Posts by Mark Ashton
OXO Stronghold Suction – Great for your Toronto Bathroom
Aside from installing a niche in a shower, which can be expensive and requires the entire shower, or bath to be waterproofed, the Good Grips by OXO we have found to be an excellent product for our Toronto Bathroom Renovation clients. They adhere to the bathroom walls exceptionally and are durable and easy to clean.…
+ Read MoreTorlys Ultimate Flooring In Toronto – Smart EverWood & EverTile!
Introducing Torlys Smart EverWood and EverTile! Your ultimate flooring. It beautiful, durable, and waterproof. We found this product at Ashton Renovations to be amazing on our projects. Why? WATERPROOF! Top layer and core are both impervious to prevent water damage. WARM! Warm to the touch with CorkPlus attached cork underlay DURABLE! Ultra-thick .5mm wear…
+ Read MoreMark Ashton Now Certified Toronto Kitchen & Bath Designer
Mark Ashton earlier this fall attained the designation of Associate Kitchen and Bath Designer from the National Kitchen and Bath Association. This designation, which is recognized across Canada and the United States, will allow Ashton Renovations in Toronto to provide design services. Our in house estimating will be available with planning and design using Chief…
+ Read MoreTouchless toilet perfect for your Toronto Bathroom Renovation
There are many products that come on the market. We are always encouraged by innovation on our Toronto renovations, but we have to be careful. Some seem good at the time, but they aren’t tested long term, and can lead to problems. However, Kohler has come up with a great new product. And we trust…
+ Read MoreThe Weirdest House Renovation I’ve Ever Seen in Toronto
There is a lot of modern home renovations going on in Toronto right now. Some of them look pretty amazing, although they may not be in keeping with the neighbourhood. Standing out too much may lead to issues later. It’s always a good idea to build your home, or do any renovation, with recognized styles…
+ Read MoreDecorate Grab Bars For Your Toronto Bathroom Renovation
If you are planning to do a bathroom renovation, you may be thinking about adding grab bars. But they are ugly right? Delta offers decorative grab bar solutions where you won’t even now they are there. There are 4 options available for your bathroom renovation including a towel assist bar, toilet paper assist bar, corner shower…
+ Read MoreVirtually Dust Free Drywall Sanding on Your Toronto Renovation
Ashton Renovations is now using the Festool Planex Drywall Sander on all its projects. It’s a relatively new tool to the industry that virtually eliminates drywall dust during the sanding stages of the installation of drywall. It operates with the use of a HEPA filter vacuum the removes dust from the sander as it operates.…
+ Read MoreThe Best Bathroom Shower Rod You Can Get In Toronto
If you have a tub or shower, chances are you will need a curtain to keep water off your bathroom floor. You can install a glass enclosure, but in some instances it’s not practical. There are lots of choices available, including many tension fit rods, but they are not curved. Some bathroom shower rods even require…
+ Read MoreAshton Renovations featured on HomeStars in Toronto
Ashton Renovations has been featured on HomeStars in Toronto. The video explains the benefits of bathroom planning and design as well as budgeting. The segment was shot in a recently completed bathroom by ashton renovations in a Toronto Lakeshore condo.
+ Read MoreAwesome Wheelbarrow Handles
Everyone uses a wheelbarrow and this product will make using it easier on you for home gardening projects. Simply dump it! Their website is great and shows how it attaches to the wheelbarrow. So this summer pick one up. We came across this product on Michael Stone’s website. He’s a renovation advisor is the US that…
+ Read MoreContemporary Basement Laundry & Wet Bar Combination
If you are looking at making doing your laundry less painful, this is the perfect set up for you. Homeowners are now integrating their laundry rooms and kitchens into their living space. Quartz finishes, wine bars, tiled back splashes, ample cabinetry and functional lighting are some of the elements going into these finished areas in…
+ Read MoreCentura Tile’s New Toronto Location
Centura Tile is one of Canada’s largest tile suppliers. They are Ashton Renovations preferred supplier and moved into a beautiful new location on Lawrence Ave. Very convenient with lots of parking and a organized and simple showroom that will make shopping for you tile for your bathroom or kitchen a lot easier. If you are…
+ Read MoreMaking Toronto Bathrooms Look Bigger
There are several tricks you can use to make your bathroom feel and look larger than it really is. The above bathroom renovation in Toronto’s Little Portugal does just that. Firstly, make sure the wall surfaces are a lighter colour. Using dark colours on the walls (including the tiles) can close in a space. Instead…
+ Read MoreSchluter Kerdi Waterproof Shower Niche
Having a niche in your shower can be very handy. You have a place for soap, shampoo, and other items. It can also add depth and beauty to your bathroom. To build the properly a shower niche should always have solid jambs around the side and a sloped bottom to assist with draining water away.…
+ Read MoreFlooded Basement In Toronto?
If you are one of the unfortunate ones that experienced your basement being flooded out in Toronto recently, remember to make the proper improvements to avoid it happening again. Have an experienced waterproofing contracting make suggestions after inspecting your property. This should be done over and above what your insurance company will pay for and…
+ Read MoreLED Lighting For Kitchens and Baths
LED lighting has been around for a long time, but it’s not until recently that the technology in residential lighting has been acceptable. Pricing is also no longer unreasonable. Within kitchens and bathrooms, LED lights are suitable for general lighting in potlights and task lighting in undercounter applications. They give off a crisp…
+ Read MoreNKBA Bathroom Planning Guidlines
Did you know there are 27 Bathroom Planning Guidelines available to ensure that your bathroom is constructed to code and designed to function. Is your shower big enough? Is your toilet too close to the tub? Is your vanity too far from the wall? There are actually very specific answers to these questions and…
+ Read MoreTaps Bath Centre
Taps Bath Centre is one of Ashton Renovations preferred suppliers for kitchen and bath products. They are conveniently located near Toronto’s Design District, and perfect for visiting other stores in the area in search of products for your renovations. You can visit their site for regular sales promotions throughout the year. We are regulars there…
+ Read MoreIDS (International Design Show) 2013 Toronto
There were a number of exhibits at the IDS (International Design Show) 2013 that were really cool, but 2 were especially unique. You may want to look into these products. They may add and interesting touch to your kitchen, or bath renovation in Toronto. GLASS and Illuminated GLASS Countertops from CBD Glass Studios. The glass…
+ Read MoreGaggenau Full Surface Induction Cooktop
Induction cooktops are great to begin with, but this one is the coolest. Imagine a surface where you can put your pots anywhere and you don’t have to worry about burning yourself either. This is German made product from Gaggenau available in Canada, and it does just that. You can organize the top as you…
+ Read MoreNest Touchscreen Programable Thermostat
This little device is a great added touch to any renovation. It’s a touch screen thermostat with many advantages over normal programmable ones. One of it’s most useful features of The Nest is that it builds a program by itself based on how you set the thermostat during the week. You can also go…
+ Read MoreAshton Renovations seen on CTV’s Pattie Lovett-Reid Show
On a recent episode of the Pattie Lovette Reid Show on Nov. 27th, our client’s renovation project was featured on the CTV News Channel. The kitchen and bathroom renovation was situated on the Danforth in Toronto. The episode reflected on the topic of moving vs. renovating. Mostly centered on the homeowner, numerous questions were asked…
+ Read MoreHansgrohe Touch Screen Shower Rainbrain
RainBrain by Hansgrohe is an electronic touchscreen panel with five individual functions. It works much like a touch screen iPad. The system allows for 4 preset functions that controls the flow of water to the rainhead, shower arm, and the jets. Differing sprays and water flow from the rainhead are available. There are some features…
+ Read More10 Costly Repairs To Avoid When Buying A Home
If you’re planning on buying a house and fixing it up before you move in, you may want to take a closer look at parts of the house you wouldn’t expect to fix. If you’re budgeting to renovate and focus on the typical areas of the home that make it nice, like your kitchens and…
+ Read MoreMake Your Renovation Easier
BEFORE YOUR RENOVATIONS START Remove Your Furniture & Personal Items – Removing your furniture and personal items from areas being renovated we help the trades work more safely and efficiently. It will also help protect your property from damage, or dust. Remember to put away your small stuff too as well. You’ll be thankful…
+ Read MoreAshton Renovations Featured In Lowes Article
Ashton Renovations is recently featured in a Lowes article on bathroom remodeling where owner Mark Ashton gives advice on how homeowners should spend their dollars.
+ Read More10 Things To Consider When Renovating Your Home
1. Setting The Budget – Starting a renovation project without deciding on a budget, can be the single biggest mistake a homeowner can make. Only you know how much you want to spend, and when you come up with this figure you can find out exactly what you can get. Without setting a budget you…
+ Read MoreOur Lawrence Park Project – 25 Years Later
We often travel into and out of the city down Mt. Pleasant Rd. And just below Lawrence Ave. we pass by a project completed in part by Mark Ashton in 1987. With the exception of some grass growing up in the interlocking, it still looks pretty good today. Mark often mentions it and remembers working…
+ Read MoreRegal Heights Toronto – Modern Bath Renovation
We like being creative with our projects at Ashton Renovations, and recently we completed a very interesting and unique bathroom renovation in Toronto’s Regal Heights. The neighbourhood is situated on the western hill of the Davenport escarpment. It has many very large turn of the century houses, tree- lined streets, and an elevation atop the…
+ Read MoreStoneAge Landscape Lighting and Speakers
StoneAge Lighting can make your landscaping project standout while adding functional lighting to your home. What’s unique about this product is that it consists of natural limestone or granite cut in half to house low voltage halogen bulbs. They look great and don’t become damaged like other plastic units commonly found in big box stores.…
+ Read MoreOur Website Updates By Silent Blast
We’re really excited about the improvements made to our site by our web designer, Silent Blast Interactive – located in Toronto. We’ve updated our homepage to include the latest from our blog, and we’ve added a video page to include our own videos, those from our featured TV programs, and others that relate directly to…
+ Read MoreModern Kitchen And Bath Design Elements
Ashton Renovations can work in a variety of styles, whether traditional, contemporary, or modern. For many years traditional styles in kitchens and bathrooms was a popular and safe style, but today modern design is emerging more and more as a popular choice. Surprisingly, even in older homes with many traditional elements, modern designs are integrated…
+ Read MoreSchluter now offering line drain
We’ve incorporated many of Schluter’s waterproofing shower systems in our Toronto bathroom renovations for years and are excited about now offering one of their new products: Kerdi-Line. It’s an excellent alternative to sloped drains and now allows larger flat tiles to be placed in the shower. “Schluter-KERDI-LINE is a low profile linear floor drain specifically…
+ Read MoreRedwell Infrared Heating – an attractive alternative in heating
The blackboard in this kitchen is a heater! Manufactured in Austria and distributed around the world, Redwell Infrared Heating units are an efficient and attractive way to increase the comfort in your home. A great alternative to baseboard heaters or electric floor heating cables. They are available in whiteboards, mirrors, art, and blackboards. Distributors are…
+ Read MoreIs your contractor certified to install Schluter products?
There are numerous products available from Schluter, but the most common used in residential is the Kerdi waterproofing membrane for tiled showers. Ashton Renovations is a certified installer of all their products and has installed them in numerous bathroom renovations around Toronto for years without any failures. The kit shown above requires numerous steps to install…
+ Read MoreTorlys Cork Flooring
Cork flooring from Torlys (with their head office in Toronto) is a responsible flooring choice coming from a renewable resource – the bark of trees. It is now commonly found in kitchens, living rooms, and bedrooms. It is comfortable and warm, and contributes to improved indoor air quality. Because cork is 50% air, it has a…
+ Read MoreCentura Tile Toronto
Centura Tile Toronto is Ashton Renovations’ prime supplier of tile and Schluter products for our kitchens and bathrooms. They carry a wide range of porcelain, ceramic, and stone tiles, and are conveniently located in Toronto’s Design District near Lawrence and Dufferin. Their exact address is 53 Apex Rd. Hours are available by calling 416-785-5151
+ Read MoreNeptune Baths
Neptune Baths is an excellent source for baths, showers, and accessories that first and foremost enhance the sensuality and pleasure of the overall bathing experience. They are local, based out of Quebec, which means you can get their products faster. Over the years we have put in many of their shower bases and tubs without…
+ Read MoreToronto kitchen renovation now complete, for the 2nd time!
This summer we were approached by a condo owner who was looking to finish up his kitchen. It had been renovated by a local contractor, but there were still things not quite done, and some fine tuning required to finish off the job nicely. Most of us renovators shy away from projects like these; coming…
+ Read MoreRenovating Toronto bathrooms in 100 year old homes isn’t easy.
If there’s any bit of advice we give homeowners about renovating their bathroom in their older home it’s this: “expect the unexpected”. Recently we completed an ensuite bathroom, and powder room in downtown Toronto, and there were lots of surprises including severally damaged floor joists, asbestos tiles, knob and tube wiring, and damaged floor boards.…
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