Kitchen Renovation in Ottawa: Modern Function in Historic Sandy Hill
This kitchen renovation in Ottawa is located in the historic Sandy Hill neighbourhood, just steps from Strathcona Park. The design challenge was to create a high-performance workspace that respects the home’s character while delivering a seamless culinary experience for its owners.
A Culinary Sanctuary for Vegan Chefs
Everything in this kitchen is about making cooking and sharing a meal as seamless as possible. This kitchen belongs to a pair of vegan chefs who love to cook side by side. The main challenge was finding a way to put the sink right in front of the window. The solution was a frosted glass backsplash that lets the windows stretch below the countertop so nothing falls through the gap, yet you still get all that natural light.
The double sliding doors glide in sync so you can open them wide to set the table with ease or close them for a calm, private dining experience. Next to the fridge, there is a full-height pull-out pantry for dry goods. Even the cabinets above the fridge are pull-out for easy access to avoid reaching into the abyss.
High-Efficiency Appliances & Smart Storage
The kitchen features two speed ovens: one combines microwave and convection, and the other combines steam and convection. With these, there is no need for extra gadgets like rice cookers or toaster ovens cluttering up the counter. That leaves plenty of prep space.
Under the sink, a huge drawer keeps everything organized with bins for trash, recycling, and cleaning supplies. The dishwasher is a compact 18 inches wide, which is just enough for two people to fill up and run daily to cut down on soap and water. Tucked behind a glass tambour door, pull-out shelves keep the food processor and accessories close at hand without taking up counter space.
The whole kitchen has a serene, modern vibe. Doors and drawers open with a gentle push, and hidden hand-pull niches just under the counter keep the clean look going. Shrinking the dishwasher from 24 to 18 inches made it possible to center the sink right under those big double windows. The German-made dishwasher is energy efficient and still big enough to handle a dinner party for ten.
