Condo Kitchen Renovation Downtown Vancouver
A loft kitchen in matte black, white quartz and rift-cut white oak, with a quartz waterfall island, integrated appliances, a custom sliding pantry door and the old bulkhead removed.
- Matte black cabinetry
- Quartz waterfall island
- Integrated appliances
- White oak pantry door
Project story
A matte black loft kitchen in Downtown Vancouver
This two-level loft sits in a converted heritage building in Downtown Vancouver, with tall industrial windows that fill the main floor with light. The original kitchen had light maple slab cabinets, a white island and a bulkhead running above the cabinets. The owners wanted a bolder, more architectural kitchen that matched the loft.
Working from a design by Stae Interiors, QUAY rebuilt the kitchen around a palette of matte black, white quartz and rift-cut white oak. Flat-panel black cabinets with finger-pull edges now run floor to ceiling along the back wall, with a panel-ready integrated fridge and dishwasher hidden behind matching fronts.
Bianco Gioia quartz covers the counters and runs up the wall as a full-height backsplash. The island is wrapped in the same quartz, with waterfall ends and mitred edges. A 30-inch dual-fuel range sits under a hood insert, and a white Silgranit undermount sink pairs with a coal black faucet.
Two details make the room. We confirmed the old bulkhead could come out and ran the hood ventilation inside the new upper cabinets, so the ceiling line is clean. And the pantry got a custom rift-cut white oak sliding door. The kitchen came in at about $80,000, including appliances and the custom pantry door. It was part of a full condo renovation completed in 2021. See the full Downtown Vancouver condo renovation. Both bathrooms in this condo were renovated too: see the Gastown condo bathroom renovation.
What we did
- Custom kitchen cabinets in matte black, flat-panel with finger-pull edges
- Bianco Gioia quartz countertops and a full-height quartz backsplash
- Quartz waterfall island with mitred edges
- Existing bulkhead removed, with hood ventilation concealed in the upper cabinets
- Custom rift-cut white oak sliding pantry door
- Panel-ready integrated fridge and dishwasher
- 30-inch dual-fuel range and hood insert
- Silgranit undermount sink, black faucet, and spice and recycling pull-outs
Before and after
From maple and white to matte black and quartz
The kitchen kept its place under the loft windows. The cabinets, counters, backsplash, appliances, pantry door and ceiling line are new.
The kitchen and island
Before
AfterThe tall wall
Before
AfterThe pantry
Before
AfterGallery
Explore the finished Downtown Vancouver kitchen
The neighbourhood
Kitchen renovations in Downtown Vancouver
This loft is on the east side of downtown, near Victory Square, where early-1900s warehouse and office buildings have been converted into lofts with brick, timber and big industrial windows. Kitchens in these buildings are usually open to the living space, so every cabinet face and surface is on show.
Heritage lofts
Converted buildings bring tall windows and character, but also bulkheads, exposed services and strata rules that shape what a kitchen can do. Learn more about loft renovations in Vancouver.
Gastown and Chinatown
Gastown's restaurants and Chinatown are a short walk away.
Transit at the door
Stadium–Chinatown SkyTrain station is steps away, with Waterfront station also nearby.
Yaletown
Yaletown is minutes to the south. See our Yaletown kitchen project.
Planning a condo kitchen downtown? Read about kitchen renovation in Downtown Vancouver and our guide to kitchen renovation cost in Vancouver.
FAQ
Condo kitchen questions
Common questions from Downtown Vancouver condo and loft owners planning a kitchen renovation.
How much does a high-end condo kitchen renovation cost in Downtown Vancouver?
This Downtown Vancouver loft kitchen came in at about $80,000, including the appliances and the custom white oak pantry door. Complete Vancouver kitchens commonly fall within a $40,000–$80,000+ planning range, and condo kitchens with custom millwork, quartz waterfall islands and integrated appliances often land at the upper end.
Can you remove a kitchen bulkhead in a downtown condo?
Sometimes. In this loft, we confirmed the existing bulkhead could come out and rerouted the range hood ventilation inside the new upper cabinets, so the ceiling line now runs clean above the kitchen. Whether a bulkhead can be removed depends on what runs inside it, so we open it up and confirm before the design is final.
What do strata approvals involve for a condo kitchen renovation?
Most Vancouver strata corporations require a renovation request and approval before work begins, and some work, such as plumbing changes, can also need a City permit. On this project we prepared the strata renovation application and handled the plumbing permit as part of the job.
What is a waterfall island?
A waterfall island has its countertop material continue down the sides to the floor. Here, white quartz wraps both ends of the island with mitred edges, so it reads as one solid piece against the matte black cabinetry.
Do you renovate condo kitchens across Downtown Vancouver?
Yes. QUAY renovates condo and loft kitchens across Downtown Vancouver, including Yaletown, Gastown, Coal Harbour and the West End.
Is the work warrantied?
Yes. Every QUAY renovation is backed by a 365-day workmanship warranty.
Planning a condo kitchen in Downtown Vancouver?
We handle the strata paperwork, permits and the build, managed start to finish by one QUAY team.