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Monday, April 25th, 2016
Fine Furniture Design Dining Room Rectangular Dining Table 1051-818 spells cozy and comfortable.
The kitchen is known as the heart of your home and don’t you agree that it is referred to as such because it is more than just a place where you could cook and eat? The key ingredients to a welcoming kitchen are your family, friends and your guests. This is an area of socialization, a place where relationships flourish and remain intact.
So what can you do to make the kitchen a grand social spot?
It’s All About Coziness
Generally, people do not like hanging out inside desolate rooms. This means that your kitchen has to be comfortable so that people will be drawn to it.
The kitchen that comes with a small (or large) dining area has to have a generous amount of seating. Each chair must have comfy cushions. A beautiful dining table accessorized with a big bowl of fresh fruits will give the place a lived-in feel and a more inviting vibe.
You might also want to consider including a casual seating section. You would soon notice that people would take more time to spend with you as they sit in that comfy chair in your kitchen. A sofa, cushioned bench or chair would effortlessly create a welcoming ambience. Placing the sofa perpendicular to the kitchen island would give the cooking area and chill out zone a more defined division.
Fusing the Dining Area and the Kitchen
If your kitchen was naturally built with a dining area, then it would require you less effort to make that area feel like a hub. This can become your entertainment hub as opposed to the usual spot which is the living room.
You would be surprised at the number of people that you can actually accommodate even in a small space.
Set Up a Breakfast Bar
If you don’t want to dedicate a dining table inside the kitchen, then that’s okay; you can still set up a spot where guests, friends and family members can sit down and have a chat while you are busy prepping the meal.
Having a breakfast bar right at the end of the kitchen peninsula or island is the right solution. This provides a comfy place for people to relax, tuck their knees in, and just be themselves.
The Winners Only Dining Room 48 Inch Bench DJ1455 will sit 2-3 people, making it the perfect addition to the kitchen’s social hub.
Kitchen with a View
What if you are one of the few who are blessed with a picturesque view right outside the kitchen window? What do you think you could do with that?
When you are planning a kitchen remodel, then think how you can include that view. Make the kitchen more inviting by facing the dining nook towards the window. If the kitchen has glazed windows or doors looking out the terrace or garden, then make sure that everyone faces the beautiful scenery outside.
Lighten It All Up
If the kitchen is opening directly to the outdoors, the kitchen will immediately become the center of your home. Bi-fold doors can open to the terrace which makes the division between the outdoors and indoors a tad more blurry.
Natural lighting is great but come dusk or the evening, of course, no one wants to be found inside a dingy or dark room. Make the kitchen as bright as possible. You would want people to be uplifted when they enter that part of your home so better fill the kitchen up with light.
Having the place painted with a pale or white shade is also an easy way to make the kitchen appear brighter. Shutters can be used to cover just the lower part of the kitchen windows, allowing sunlight to naturally flow in during the day.
Tags: dining nook, guidelines, kitchen, kitchen as social area, kitchen organization, kitchen plan, kitchen planning, McCreery's Furnishings, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, tips
Posted in Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements, Kitchen Design | No Comments »
Monday, March 21st, 2016
What kitchen doesn’t need a cabinet? Hooker Furniture Dining Room Sanctuary Dining Cabinet Hutch is great for eat-in kitchens.
As the old saying goes – the kitchen is the heart of every home. This is the place where birthday cakes are baked (or at least decorated), the turkey is carved, or Christmas dinner is served. This can also be the place where family secrets are spilt. What good can a kitchen do when no kitchen planning has been done, though?
Functional and Aesthetic Kitchen Planning
In every aspect of life, it pays if one has a pertinent plan. This concept is also applicable to building or renovating a kitchen. Kitchens should be practical so you have to plan for that initially. This can be reflected from the breakfast bar to the bin placement down to the practical things and where they are stored.
Kitchen islands that come with bar stools are essentials in all modern kitchens. Called breakfast bars, they are the best way to separate your kitchen from the rest of the living area.
Parents could cook dinner while watching over their kids who are doing their homework. Friends can also visit and enjoy a glass of wine as the host cooks at arm’s length. Adding a breakfast bar to your kitchen should also include an island overhang. This offers ample legroom for those who are seated on the bar stools. About 12 to 19 inches of overhang at the back side of the kitchen island should be comfortable enough.
Next, you need to plan for the placement of the sink and dishwasher. This is essential if you want to avoid dripping grease on your kitchen flooring. Be sure to place the dishwasher at about arm’s length from the sink. This is so when you rinse off excess food from the plates, you can just place them straight away into the dishwasher.
If both are misplaced, then you will have to travel all the way across to the other side of the kitchen. You will then be left with a dirty floor – and, of course, no one enjoys mopping dirty floors.
Properly install the kitchen bin where food scraps will go. It has to be at a place that is most accessible from any point in the kitchen. Place it at the end of the island or bench which is closest to the kitchen door. When placed this way, you can just throw something to the bin when you walk past the kitchen or when you are busy cooking something.
Maitland-Smith Kitchen Island 5130-649
These days, storing the kettle and the toaster on the kitchen bench isn’t the in thing to do anymore. The trend is to hide as many appliances as you can (especially the bulky ones). Cupboards should house your electrical sockets. Install more than one double socket since most homes are using a lot of appliances all at once every day. Just imagine the appliances that you use in the morning – the coffee machine, food processors, toaster, etc. – and you’d be overwhelmed at the number of sockets that you would need.
Lighting is also another important part if kitchen planning. Since this place is prone to accidents, then it is but fitting that it should have ample illumination. Just imagine all the things that could injure you there – from sharp knives, hot plates to the gas stove…
Combine ceiling lights with under cabinet lighting. Pendant lights should also be installed as should down lights. General lighting should be able to illuminate the whole space. All these lights should eliminate any dark shadows in corners.
Consider which part of the kitchen needs the most amount of light. Are you the type that stays up late to entertain guests? Or do you like to cook or bake alone? Whatever kind of kitchen user you are, planning is essential so make time for it.
Tags: kitchen design, kitchen plan, kitchen planning, kitchen plans, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, planning the kitchen
Posted in Furniture, Kitchen Design | No Comments »
Wednesday, March 2nd, 2016
The marriage of white and anything wooden is a lovely fusion that will make the white kitchen more exciting.Featured kitchen piece is the Universal Furniture Dining Room Kitchen Table 323653
A lot of people are drawn to bold patterns and bright colors in their kitchens; only a few even have inkling of the beauty that a white kitchen could offer. You cannot, of course, specify to use white materials for all your fixtures, furniture and finishes. Doing so won’t finish your kitchen makeover task. Remember that this hue is not the most forgiving color, don’t you automatically see even the most minute dirt or details when they are placed against a white backdrop?
White easily reflects light. Compared to dark hues, it does not absorb light so it is best used in accentuating materials or keeping them right smack on centerstage.
In the wrong hands, white can feel sterile, unwelcoming and too cold. If you have to use white, then know which materials will make it less boring. Natural wood has a tendency to make white more interesting. Adding wood in your furniture or flooring, for instance, can add charm, warmth and character. Dashes of bold colors will also look great on a white backdrop. If you want a serene surrounding still with dashes of white, then use it together with tan, shades of beige, gray or any other neutral colors.
Lamps and Lighting Uttermost Glacio 2 1 Light Kitchen Island Fixture 21249 will provide illumination in a white kitchen, making it appear more spectacular.
White Kitchen Personalized
Get ready to shell out $60,000 USD all for good results according to the National Association of Realtors. This is how much every homeowner needs to prepare for when renovating a kitchen. If you want to renovate without breaking the bank, then come up with a white kitchen.
The white kitchen allows the homeowner to make his own personal touches. The accent colors, artwork and accessories will surely pop out if you use white as your canvas. If you are serious about using white on your upcoming kitchen remodel, then you have a lot of thinking to do. This is a color scheme that can stand the test of time as it will always look fresh and clean.
Psychologically, it has also been observed that white releases positive vibes. It can also add space visually which is great if you are stuck with a small kitchen.
White is also the artist’s playground. It can feature artwork, framed photographs, wall sconces, fireplaces, and just about anything that you would want to highlight.
White is also highly available when you are out to find tiles, sinks, faucets, even appliances. There are also white countertops, shelves, even white concrete.
White is the ultimate canvas.
Why Is White So Popular?
The color white became quite popular in the mid-20s till 30’s. This was the sole color offered by all manufacturers then. If you would look back then, it makes a lot of sense because white is linked to health and sanitation, two things that were needful to keep the flu epidemic from spreading then.
These days, though, times have changed. White is an enduring color, it is timeless, it is clean, but it can also show even the slightest amount of dirt.
The popularity of white wasn’t just used in furniture creation and in room painting. Even appliances that are colored white tend to outsell the colored ones. The number of white cabinets also made waves because people tend to favor this clean color for their cabinetry. Just think of white as a monochromatic means of beautifying any room.
White simply says no to going out of style.
Should the White Kitchen Be All White?
The answer is – of course not. You can still have stainless steel appliances even when you have a kitchen painted in white. The key to keeping this color exciting is to balance it with the rest of the theme. Be sure to scale your options properly so that white still remains the dominant color in your white kitchen.
Tags: kitchen, kitchen organization, kitchen plan, kitchen planning, kitchen remodel, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, white kitchen
Posted in Interior Design 101, Interior Design Themes, Kitchen Design | No Comments »
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