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THE LOOK

For much of the past decade, ultra-slick restaurant-style kitchens featuring miles of stainless steel have dominated, but that trend is waning, as this colourful, high-gloss space by U.S.-based Lynn Morgan Design in conjunction with Brooks and Falotico demonstrates.

"I love glossy finishes in kitchens, especially on cabinetry and walls," William MacDonald of Toronto-based William MacDonald Interior Design says. "However, the walls have to be absolutely free of imperfections, as high-gloss paint will show every blemish.

And I love hits of colour in the kitchen. In my work, I often bring it in through art, fabrics and dishes. Occasionally, I incorporate a bold backsplash or use a vivid colour on cabinets, but clients have to really commit as strong colour on fixed pieces isn't always easy to change if they tire of it."

This season, MacDonald and paint companies say, colours including blues, soft greens and yellows are among the trendiest choices for kitchens. If installing elements such as the turquoise panels around the kitchen island above seems like too big a commitment, however, colour, shine and sparkle can be introduced in any number of subtler, less permanent ways, from accent walls to lighting fixtures to drawer pulls. Most important: Pick shades, palettes and finishes you love and can live with on a daily basis, as you'll be staring at them over your morning coffee for at least a couple of years.

Designer must-have

For designer William MacDonald, the angular beauty of this handsome single-lever faucet from Blanco Canada is enough of a selling point, but the fact that its spout doubles as a hose makes it irresistible. "It sits on my countertop like a cool minimalist sculpture and the pullout feature is a huge plus," he says. It's available in stainless-steel (shown) or chrome finishes. $886.37 at Home Depot

ADVENTURES IN RENOVATING

Dos and don'ts from Style editor Danny Sinopoli, recent renovator

Don't… Roll your new refrigerator across your just-laid expensive wood flooring from Italy, cutting deep gouges into the boards. Before moving or installing appliances, set down protective rollout padding (available at any reno-supply store) to keep wood floors intact. Lesson learned.

Do… Replace that noisy old dishwasher you have with Jenn-Air's new TriFecta model, one of the sleekest - and quietest - on the market. After a day full of earsplitting drilling, sawing and hammering, that silence is golden. Jenn-Air TriFecta dishwasher, from $1,629 at Sears

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