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TUESDAY, July 12, 2011 8 Pages HAPPY HOME BUYING Affordability tips for first-time homebuyers PAGE 3 AIR-TIGHT RENOS New technology ideal to insulate walls and ceilings PAGE 5 HOME, LAWN & GARDEN Special pullout section Refinished cabinetry could dominate kitchen designs for years to come A decade ago, in the pages of national décor magazines, kitchenrenovation stories almost always started with the tearing down and ripping out of old cabinetry. But, now, people are becoming less wasteful and more respectful of the good things they already have. Homes are becoming places not just to impress the neighbours but express one's creativity and individuality as well. So it makes sense that, for the past few months, décor magazines have been featuring distinctive kitchens anchored by refinished cabinetry. Not surprisingly--professionals can create sophisticated finishes rarely available new--editors are predicting that refinished cabinetry will dominate kitchen design for years to come. What makes this different from the do-it-yourself kitchen renovations we've always seen? First, it applies to well-made (if outdated or unattractive) cabinetry. Second, it depends upon a new sort of design guru: the luxury-class furniture refinisher. According to Scott Page, founder and owner of Georgetown-based Furniture Renew, "A few years ago, most of our work was repairing free-standing antiques. Now, most of our business is refinishing kitchen cabinetry. People don't want scratches fixed and hinges tightened anymore. They want total transformations." According to Page, here are the cabinetry-refinishing trends dominating kitchens throughout Halton and beyond: MODERN MAKEOVER: Dark traditional cabinets can be glazed, bleached, and pickled into modernity. Oversized, minimally styled, brushed metal hardware finishes the look. ANTIQUE APPEAL: Plain, boring, modern kitchens are getting a gloss of old-world glamour with new trim, mouldings, and polished brass pulls. Often, the effect is superior to new, at a fraction of the price. COLOURFUL CREATIVITY: Painted cabinets are making a comeback, this time in not-quitepastels, ritzy power neutrals, and retro brights. While DIY-painted cabinets can look cheap, professionally executed refinishing keeps kitchens looking expensive and feeling functional for decades. --Article submitted by Furniture Renew 647-233-2300 www.FurnitureRenew.ca Scott Page, founder and owner of Georgetown-based Furniture Renew, says refinishing kitchen cabinetry has taken over from repairing free-standing antiques like this old dresser. Submitted photo HEATING · AIR CONDITIONING · FIREPLACES · 905-877-8023