Design With the Best. Meet the Designers Behind Kitchen Craft.

Their inspiration, favourite projects and more!

Over the past 45 years, Kitchen Craft has established itself as one of the leading forces in quality cabinetry. The Canadian-made brand is so confident in their work, that they even promise a Lifetime Warranty for their products (seriously!). But, what sets Kitchen Craft stores apart is their experienced design and dedicated service. Meet Cindy Chen, Frances Maloney and Joanne Catchpole – three passionate designers that have dedicated their careers to bringing customers’ projects to life.“I became a kitchen designer quite by accident,” reflects designer Frances Maloney. “I was working in theatre, involved with costume and stage design, and for a variety of reasons made a sideways move.  The technical drawing I used for stage sets I simply transferred to kitchen and bath design – creating real life stage settings for my clients’ dream homes!” Frances’ favourite part? Meeting people and the challenge of a new project. “Little scribbly notes from the beginning stages eventually turn into a space in which clients can entertain and take pride in.”“Studying wood science at UBC set me on a path to become a kitchen designer. I found it fascinating how wood could be processed into such durable yet beautiful fine furniture,” says kitchen designer Cindy Chen. Her favourite project to date has been a fabulous copper acrylic kitchen. “The first time our customer came into the showroom, she was captivated by our unique wired copper display and knew that she had found her dream kitchen, ” says Chen. “Beyond beauty, our customer also wanted function. The final design had 13 cabinets total, yet each cabinet featured a different organizational system! It was an amazing example of how a small kitchen can provide so much storage when well appointed accessories are used!”Designer Joanne Catchpole, has been with Kitchen Craft for more than 16 years. She takes pride in putting her clients at ease with the design process. “Kitchen design is very much like a mountaineering guide,” says Catchpole. “There are many ways to get to the top of the mountain and some are more frightening than others. We talk our way through the design until it becomes less frightening and more understandable.” One of her favourite projects that she has worked on is an ensuite bathroom for a client in a wheelchair. “Everyday tasks for my client were challenging in her old bathroom. Listening and understanding her needs created a bath renovation that provided complete accessibility. She couldn’t stop thanking me. It was lovely and reminded me that we truly change people’s lives.”