We designed a Euro-chic kitchen on a Starbucks Frappuccino and Tim Hortons double-double budget. Can you tell the difference?

Which is high and which is low?



Can you tell the difference?





High $3,015

1 MUGS Denby stoneware Truffle mugs, Hudson’s Bay, $43 each.
2 CUPS & SAUCERS Apilco porcelain Tres Grande cup & saucer sets, Williams-Sonoma, $36 each.
3 ESPRESSO CUPS, HomeSense, $4 each. SAUCERS, HomeSense, $3 each.
4 COFFEE CUPS Double-wall glass coffee cups, Williams- Sonoma, $16 each.
5 PENDANT LIGHT Small two-toned hammered iron-and-brass Mason pendant light, Universal Lamp, $300.
6 BACKSPLASH TILES Carrara marble (3" x 6"), Keramin Canada, $10 per sq. ft.
7 JAM Wilkin & Son Raspberry jam, 250 ml, Pusateri’s Fine Foods, $10.
8 COMPOTE Bonne Maman Peach compote, 530 ml, Longo’s, $7.
9 TOASTER Dualit 4-slot NewGen toaster in Canvas White, Crate and Barrel, $350.
10 JAR Acacia-wood-and-glass Montana jar, 48 oz, Crate and Barrel, $17.
11 MILK FROTHING PITCHER Espro brushed stainless steel Toroid milk frothing pitcher, 20 oz, Espresso Planet, $38.
12 ESPRESSO MACHINE Breville Dual Boiler espresso machine, Espresso Planet, $1,400.
13 HANDLES Skyline zinc handles in Chrome, 224 mm, Berenson, $21 each.
14 STOOL Gus Modern bent-walnut-and-plywood-and-powdercoated-steel School stool, Stylegarage, $400.

Low $640

1 MUGS Stoneware Camden mugs in Stone, Crate and Barrel, $9 each.
2 CAPPUCCINO CUP & SAUCER SETS Porcelain cappuccino cup & saucer set, Crate and Barrel, $7 each.
3 ESPRESSO CUP & SAUCER SETS Porcelain Luminite espresso cup & saucer sets, Kitchen Stuff Plus, $3 each.
4 MUGS Trudeau double-wall glass Duetto mugs, Kitchen Stuff Plus, $20 per pair.
5 PENDANT LIGHT Piquito pendant light in Brushed Aluminum, Universal Lamp, $130.
6 BACKSPLASH TILES Ceramic faux Carrara marble backsplash tiles (3" x 6") Keramin Canada, $4 per sq. ft.
7 JAM Bonne Maman Raspberry jam, 250 ml, Longo’s, $6.
8 JAM Smucker’s Pure Apricot jam, 250 ml, Loblaws, Real Canadian Superstore, superstore.ca, $3.
9 TOASTER Hamilton Beach 4-slot toaster, Canadian Tire, $50.
10 CANISTER PC bamboo-and-plastic canister, Loblaws, Real Canadian Superstore, $7.
11 MILK FROTHING PITCHER Fox Run stainless steel milk frothing pitcher, 20 oz, Kitchen Stuff Plus, $10.
12 ESPRESSO MACHINE Krups Silver Art espresso machine, Espresso Planet, $230.
13 HANDLES Nickel-plated aluminum Metrik handles, 234 mm. IKEA, $13 per pack of 2.
14 STOOL Vintage wood-and-metal lab stool, Kijiji, $50.

The perfect coffee cup
Whether you prefer to sip a latte from a mug that feels big enough to hold soup or to sip espresso from a cup so small you can only hold it with three fingers, make sure your coffee cups are made of glass or porcelain. These materials are pros at retaining heat while you’re drinking your brew, without retaining the flavour once you’re finished.

FROM TOP
1 Porcelain Luminite espresso, Kitchen Stuff Plus, $3 per set.
2  Espresso cup, HomeSense, $4. Saucer, HomeSense, $3.
3 Apilco porcelain Tradition, Williams-Sonoma, $26 per set.
4 Porcelain Luminite tea, Kitchen Stuff Plus, $4 per set.
5 Apilco porcelain Tres Grande, Williams-Sonoma, $36.
6 Porcelain Cappuccino, Crate&Barrel, $7 per set.

The budding barista
That slow Sunday morning ritual: reading the newspaper in your robe, savouring a cup of coffee and contemplating the start of another day while the rest of the world slowly stirs to life around you. Sigh. Don’t you wish you could make those morning moments last a little longer? For just one more cup? Well, you’ll want to make that six more with sleek stainless steel espresso makers like these. From their Italian café-calibre looks to the gourmet-quality brews they produce, these at-home barista machines will make you wish the morning would last till sunset.

FROM LEFT
1 Krups Silver Art, Espresso Planet, $230.
2 Breville Dual Boiler, Espresso Planet, $1,400.


Your favourite brew
Have you ever stopped to think about why you love the taste of certain coffees but turn your nose up at others? Like wine, coffee boasts a diverse set of notes affected by factors like the region the beans are from as well as the soil in which and the altitude at which they were grown. So the next time you take a sip, think about the aroma, taste, mouth feel and aftertaste.

FROM LEFT
1 Van Houtte Honduras San Luis Planes medium roast, 340 g, Loblaws, Real Canadian Superstore, $11.
2 Balzac’s Coffee Roasters fair trade organic marble roast Farmers’ Blend, 454 g, Balzac's Coffee Roasters, $18.
3 23 Degrees Roastery fair trade organic Mugshot espresso, 350 g, Whole Foods Market, $15.
4 Nabob 100% Columbian Rainforest Alliance-certified medium roast, 350 g, Loblaws, Real Canadian Superstore, $6.

A delicious breakfast
Another day, another breakfast (they say it’s the most important meal, after all). While the standard on-the-go fare – coffee and OJ, toast and jam, cereal and milk – hasn’t changed in as long as we can remember, the brand selection surely has. Step into the dairy, bread or even the juice aisle and you’ll be overwhelmed by the options! There’s only a few dollars difference between the high and low breakfast foods here, so it just goes to show that you don’t have to be wealthy to eat healthy.

TOP ( left to right)
1 Dorset Cereals Heavenly High Fibre cereal, 670 g, Loblaws, Real CanadianSuperstore, $7.
2 Ace Bakery artisan Raisin Walnut Oval bread, Pusateri’s Fine Foods, $9. Bonne Maman Peach compote, 530 ml, Longo’s, $7.
3 Freshly squeezed orange juice, 2L, Pusateri’s Fine Foods, $9.

BOTTOM (left to right)
1 PC Blue Menu Booster Berry Granola Boost with Polyphenols cereal in Mixed Berry, 325 g, Loblaws, Real Canadian Superstore, $3.
2 In-store bakery raisin bread, Loblaws, Real Canadian Superstore, $2.50. Smucker’s Pure Apricot jam, 250 ml, Loblaws, Real Canadian Superstore, $3.
3 PC 100% Florida orange juice, 1.75L, Loblaws, Real Canadian Superstore, $3.50.