One to Watch: Kitch

If you€™ve set foot inside an Ikea, you€™ve almost certainly heard of (or perhaps even tried) an Ikea hack: the act of modifying one of the Swedish furniture giant's mass-produced offerings so that a bookshelf or nightstand functions better for your lifestyle and feels a little more you. Edmonton-based carpenter Andrew Hibbs recognized this demand for affordable DIY personalization, launching Kitch in 2017 to help design-conscious folks tackle exactly that€”particularly in the kitchen. €œPeople like Ikea because the products are readily available; they€™re at their fingertips,€ he says. €œBut they also want a level of choice and customization that doesn't cost an exorbitant amount.€

Enter Kitch's 100-plus door and panel options, all of which ship directly to your door and attach seamlessly to Ikea's prefabricated cabinetry units. The team of carpenters and cabinetmakers craft their slab and shaker doors from premium woods, veneer and other materials to deliver a high-quality product that both looks better and is more durable than store-bought fibreboard. In addition to high-gloss and anti-fingerprint matte panels in eye-catching shades such as slate, maroon and tan€”plus a textured woodgrain line for the traditionalists€”Kitch sells items like floating shelves and a soon-to-come decorative hardware collection. €œIt's about helping people elevate their spaces,€ says Hibbs, €œand making their home projects unique to them.€