Over the years I have been involved in hundreds of kitchen renovations. Some have been consultations on approving the finishes, but many I’ve designed from the initial drawings through to the last door handle being mounted. One thing I have learned is you pay for what you get. Inexpensive Asian-made cabinets fail over a short period of time. They tend to not only fall apart after a couple years of use, there is also no assurance as to what materials were used in making them in the first place. I always strongly recommend that my clients go for locally-made cabinetry or at least Canadian-made.

Thomas and Birch at 1609 Blanshard St., sources locally made and B.C. product lines. They offer beautiful full 3D renderings of your proposed new space and have full design services. They are very customer-focused and work with clients to understand their lifestyle needs. They get how families live and use their space, offering a full five-year warranty on their cabinets. I have been most happy with their customer service from initial design through installation and completion.

Thetis Cove Joinery at 820 Finlayson Arm Rd., is a cabinet company that builds your kitchen right here in Victoria using Canadian materials. Before your kitchen arrives at your house, you can go to the shop and see a physical mock-up. Any alterations then can be made in the shop before it’s delivered. The carpenter in charge of your job is the one who measures, builds and installs everything. I have been working with Thetis Cove for more than 10 years; the quality and finishing is impeccable and clients are often left speechless on installation day.

So if you’re planning on replacing your kitchen cabinets, ask where they are sourced and made. You may be pleasantly surprised to find locally made custom cabinetry is not out of your price range.

Sheri Peterson has been an interior designer for 22 years in Victoria. She designs for commercial, residential and hospitality clients.