By Michelle Reynold
Kitchen designs differ from country to country - so why not incorporate some
international kitchen design ideas into your home.
The weather has a major influence on the way we live. Homes in climates that are constantly hot are constructed in a completely different manner to those that have to withstand dramatic changes from one season to another.
In a country where for most of the year food is cooked on an outside barbecue and meals are eaten al fresco the kitchen design may reflect this lifestyle. It may be that ensuring that you have good ventilation to maintain a cool atmosphere inside becomes your primary concern, and of course efficient refrigeration will be vital if perishable foods are to be stored safely. Choosing lightweight furniture that can easily be moved into the garden, or onto the verandah, patio or terrace is another practical aspect to consider; it is usually made of woven cane or pale timber.
If it is continually hot outside, you may prefer to
create a kitchen that will also be visually cool - by devising a pale, soothing color scheme. Use flat matt shades of blue and grey with pale painted walls and try to avoid complicated patterns that would upset the sense of calm. It is worth remembering, however, that these decorative schemes need lots of bright clear light, or their coolness tends to become clinical and unwelcoming.
The enduring appeal of the white villages of rural southern Spain, Provence and Tuscany is due in part to the other colors - drawn from the surrounding countryside - that are combined with that white. These baked terracotta, natural sandstone and dusty pink tones also provide warmth in the winters, which are often harshly cold. Of course you can glean inspiration and decorative ideas from holidays abroad, but to transport the style of one country to another may be completely disastrous: colors that look sensational in sunshine can feel oppressive unless you can reproduce a similar light, by natural or artificial means.
Thick wooden shutters on the windows, or canvas canopies, function not only to provide shade in summer but protection from freezing winds too. Stone or tiled floors are pleasantly cool in the summer and may be warmed up by mats or rugs if necessary And you may have a door opening directly from the kitchen onto the garden that can be left open permanently when the weather is fine to allow a cooling breeze to refresh the kitchen. But cool breezes become icy draughts in winter so this will probably need weatherproofing - with a warm and colorful curtain perhaps. And flexible but reliable heating that can respond quickly to changes in the weather is a modern convenience that nearly everyone would consider essential.
It is obviously sensible to wait for a year before you make any major design decisions, unless you are really confident that you can anticipate any seasonal weather changes. Real style is definitely more than surface deep.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Key Elements of Good Kitchen Design Online
By Jerry McClelland
Good kitchen design online implements several key elements:
Work Triangle - This is the distance between the stove, refrigerator, and sink. These are the three "focal points" of your kitchen, and together they form the work triangle. It's important to think about the work triangle as you do your kitchen design online. Minimizing the distance between them and maximizing accessibility will make it easier to prepare food, cook, and clean.
I recommend taking a sheet of paper and making a rough sketch of the layout of your kitchen. Where is your fridge located in relation to your stove? Are they next to each other? Are they opposite each other? Where is your sink located? Could it be relocated to a more practical spot? Ask yourself these questions as you plan your kitchen design online.
There is no set in stone rule about where to place these appliances. Just keep the work triangle in mind, use your common sense, and go with what feels right to you.
Space - Not everyone is blessed with having a large area for their kitchen. And not everyone can afford to take down a wall (or two). But it is still possible to maximize the space that you DO have for optimum convenience. Often all it takes is rearranging the layout of the kitchen, or buying more compact appliances that don't take up as much space. Proper use of colors and decoration can also go a long way in making a kitchen seem larger than it really is.
If there are only going to be one or two people actively using the kitchen, you might not need as much counter space as you think you do. Use this space instead for something else, or to open up the kitchen and make it bigger. Also, removing excess "stuff" and furniture that isn't really necessary will also open up the space.
Aesthetics - Your kitchen is most likely the central hub of your home. When you really think about, you'll start to notice that family members and visitors naturally tend to gather around the kitchen. Therefore, it's important to make your kitchen a reflection of you by decorating it tastefully and creatively. A drab, dull kitchen can bring down the atmosphere of the entire house.
Feel free to express yourself and your tastes while planning your kitchen design online, but if you plan on selling your home in the future, you must also keep the potential home-buyer in mind. Avoid using any outrageous or unusual colors and themes. Try to keep it as tasteful as possible, while still adding your own personal touch.
It's easy to think, plan, and scheme, but taking action with your kitchen design online involves spending money.
In this economy, it's hard to finance a proper kitchen redesign or remodel. Yet at the same time, you may be heavily relying on your new kitchen design, as it plays a huge role in the re-sell value of your house. If you're having a tough time selling your home, a kitchen remodel may be exactly what you need to attract potential buyers. But how on earth can you afford it?
Good kitchen design online implements several key elements:
Work Triangle - This is the distance between the stove, refrigerator, and sink. These are the three "focal points" of your kitchen, and together they form the work triangle. It's important to think about the work triangle as you do your kitchen design online. Minimizing the distance between them and maximizing accessibility will make it easier to prepare food, cook, and clean.
I recommend taking a sheet of paper and making a rough sketch of the layout of your kitchen. Where is your fridge located in relation to your stove? Are they next to each other? Are they opposite each other? Where is your sink located? Could it be relocated to a more practical spot? Ask yourself these questions as you plan your kitchen design online.
There is no set in stone rule about where to place these appliances. Just keep the work triangle in mind, use your common sense, and go with what feels right to you.
Space - Not everyone is blessed with having a large area for their kitchen. And not everyone can afford to take down a wall (or two). But it is still possible to maximize the space that you DO have for optimum convenience. Often all it takes is rearranging the layout of the kitchen, or buying more compact appliances that don't take up as much space. Proper use of colors and decoration can also go a long way in making a kitchen seem larger than it really is.
If there are only going to be one or two people actively using the kitchen, you might not need as much counter space as you think you do. Use this space instead for something else, or to open up the kitchen and make it bigger. Also, removing excess "stuff" and furniture that isn't really necessary will also open up the space.
Aesthetics - Your kitchen is most likely the central hub of your home. When you really think about, you'll start to notice that family members and visitors naturally tend to gather around the kitchen. Therefore, it's important to make your kitchen a reflection of you by decorating it tastefully and creatively. A drab, dull kitchen can bring down the atmosphere of the entire house.
Feel free to express yourself and your tastes while planning your kitchen design online, but if you plan on selling your home in the future, you must also keep the potential home-buyer in mind. Avoid using any outrageous or unusual colors and themes. Try to keep it as tasteful as possible, while still adding your own personal touch.
It's easy to think, plan, and scheme, but taking action with your kitchen design online involves spending money.
In this economy, it's hard to finance a proper kitchen redesign or remodel. Yet at the same time, you may be heavily relying on your new kitchen design, as it plays a huge role in the re-sell value of your house. If you're having a tough time selling your home, a kitchen remodel may be exactly what you need to attract potential buyers. But how on earth can you afford it?
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