February 22, 2012

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Ten Ways With Red in Your Kitchen

January 30, 2012 By Jake

Red kitchens are a love it or hate it affair; some people find them exciting, vibrant and stylish while others think red is best left on pillar boxes and old fashioned telephone booths. If you want to go whole heartedly for a red kitchen, or even just dip your toe in the water – here are ten ways to give it a go:

 

  1. High gloss units. A fashionable, contemporary kitchen design featuring luscious red doors and drawer fronts will make a real statement.

  2. Ultra cool bar stools. For your breakfast bar or island unit the best bar stools can look great in red: padded leather finish, painted wood or moulded plastic the choice is yours.

  3. Stylish tiling. Splash-back or floor, red tiles will lend a great touch to an otherwise neutral kitchen design. Visit Wrenkitchens.com to view white, black or wooden models which will all work well with red.

  4. Accessories galore. Draw attention to that designer toaster or kettle by choosing the red version, or simply display red tea and coffee canisters or a fantastic red fruit bowl.

  5. Get comfy. For larger kitchens or open plan living spaces it is common to include a sofa area. A smart red sofa with funky cushions is a fun piece of furniture for the kitchen which you wouldn’t necessarily choose for the lounge.

  6. Smart art. Red paintings and art can look great on plain white walls in the kitchen; or how about a feature wall with over-sized red printed wall paper or vinyl graphics.

  7. Light it up. Lighting in the kitchen is usually practical rather than attention-seeking but if you have a dining area then a light fitting suspended over the table will look stunning. Have a look at modern takes on the traditional chandelier, available in red glass or plastic for a real wow factor.

  8. Beautiful granite. Solid stone worktops are an expensive investment but are also extremely practical, hygienic and almost indestructible. For a step away from bright red towards dark maroon or brown have a look at natural reddish granite.

  9. Iconic fridges. We all love a nice appliance! How about a fifties inspired American sized fridge in bright shiny red? Delicious.

  10. Get cooking. Pop on a red apron and some red oven gloves and get baking – it’s all the rage you know!
Filed Under: DIY: Household, Kitchen Tagged With: , , , ,

What to keep in mind when renovating a new house

October 7, 2011 By Jake

With the housing market as it is many people are looking to move up the ladder by purchasing a larger property than their current home, but one which needs a lot of work doing to it. If you decide to do this then you need to be prepared for a lot of hard work unless you are fortunate enough to have the budget to get everything done straight away. The ideal approach would be to do the work whilst you are not living in the house as this obviously gives you a better chance of getting a clear run at it. There is nothing worse than trying to carry on with normal life minus a kitchen or bathroom for any length of time.

 

If your new house needs starting from scratch and you are able to at least start the renovations whilst you live elsewhere then a new kitchen has got to be a priority. Keeping the family fed will help them get through most things! Choose your kitchen cabinets with care as you will have to live with them for a long time. Make sure you are happy with the style and design you have gone for, and most importantly that it suits the building.

 

Quality kitchens are an expensive investment, and by the time you add in all the appliances, gadgets and finishing touches you might require the whole room can cost a small fortune. The good news is that this kind of expense is likely to add value to your new property so you can comfort yourself that you are planning for your financial future and not just shopping!

 

Above all, enjoy yourself. Renovating this home might be the biggest project you ever take on and you might be there for many years enjoying the results of all your hard work.

Filed Under: Decorating, DIY: Household, Kitchen Tagged With: , , ,

Why not tile your own kitchen?

September 12, 2011 By Jake

If you’re keen to undertake a new DIY task around the home, you might want to consider tiling your kitchen. Kitchens are an important room for most people, as they tend to be a hive of activity most of the time, whether people are making their lunch, baking some cakes or eating their dinner.

Whether people have fitted kitchens or not, there’s scope to make some improvements in the room, so why not pick out some stylish new tiles and get started? First of all, you’ll need to mix up some thinset to cover the floor before you put the backer boards down. At this point, don’t mix up too much mortar, as it’ll dry out and won’t be as effective – try and only make enough to last around an hour. Put the thinset on the base of the floor using a notched trowel, smoothing it out over the surface. Then, once the whole floor is covered, you’ll need to start putting the backer boards in place. Set the pieces down slowly and screw them into place – it should have a grid-like pattern to follow to ensure all the pieces are in the right places.

After this, you’ll be able to decide on a tile pattern. Use some spacers as a guide and lay out an entire row of tiles across the floor – this will allow you to estimate how many tiles will be needed and if any problems might arise along the way, for example, when you get to a corner. Spread some more thinset after you’ve done this and lay down the tiles very carefully, making any necessary adjustments to the pattern while the mortar is still wet. Insert some spacers immediately afterwards, to make sure they are all evenly spaced out on the floor.

Make sure you clean up any thinset while it’s still wet, otherwise it’ll be quite tricky to do. And once the tiles are done, finish off with some grouting, then voila, your DIY project is complete.

Filed Under: DIY: Household, Kitchen Tagged With: , ,

Island and Peninsula Destinations

August 30, 2011 By Jake

I would love to say that I am about to wax lyrical about some exotic far flung holiday paradise but unfortunately I am actually thinking about my latest DIY project to spruce up the kitchen. Don’t stop reading just yet however as there might just be something of interest, even if it isn’t an idyllic sandy beach or a trailing palm tree…

 

My kitchen is quite large and very square and currently has a floor space area which is too small to fit a table and chairs without impinging on workspace but is an inefficient use of the room. I am also suffering from a lack of space on my kitchen worktops as the work spaces are all broken up small areas in between appliances. Whoever designed it was very unimaginative and a little bit annoying!

 

So, to the drawing board, with the ultimate aim of creating a more pleasing arrangement and making better use of the dimensions of the room, and this is where the islands and peninsulas come in. An island unit as you are probably aware is a standalone unit which in its most basic form usually contains some kitchen cabinets below and a work surface above. Things can be fancier however, by incorporating appliances, a sink, a hob or even separate height finishes for food preparation and eating. The design considerations will be determined by how big the island will be and what your plans are elsewhere in the room. A peninsula is simply an extension of a kitchen work top over empty space to allow for stools underneath and to create a breakfast bar or eating area.

 

I plan to add both into my new kitchen and may even combine the two! The result will be a much more efficient workspace and a more sociable environment with seating rather than lurking room. Wish me luck – I can’t wait!

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Can You Convert Your Kitchen?

August 23, 2011 By

If you are eyeing up your kitchen for a major re-vamp or considering purchasing a house with a kitchen that you hate, there are a few options to think about beforehand.

It can be hard to imagine the room without anything in it, fitted units included, but that is often the easiest place from which to start your thought process while making your decision.

With kitchens that are too small, you could consider knocking through to the dining room to make a larger, open plan living space. This can work well for families as Mum can be in the kitchen preparing a meal whilst children are doing their homework at the dining table. There may also be the option to build an extension along the back of the house to increase the size of the room and the amount of light that comes in. Conservatories work well as kitchen extensions and are a great place to locate a dining table.

Perhaps you just don’t like the arrangement of the kitchen cabinets . In this instance, it may just be a case of engaging the services of a professional design service to make the most of the space available. Maybe you could introduce different elements to improve the workspace, such as a central island unit, or simply move everything around. These changes will partly depend upon plumbing and electrical considerations, so make sure your scheme is possible before you start ripping out the old units. A badly laid out kitchen is horrible to live in but may actually be quite easy to fix.

Once your plans are in place, you may decide to do some or all of the work yourself as a DIY project. Be careful not to be over ambitious and don’t be afraid to ask for help from a contractor if you need it. Remember it can often be cheaper to get work done right in the first place than to have mistakes rectified at a later date! Get your kitchen conversion right and the whole family will benefit every day of the week.

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