MyAyA.ca | AyA Kitchen Culture

Make your Mother’s Day flowers last longer

Cathy — Fri, 10 May 2013 19:54:54 +0000

Confession: I find myself humming, involuntarily, when I’m arranging flowers. Any flowers! Although I’m just an aspiring domestic diva, the homemaker in me likes to peek through once in a while. I guess it’s not such a bad thing to be in touch with my inner diva, and boy, does this diva enjoy flowers! Flowers make me happy!! Over the years, I’ve learned how to make them last longer than usual. For this skill, I thank my loving spouse who’s last spontaneous bouquet for me was bought, because he was sure I needed him to pick something up from the grocery store, but he couldn’t remember what it was. So to stay out of trouble, he bought flowers! It worked (did I mention, I like flowers?). I’ve decided to keep him.

Back to why we’re here. Amanda & I picked up a fabulous bouquet for our Open House last Saturday with such vibrant colours that it just helped to brighten up our event. We opted for 1 big, somewhat pricier bouquet with lots of character, versus 2 smaller, less expensive ones and it sure did pay off! We were able to make 2 beautiful arrangements so that we could spread the love around our spacious showroom.

The great thing about a good bouquet is that everyone is able to enjoy the beautiful blooms just a bit longer after the exciting event. With Mother’s Day coming up, we thought we might share how we were able to keep this fresh bouquet:

(above are the fresh flowers and to the right of it is 1 week later.)

Here are a few tips and tricks that this diva wannabe has picked up along the way:

1. Check your flowers daily. Keep your vase filled with fresh water, every day, if possible. Since we’re hard at work here at AyA (is the boss reading this?!), the opportunity to change things out everyday can be time consuming so I’ve done it every other day. Clean out your vase or container when you do this. It will mean that the flower food that may have come with your bouquet is down the drain too. It is basically sugar that helps keep the bacteria count in the water low. An aspirin (not ibuprofen), works just as well. If you have it on hand, just drop 1 tablet into the water & stir so that it dissolves in the water. The other alternative: sugar and some vinegar (see link below for quantities).

2. When you’re changing out the water, cut the ends of your blooms diagonally, like so: This allows the blooms to take in water more efficiently. Remove ¾” to an inch from the bottom of the stem with a sharp knife or scissors. Try to avoid smashing or piercing the stems, as this can damage water vessels in there and make it harder to absorb water.

3. Remove any leaves off the flowers as these compete with the blooms for water. If you take a look at our before and after pictures again, you’ll notice that the latter is a lot less leafy. The only leaves we’ve left are a couple of sprigs that came with the bouquet.

4. To keep your water clear, make sure none of the leaves, or any debris from the flowers, are in the water. Another trick that I’ve just picked up from one of those email forwards I always seem to get – put ina few drops of bleach in the water:

Just like chlorine in a pool, it will keep your water from getting murky by preventing bacterial growth, and it will keep the flower stems from getting slimy.

5. Keep your flowers in a cool spot, away from direct sunlight, heating or cooling vents, directly under ceiling fans, or on top of televisions or radiators which give off heat and cause flowers to dehydrate. Try to avoid placing them near ripening fruit like apples, as these release small amounts of ethylene gas that can age them prematurely.

For more helpful tips, here are some interesting ideas from Reader’s Digest: http://www.rd.com/home/decorating/8-ways-to-make-flowers-last-longer/8/.

Some flowers last longer than others, so you’ll find yourself discarding some of them. It may mean a more minimalist arrangement but if you keep things fresh and try some of these tips, you’ll find that you can enjoy that Mother’s Day bouquet, and find yourself humming, for just a few days more.

Happy Mother’s Day!

p.p.s. Nope, that bleach thing is tried and tested so we’re ok.

AyA Open House

Cathy — Mon, 06 May 2013 17:04:06 +0000

This past Saturday, AyA hosted its first retail Open House. The Mississauga showroom was abuzz with guests who were eager to learn more about all the different components that go into making their dream kitchens come to life.

Throughout our showroom here at Head Office, there were rotational education stations set up. The first station hosted by AyA was “Discover Your Style”. This station went through the different styles available and what style best suited the customers’ lifestyle and preferences. It basically simplified what could be for some a daunting process of narrowing down the choices for cabinetry. The group went through the 3 general styles of Urban, Transitional and Classic, and broke down what this meant in terms of door style, species of material, colour or stain and the various options for ornamentation and organization.

The next station was hosted by Mary Louise from Latitude Countertops, who educated guests on all the different options out there. She discussed the differences between the natural stone products vs. quartz and solid surfaces. The comparison also included the benefits and potential challenges with each type of countertop, as well as some maintenance tips and tricks for keeping these beautiful surfaces lasting for years to come.

The third station covered Appliances. Our appliance experts from the Total Appliance Centre, Frank and Tony showed our guests the different applications for each type of appliance that have been incorporated into our displays. They talked about the different options available, and discussed the vital components that are necessary for a functional, as well as stylish kitchen. There were a lot of great questions that were brought up, that helped everyone learn more about this one other important aspect of a well designed kitchen.

Guests also had the opportunity to take a rare behind the scenes look at how AyA cabinetry is made. Sales Manager Garry took guests through the manufacturing facility, explaining the different machines, techniques and processes involved in creating their dream kitchens.

The main event of the day, was hosted by HGTV guest designer Crystal Collinson and her husband Brian. With Crystal being a designer, and Brian a contractor, they informed our group on what is involved with the designing aspect and what to expect with renovating and using a contractor.

All in all, the day was a great success! To see more photos from the day’s events, please visit our Facebook page here: Open House Album

Did you join us? What were your favourite parts and what did you learn the most? Missed out on this one? What would you like to see or learn about at future Open Houses? Your feedback is important to us, we would love to hear from you!

Spring into Kitchen Cleaning!

A.Britton — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 13:18:39 +0000

It’s that time of year again! The sun is starting to shine, birds are chirping and of course, the rain is soon to come. Why not take advantage of one of those April Shower days and make the best of it? The kitchen is a great spot to hit first on the spring cleaning list. Time to clean out all the leftovers that may be hidden in the back of the pantries, or fridge. It is also a time to really investigate what you have for recipe creations-if weight loss and healthier eating is on your radar, now is the perfect time to get rid of the less healthy foods, clear those out and replace with fresh fruits and veggies for a complete fresh start.

Refrigerator:
Inside:
Empty the whole thing! Give the shelves and drawers a good clean out. If you are not comfortable using cleaners where your food is, water and vinegar is a great chemical free alternative. Throw out any expired items, or food that is just taking up space. If you do empty your fridge and leave it almost empty, be sure to keep/fill with larger items-like water bottles, to maintain the temperature inside until you restock!

Outside:
Pull the fridge away from the wall and do a thorough clean around the whole thing-that means even the back. You may or may not be prepared for what you are about to witness, but it needs to get done! This is a great opportunity to vacuum any crumbs or dust bunnies hiding under the fridge, as well as the coils on the back of the fridge themselves. Not only does this help clean aesthetically, it helps your fridge run better and ultimately uses less energy-bonus! The fridge must be turned off-this is important. If you are cleaning the coils, we found this helpful site to make sure you are safe and prepared for the task at hand: Clean Fridge Coils

After the back is clean, make sure to wipe down the top, sides and especially the handles (this is best if you can remember to do this frequently!)

Freezer:
The freezer is a space where leftovers go, so they don’t spoil, and sometimes never come out. Make sure to go through all the items in your fridge and only keep items you will use-leftover Turkey dinner from last Thanksgiving will likely not make the cut!

Pantries:
Same as with the fridge, empty your pantries and go through the items and their expiration dates, as well as wipe down the shelves.

Some other areas to make sure you tackle are:
-Blinds or curtains, especially if they are California shutters!
-Ceiling lights or fans
-Empty crumbs from the toaster
-Cabinet tops-if your upper cabinets do not reach the ceiling, make sure to dust off the tops of them!
-Vacuum ceiling corners-watch out for spider webs!
So take advantage of that first rainy weekend day, so that you have a clean kitchen and can enjoy the beautiful weather soon to come!

Do you have a spring kitchen cleaning must? Share with us what’s on your hit list for the ultimate clean kitchen space.

Video | Bold & Colourful AyA Kitchen

Mike — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 18:54:37 +0000

AyA’s Manhattan Crimson & Lumina Oyster
AyA Designer Amy Dillon and design savvy couple and familiar customers to AyA Heather and Howard Sherman show off their bold kitchen. Designed using a combination of AyA’s Manhattan and Lumina back painted glass in a dramatic palette of Crimson, Anthracite, Oyster and Pitch Black this space is truely the heart of the home.

An illusion of a larger space is created with a full length wall of white panels and open glass. Integrated appliances, including a stacked washer and dryer, blend seamlessly into the space without taking away from its exterior beauty.

VIDEO

PHOTOS

Want more? Visit AyAkitchens.com to see more kitchen transformations and videos.

Design Inspirations

Sandra Mendes — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 13:22:26 +0000

Design trends influence many facets of our life, whether it be in fashion, automobiles or architecture. Without exception, kitchens evolve with the ins and outs of what’s hot and what’s not; from cabinets, finishes, appliances and styles, they are all equally swayed by trends.

Here’s a sneak peak at what to expect for 2013 in the world of kitchens.

1. LESS IS MORE
When it comes to modern kitchens, expect to see a lot more of less. Clean simple lines, minimal hardware and glassy surfaces are all the rage for 2013. Heavily influenced by European trends, modern styled kitchens are especially popular in the condo market, where compact interiors call for clean minimal lines. Expect to see open shelving or clear wall space above countertops rather than the usual wall cabinets; also highly desirable, is the use of horizontal cabinetry featuring flip-up doors or notched wall cabinets that don’t require hardware to open.

2. TWO TONES
Incorporating two colours for cabinetry continues to be popular, particularly contrasting lighter tones with darker shades. Offering added interest to kitchens, large or small, it also makes colour selection easier for the indecisive. After all, why go with only one colour, if you can have two? Size permitting, islands are the typical place to showcase accent colours, otherwise the same effect can be achieved by utilizing different finishes for base and wall cabinets in smaller rooms.

3. COLOURS
White maintains its strong popularity, either on its own for a clean fresh look, or paired with darker colours for the more adventurous. Lately, grey and black have been prominent choices for cabinetry, as is the crowd-pleasing deep chocolate brown. Taupes and soft neutral colours are making an appearance for 2013, as seen with the launch of AyA’s new colour, Moss. Showcased at Vancouver’s 2012 IDSwest display designed by Kelly Deck, Moss was a definite hit amongst designers and savvy shoppers alike. Textured finishes are also a hot trend, adding a whole new dimension to kitchen cabinetry. AyA’s luxurious imported melamines from Italy are not only great to look at, they have an exquisite texture that’s addictively touchable. Exotic veneers continue to be an ever popular choice, and are available in several shades to suit any palette.

4. APPLIANCES
Commercial style appliances in stainless steel are still a must have, but don’t be surprised to see more black appliances as a choice for 2013. Easier to clean and more cost effective, they look great with trend setting black kitchen cabinetry, such as AyA’s striking Pitch Black painted finish. Cooktops combined with wall mounted ovens continue to be highly desirable, as are integrated panels for dishwashers and built-in refrigerators for a truly custom appearance. Whatever your choice, there are endless possibilities on the market to help bring out your inner chef.

5. YOUR STYLE
Regardless of any trend, the kitchen is and always will be the heart of the home, bringing together family and friends on a daily basis as well as for special occasions. Whether your taste is traditional, modern or transitional, with an extensive selection of finishes and door styles to choose from, AyA can create a kitchen that reflects your own unique personality and sense of style.

Keeping Up With Gordie

Nelson — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 16:14:36 +0000

AyA has always been a green minded company and we are always looking for ways to be innovative with our green initiatives. One of the earliest and most interesting initiatives was teaming up with Gordie Warnoff from A Higher Plane. Since 2007 Gordie has taken AyA’s offcuts and created beautiful cutting boards, knife blocks, bowls and more.

We’ve always been amazed by Gordie’s freecycling talents and magnetic personality and it now seems the world is taking notice too. Gordie has made it into the homes of Canadians with appearances on shows such as Junk Raiders (now in it’s third season) and Daily Planet. Gordie was also awarded the 2012 Hometown Hero – Small Business award by Earth Day Canada. His passion and dedication for recycling and reducing waste all while creating art has resulted with articles in Alternative Journal magazine and Canadian Wildlife magazine.

(Click magazine images to download pdf articles)

Our most recent project with Gordie; Studio 89 we are happy to say is now back in action, after a small break for fine tuning details. For more information on this project, check out our past blogs here: Studio89

Gordie shows us that by mixing imagination, creativity and recycling, the sky is the limit. With more projects lined up, we are excited to see what we can create. Stay tuned for more updates.

Designlines shares some love at IDS13

Mike — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 19:10:14 +0000

For this years’ Interior Design Show in Toronto, which ran from Jan.24 – 27, AyA partnered with award winning architect and designer Johnson Chou. The project was met with great interest and enthusiasm by media, trade and retail clients.

The editors from Designlines magazine were in attendance and showing their love for all-things-design with their love tags. Each like a thumbs up or stamp of approval, they let their favourite designs be known and awarded 100 of the best products spotted during the show and Toronto design week.

AyA’s booth; BASE, is a seamless blend of form and function which caught the attention of show goers by hiding and revealing cooking areas, sinks, tables and entertainment areas.

Earning some love in the booth was the pivoting table, which some have referred to as the “swiss army-knife” table. With the ability to extend into full seating for dinner parties, or completely conceal the walnut top into the Corian counter, this piece was a big hit and was “loved” by all visitors in the booth, including Designlines, designers and media! We must say, we love it too!

Visit the Designlines facebook page to see the DL LOVES photo album of the 100 2013 winners.

Take a look at our Facebook galleries to check out more photos of the booth and gala night.

IDS13 Sneak Peek

A.Britton — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 15:38:14 +0000

With just one week to go until showtime, we cannot keep it to ourselves any longer! For this year’s Interior Design Show at the Toronto Convention Center, AyA has teamed up with award winning architect Johnson Chou to create this year’s booth concept; “Base”. Along with some fantastic suppliers showcasing fabulous modern cabinetry for the whole home-from the kitchen to the living room, the bedroom, the closet and bathroom, this display is sure to capture attendees attention! We don’t want to share too much, but the concept consists of clean, crisp lines, monochromatic tones and is Euro influenced.

The show runs from Friday January 25th (Trade Day) through to Sunday January 27th. Be sure to come check out the show and see all the new designs and concepts for 2013, including Base! See more images of Base and the concept from Johnson, here.

For more information on IDS13 click here

// UPDATE: Visit our Facebook page to see photos from the show!

Christmas Time Peanut Butter Snow Balls

Samantha — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 15:58:36 +0000

Well, it is that time of year again when we start to hustle around to finish all of our Christmas shopping and planning festive get-to- togethers with family and friends. With all the craziness of the holidays, it is nice to have some down time, and what better way than to relax next to a nice fireplace with some hot chocolate.
Last night I spent some time shopping around at the grocery store picking up the items I need to make these Peanut Butter Snow Balls. It is finally starting to feel a bit like Christmas, baking and some festive tunes are always a much needed ingredient for this season.
I was a bit concerned when I decided to take on this task of baking these peanut butter balls, after talking with some friends and hearing their experience, I thought for sure it was going to be harder than it seemed. But, I was convinced I could complete this task.
Firstly, I laid all my ingredients out and read through my recipe that I got off of Kraft Canada. (By the way, I recommend this site to everyone- they have great recipes and they are all so easy to make.) Once I got my head wrapped around what I needed to do, I started to measure out all my ingredients.

Step One: Add 3 tablespoons of softened butter to ¾ cup of Kraft Smooth Peanut Butter. Blend together.

Step Two: Add in 1 cup of icing sugar and ½ cup of Honey Graham Crumbles. Mix until all ingredients are combined.

Step Three: Shape 1” balls on a cookie sheet with parchment paper. You should be able to make about 40 balls. Once you have finished, place the cookie sheet in the fridge for 30 mins, or until hardened.

Step Four: Melt 1 pack of Bakers Semi-Sweet Chocolate in the microwave. Should only take about 2 mins, and mix together to soften the bars.

Now, here comes the fun part and the creative thinking. The easiest way I found to cover the peanut butter balls in the chocolate without getting your fingers sticky is to take a tooth pick and insert it in the center of the ball, drunk this into the chocolate and place back on the parchment paper. Continue to do so until all balls have been covered in chocolate. To give it a bit of Christmas cheer, place some Christmas colored sprinkles on the chocolate when it is still soft. Once completed, place back in the fridge for about another 30 mins, or until chocolate has hardened. Total time to make these balls is about a 1 ½, but if you have some music playing in the background, it makes it all much more fun.

Delivering Smiles to Sick Kids

A.Britton — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 17:33:14 +0000

‘Tis the season for giving, and this holiday season AyA chose to give back to the community by running a Toy Drive for Sick Kids.The Hospital runs a charity donation accepting new toys for the children and their families that spend the Holiday season at the facility. Although filled with incredible care and people, numerous families spend day and night away from their home and in the hospital caring for children with serious illness. Sick Kids doctors and nurses aim to keep spirits high and celebrate life through the holiday festivities to their patients by delivering toys to the children with special visits from a man in a big red suit.

We had a great response and are happy to say that we delivered a box full of goodies to the hospital and know there will be smiles on many children’s faces Christmas morning.

We would like to thank all of the AyA employees, customers and suppliers who contributed to this year’s toy drive.

For more information on the Sick Kids Foundation and how you can contribute, click here.