Styles
Contemporary
Deliberate contrast, a central island, matte surfaces mixed with metal.
Contemporary does not mean modern in the strict sense: it is the style that absorbs whatever is being done now rather than applying a doctrine. In practice in Quebec, that means a central island doing duty as worktop and table, darker base cabinets under lighter uppers, and one or two premium materials used as accent.
It is the most common style in recent renovations, and also the one that ages worst when it follows a trend too closely. The choices that survive are structural, the layout, the light, the quality of the hardware, not the colour of the backsplash.
Style markers
- A contrasting central island, often in a different material or colour
- Two-tone: dark bases, light uppers
- Quartz countertop with pronounced veining
- Visible hood in stainless or a matching panel
- Matte black or brushed brass hardware
Typical materials
- Matte thermoplastic
- Veined quartz
- Brushed stainless
- Large-format porcelain
The honest limitation
Heavy marble-look veining on quartz is what dates fastest. Subtle veining costs the same and will still read well in ten years, for the right reasons.
What comes next
The materials
A style is built from specific materials, and each behaves differently after five years of use.
Take the next step
Talk to a designer
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