is!
How high are you ceilings? Very beautiful!
Hi Kim they are 9′ in our kitchen area, 10′ in our living room area and 16′ in our entry!
Absolutely gorgeous! We did a kitchen reno a few years ago and I agonized over ever decision. It’s stressful.
Thank you Pat, yes it is a bit torturous trying to get it just right but I think that we end up making better decisions when we agonize over them haha! Have a great weekend, Tori
I absolutely love your kitchen Tori!!! I love your faucets, lighting and we’ll everything!! I wanted those bar stools, too bad Wayfair doesn’t have them any more. 😢 thanks so much for sharing!!
Thank you so much Alyson! We’ve tried hunting to see if we can find them other places but couldn’t unfortunately 🙁
Hi Tori! I am a huge fan of you and Jillian and love keeping up with all your stories. I am so happy you got your kitchen up on the blog, it’s beautiful! Just a kitchen question, when do you feel knobs should be used or pulls? Do you prefer one over the other? 🙂
Thank you Krystal! I like knobs on cabinets and pulls on drawers personally!
Hi Tori,
Thank you for sharing your beautiful home! Are your walls and trim both painted simply white throughout your house?
Thanks:)
I love everything about this kitchen! Great job and I hope it is filled with many years of love and laughter!
Beautiful Kitchen! what colour / temperature of light are your LED pot lights?
Hi Kendra these were the ones we used! LIGHTIFY LED RT5/6 Adjustable White by Sylvania
Ohhh my goshhhhh! I love love love your kitchen! You guys did. Beautiful job and you are a lucky lady! Your dishes are so perfect.
Were you ever nervous about doing so much white on white on white? How did you plan for it with textures – what was your thought process along the way? I love white and am modeling somewhat after it in our traditional home build, but find myself getting a bit nervous it will look too bleached. Also, how did you decide what would be brass and what would be Nickle? Thanks!!!
Would love to see dimensions!
Hi Alia! Yes I was totally nervous about it but realized after that it’s just paint and I can paint it again if I don’t like it (even though that’s a pain). I loved how it turned out, a total blank canvas for decorating! I just went with what I like for the metals – it’s a tough one as there aren’t any hard and fast rules. I really like polished nickel faucets and I knew that the cabinetry would be warmed up and more timeless looking with the brass hardware. We will share our house plans soon!
Just wanted to know if you absolutely love you cabinet colour! We are moving to a beautiful rancher in the woods and don’t want a cold white on the cabinets
This colour looks warm in pictures just wanted to see if you find it a warm white in person !
If that even makes sense 🤷🏼♀️
Thanks !!
Thanks Jenn! It absolutely is a warm white – I LOVE it!
So so beautiful. Great job. Enjoy it all
It looks like you mixed brass and stainless steel throughout. Pretty. Any advice m/rules on how to do that properly?
Hi Deb! I don’t think there are rules, I just mix where I think it looks good! I do like to streamline thing though – so if one faucet is polished nickel I want all of them to be, same with door hardware etc.
Loved reading this post! Such a beautiful kitchen you have Tori!
Beautiful bright kitchen! Love it! Can you tell me what color of grout that was used for the tile backsplash?
Thank you! It is Alabaster (MAPEI)
Perfect kitchen! You and Charles are a great tag team, so helpful to have each other to work through those challenging design issues. Great minds think alike and you both had the same vision to pull it all together, bravo!!
Hi Deb thank you so much – that is so kind of you!! Tori
Absolutely fabulous!!
Gorgeous kitchen! Did you go with polished or matte for counter tops?
Thank you Jen! It is polished
Beautiful kitchen!!! and house! and person! 🙂
I was wondering if you find that your faucet gets dirty easily and if you have found a way to clean it without any streaks?
Also, where is your fridge located? I couldn’t place it’s location from your pictures.
Thank you for sharing so much wonderful information and I am SO excited for the cookbook!
Hi Allie, no it doesn’t get that dirty and I just polish it with a clean dish rag and a dish towel! Our fridge is to the right of the sink if you’re standing at the sink:). Thank you!! Tori
Hi! Such a nice kitchen!! Everything was so well thought out! Any tips on budgeting to have everything you want in a remodel? (Did you save your entire lives?) LOL Our budget is too tight to do everything we want..
Thank you Jay! I will admit that we spent a disproportionate amount on the kitchen vs the rest of the house given what I do for work. I would say to pick your big items that are really important to you and get budget versions of the rest! It really depends on what is at the top of your list. And yes, I did save my entire life haha! Tori
Hi Tori, your kitchen is stunning! We are in the design phase of our house build right now and I was wondering if the glass door cabinets get sticky or greasy being so close to the stove? I love the look and would to do something similar, but I worry about the upkeep. Do you find it difficult to keep the glass clean?
Thank you so much! ❤️
Hi Caroline, they do get a bit splattered but it’s an easy clean! I would do it again in a heartbeat! xx Tori
Dying over your gorgeous kitchen Tori!! Every last detail is stunning. I need your brass pulls. And your flowers and your cooking. ❤️
Thank you Kristy you are the sweetest!!! xo Tori
Hi Tori! I LOVE your kitchen and had so much fun watching it all unfold along with the rest of your home all those months ago! We are in the middle of an unplanned kitchen remodel (burst hot water pipe) and I’m wondering if you put any lighting in your glass front cabinets?
We have wood shelves in ours but are toying with replacing them with glass and installing puck lights at the top. I do worry about the durability of glass though!
Thanks for any thoughts!
Thanks Kim! We didn’t put any lighting inside the cabinets, just underneath. The glass is very durable but it does get a bit splattered from cooking. It’s a simple clean though! Happy renovating!
Beautiful!!! Is your kitchen backsplash grout made by Mapei? Also, did you and Jillian use the same kitchen backsplash grout?
Hi Ali yes it is! I don’t know if we have the same grout to be honest!
LOVE LOVE LOVE. I didn’t see any pics of the fridge or that side of the kitchen. Can you share more of that? Thanks!
Hi Kristin! I will be doing a follow up post that will include that!
Tori, is that extra storage cupboards on the side of the island where the bar stools are? It looks like you have some touch-latch cupboards hidden in there?
Yes! I will be doing another post on the top features of my kitchen and will include that – it is indeed a hidden cupboard space that I highly recommend!
Take care,
Tori
Hi Tori, when you made the kitchen island counter thicker than the rest of the kitchen did you shrink the cabinet height to accommodate or did you just have the island counter sitting slightly higher than the others?
Where do you find your vintage photos? I adore them!
Often antique stores!
Hi Tori!
We just purchased our 11 acre parcel and are planning to break ground in the spring – your home is one of my inspirations!! I was wondering if you will be putting your home plans at any point? We are using an architect and engineer, but it is so nice to have some plans to go from – It seems like the flow of your home is really good for a young family (which is us too). Thank you so much for all of your content! Gahh – it’s all so beautiful!!!
Hi Elizabeth,
Thanks so much – yes I think we will be putting the plan on to purchase on the site, but just haven’t gotten to it et. Congratulations on your new build that’s so exciting! Sorry for the delay by the way, just catching up.
Hi Tori, can you share which fridge this is from Fisher & Paykel? Love love love everything about your kitchen!
Hi Laura it’s hard for me to know which one when I’m on the site but it is one of the larger integrated fridges with the freezer on the bottom – would have to try to dig up the order to see which one it is which I can’t find and the model number isn’t on the fridge! Sorry!!!
I absolutely love your kitchen! I love the Silestone Statuario countertop, but haven’t been able to see a whole slab in person. I was concerned that the veining might end up looking too busy or pronounced (hard to tell in photos). Would you say that it is actually quite subtle/subdued in real life?
Hi Hannah! I LOVE my counter top – I know how you feel I didn’t see it in a large slab either. It isn’t busy at all, it is really subdued. I’m super happy with it.
Hi Tori…quick question are the walls in your kitchen also Simply White? My cabinets are also Simply White and I’m thinking of doing the walls the same colour but am hesitant on it being too much white? (is there such a thing…lol)
Hi Jen! Yes my walls, cabinets, and trims are all Simply White!
Hi Tori! Could you please share the finish you used for your simply white walls vs. simply white trim? Thank you! 🙂
We used Eggshall on the walls and Satin on the trim, both Benjamin Moore!
Thanks so much!
I am interested to know how you like your Fisher & Paykel gas range? We are looking at that brand, nice simple controls beautiful range, but has it had many problems or repairs?
We’ve had no issues so far! I love mine, the only note I’d make is just that it’s so high powered that it doesn’t have a large range for cooking things on low so just takes some time to get used to!
Thank you for your suggestions, we did buy the Fisher and Paykel range. Just read your new cookbook, beautiful. Congratulations!
Thanks Viktoria!
Hi Tori,
I was just curious how many inches are between the bottom of your island pendant lights and the counter top? Love them so much! Thank you!
It’s 2 1/2 feet!
Hi Tori.. beautiful kitchen! I love the scale of your subway tiles, but could not find the 3×5” size on the fire clay link. Was the 3×5” a custom size? Thanks!!
No it wasn’t custom when we got it!
For the cup pulls in the kitchen did you use 3 inch or 4 inch? Also, does your husband ever complain about the cup pulls being hard to open due to having larger hands?
I’d love to know the pull size as well!
4 inches!
Hey Tori!
We are just starting our kitchen Reno and your kitchen is our inspiration! It’s so beautiful. I have a couple questions.
Your brass in the kitchen, is it more of a dark brass ? And is the metal color of your lights the exact same color as your hardware?
Thank you for answering!
Hi Robyn, the brass in our kitchen is called ‘French Antique’ and it is a bit of a darker brass! And no the metal of our lights is slightly different than our hardware, the lights are slightly more gold.
I love your kitchen cabinet crown moulding, is there a chance you could share the source? Did you have to use a filler in between your cabinets and crown moulding? Thanks!
Hi Patricia, I got it through Norelco cabinets! yes there is a filler!
Hey Tori! We are just about finished our kitchen Reno, had our painter, paint our cabinets simply white. I’ve been eyeing up yours (and Jillian’s) grout colors. I love yours, I’ve watched you zoom in on it in your stories and it looks SO grey. My issue is I have the sample stick from my contractor and it looks cream. I’m freaked right out about going with it. I want your groat color!! Any chance you know what brand your groat was?! Things I never thought I’d ever ask someone HAHA! Thanks so much.
Meg
Hi Meg! It’s Alabaster!
Happy renovations!
Tori
Love love love your kitchen.
We are doing our kitchen and I was wondering what is the grout name brand from? And what light do you have above dining table?
Thank you
Hi again! I keep coming back…my inspiration kitchen. Assume your refrigerator pulls are 18”. Are the ones in your pantry also 18” or are those 12”?
Thank you!
Hi Diana!
The fridge ones are the larger ones and the pantry pulls are the smaller ones!
Who made your beautiful dining table?
Holly Bidlake she is local based out of Penticton – she’s amazing! Shed Design Co
Just in the hardware process of my kitchen and admiring your hardware. I am wondering what size cabinet knobs you went with 1 1/4” or 1 5/8” these are the two options given on Emteks website. From what I read you went with the 4” pulls and the larger appliance pulls which is 18”.
Hi Patti it is the 1 1/4″ ones. And yes you are right on the others!
Love your house, your kids your hair! I digress. We are doing our kitchen main floor reno. What color are your walls? Did you paint the bedroom/hallway doors same color? What about the baseboards and trim around the doors? How thick are your base boards? Thank you in advance.
I love the bridge type of sink faucet! The idea came from your home. We are in the process of picking out all of our plumbing for our new home build. I just can’t decide on the bridge or single gooseneck type faucet. The bridge faucet we are planning on using is from Rohl and it’s heavy duty and just gorgeous! Yes they are beautiful, but are they really the best for functioning? Some do not like having 2 handles for the water and a lot have had issues with the side sprayer ~ thus why we are going with the Rohl. Also, if down the road you want to change it you have multiple holes in the counter. Do you regret the bridge or love it? Help! I just can’t decide.
I love it!!! No regrets!
Beautiful kitchen!! I’m considering ordering the Fireclay tiles as well up to Canada. Did you have any tile breakage problems getting it shipped? Thanks!!
I love your kitchen!❤️
Can u tell me where you bought your island stools and your table?
Huge Thanks❤️
The kitchen stools are Wayfair and the table was custom made!
Your kitchen is so beautiful! I was hoping to find out what brand and how many inches wide your hood vent insert is for above your range? I am trying to decide on one for our kitchen, thank you!
Hi Daniela! thank you! It is a Fisher and Paykel range and hood and I believe it is a 48″ one – it is the industrial grade (we needed it for the output of our range). Good luck with the renovation or build!
Tori, your whole house is so beautiful! Do you know where your dining room light is from?
Thank you Wendy! It is from Wayfair a few years ago!
Warmest wishes, Tori
Hey Tori! Hope you see this 🙂 we are going through a big reno right now and love the idea of simply white on our walls, trim and also our kitchen cabinets. The room is open to our living, just like yours is. My question is – did you get different finished in the simply white? What finish did you use for your trim, walls and cabinets? I am a little afraid of it all looking too similar (even thought it is… haha) Hope this makes sense! Love your blog 🙂
Hi Kristin! The finish to the cabinets is different from all of the other finishes, and because of the fact that it is colour matched it didn’t come out the same as the swatch which worked out perfectly! It is darker and creamier. The walls are eggshell finish and the trim is satin – I love the colour and would do it all again! Classic Grey (Benjamin Moore) is another great colour if you want a subtle difference!
And thank you for the kind message and for following along! Have a great day! Tori
Hi Tori,
Can I ask you what you use to clean your silestone countertops with? Is there a certain brand of cleaner or do you just use soap and water? I have ordered the same ones and I know they are white so I know they will show more on them. Just curious how you keep yours clean?
Hi! LOVE your kitchen!!! It’s so beautiful. Your cabinets are “inset,” but are they “frameless?” I saw Jillian say to NOT do “face frame” cabinetry because you lose space. Do you still have good space? We are about to start our kitchen remodel but still up in the air about our cabinetry! Thanks for your time!
Also! You said the island countertop is 2.5”. The countertop only comes in 2cm or 3cm correct? How did you get 2.5” thickness?
Hi Scyelar! They simply fabricate it this way – it’s a bit of an illusion as it’s just the nosing.
Hi Scyelar ours aren’t face frame they are standard cabinets and I would do the same again!
Beautiful! Can you share if you did simply white on the walls and the cabinets? If you used a different white on walls and trim can you share ?
Hi Heather! Yes I did – it just translates differently when it is colour matched for the cabinets so it came out darker and a bit more creamy! The trim and walls are the same colour. All Simply White.
I love your kitchen! You did an amazing job! I’m wondering what you chose for your interior door hardware? Your big interior doors to room (vs. Cabinet doors) did you go with polished nickel or French antique? Curious as to what knobs and rosettes/ back plates you chose. I’m struggling to choose my interior door hardware (I want Emtek) and my kitchen has similar plumbing + lighting fixtures to yours. What did you go with?
Hi Traci! Thanks so much – we went with the polished nickel rosette in a rectangle (not sure what it’s called) and a round glass knob for a traditional look!
My reaction every time I scroll down and I saw the photos of your kitchen is “Ohhh!”. You did it well!
Hi! Your kitchen is absolutely beautiful! I read your cabinet colors are simply white. Is your Kitchen island the same color? Thanks!
Hi Erin yes it is and thank you!
Hi Tori! Your kitchen is beautiful ❤️ What paint colour did you choose for your walls in the kitchen?
Thanks so much Deepti!
BM Simply White
A complete Kitchen with regards to all the parameters. The gorgeous elegance adds to the overall home ambience. Just awesome.
What a great article. I love your cabinets. The white is to die for. I’m trying to get a fresh cabinet painting soon in my own place, and seeing your design was really helpful to me. Thanks for sharing!
What a great article. I love your cabinets. The color is to die for. I’m trying to get a fresh cabinet painting soon in my own place, and seeing your design was really helpful to me. Thanks for sharing!
Hi again. I just read through some other posts and comments, and it looks like the cabinets are cloud white, but the walls are simply white.
Quick question: I wonder why the walls weren’t also painted cloud white? (I love cloud white – and would love to order the cabinets you used – and am trying to decide on a white for the walls. Thank you!