All About Kitchen Renovation

Lighting in Your Kitchen

Marie — Wed, 06 May 2009 03:00:23 +0000

There are several ways to improve the lighting situation in a kitchen, with most resorting to the style called glare lighting with one central light kitchen designers often call “glare lighting” for it casts an ugly glare on everything and everyone in the kitchen. Three basic lighting style in your kitchen that can be cheaply achieved if they are made during a retrofit or re-make of the said space, ambient, task and accent lighting. Task lighting being the most important for it gives you the necessary light for your kitchen work allowing safe and ample light. This may seem over but it gives you light where you need it thus eliminating the need for one very large fixture for the whole space often casting shadows making it difficult to work.
Ambient lighting is the purpose of that central light but it can be divided into several small ones that would be enough to light the whole space making it warm and enticing to work in. Accent lighting, brings your kitchen’s hidden yet wonderful features to light which more often than not can be achieved with track lights giving you the flexibility to change their focus thus keeping the kitchen in different lights.

Dealing With Gunk on your Walls

Marie — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 02:12:53 +0000

The problem with gunk, oil and other stuff accumulating in the kitchen, under the stove or the sink is a common occurrence that many simply chose to get the whole kitchen re-done to do away with these problems. New paint’s can be used that contain anti-bacterial compounds and even Teflon loaded paint that makes clean-up a breeze. Warm soapy water tends to be the best tool for cleaning the oily dirt and soot that may be all around. Ugly marks on your stainless counters, get hold of some baking soda which can be turned into a paste to rub away those ugly water marks and stains. The baking soda is mild enough not to scratch away the rest of the finish and it works better than some commercial products.
For thick gunk, get some warm water and commercial cleaner to soften and make removal easier. To prevent smells like in the trash bin, pour some baking soda into them as you change the bag, it absorbs odors and sanitizes the bin at the same time. Activated carbon gets new paint smells to dissipate clearly. Vinegar also works within newly painted cabinets and other enclosed spaces making them go away allowing you to get down to using them again in no time (as long as the paint is dry that is!).

Counter-top Beauty

Marie — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 02:07:44 +0000

The best counter top for those who love to bake or make pasta with their own hands is marble which is cool and prevents pasta from drying out quickly. Marble has long been a favorite for such uses due to the luxury and beauty it possesses. Marble for cooking use may need no protection for it is beautiful on its own, but for other surfaces, they may need a coat of sealant hence they will get water logged and can crumble if repeatedly exposed to acids such as vinegar and other cleaning agents. Granite is also a favorite due to again the natural beauty of the patterns and designs that reflects with changes in lighting as the day progresses. These counter tops require the same care as marble for as with any natural stones, they can get damaged and will crack if improperly installed.
Wood has been used as a counter top for a long time due to its good anti-bacterial qualities due to the tannin in the bark which is an effective anti-bacterial agent. It kills bacteria and discourages growth of those nasty, disease causing germs and bacteria. Clean them after every use and get a separate cutting board for meats to prevent cross-contamination of food items. Protect them with natural varnishes that are sfae for use on such items and steer away from those containing VOC’s that can release harmful vapors that are known to cause cancer

Some practical tips on kitchen renovations

editor — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 17:18:54 +0000

1. Use durable materials. Especially if you use your kitchen often, you should use good, sturdy materials that will stand the test of time even though it’s exposed to a lot of heat, moisture, oil, and whatnot.

2. Make sure that you have safe storage space for all you utensils, implements, pots, pans, etc. Knives especially should NEVER be left lying around and must always be stored properly. The same goes for any breakables like china and porcelain, as well as glasses and mugs.

3. Make your storage cabinets accessible.

4. Don’t be too fussy over the design. Heavy kitchen users especially should not use too much unessential designs like a chandelier in the kitchen, as these will only collect grime over time, and will be extremely difficult to clean, whether over time, or regularly and frequently.

Green Kitchen Disposal Units

Marie — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 23:25:43 +0000

Trash is one of man’s greatest by-products that would otherwise end up in the landfill occupying space and causing pollution without proper management. Installing segregation trash bins where trash is divided into the three most common groups (wet, recyclable and non-biodegradable) gives you the flexibility of going green from the kitchen down rather than having to segregate trash later outside. Wet garbage such as food trimmings and leftovers can be turned into compost and are safe for landfills. Recyclable items are those made of paper, glass and plastic that can be sent to the recycling center without contamination from other waste products.
There is also an easy way to earn a buck, by segregating recyclables and taking them to the recycling center or grocer who may have those machines that drop change for every bottle you return. Or the cartons and newspapers that are bought for recycled paper, some paper buyers get them and pay for clean paper (extra for office paper or bond for it is of better quality than newspaper). have the bins hidden under the sink if you have the space or arrange the bins outside with color coded letters or lids so everybody can participate.

Kitchen Make-Over

editor — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 08:47:22 +0000

Kitchens being the most to suffer from wear and tear from constant use most often precedes all other parts of a house as a candidate for a make-over. There are a lot of small things that can give an otherwise drab kitchen new life such as novelty cabinet hardware that comes in many shapes and sizes.
Go to the hardware store and take a sample with you so you get those that line-up so you don’t end up with kitchen and cabinet doors studded with holes. If the ones you have are old and you think may be of value, why not get them on ebay for another man’s junk may be gold to others. Use fancy ones that have either glass or crystal inserts to add sophistication. Got stains on the ceiling, measure out the part and order a stainless steel panel you can bolt onto the wall for some effect, it’s also a lot easier to clean.

Kitchen Design

Marie — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 15:31:58 +0000

Image Source: ewkitchens.com

House gatherings often move into the kitchen and a design concept that is free from obstructions is a great idea. Hip and well coordinated appliances, cabinets and counters become the “main attraction” and will enhance the look of the adjacent dining and receiving rooms. The designer of recessed cabinets is probably tall. Building a space in the wall to move the refrigerator back is one solution to this predicament. Most women adore plenty of storage space for all the kitchen knick knacks and what-have-yous. Pull-out and or revolving shelves and drawer organizers are an absolute must to tidy up the kitchen utensils.

How to Improve your Kitchen Looks

Marie — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 06:06:16 +0000

Image Source: design.hgtv.com

Repaint your kitchen with classic colors. It will attract buyers should you want to sell your house in the future.
Decorating your kitchen according to the season will surely liven it up. Christmas decors never failed to cheer up any room.

Off season, your kitchen could be brighter because of quaintly potted herbs and spices by your window sill or by simply putting new curtains.

Learn the magic use of mirrors in your kitchen. Position it in such a way that the light it reflects bounces around the room.
Your favorite cookbooks can also be used decors in your kitchen especially when grouped together in interesting positions. Some could standing up while others could be lying down.
Plants will always lend some green in any room. It provides a breath of fresh oxygen into any room. Hang some indoor plants in bare corners of your kitchen. You can also use plastic or silk plants.
Rugs can add character to your kitchen and at the same time can cover an old or scratched floor. If you like to put a rug under the table, it shopuld be big enough for the chairs when they are pulled out.
Borders can make your kitchen walls interesting. Using paint to do this will save you some change.
Display some of your ceramic or dinnerware sets to use them as decors to make your kitchen attractive.

Guide to Induction Cooking

Marie — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 04:21:36 +0000

The kitchen is the heart of the home, and the stove is it’s main component. If you’re thinking of updating your kitchen, why not choose a stove that’s functional as well as stylish? Check out the new induction cooktops. While it may be more expensive than conventional gas or smoothtop electric cooktops, it performs better and is the safest and most energy-efficient way to cook. Induction uses electromagnetic energy to heat the pan. The plus side is that it powers up and down fast and the heat setting adjusts instantly and with greater precision. That means no more “hot spots” and the cooking surface heats evenly. With induction cooktops, the surrounding area stays cool, and the smooth, flat surface is easy to clean, so you can wipe spills even while you’re cooking. The downside with induction cooktops is that it only works with electricity, and they only work with pans that are iron-based, such as enamelled steel, cast iron or magnetic stainless steel. So if you have glass bottomed or ceramic pans, you’ll have to replace your cookware as well.

Kitchen Remodelling

Marie — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 10:33:10 +0000

Image source: www.marcandtys.blogspot.com

The kitchen serves as a room of a place appropriated for cooking. And by renovating your kitchen means trouble. What if you don’t have an extra space to place in your kitchen utensils and appliances? That’s really going to be a disaster since you will not have an appropriate space to cook. Don’t be too much impulsive in renovating your kitchen. Some people get carried away with their thoughts because of the television shows about kitchen renovations. It may look or seem easy in the television but when we start to do it ourselves personally we feel confused about it. So just start by getting inspiration on the style that you want your kitchen to have. If your thoughts are coming a little bit short, browse through the pages of a magazine regarding about kitchen renovations. We must also consider the cost that will be incurred in the renovation; your budget may run short during the process.