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Deslaurier Custom Cabinets and Miralis Kitchen are two frontrunners in the custom kitchen cabinet marketplace in the Ottawa and Eastern Ontario region. Since the 70s, these two family-owned and operated companies have dominated the space, providing quality products alongside quality service.

At Deslaurier, while we are proud of our design services and final product, we recognize that our competitors also do good work. Ultimately, it is important that you evaluate your options and choose the best company for your needs and preferences. We believe that everyone deserves a stand-out kitchen—whether or not it comes from our shop.

This article gives an objective overview of both companies and compares these two leading cabinet manufacturers head-to-head, revealing how they’re alike and where they differ.

If you’re in the market for best-in-class cabinetry, you’re going to want to read this article! 

Miralis Kitchens

Established in 1976, Miralis has provided custom cabinets and kitchen design for over 45 years. They supply custom cabinets to both Ontario and Quebec, and now have over 250+ employees as they approach their 50-year mark in business.

Miralis caters to four primary market segments:

1. Retail customers
2. Pro renovators
3. New home builders
4. Dealers

Operating since the mid-1970s, Miralis has a 125,000 sq.ft. custom kitchen manufacturing facility located in Rimouski, Quebec. It is one of the largest of its kind in North America.

Deslaurier Custom Cabinets

Deslaurier began in the Deslaurier family garage back in 1979. The company first sold cabinets, lawn furniture, and other woodworking novelties. Over forty years later, Deslaurier Custom Cabinets now employs just under 200 people. 

Deslaurier specializes in custom cabinetry, offering an extensive collection of standard, semi-custom, and custom products.

Like Miralis, Deslaurier serves four main categories of clientele:

1. Retail customers
2. Pro renovators
3. New home builders
4. Dealers

All Deslaurier cabinets are manufactured in our 48 000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility in Renfrew, Ontario. Deslaurier also has a showroom located in Renfrew as well as a showroom and Design Centre located in Ottawa.

Deslaurier vs. Miralis: Design Process

Working with Deslaurier and Miralis is a personalized design experience from start to finish.

Both companies employ an in-house team of award-winning kitchen designers. You’ll be assigned a professional designer to guide you through your design selections and create a customized floor plan for your project. Upon order, each company’s respective manufacturing facility will produce the pieces and install them in your home.

It’s worth noting that neither Miralis nor Deslaurier perform other renovation tasks, like flooring installations, plumbing work, and electrical upgrades. Those jobs are up to the homeowner to manage or outsource with a contractor. 

That being said, most professional designers have a host of industry connections and can refer you to contractors for these jobs if you need them. Designers can also work in conjunction with your contractor selections.

To learn more about working with Deslaurier, read about our kitchen design process, and our kitchen design process for builder clients!

Deslaurier vs. Miralis: Product Catalogues

As custom cabinet manufacturers, Deslaurier and Miralis have uniquely flexible product catalogues that include cabinet materials, door styles, paints, and stains. 

Let’s take a look at what they offer. 

Miralis Cabinet Wood Species:

• Birch
• Maple
• Red Oak
• White Oak
• Walnut
• Cherry
• MDF

• Hickory

• Ash

Deslaurier Cabinet Wood Species:

• Birch
• Maple
• Red Oak
• Rift-Cut White Oak
• Walnut
• Cherry
• MDF
• Rustic Alder 

As you can see, both manufacturers offer 7 of the same popular cabinet wood species. Aside from that, Miralis carries ash and hickory, while Deslaurier offers rustic alder. Unless you have your heart set on one of those 3 wood species, both manufacturers will have the cabinet wood species you’re looking for. 

Further, each company also offers a variety of advanced engineering materials suited to modern style cabinet designs. These include engineered materials such as thermofoil, melamine (laminate), glass, acrylic, and PET. 

Other than materials, both cabinet manufacturers have extensive product catalogues that include dozens of their own unique door styles, and paints & stains.

Take a look at some of Deslaurier’s most popular choices below!

• Top Cabinet Door Styles
• Top Cabinet Paints
• Top Cabinet Stains 

Deslaurier vs. Miralis: Warranty 

With over 40 years to our name, we know how important an expansive warranty can be for both products and services. 

Miralis offers: 

• a 10-year product warranty against defects of material and workmanship for residential buyers. 
• a lifetime limited warranty against defects of material and workmanship for as long as they are owned by the original purchaser and located at the original site of installation, through their commercial buyers and dealer network. 

Deslaurier offers:

• a 20-year warranty on cabinet materials and workmanship for residential buyers (including finishes)
• a 1-year warranty on cabinet materials and workmanship for commercial buyers (including finishes)
• a 12-year warranty on PET doors
• a 10-year warranty on acrylic and thermofoil doors
• a 5-year warranty on polyester doors
• a 1-year warranty on installation
• a lifetime warranty on slides and hinges
• Other components (hardware, accessories, and countertops) are subject to the warranty of their manufacturer

In summary, both companies offer generous warranty policies. Deslaurier’s warranty may be more advantageous for you if you are a residential buyer, and Miralis’ may be more attractive if you are a commercial buyer.

As a disclaimer, all cabinet doors (with the exception of one-piece MDF doors) will potentially crack at the joints. This cracking is a natural phenomenon known as “breathing,” which occurs due to the inherent expansion and contraction of wood as a result of fluctuation in humidity and temperature. 

Since this issue occurs naturally, it is not listed under the warranty by either company. 

Deslaurier vs. Miralis: Product Partnership

A key difference between Miralis and Deslaurier kitchens boil down to the supplier partnerships of each company. 

For instance, neither Miralis nor Deslaurier manufactures cabinet hardware. The knobs, pulls, and handles that you order to match your cabinets come from each company’s supplier network.

So, a particular piece of hardware that you find at Miralis may not be available at Deslaurier, and vice versa.

That being said, both businesses source literally thousands of hardware products through their supplier network, so it’s unlikely you’ll find either selection lacking. There are even a few renowned suppliers that both companies have in common, such as Blum, Berenson, and Richelieu.

Deslaurier vs. Miralis: Dealer Networks 

Miralis and Deslaurier are also expanding their brand’s reach in Canada and across international borders.

Deslaurier has over 30 dealers alone in the province of Ontario. They’ve also recently partnered with NV Realty Group in Palm Beach, Florida.

Miralis has a more expansive dealer outreach than Deslaurier. As a Quebec-based company, their dealer system services both Ontario and Quebec, and they even have a partner in Winnipeg, Manitoba. 

They also have an impressive dealer network within the United States, with multiple partners in New York and Florida, and dealers in Massachusetts and Maryland, as well. In total, Miralis has over 120 points of sale in Canada and the United States. 

Deslaurier vs. Miralis: Industry Awards & Accolades

With decades of experience behind each name, Miralis and Deslaurier Custom Cabinets have amassed an impressive number of awards and accolades for their work.

Often working in the same circles, both companies hold memberships in many of the same organizations, such as:

• National Kitchen + Bath Association
• Greater Ottawa Home Builder's Association
• Ontario Home Builder's Association
• Canadian Kitchen Cabinet Association

Both Deslaurier and Miralis are recognized as Platinum Club members (a designation given to winners that have maintained their status for seven or more years) of Canada’s Best Managed Companies by Deloitte.

Undoubtedly, both businesses have garnered praise and established a reputation of quality in the local community and beyond. 

Deslaurier vs. Miralis: Environmentally Friendly Practices

Deslaurier and Miralis have proven to be powerhouses in the initiative to make their manufacturing processes greener.

The two companies implement many noteworthy environmentally friendly products and practices in their work.

Deslaurier and Miralis both use water-based, UV-cured finishes. Water-based finishes emit significantly fewer VOCs than traditional solvent-based products.

They also use wood species that are locally sourced, reducing pollution associated with transportation. Core cabinet construction uses, at a minimum, CARB1-compliant and EPP-certified panel materials.

Environmentally conscious homeowners can also upgrade to Nu Green® cabinet boxes at both companies, to reduce their environmental footprint even more. Nu Green® is a material constructed from 100% recycled and recovered wood fibre.

As you can see, each company has heavily invested in the efficiency and environmental safety of its manufacturing facilities and has demonstrated an ongoing commitment to making internal practices greener.

Discover Deslaurier Custom Cabinets 

If you’re on the hunt for custom cabinets in Ottawa, we hope this information helps you decide which manufacturer is the best fit for your project. 

At Deslaurier, we understand that we’re not the only cabinet specialist around. That’s why we like to show prospective clients what we have to offer—no commitment needed!

Book a free consultation with one of our professional designers in Ottawa or Renfrew and discover the Deslaurier advantage today!

Interested in becoming an authorized Deslaurier dealer? Visit our Become a Dealer page to learn more! Live outside the area? Find a Dealer to connect with a Deslaurier dealer near you!