Western Living Magazine
6 Beautiful Lofts We Wish We Were Living In
Boho Beauty: this bright, airy kitchen is the heart of the home
Inside a Modern Mountain Sanctuary Built Into the Squamish Wilderness
The Best New Wine & Spirits Books on Shelves Right Now
Recipe: Espresso Tahini Banana Bread Doughnuts with Whipped Coffee “Frosting”
Recipe: Blackened Coffee Fish Tacos
BC’s Best-Kept Culinary Destination Secret (For Now)
Outback Lakeside escapes, where luxury meets tranquility
A Relaxing Getaway to San Juan Island: Wine, Alpacas and Farm-Fresh Finds
8 Spring Home Finds to Refresh Your Dining Table for Entertaining
AUDI: Engineered to Make You Feel
10 Stunning Home Finds You’ll Want to Add to Your Space Right Now
PHOTOS: Party Pics from the 2025 Western Living Design 25 Awards Party
Announcing the Winners of the 2025 Western Living Design 25 Awards
WL Design 25 Winners 2025: Curves Ahead
These stunning kitchens from a trio of West Coast designers prove good things are possible in compact packages.
(Photo: Janis Nicolay)
This industrial-chic kitchen designed by Denise Ashmore of Project 22 Design combines heritage elements with sleek, modern finishes.
Double up on cabinets To take advantage of the condo’s 11-foot ceilings, Ashmore installed two styles of cabinets—one a weathered oak, the other a matte-grey painted lacquer—for a two-tiered look. “The space is quite narrow, so we wanted to create as much storage as possible.”
Mix and match backsplash material Exposed brick works well behind the sink, but it wouldn’t have been able to withstand the mess from cooking; Ashmore opted for a durable, easy-to-clean matte concrete finish from Caesarstone for the counters and the wall behind the cooktop.
Leave room to breathe An open peninsula keeps the space from feeling too cramped and allows for extra seating.
(Photo: Tracey Ayton)
Colour and pattern are embraced in every room of this Chrissy Cottrell–designed condo—including the 90-square-foot kitchen.
Use visual tricks to elongate a short space To make this compact kitchen appear larger than it is, Cottrell equipped the cabinets with extra-long handles: “A vertical line can accentuate the height of .”
Balance out a bold feature wall The floral Mattiazzo Damson wallpaper is complemented by a trio of pink mohair-upholstered bar stools, a brushed-brass faucet and a custom, hand-painted metallic backsplash. “The trick of it not being overwhelming is to commit to it,” says Cottrell.
Lay down the (neutral) foundations With so many colourful elements in one kitchen, all-white cabinets and grey wire-brushed oak flooring help to ground the space.
Subtle concrete, wood and stone accents come together in this bright and airy kitchen built by Ritchie Construction and designed by Emerge Design principal Gwyntie van Tuyl Weswick.
Find the right angle The marble backsplash may be neutral in colour, but a playful herringbone pattern keeps things interesting. “It livens it up a bit,” says van Tuyl Weswick.
Outline your cabinets All-white floor-to-ceiling cabinets could have easily overwhelmed the space, but the natural wood border adds warmth and visual interest to the kitchen. “It looks elegant,” says van Tuyl Weswick, “like a framed piece of art.”
Maintain a clear line of sight There’s no way the homeowners were going to hide that gorgeous island behind clunky high-backed chairs, so the designer brought in backless bar stools from Hay to open things up.
Are you over 18 years of age?