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By A.Britton, on December 17th, 2012
 ‘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.
> Click for more
By Devin, on December 11th, 2012
 Christmas is my favourite holiday, and my favourite time of year. There’s nothing like looking forward to the first weekend of December to have that fam-jam sesh to classic Christmas songs while putting up the tree.
There’s just so much to look forward to during the month of December! Although I love it all, my favourites are baking and the snow. It officially feels like the holiday season after that first snowfall. But yes, unfortunately this year we’ve yet to have any “stay-on-the-ground-snow”. For those of you who just aren’t feeling the Christmas spirit yet, I highly recommend investing in a stylish, festive shirt, playing some Christmas tunes, and screening some Christmas films.
I spent this past Sunday baking and watching Christmas movies, while sporting my exceptionally fashionable Kermit Santa tee. I chose two timeless holiday treats: peanut brittle, and sugar cookies. These make great gifts or are always welcomed when brought to another festive shindig. Check out the recipes for yourselves and give these great treats a try! > Click for more
By Nelson, on November 12th, 2012
 If you’re into interior decorating here in Canada, you’re probably pretty familiar with House and Home magazine. They are one of the top media outlets when it comes to anything to do with design in your home. We recently worked with House and Home on a series of 3 videos featuring our designers, homeowners and their AyA Kitchens. The results were spectacular and we received great feedback, you can check out the latest video inside.
Now the general public usually only gets to see the finished product. We thought it would be cool to take you behind the scenes with some pictures of the people that make this all come together. We worked with Sheri Graham (Director TV Production & Online Video) and Jason Stickley (Director of Photography) who made everyone feel at ease and made sure everything moved along smoothly. Sheri and Jason have been working together on House and Home videos for six years and it shows in the expertise they bring to each project > Click for more
By A.Britton, on October 4th, 2012
 On Monday October 1st, a small, usually quiet, street in Toronto, was bustling with neighbours and supporters who gathered to celebrate and welcome the newest homeowners to the community.
Lorena and Bryan Sinato had been living in a 6th floor apartment unit in a building experiencing numerous elevator issues.; this created a struggle for Bryan who is blind and suffering from Cerebral Palsy. Lorena wanted her son to experience a better quality of life, and reached out to Habitat for Humanity Toronto in May to begin the search for a new home. With land donated by Loblaws, the Sinato’s new home was built from the ground up, solely by volunteers including family members, one of Bryan’s teachers at school, employees from the donating Loblaws, neighbours and other members of the community. AyA Kitchens was able to take part in this special project with the donation of the kitchen which included Manhattan Wheat Oak cabinets and laminate countertop. > Click for more
By Mike, on October 2nd, 2012
 The Interior Design Show West (IDSwest) was held at the Vancouver Convention Centre from Sept 27-30, 2012.
IDSwest is Western Canada’s annual premiere design show featuring 200 exhibitors showcasing quality products and services to an audience of industry professionals, architects, designers, consumers and media.
After all the planning and preparation it was finally time to see it all come to life. It was truly amazing to work with Kelly Deck and her professional design team at Kelly Deck Design. Sponsored by Gaggenau, the theme was sophisticated west coast elegance and this sensational kitchen stole the show. The booth was filled with people hanging out all weekend long!
As you entered the space you were greeted by a series of pendant lights, and with Kelly’s strategy of composition and clustering the light filled the entrance. Beneath the pendants were comfy chaise lounges and toss cushions (both of which were custom designed by Kelly Deck Design), and two wood tables with gilded cores. > Click for more
By Nelson, on October 1st, 2012
 Saturday night the city came alive for Nuit Blanche. It was my first time attending after many failed attempts previous years. The night featured art installations throughout the city of Toronto and gave a great insight into the direction which Canadian Contemporary art is heading.
We didn’t really have a detailed plan for the night but we had 3 sections we wanted to hit. The main areas we stuck to were Spadina Museum, Nathan Philips Square, Yonge Street, Eaton Centre and then all along Queen St from Yonge to Dufferin. We got to see some great and varied pieces, everything from beautiful stem cell art photos, dresses made from grasses and leaves, projections on City Hall and a visit from your friendly neighbourhood Spiderman. There was something for everyone but I have to say that the best part of the night was the energy and atmosphere in the city. Everyone was out to have a good time and enjoy.
The night involved a lot of walking which is one of the reasons I decided to pack light and not bring my Digital SLR (which I later wish I had). I read somewhere that “the best camera is the one you have on you” which in my case was a cell phone camera. The pictures are a little grainy but give a good feel for the night. > Click for more
By Samantha, on September 14th, 2012
 On Saturday September 8 YTGA (Youth Troopers for Global Awareness) held a fundraiser at the ‘New to Be’ Studio 89 Fair Trade and Artademic center Café for youth – by youth at 1065 Canadian Place, Unit 104 in Mississauga (Eglinton/Tomken).
YGTA is launching a social enterprise. What is a social enterprise, it is essentially a business that does good! The space is still in the early stages of construction but with the help of the YTGA team, they decorated the concrete walls with art from students and served some sample items from their proposed menu.
Their chocolate chip cookies and brownies were out of this world! The “Open Mic Without The Mic” was great entertainment with comedic humor and watching all the local talent was amazing. > Click for more
By A.Britton, on August 30th, 2012
 You’ve selected your cabinetry colour and door style, you’ve selected the perfect colour countertop to compliment that selection, but have you considered the edge finishing to not only add to the design, but complement your lifestyle? With the various types of edges available, it is important to select one that not only completes the look, but is safe for all users, especially those with small children. As there are advantages to different profiles, you may select different edges to help reduce water spillage from the sink, or a different edge on an island or peninsula if seating is available.
Read below for details on the different options available to you. Please keep in mind that some profile names may change by manufacturer:
 Eased/ Square (Flat Edge) This edge is true to its name and consists of all straight lines. As this profile is one of the easiest to wipe crumbs from, it is not necessarily the safest with small children around, as the harsh edges are sharp. It is also important to keep this profile clean, or there can be build up in the seams, especially when using the edge to wipe from. This option is also available with slightly rounded edges, but still maintaining the look of a square, straight edge profile. > Click for more
By Amy, on July 18th, 2012
 The design is complete, you’ve ordered your cabinets, the renovation is on its way; but are you ready? Everything seems to be underway and under control, but before you sit back and relax, here are some things to keep in mind and double check before you’re in the clear!
1. Have you coordinated and planned what to do during the tear down of your original kitchen?
- It is best to schedule this as close as possible to the installation of your new cabinetry. Especially for those with children, you will want to plan ahead for meals to make sure that once your appliances/water is off, you are able to feed your family.
If you are planning a summer renovation, make sure to take full advantage of barbecue season! > Click for more
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‘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.
