Creating A Country Kitchen

Creating A Country Kitchen  - Jessica Ackerman



If you have ever wished that you could recreate the tradition and warmth of your grandmother's kitchen, you'll be happy to know that it is possible to fill your kitchen with country charm along with the modern features you value.
 
One feature which can distinguish a country kitchen from other styles is the cabinets. Instead of looking for the traditional maple or oak cabinets, consider painted white cabinets. Glass cabinet doors are another nice touch. You could also add period cabinet hinges and accessories. You may find originals at an antique or second hand store. Also, many companies produce replicas that can be ordered throughimprovement stores.
 
Furniture can be used in unusual ways to give a kitchen country charm. An armoire can be used for storing linens, dishes or even for concealing a television. Look around in antique stores for an old milk chest or wooden ice box to use for storage.
 
A few changes in accessories can make a w home orld of difference. A different wall paper border, country curtains or a display of old fashioned cooking utensils can help pull your look together. Farmhouse sinks are also very popular, and look great in a country style kitchen.
 
More and more families are choosing to eat their meals in the kitchen, leaving the dining room for special occasions. If that is the case in your home, you'll want the table and chairs to maintain the country charm. Of course, they also need to be comfortable and practical.
 
A table and chairs made from cherry or oak is ideal for the small family setting. Buy cushions for the seat and back of the chairs to mix and match with the kitchen curtains. If you are handy with a sewing machine you can make your own, and have your pick of fabrics. Shop around for hand embroidered cotton clothes, napkins and a wicker basket for storing bread and other items.
 
When choosing a floor for your country kitchen you may want to consider hard wood. For an extra touch of authenticity, check with your local lumber yards to see if they can tell you where to purchase reclaimed wooden flooring from old houses and barns.
 
When creating the country kitchen you've always dreamed of, it may not be possible to purchase high end appliances. If it is within your budget, a few companies produce replicas of vintage appliances. While these appliances have the look of your great-grandmother's appliances, they have all the modern features you'd expect in new appliances.
 
There are several websites and magazines that can help you achieve the exact look you want. Don't be afraid to mix fabrics and accessories. Experiment until you find the look that is perfect for you and your home. While some people don't like change, others grow bored with their decorating. This is an economical way to get the most mileage out of your decor.You don't need a lot of time to make changes that will brighten up your home. In just one day you can make small changes that will make a big impact.

Good Kitchen Design - Gunaseelan

Good Kitchen Design - Gunaseelan

Good kitchen design is a skill that is very much in demand. Modern homes need to have kitchens that are both spacious and practical, and fitting this in around kitchen layouts and the other rooms in new build homes is a difficult process. Yet it is the kitchen, more than any other room, that sells a property. Likewise in your own home, good kitchen design can improve the resale value of your property by several thousands, simply as a result of layout and interior design. As such an important feature of your home, what makes kitchen design 'good', and how can you improve the appearance and organisation of your kitchen space?
 
An effectively designed kitchen is one that makes the most of the space available whilst also providing a well coordinated decor theme - be it contemporary, farmhouse or retro. This includes matching up the designs on the cabinets and shelves with the colours of the walls and flooring, and indeed the materials that are used for the construction of each, and can often be achieved by buying a full kitchen suite complete with tiling or vinyl for the floorspace.
 
Unfortunately kitchen suites are rarely good value for money, and can often run in to the thousands if you're looking to buy a precoordinated, predesigned room from a furniture retailer. Of course that doesn't stop less savvy people from buying their kitchens and labour from the retailer, and ending up paying off what they're due over the next ten years. What that means is that for the buyer on a budget, style, fashion and a little bit of hard graft are going to play more of a part in getting the right kitchen design for your space, and achieving good kitchen design overall.
 
An alternative way to buy a kitchen that doesn't cost the earth is to buy flatpack and install yourself. Of course this takes time and a bit of work on your part, but by opting for this rather than pre-built and installed units, you could be saving yourself an absolute fortune on your next kitchen purchase.
 
Whatever kitchen you opt for it's important to make sure you choose matching or complimentary accessories to highlight the colouration in the room. Of course this will vary depending on the style you have chosen, but make sure that the colours work and the shapes and textures fit. Also, make sure you push cabinets flush against the walls and that there is as little as possible to clutter the floorspace. Floorspace is a premium in any kitchen, and good kitchen design will maximise the room available in order to allow greater movement and enhance usability.
 
Good kitchen design is, in essence about common sense. Think about what you use your kitchen for and how busy it can get to work out the space requirements, whilst stylistic features are very much down to individual taste - just don't make the wallpaper too garish as to put-off any prospective buyers later down the line!

Cottage Kitchen Design

How to Develop a Cottage Kitchen Design - J Kennedy

The neutral and pastel paints impart a soothing and calm ambiance. A cottage like kitchen renovation fashion can also be accomplished by adding white coloring shades to cabinets and furniture sets.

There is a well-liked concept to combine warm wooden and white color shades. It is required to spend awareness to detail if 1 desires to impart a type similar to that of a cottage. Cottage fashion kitchen renovation can be reached by picking the equipment and fixtures that align with that specific fashion. A cottage design kitchen can be introduced about by deciding on the suitable type of quilts and floral elements. It is doable to get hold of this unique type of renovation type by browsing garage product sales and flea markets.

The cottage style of kitchen layout in characterized as a colorful, comfy really feel that is produced by painted or decorated furnishings, baskets, beadboard partitions and healthy fiber rugs, and weathered surface finishes, as very well as hues a person would expect to find in a garden.

Cottage-model cooking area can have many accessories, but it is necessary to prevent going overboard to preserve the clutter from getting to be distracting. The cottage-style of kitchen style and design is also identified for floors that are bare with the exception of an occasional toss rug.

The cottage fashion of kitchen area layout conjures up pictures of a space light and airy, charming and casual. The breezy, uncomplicated feel 1 finds in a summer time cottage. Cottages evoke seaside vacations, a countryside locale, or a cabin in the mountains. The mood is often calm, unassuming, and informal. Simplification is the notable element of the cottage type of kitchen style and design.

Due to the truth that cottage model kitchens are tiny they typically have a flooring plan that is refreshing and open up, that can operate easily, as effectively as be a place to entertain.

To be able to generate the cottage really feel for you kitchen area you require to search at components these kinds of as property wares, linens, and furnishings you will pick for your cooking area. Some examples are the use of white distressed, stained and butcher-block surfaces all-around the kitchen, striped classic towels and dishcloths, an old antique kitchen clock, or exhibiting plates on open shelves over a window or doorway. Other components might involve stoneware pots, glazed earthenware and glass jars. Also you could place a pitcher of refreshing-reduce flowers to create more cottage appeal.

It takes time to produce a cottage type for your kitchen. You can not basically come across the cottage model all at a person time and in one retailer. The kitchen area ought to appear as if it little by little took on this search around a interval of time to realize a additional collected appear.

Furnishings in a cottage fashion kitchen area can include home furniture built from pine, or maple. Furniture detailing is an critical aspect of the cottage style. Furniture can be white painted, or lacquered, can incorporate also such capabilities as curved legs on base cabinetry, and previous fashioned moldings around cabinets and tables. Or a large perform table that can also be a dining room for the loved ones. Items can contain a farmhouse fashion kitchen table with beech spindle fashion chairs.

Kitchen Floor Materials

Kitchen Floor Materials - Weighing the Options

Nick Austin

What are the main points to consider when choosing a flooring material for your lovely new kitchen? Beyond style and aesthetics one should bear in mind price, durability, maintenance and ease of installation. The main contenders in this race for the flooring prize are stone, wood, ceramic tiles and vinyl flooring.

In the first place it is easy to rank the materials according to price. Basically, stone, whether it's sandstone, slate or some form of marble will be very costly. Wood varies enormously - wide, reclaimed French farmhouse boards are very dear and thin slivers of oak on a plywood base aren't if one is prepared to shop around a bit. Ceramic tiles are comparable with the lesser end of the wood world depending on size of tile. By far the cheapest option is vinyl floor tiles, although there too there is a wide range in terms of cost and corresponding quality.

In terms of durability the same rankings will apply; it will take decades to go through a stone floor and similar for solid wood but laminates wear out comparatively quickly as do some types of vinyl flooring, although some more expensive types do wear well. Ceramic tiling is immensely durable right up to the point you drop an iron casserole on it and then it's ruined. Essentially, when it comes to ultimate longevity you get what you pay for but it is worth bearing in mind that a floor surface in a modern domestic situation probably doesn't need to last five hundred years.

When one thinks of maintaining floor surfaces one is thinking of basically two things; sealing and cleaning. Natural materials like stone and wood need regular application of a protective layer to prevent the underlying material becoming stained in the hustle and bustle of kitchen life. Ceramic and vinyl floor tiles do not (Although porcelain tiles do need a one-off treatment)

Failure to keep up with the maintenance of stone will lead to unsightly discolouration and with wood, inconvenient and immensely disruptive floor sanding.

Cleaning wood and stone in a kitchen environment takes more effort than the ceramic and vinyl alternatives simply because of the grain of wood and texture of stone which creates little hollows in which grime will accumulate and therefore require hard work to remove. Ceramic tiles and vinyl flooring are usually completely smooth in texture and can be cleaned as easily as in television commercials.

With ease of installation vinyl flooring is the easiest, a craft knife is about all you need. Wood, if one is confident with a saw, is comparatively straightforward although there is a difference in complexity between 'click-click' laminate and complete replacement of boards. Ceramic tiles and stone require water, specialist cutting equipment, cement, grout, goggles, a truss for when you've wrecked your back and probably reinforced joists to take the absurd weight of a two inch thick layer of the Jurassic era in your modest terraced house.

So what's it to be?



Remodeling Your Kitchens by Going Traditional Now

Remodeling Your Kitchens by Going Traditional Now  - Dean Gammell

One of the most intriguing topics that most homeowners and business enthusiasts have is whether to remodel their kitchens with a contemporary or modern look or to try to redesign by going traditional and classical.

Remodeling kitchens has always been a challenge to every homeowner. The most decisive part of this is when the homeowner must look for a final design as part of a home makeover. Thus, before looking for materials, equipment, and other gadgets that will add a fresh look to your kitchen, you must first browse over various possibilities of a certain kitchen design.

The most common kitchen type is the traditional design with its formal and elegant look that resembles American or European home preferences for a kitchen way back in 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries. This traditional kitchen will surely have fluting corbels, crown and rope mouldings, ornamentations and trims, cabinets with cherry design, drawers with walnut design, countertops made of mahogany, raised panel cabinet door styles, antique appliances and fixtures, natural materials, and stone fixtures.

Another kitchen design that closely resembles the traditional is the Victorian style. This kitchen style has cathedral arch doors, raised panels, ornate accents of mouldings and trims. Further, most of the kitchen fixtures are made of dark and heavy wood types. The Italianate design is similar to both the general style of the traditional and the Victorian style. Italianate kitchens are generally painted cream and most fixtures have carved designs of fruits and other images of nature.

Another variation of the traditional is the Georgian type with the signature look of square panel raised doors with the typical, heavily accented crown mouldings and stacked cabinetry that reaches the ceiling. A painted black island for the kitchen is also a common look.

Further, most traditional styles cover other European and American kitchen designs and structures. These include the Colonial, Edwardian, Farmhouse, Regency, Cottage, Plantation, Estate, Cape Cod, Federal, Bungalow, Queen Anne, Early American, Neoclassical, Shaker, and Manor looks.

A kitchen must have a cheerful and welcoming aura at all times for the household and for the guests. Choose a traditional kitchen style has always resembled a sense of comfort and order.

It is always invigorating for every busy household to have kitchens that are quite different from today's look of a modern kitchen. The traditional style of a kitchen shows that such area is filled with patterns that brighten the homeowner and add further appeal for the whole house or establishment.

Choosing the best floor tiles for your kitchen

Choosing the best floor tiles for your kitchen

Kitchens are probably one of the important places in the home. This is where you store your utensils, food items, as well as prepare the food. Generally, homemakers spend considerable time in this part of the home; therefore it helps to pay significant attention to building a safe, clean and sturdy place for your cooking and food preparation chores. The choice of kitchen flooring is also vital, because the wrong choice could mean a lot of stuff. A slippery floor tile pattern may lead to possibly more slips and falls, making the work area unsafe.

Currently, there are a wide array of kitchen floor tiles and patterns that are available in stores. Homeowners could choose from linoleum, vinyl, laminate, hardwood and other stone tile variants. Those still unsure of which to buy need to determine the type of flooring which would be compatible with the environment you live in. According to home design experts, one major aspect to consider in choosing the preferred kitchen floor tile is to get one that is able to resist spills, especially if you have kids at home. In addition, you need to consider buying the floor tiles that are comfortable to your feet, and match the appropriate colors of your home.

The type of floor tile color should also be an interesting topic. Buyers need to select the floor tile colors which help to complement the kitchen and your home as well. Some would prefer choosing light and neutral tones, which some say would be best in creating an impression of light and space in the room. Other design experts would also contend that it would be better to utilize stronger colors in smaller kitchens only, and not in kitchens with bigger spaces.

Beauty & Durability: The aspects of beauty and durability also need to be
given adequate consideration when selecting the appropriate floor tiles. The appropriate tiling material should be something that helps in properly accentuating your kitchen's existing appliances, counters and cabinets. You also should choose the ones which meet your planned budget and lifestyle as well. Spend some time researching, whether by going online or by hopping from one store to the other, and getting advice from experts on kitchen remodeling as well as from professional contractors. For those who wish to find durable, but quite affordable floor tile materials, you may check out vinyl or ceramic tiles. Design experts note that vinyl is affordable and durable, and has different patterns and designs offered. Vinyl also has many color patterns and textures, which makes it a popular tiling material in many homes today.

For more unique, and off-beat patterns, the use of laminate flooring for the pantry or cooking area should also be a truly unique choice. Lamination is done by laminating photos of stone, wood grain, or other surfaces on the flooring material, and many see this as a unique, unconventional way of making their kitchens look unique and appealing. The use of bamboo tiles is also fast rising, because of the spiraling cost of hardwood, as well as for the need to make kitchens environment-friendly areas as possible. Bamboo is of course, a truly beautiful and renewable resource, and should help to make this part of the home look as unique and fashionable as possible.

Finally, home design experts agree that the best method of choosing which floor tiles are appropriate for kitchens, would be to browse through home design catalogs and brochures and familiarize yourself with different designs and patterns, as well as finding out how much each pattern costs. However, it would all depend on your personal preferences and desires. In the end, you should ensure that the tiles you buy are able to withstand spills, scratches, soil and other elements, so that it would be able to last for years, and stay as beautiful as ever.

How Practical Are Glass Splashbacks For Kitchens?

How Practical are Glass Splashbacks For Kitchens?



There has been a great deal of interest recently in glass splashbacks for kitchens, particularly with certain popular daytime television shows highlighting their outstanding style and visual appeal. Certainly through the use of a television camera it's clear to see the advantages, and many people have expressed interest in having glass splashbacks in their own kitchen. But although the visual appeal is undeniable, one of the real concerns many people have relates to their durability. After all, glass splashbacks are made of glass - aren't they?

Many people tend to assume that glass is delicate and fragile, and only suitable for windows, and even then, should be treated cautiously, as though they might crack or implode at a moment's notice. The fact that these are the same people who quite happily sit with their faces just inches away from a very thin sheet of glass whilst travelling along the motorway at 70 miles an hour just shows how easily people can fervently believe one thing whilst failing entirely to put their beliefs into consistent practice.

Further evidence for this is the fact that on almost any of the popular daytime television shows which feature renowned chefs, the food is almost always prepared on glass boards. With the rapid fury of chopping and crushing, as well as the undeniable razor sharp edge on the professional knives being used, to say nothing of the acids, steam, boiling pans, heavy pots and other 'dangers' occurring in the vicinity of the glass chopping boards, it's clear that glass is certainly not necessarily fragile.

The truth is that toughened glass is, as the name really ought to suggest, tough. It's virtually scratch resistant, shatter proof and cut proof, and offers a clean, smooth surface which is easily cleaned and provides outstanding style and brightness in any kitchen. Glass reflects and refracts light, rather than traditional kitchen worktop or splashback surfaces which absorb most of the light. Having glass splashbacks is a great way of making the most of any light, creating a beautiful look which makes the whole room seem lighter, brighter and more spacious.

But glass doesn't have to be colourless or even transparent. Having coloured glass, or even transparent glass with a coloured backing, creates an incredible fiesta of light that immediately transforms the ordinary into an extraordinary sight. One of the quickest and most effective ways in which anyone can simply transform the look of their kitchen is by fitting glass splashbacks. But then if you've seen pictures or you've seen home development and decoration programs on television feature glass splashbacks for kitchens you'll know all this. The real question is just how deep beneath the skin is the beauty of glass splashbacks?

The answer is - all the way through, because glass offers many benefits beyond merely being stunning to look at and highly durable. Because unlike with any other material used in kitchens, glass splashbacks offer nowhere for bacteria to hide. Whether you're looking at peeling wood veneer, chipped stone or the natural crevices in porous materials such as granite, bacteria have no end of places to breed. Even tiles used for splashbacks can provide a wealth of surfaces for bacteria to breed, from edges, corners and across the whole of the grouted areas.

Glass splashbacks for kitchens offer nowhere for bacteria to hide, and for this reason proved one of the most hygienic and practical solutions for kitchens. It isn't often that a hygienic and practical solution is also highly stylish and supremely eye catching, nor vice versa, but when it comes to glass splashbacks for kitchens you really can have the best of both worlds.

Kitchen Designs: Modern Concepts for Kitchens of Today

Kitchen Designs: Modern Concepts for Kitchens Today - Jon Cun

Through the years no other room or any part of the house has been the focus of such intensive innovation in both the aesthetic and technological aspects. Kitchen designs have become an experimental laboratory when it concerns exploring today's fast changing technology brought by modernism.

Today's kitchen designs are planned and created in such a way that it suits an individuals' concept of modern and efficient living. Modern design concepts for kitchens of today embody the modernist's principles of functionality, aesthetics, efficiency and hygiene. These modern kitchens ideas mirrors as well as strongly suggests that there is absolutely nothing wrong when one chooses to embrace and believe in the transformative power of modern technology combined with art in order to effect fantastic yet very functional changes.

The kitchen is regarded as the most essential area of the home where dishes are prepared three to four or five times a day depending on how big the family is and how the family loves to cook and eat. More often than not, family members love to gather in the kitchen and whip up some fancy treats. This is also one reason that should be taken into account when you are planning to build a new kitchen.

If I were to choose, I will pick these stylish, very modern and practical glass drawers for the kitchen. This type of storage makes it easy to organize whatever needs to be kept and stored away. Pull out glass drawers and shelves for the pantry is definitely one of the best solution by which any homeowner can ensure and enhance kitchen appearance. That is why, glass drawers are perfect to install and utilize. They are fantastic alternatives to the usual or classic glass jars that we all love to use but I think they look best if you want to add a rustic tone to your new kitchen.

Most modern kitchen designs are built according to the homeowner's specifications and lifestyles. It also aims to allow you to utilize every space in a more creative pattern or style apart from making sure that every type of furnishing and appliances complement your kitchen storage space. By utilizing glass drawers and pantry shelves, it becomes easier to look for the items which you need or want as well as make them easily accessible. This makes your cooking tasks easier and faster, too.

Of course, apart form seeing the things that you need and frequently use, each and every day, another best advantage that you and your family will have from using glass drawers and pantry shelves is allowing you to maintain cleanliness in your kitchen storage areas to a high degree because you will easily see if they are cluttered and not kept in order.

There are numerous fantastic kitchen designs that you can choose from. Bear in mind that no matter the size, the shape or the theme of the kitchen that you are planning to build, you can choose from the latest and very innovative designs for kitchens that are cropping up today.

Stainless Steel Kitchens How Good Are they?

Stainless Steel Kitchens How Good Are they? - Daniel Baker

Since the art-deco period stainless steel kitchens have been high in fashion. Many people find the clean, clinical look to be very modern as well as visually appealing.

In a stainless steel kitchen you might find worktops, tiles or sinks and taps. There is a multitude of available options. It is a very popular metal for a variety of reasons, apart from being aesthetically pleasing, it is also relatively low-cost. The surfaces themselves have very a high durability so only rarely have to be replaced. They have a high strength to weight ratio meaning that they are strong yet still light, which is important in appliances that need to be carried from one place to another. They can also easily be cleaned, simply with a quick wipe down.

Kitchen Worktops
Stainless steel is very practical in kitchens; it is a highly hygienic metal due to its anti-bacterial properties, it can also be cleaned quite easily, with a quick wipe of the surface using a liquid soap. It is also very practical for kitchen worktops because it is heat and water-resistant.

Great For Kitchen Tiles
People often choose stainless steel tiles because they are resistant to rust. The style is popular because of the way the tiles bounce light around the room, this creates the illusion of space and enhances the light. The look adds to the kitchen and can instantly modernise any room. Many people feel that these sleek kitchen tiles paired with black or dark brown give an elegant, timeless look that can be brightened with large windows and glass panelled cabinets.

Kitchen Appliances
These give a kitchen a smart, high-end feel, they update a room without having to re-do the entire decor. The stainless steel colour matches most design schemes. These are impervious to rust and easy to clean. Most people who spend extra money on stainless steel appliances find that they are actually somewhat cost-effective because they do not have to frequently replace them.

The Recycling Benefits
All of these products can be recycled. Despite this material being durable and therefore lasting a long time, they are also 100% recyclable. They are normally in good condition before they are recycled due to their resilient nature, meaning that they are recycled at good value. They can be welded or melted without changing any of their properties. This means that they are useful in the ecological battle, which is a great plus.

Traditional Kitchens Embrace Homey Details

Traditional Kitchens Embrace Homey Details - Sarah Crosset

For years the traditional style of home decorating has gotten a bad rap. Its worst examples have always been criticized as too formal, too regimented or just plain boring. However, this style has a lot more going for it than most people might think, thanks to current designers who've updated the best of its principles.

First, don't think of a traditional kitchen as if it's country or even a European style such as Tuscan. A kitchen done in traditional style incorporates English and French elements, but the colors are more muted, such as creams, light grays, soft greens, taupes, or warm whites. This kitchen decor also seeks, like Country, to bring nature inside, so its motifs include butterflies, dragonflies, flowers and fruit.

Yet while it's eclectic, this is still a home decorating style that stands on its own. It brings in more homey touches, the kinds of details and ornaments that are absent from most modern kitchens, but it incorporates them in ways that avoid becoming cluttered. The focus is on creating a warm, homey mood for the kitchen, the room that is unquestionably the heart of every home.

Traditional style functions best in kitchens with many windows, especially a bay window if possible. This abundance of natural light highlights the natural materials used on the floors, for the cabinets and in furnishings. Brick, stone, marble or wood will be found in countertops and on the backsplash behind the sink, touches that give a Traditional kitchen a handcrafted look. Wood may be painted, but the paint probably will be a whitewash that allows the grain to show through.
Here are some tips to create a Traditional style kitchen.

1. Get rid of any ambiguous furniture and anything with the sleek, simple lines of Contemporary and Modern styles. Choose a few pieces from clearly defined periods, and then start building the design around these pieces. Choose molding and cabinet trims to fit the style of the central pieces. Then start mixing in elements from other periods that are compatible with the main style to achieve the eclectic blend that marks traditional style.
2. Use a pattern in the flooring, such as basket weave. If using stone flooring, look for irregular shapes to give the room a more natural mood (remember, bring nature inside!). Or mix a lighter stone like limestone with darker stone such as slate and place them in an irregular pattern. Top this flooring with floral rugs in acrylics that withstand traffic and spills.
3. If the kitchen has a bay window, create a breakfast nook in the space. Install a wooden table with one or two bench seats, and a couple of chairs on the ends or one side. Choose furniture with carvings, columns or turned ornamentation.
4. Bring color into the room using fabric. Choose curtains printed with nature scenes and contrast the pattern elsewhere with stripes. Avoid designs such as geometric rugs or cushions, since these sharp lines and angles common to Modern and Contemporary styles clash with traditional schemes.
5. Create focal points in the kitchen by choosing different designs or shapes for cabinet knobs. Once again, avoid anything streamlined, such as faucets or other hardware. The focus is definitely in the details with this design.

Things to Think About When Looking for a New Oven

Things to think about when you buy a new oven - James Green

The Oven is possibly one of the most used appliances in the kitchen, you may use the sink, kettle and toaster more regularly but not for the same length of time as an oven.

The oven has one very specific function to cook or defrost food, so essentially to heat-up food. This is done in a manner of different ways: Heating, De-frosting, Baking, Broiling and Roasting.

There is generally speaking two different types of Oven - Electric Ovens, now becoming the most common and Gas Ovens which are begging to become less used. There are also convection ovens, the convection system is used by gas and electric ovens and blows hot air around the oven cavity with the use of a powerful fan. Then there are also Microwave ovens which use microwave radiation to pulse the food and cook it.

So that's already a good number of different types of oven available but when you consider that and then add into the mix extra features, manufacturers and designs that list becomes quite extensive! So as you can see, choosing a new oven might not be as easy as it first seems, never fear I'm here to inform and guide you along this tricky path!

First things first - Location. Will you be putting your new Oven in the same place that you will be removing the old one from? Or are you renovating the kitchen also? Will the Oven be Freestanding? Placed upon legs on the floor or will it be a wall oven? Mounted into the wall where one of your cupboards would go? Wall mounted is becoming increasingly more common.

The size or 'capacity' of Ovens is measured in Litres, (I have no idea why they just are) but generally its recommended that the more family members that you will be cooking for the more litres you will need. So for example if you only had two people using the oven then anything around or smaller than 30 litres is ok, and then you increase from there. You'll want to make sure that your biggest and best pans will fit inside too.

Controls, these are what you will be using to 'control' your new oven, if you don't know how it works you cannot use it is generally what'll happen. Make sure you read the instruction manual that'll come with the new oven. Oven controls are usually either Analogue or Digital. Analogue controls are the physical knobs, dials and switches that you'll find on a lot of older and more traditional ovens, useful to have for the less technologically minded. Digital controls are all buttons and pressure sensitive areas that you can control through touch and gesturing. These type of controls can give a better degree of accuracy but can be prone to breaking or malfunctioning although with the advancement in modern technology this is becoming a rarity. An oven that has digital controls is usually all-singing-all-dancing and is what I like to refer to as 'the-super-oven'.

Additional features like pull out telescopic racks are good and any extras that come with an oven can be used or not, it all depends on your cooking style. Some are safety features like a locking function, useful if you have small children so they cannot open the oven.
The largest influence will more than likely be the price, always something useful to take into consideration when purchasing a new oven.



When Buying a Kitchen

When Buying a Kitchen - Adam

You could be amazed at how many different places there is to look for kitchens. The net and the nearest shops are the ideal places. Perhaps look on the net to get a couple idea of which type of kitchens you want first. Note down some prices you see online. You should want to make a note of the company as well.. If this can't help you get a good deal then it may be time to look somewhere else. If the shop imagine you are going they will very soon give you a price reduction. They really should anyway. A lot of the designer kitchens can be costly so you will need to really know what you are going to end up with. Also you should know what you can afford.

People should be stunned at how much the price will vary. This might change a great deal from continent to continent. If you opt for the budget makes you will no doubt ascertain that they come from China. It's been this way for ten years now.

If you have a friend who has just bought anything alike then speak to them quickly. It is too late after you have bought. Steer clear of pushy salesman for the moment. Or altogether to be frank. If they are attempting to get rid of some old stock they might assure you it's the latest style. You will clearly see it is not. You must keep every option open.

The style to buy will be rather clear after all this questions. You might even be an expert in the field. You must not hasten in and buy quite yet. It is much too late to have afterthoughts after you have bought your kitchens. A well prepared sales person in marketing a kitchens will not push you too hard. They may miss out on the deal if they do. If you've got on very well with a nice salesman you will wish to put your purchase their way. It may help you to save money. Being on good terms with someone may influence their discount.

You should feel happy with the prospective deal on offer to you. Before you sign up it might be an idea taking the quote to other showrooms and receiving a like for like quote. You will then know if it's a good price. They might even want to put you in liaison with previous customers. You should be worried if they cannot. All good stores should have at least one client they can ask to speak to you. Money is tight at the moment and you don't wish to squander it. You might rue it if you do.

Why the world loves Kitchens

Why the World Love Kitchens - Jamie Francis

They say, home is where the heart is, but it has also been said that to get to a man’s heart you must go through his stomach. This must mean that the kitchen is a much loved place to spend quality time. Kitchens are the epicentres of so much happiness and quality time because they store the products and utensils that are necessary to prepare meals that friends and families can connect over.

Kitchens are more than just rooms within every household that people gather food from, they are the roots of an incredible amount of joy, love, health, and passion. With so much riding on their ability to deliver meals that keep the household healthy and happy, kitchens are essentially the core of every home.

At first thought people do not usually realize just how important kitchens are. Modern kitchens have progressed immensely over time and have transformed into contemporary masterpieces. They have developed into so much more than simple areas in which food is stored and prepared. Essentially the kitchen should be planned out and built in a way that makes the process of meal planning, cooking, and connecting with others a fun and simple process.

When browsing the housing market for a new home, or when renovating your current home, you should pay strict attention to the kitchen to make sure it is going to effectively accommodate your family and all of your related needs. Kitchens should be spacious and offer enough storage space to ensure that clutter will not be an issue. Cabinet space is a must have for a kitchen. Without profound cabinet space, the kitchen will lose its value by becoming messy and disorganized. Additionally, a lack of cabinet space will take away from the visual appeal of the area.

Keeping your eyes peeled for a pantry is always a plus too. Often overlooked, kitchens with pantries add significant bonus points in the realm of storage and product preservation. Counter space is another main aspect of the kitchen. You want to make sure you purchase a home, or remodel your home, in a way that allows for profound counter space. You want your counters to remain cleanly and uncluttered, so making sure that there is enough space to accommodate all of your appliances as well as your cooking needs is incremental to the kitchen, in an overall sense.

The layout of kitchens is also important. You want to be sure that the chef can move around with unobstructed freedom. Being able to fit more than one person at a time, comfortably, into the kitchen is extremely desirable. Floors and lighting are other aspects of kitchens that should never get overlooked. The lighting is important because it allows for you to see that you are measuring out the correct amount of every ingredient. The floors are important because they should be easy to clean, not too slippery, and of course, spill resistant. A roomy, modernized kitchen is a key selling point in any home and can help to bring the family together in a healthy, happy way. Do not overlook the important qualities that have made the world fall in love with kitchens.

Bespoke Kitchens

Bespoke Kitchens

A bespoke kitchen is those looking to have a kitchen that does things they want it to do and to look its best at all times. A bespoke fitted kitchen will be catered to you, to give you the most out of your kitchen with optimal use of space.

The optimal use of space will allow the kitchen to become the main hub of your home. Depending on the size of your family everyone will have different needs from their bespoke fitted kitchens. That is why having a bespoke fitted kitchen is special to you. You are able to put in worktops, shelves and custom fit appliances and lay them out in the kitchen the way you desire. This is what it separates bespoke from other off the shelf kitchens its ability to match what you want.

So how do we make the kitchen the centre of your home? Well first let see what you want out of your kitchen? Are you looking for a small kitchen that you are in and out of? Would you like a kitchen where everyone can come in and help cook with dinner? Do you want a kitchen where the kids can sit down and eat breakfast before going to school?

Wow that probably seems like a lot of information to process at one. Dont worry take a week and write down what you like and don't like about your kitchen. Once you have completed that you will have a good starting point. Now you should look at other kitchens and see what you like and don't like from other kitchens. To look at other kitchens you have multiple options. You can go look at friends, open houses, home improvement stores and finally magazines.

Make sure when you look at stores to look at the most popular bespoke fitted kitchens so you know exactly how things can be fitted together. Now that you have more information than you ever wanted on kitchens you need to decide on how you want to go forward.

Now you are going to have a few options. First you can design your kitchen yourself and look to hire someone to build it under your guidance. Secondly you can find a contractor that can design and build the kitchen by using your ideas. You have one more option and that's to hire a designer to get the kitchen you want and then hire a contractor who can accomplish your goals.

Here are just a few ideas that you can look at to make the kitchen the centre of your home; first look into placing an island in the middle of your kitchen. This will allow people to flow around the kitchen when working. I also prefer putting bar stools at one side of the island so people can sit down and eat in the kitchen. If there isn't room for an island look at having a view into the kitchen on one side of the countertops that can be used for people to sit and eat at.

Remember at the end of the day to design the kitchen you want and that is the benefit of a bespoke kitchen. 

Perfecting a Tiny Kitchen: Design Tips for Smaller Apartments

 

By Alexander Fishback





Plenty of Americans spend their time not residing in fancy sprawling mansions, but rather, trying to make things work in more compact locales. And a lot of the time, these locales end up being home for longer than some might want them to. After all, apartment dwelling is becoming more commonplace for those who aren't just in college. With bills high and wages low, it makes sense to find a way to save money, and renting something a bit more compact is often the better bargain. Even for those who are in the middle of a bustling city, where all housing is expensive, understand that opting for something smaller means saving a big chunk of cash.

For those who are trying to make a tiny apartment work, sometimes figuring out how to spruce things up and keep life feeling interesting is as simple as picking a single room of the house, and then maximizing productivity as far as layout and looks are both concerned. For those working with a small kitchen, there are plenty of simple tricks that will have renters or owners feeling as though their space provides all that it needs to, rather than stressing out about the limitations of being cramped. Here are some simple design tips for smaller apartments and the best ways to handle working within a kitchen space that is a bit lacking in size.

Shelving is the absolute most important priority for anyone who is considering some home renovations in a cramped kitchen space, and should be the first starting point, even for those who don't spend hours cooking. With the proper kind of shelving and storage, things can feel organized without getting cramped, and can even show off items that are cute without giving the impression that everything is cluttered. Those who are serious about the country kitchen feel should stick to cabinets, but anyone else who has the opportunity to build up might be a lot happier with the world of shelving, as it makes it possible to go even higher up on the wall space, and without being concerned about whether or not there is going to be too much overhang into the general area, making for a more claustrophobic feel.

A few words of caution and advice on shelving and storage in a tiny kitchen: it always makes more sense to consider the below space, i.e. cabinets underneath the sink and drawers, rather than simply thinking of going up first. And those going up will find that the more simple the shelves, the easier it is to actually locate the items being used for cooking. Consider how nice it will be for glassware and vintage items to actually be out on display, rather than stuck collecting dust in the back of some pantry.

Choosing the proper colors is also another simple way to keep things feeling bigger, rather than enclosed, in a tinier kitchen. If hanging up a mirror is out of the question, as mirrors can make a space feel considerably larger, then picking white or another color that opens up a room, rather than making it feel tiny, is the best way to go. After all, this makes it far more plausible for those who don't have much to spend on giving the impression of a larger space to pull off one of the simplest yet most effective design moves out there.

Sometimes all it takes to find the best deals out there for switching up what one's home space looks like is a single CLICK. With homeproimprovement, there's no wondering how to best handle sprucing up one's kitchen, no matter how large or small.

Important Kitchen Design Tips For Newcomers to Kitchen Remodelling

Important Kitchen Design Tips For Newcomers to Kitchen Remodelling

If you are planning a kitchen remodel for the first time then I really appreciate how stressful it can be. Apart from the many ranges and styles of kitchens available online and in free brochures to get ideas and inspiration from there are some harsh realities that you need to know. Unfortunately, having done a number of kitchen remodels the later far more successful and easier than the earlier ones I have learned a number of things which I think are vital for those new to kitchen remodelling need to know if they want their kitchen remodel to be a fairly simple operation. I list the key factors of a good kitchen remodel as follows:

Plan, Plan, Plan and plan again

Most of you will read this and probable say but I already know that and you are right. However, there is real thorough planning where you cover every possible detail and plan for potential problems which is differing from having a few ideas in your head, alot of kitchen ideas and a basic kitchen plan. Believe you me the planning process of kitchen remodels is so important that it will not only save you time but also money and stress.

When planning you kitchen remodel you need to think about the following:

1. Plumbing:

Where do you want the sink and washing machine to be?

Is the existing piping in the right place for the sink and washing machine to be fitted exactly where you want it now?

Also, is the pipe work dated (if the property is old) and in need of updating?

Does the pipe work have the necessary stop taps in case of an emergency in which you need to lock off the water supply for a particular area?

This may seem like a stupid and simple question but I am amazed at how many homes and even small businesses such as take aways have few stop taps and some cases just the mains stop tap. If you don't have sufficient stop taps in the kitchen and have a problem such as leaking pipe it means you will have to lock off the mains system cutting off all the water to the home which means no hot water, central heating and running water until the problem is fixed. I learnt the hard way during my first kitchen remodel when a pipe burst in the kitchen during a very cold spell and I had to turn off the mains water stop tap which also caused further problems with the central heating due to the drop in temperature and the freezing of pipes! 

Does your gas point need to be moved due to fitting your hob or gas appliances in another part of the kitchen?  

A friend of mine, who in his rush to move into his new home, decided not to take my free advice about planning his kitchen remodel throughly and in detail, informing me 'I don't have the time, I'll get it sorted, no worries, may be next time'. As he solely focused on getting his kitchen fitted and relying on advice from a small kitchen business he had not planned the necessary steps for his pipe work to be fitted exactly where he needed it. In his old kitchen his cooker was in the corner where as in his new kitchen he was installing his new hob on another wall in the middle. This meant that his gas pipe needed to be moved. However, in his rush to have his kitchen fitted he had his floor tiled so the kitchen could be fitted on top of the tiles before moving the gas point to the other wall where the new hob would be. Where the pipe should have been fed under the floor boards to the new location it had to run along the wall which caused more work and complexity when fitting the kithcen units thus costing more time and money.

Should I use copper or the plastic easy fit piping?

Copper may cost more but give me it any day over plastic piping. I have seen on a number of occassions plastic pipes cause so much damage due to the push joints on plastic failing where copper would be so much more superior as a material. Also when pipe work can be seen copper looks so much nicer than plastic!

Do I have an extractor fan fitted with carbon filters or an extractor fan connected to a pipe which sucks in air from outside?

An extractor fan which uses air from outside is much better and more cost effective than using an extractor fan with carbon filters that must be changed regularly to be effective. However an extractor fan which sucks in air from outside needs a pipe that leads to an external wall and therefore should be on an external wall or very close to one otherwise you will see a pipe above your cabinets which doesn't look particulary appealing. This is where using an extractor fans with carbon filters excel they can be placed anywhere. If you are not bothered about the additional cost of changing carbon filters and plan to have it in a location away from an external wall then it is the better option.

2. Design:

Are my kitchen walls in a good enough condition to simple paint them?

I have seen kitchen walls in my time old and even recently plastered that have more bumps and bends then a country valley! Such walls needed to be rectified and made smooth and flat by a good plasterer before you paint, or should be tiled. I have seen people paint on walls that are not straight and flat in the hope that the paint may cover up somehow the uneveness of the walls! It doesn't work! Replaster or tile!

Are my tiles cheap ceramic tiles or heavy duty porcelain tiles which need super diamond drill bits to drill through?

I love Italian porcelain tiles. They are thick, strong and robust. They will last a life time and still look beautiful however... Thick porcelain tiles Italian or otherwise are a nightmare to drill into. I have wasted so many drill bits along side other work collegues that I am sure we made the DIY stores we frequented rich just because of our purchasing of drill bits! Cheap ceramic tiles break often so buy extra as you will need them!

Do a use cheap paint to safe costs or do I use expensive paint?

I was ask this recently what is the difference between cheap and expensive paint. What is the difference? It depends on the quality of the product not the price? I buy alot of paint from a paint recylcing place in my home town which will mix whateever colors to your taste using expensive and cheap paints. I have found that they are as good as expensive paints that are branded as top quality. What I always do in order to use less paint especially on newly plastered walls is wash the walls with PVA bonding mixed with water and then add a little PVA glue to the paint so I use less coats of paint, saving time and money.

Lighting

If you have a small kitchen do not go for dark coloured units especially if your lighting is limited. If you have large windows which allow you alot of sunlight then you can consider having darker cabinets. Spot lights really help in kitchens which lack natural lights and reflective surfaces such as the high gloss kitchen units also help to create the effective of more light due to their reflective quality.

Workmen

Please, please use professional kitchen fitters or joiners who have sufficient experience and show you examples of their work. Don't be fooled there is a huge difference between a professional kitchen fit and a standard kitchen fit done by the local joiner or your friend. Somone who specialises in fitting kitchens will be much better than someone who fits kitchens sometimes, hangs doors, builds bookshelves etc.

Also, if you are using tilers, plasters and plumbers ask to see there work and ask around about them. I amaze at how poor the level of quality and service is being offered by so many workmen. I have suffered dearly financially due to poor workmen. And finally, if a workman is cheap beware! Cheap price poor quality! And don't pay all upfront! 

Kitchen Units

There has been so much said on this subject that I have very little to say. Work with a good kitchen designer to produce the kitchen the way you want it in terms of style, use, space and comfort. Read some of the other blog posts on this blog which discuss this more detail.

Hope you enjoy this article until the next;

Al