Nineties Kitchen Reboot

NINETIES KITCHEN REBOOT BY: JULIE BARNES

A Refreshed White and Bright Condo

When Sue and Ray May decided to renovate their stuck-in-the-90s condo kitchen, they didn’t have to look very far to find a contractor they could trust. In fact, he was just across the hall, working on a renovation in their neighbour’s suite.

The Mays live in a large condominium called the Sierras of Erindale. It was built in the late '90s, and they purchased their suite four years ago. When the neighbours across the hallway completed their renovation, they invited Sue and Ray over to take a look at the results.

“Once we saw their bulkhead LED lights, we wanted to do that as well,” says Sue. The contractor behind the reno was Carl Von Biela, who co-owns C&C Contracting with his wife, Candra.

“We’ve done projects for about eight people in the building before we started working with Sue,” says Carl. “We’ve done various things, like taking out old sunshine ceilings, putting in pot lights, building bulkheads, to new windows, flooring and painting.”

“I liked the idea that then you walked in the front door you’d be able to see all the way through to what we made into the living room,” says Sue, explaining the decision to move the fridge next to the pantry.

Before After

In fact, Carl knows the building better than most— he worked on the framing when the project was under construction. “So, 25 years later I’m renovating it,” he says. “Isn’t that cool?”

Modernize and Simplify

Sue’s main goal was to modernize the kitchen and open up sightlines by moving the fridge to another wall where it would be less physically and visually obstructive.

“Carl went through his plans step-by-step and showed Sue what he could do,” says Candra. “He moved some cabinets around and we had to move the angle where

Before

the pantry is, reframing it to make everything work so the pantry door would function properly.”

Now, instead of seeing the side of their fridge as they enter their suite, the Mays have a clear view into their kitchen and the sun-filled living room beyond. They also gained more counter space where the fridge once stood.

The Mays have three adult children, who were all quite happy to see some of the dated details disappear. “They did not like what they used to call the ‘airplane lights,’” says Sue, with a laugh.

Carl replaced the “airplane lights” with less conspicuous LED pot lights in the kitchen bulkheads. They illuminate

After

new white quartz counters below. He also designed and built a kitchen table, topped with the same quartz and capped off with a waterfall edge. Attached to the edge of a row of lower cabinets, it saves space and keeps the living area open and airy.

This detail allowed the Mays to eschew their dining room—another relic of 90s condo design. The former dining room had been located next to the kitchen, and by doing away with it, the Mays were able to expand the footprint of their living room.

A week after Carl began renovations, Sue had knee surgery. “I always wanted marble floors, but I knew they would be slippery, and with my knees, I

Relocating the fridge to another wall allowed Carl to extend the counter space.

With 16 people in their family, the Mays don’t have space for a table to fit the whole crew, so they borrow tables when necessary. “I didn’t need a table big enough (for everyone), I just needed one for everyday,” says Sue.

couldn’t have slippery,” she says. Instead, she sourced a marble-look commercialgrade vinyl plank that now sheathes the kitchen floor and surrounding living areas, unifying the spaces. Carl recommended a cork underlay, which adds cushioning and minimizes sound transfer. The Mays live on the second floor, with neighbours below.

Making the Most of a Mistake

After searching for the perfect backsplash for two years, Sue eventually found the perfect fit online—an effervescent mother-of-pearl tile. “I just loved it the minute I saw it,” she says. “But never having done a backsplash, I miscalculated on how much we might need. I ordered 13 boxes and we only used three. We get lots of laughs about that.”

Candra and Carl loved the tile too. “I think it suits her,” says Candra. “It’s a little sparkly and it’s bright. It’s her personality.”

The Mays aren’t letting that extra tile go to waste. After Carl completed the kitchen reno, Ray learned how to install tile and created a mother-of-pearl fireplace surround. When the Mays are ready to move forward with their next renovations in their bedroom and ensuite, the remaining tiles will be used to build a headboard feature wall with shelving. Carl has already drawn up the design.

Smaller Details

Carl’s renovations also extended beyond the kitchen. He built recessed shelving in a living room wall for Sue to display some of her favourite items, as well as an art niche in the entry where Sue has placed a ceramic angel. “It was a gift from our daughter and her family that I’ve

Carl tested the table strength in the construction phase.

Before

Ray created an elegant fireplace surround with some of the leftover mother-of-pearl backsplash tiles.

After

Carl updated the vanity with a quartz countertop and Ray installed new wallpaper in the guest bathroom.

cherished and I really wanted it to have its own place.”

In the laundry room, Carl rebuilt the cabinetry above the washer and dryer to make it more accessible and created an extra lower cabinet by repurposing a vanity from another suite in the building.

When Carl noticed the guest bathroom’s shower didn’t have a light above it, he proposed adding one that turns on when the fan is running. It’s the first thing Ray shows everyone, says Carl.

“Ray is more excited about that shower light than the whole kitchen reno,” Candra adds.

Adopted Family

Like Sue, Candra was also recovering from surgery during the renovation, so she wasn’t working alongside Carl as much as she typically would.

“Eighty per cent of the project I did by myself because Candra had her surgery,” says Carl. “But it was fun with Sue, because she’d make me eat, and I’d bring her tea.” Every morning, the pair would catch up over tea or coffee before Carl got to work.

“Sue, and other clients we’ve worked with, they become like family. She was wonderful to work with,” says Carl. “She’s my adopted sister.”

The feeling is mutual. “I was so impressed with him, I said, ‘You’ve got to sign your work,’” says Sue, referring to the back of the cabinet door she asked Carl to sign. “He became like my brother. We just got along so well. Both Carl and Candra are wonderful people.”

On the September long weekend, Sue and Ray attended a dinner at Carl and Candra’s home, along with other residents in the building who’ve worked with the pair. “We call them our Sierra family,” says Candra. “When you get to know people that well, it’s hard to walk away after the job is done.”

Carl wrapped up the Mays’ project last Christmas Eve, and the Mays still revel in their transformed space.

When asked to define her interior design style, Sue says, “If there was a style called ‘sentimental,’ that would be me. I joke about my knick knacks, but most of my items have a story that makes me smile.”

“We both just love it,” says Sue. “We sit in our chairs and have our coffee on weekends and just stare at it still. Sometimes I text Carl and say, ‘We’re still sitting here admiring your work, because we are both so happy with it.’”