Separate but Equal: Duplex Lower Level Kitchen

The partner and other owner of the duplex in High Park where I installed one of Ikea's first kitchens lived in a separate apartment on the lower level of this large house.  (The Ikea kitchen was located in the large second-floor apartment.)

This half-owner of the duplex wanted a custom-made kitchen, and not Ikea.  As I have said, in those days in the early 90's, the big-box stores had not yet taken over a large chunk of the kitchen reno business. Instead, small shops or carpenters did the work, and it was much more custom than any work that big-box stores can deliver today.

Here is a custom pantry, faced with melamine that uses a narrow space along one wall that would otherwise go to waste.

This owner loved the dark grey and white linoleum tiles I used in the upstairs kitchen, but he wanted something more muted, hence the light grey-blue and white tiles he chose.  He also wanted the walls to be pale peach in colour so therefore the blue of the floor tiles is a complementary pastel because it sits on the same side of the colour wheel.  In real life in Interior Design, I often or usually need to go with certain preferences that my client may have.

This photo above also shows the necessary work triangle (the fridge is off to the left, unseen).  The black trim on the lower cabinets provides definition and ties in with the dark controls on the dishwasher and the gas stove elements.

  Here is another view of this corner.  The uppers are plain white and blend softly into the pale peach wall colour.

Here is the window corner with the small fridge showing to the left.  The window has been left open and clear, but storage is taken care of by the large pantry on the opposite wall, already shown.  All surfaces are white melamine and beautifully washable with a quick swipe.

This is the way it was, folks!