2026 Kitchen Design Tip #5: Make a Modern Kitchen Feel Original With Traditional Materials

Heritage home renovations have strict rules. When the Alykhan Velji Designs team took on this project in Calgary’s Sunnyside neighbourhood, the assignment was to refresh the interior and build an addition to add some extra square footage—all without altering the century-old home’s street-facing facade or structural integrity. The kitchen would physically connect the original structure with the new addition. And, design-wise, it would blend Edwardian English style with contemporary luxuries (like a kitchen island and a dishwasher). “All of the hardware was inspired by the existing house,” says design lead Alison Connor, pointing out the unlacquered brass faucet and cabinet latches. Creative director Aly Velji adds that the custom brick hood fan and ceiling mouldings are new, but “look like they could have been there forever.” They chose reeded glass doors for the cabinets to prevent a closed-in feeling: instead, it’s a bright, functional space for dinner party guests to easily circulate from the (original) dining room into the (added) living room and back. “It’s the marriage of new and old areas,” he says.

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Opposites Attract

One of designer Velji’s favourite elements of this space is the two-toned millwork: how the cream cabinets contrast with the dark wood island. “It offsets the kitchen beautifully,” he says.