• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Beautiful Home and Life Magazine

Beautiful Home. Beautiful Life. Beautiful You.

  • DESIGN
    • INTERIOR SPACES
    • EXTERIOR SPACES
    • HOLIDAY | SEASONAL
  • LIFESTYLE
    • FASHION | BEAUTY
      • BEAUTY
      • FASHION
    • FOOD | DRINK
      • FOOD | DRINK FEATURES
      • HOLIDAY EATS
      • ENTERTAINING
    • PROFILES
      • PROFILE features
    • LIVING WELL ARTICLES
    • BOOK | SUGGESTED READS
  • TRAVEL
    • CANADIAN TRAVEL
    • US TRAVEL
    • INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL
    • TRAVEL TIPS
  • MUST-HAVES
    • FEATURED PRODUCTS
  • CONTRIBUTORS
    • MEET OUR CONTRIBUTORS
    • INTERESTED IN CONTRIBUTING?
  • ORDER A SUBSCRIPTION

Function & Form.

July 8, 2019

Empty Nesters Get Their Dream Kitchen & Laundry.

By the time the kids leave home, it’s probably safe to say your nest has seen better days.

Once the dust settles, you’ll find there are areas of much-loved (and well-worn) home that could use a significant transformation— rooms thats could work harder for your needs and new lifestyle. Stouffville, Ontario.-based designer Cynthia Soda offers three tips to help create a more functional space once your brood is no longer under your roof.

PLAN AND COMMUNICATE

Take time to figure out what you need and want, and what you’re ready to get rid of — this will help the designer prioritize your budget and give you better insight into what a successful end result will look like. Our clients, for example, told us they were tired of feeling closed in and wanted a more open-concept space that would feel light and uncluttered. The rooms in their suburban home were sectioned off, making the space feel more closed in. Knocking down walls and adding to the family’s living room made for easier access between the kitchen and dining area—a major bonus for the couple, who enjoy entertaining. They also ended up with a brighter space overall, thanks to natural light flooding in from the back windows.  

GO FOR UTILITY

With a more open kitchen, we had to ensure there was enough room to prepare and cook meals, as well as a spot for guests to enjoy a glass of wine or a cup of coffee. We decided to include a bar and prep area, which acts as a go-between zone for those sitting in the adjacent living room and in the eat-in kitchen. We also opted for an island for added counter space and tucked a waste station into the cabinets below to keep the area mess-free. The couple asked for double ovens to make cooking for their growing family a breeze. (They’re now able to do a lot of baking when their grandkids visit.) 

The laundry room was also in need of a remodel. With fewer people in the house, and fewer loads of laundry being done, it was time to streamline the area. We agreed to stack the washing machine and dryer, which not only made the room feel less cluttered, but it also created space for storage above the washer. When we found out the couple had never used the side-entry door, we converted it to a more functional picture window. 

FRESHEN UP

Yes, a coat of paint can work wonders. The redesign lent itself to an airy, beachy feel, so we brought in a calming pale blue-grey in the kitchen (behind the open cabinet shelves and in the island), which picked up the grey veins in the marble countertops and tiled backsplash. The same colour was used in the laundry room’s custom built-in cabinetry.

ABOUT CYNTHIA

Cynthia Soda is the principal interior designer and owner of Soda Pop Design Inc., in Stouffville, Ont. She’s all about customization and character in her work, and “successfully merges her clients’ lifestyle, personality and architecture” in order to tell unique stories. Soda and her team offer renovation and design services for residential clients in the Greater Toronto Area. 

PICTURES AND WORDS CYNTHIA SODA

SEE MORE OF CYNTHIA’S WORK ON HER INSTAGRAM OR VISIT HER WEBSITE SODA POP DESIGN



Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Related Articles

  • White Done Right!White Done Right!
  • IS GRANITE passé?IS GRANITE passé?
  • REDECORATE WITH TODAY’S TOP TRENDSREDECORATE WITH TODAY’S TOP TRENDS
  • Discovering The Beauty of Prince Edward County.Discovering The Beauty of Prince Edward County.
  • LEO LACE BLOUSELEO LACE BLOUSE
  • Copy Cat Decor.Copy Cat Decor.
  • Going Coastal.  A Gulf Coast Florida Home Tour.Going Coastal. A Gulf Coast Florida Home Tour.
  • AN NHL PLAYER MAKES IT HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYSAN NHL PLAYER MAKES IT HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS
  • FRESH STARTS: SEPTEMBER IS THE NEW JANUARY.FRESH STARTS: SEPTEMBER IS THE NEW JANUARY.
  • PERFECT CHRISTMAS EXPECTATIONS?PERFECT CHRISTMAS EXPECTATIONS?
  • Our Top 4 Must-Have Summer Reads!Our Top 4 Must-Have Summer Reads!
  • A NEW CONTRIBUTOR ON OUR TEAMA NEW CONTRIBUTOR ON OUR TEAM

Filed Under: INTERIOR SPACES Tagged With: CYNTHIA SODA, DESIGNER TIPS, KITCHEN & BATH, KITCHEN RENOVATION, LAUNDRY ROOM RENOVATION

Primary Sidebar

Lets Connect!

Instagram

Pinterest

Facebook

Beautiful Home & Life

Search

Recent Posts

  • Recession. The Dreaded “R” Word.
  • Go The Extra Mile.
  • Creating Holiday Spirit.
  • Featured Chef
  • Discovering The Beauty of Prince Edward County.
  • Travel Trends.
  • Resorts On Our Radar
  • White Done Right!
  • Copy Cat Decor.

Archives

  • December 2019
  • July 2019
  • December 2018
  • June 2018

Footer

BY post

We Are Moving Offices. Address Coming Soon.

by phone

416 500 5351

by computer

hello@beautifulhomeandlife.com

Copyright © 2022 · Beautiful Home & Life ·

Get more stunning homes, travel destinations, beauty, fashion, food +more directly into your inbox.