Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Tips on how to Increase Your Kitchen Design With Beadboard Wainscoting

Beadboard wainscoting is frequently connected with older houses, especially becasue it is existed because the 1600s, and was initially accustomed to safeguard walls from damage. It are available in any room of the house, from lavatories to hallways to kitchen areas, where it may cover any area of the walls. It may be distressed, stained, colored, or perhaps left in the natural wood tone. Because of so many options, beadboard is a superb accessory for your kitchen area, whether you select it as being a highlight or do the installation more liberally.

What's Beadboard Wainscoting?

Beadboard includes tongue and groove strips of wood which are fitted together and nailed across the wall. The bead, or indentation, that runs in between each board is exactly what defines beadboard. This bead could be various sizes, with respect to the width from the boards themselves and the kind of beadboard you buy. Beadboard wainscoting generally goes partway in the wall, although beadboard can typically be both up and down or flat within the entire wall, if preferred. Typically, it's placed up and down having a decorative chair rail and molding across the bottom and top, framework the wainscoting across the wall.

Although real beadboard is tongue and groove and may come as separate boards, you can buy sheets of beadboard at lumber yards or diy stores. These come in primed and unprimed, pine, oak or perhaps a composite. It is best, for authenticity's sake, to select a genuine wood product. If you are planning to fresh paint the beadboard, pine is easily the most cost-effective, and primed options could save you one step. The actual wood also looks more realistic compared to composite sheets.

Beadboard Wainscoting in the kitchen area: Where Should it Go?

You will find a number of ways to boost your kitchen area. It's really a focus or perhaps an accent, based on your taste. For instance, if you would like that it is a focus, you are able to decide to reface your cabinets with doorways which include a beadboard center. You may also make beadboard wainscoting you backsplash, each of which help draw attention and can define your kitchen's style.

For any more subtle approach, attempt to add beadboard wainscoting towards the outdoors of the kitchen island or place it along your walls, particularly if you possess a large, eat-in kitchen which will show-off your beadboard wainscoting addition. For those who have a built-in seating, like a banquette or bench chair, possibly beneath a window, consider facing it with beadboard wainscoting for any cottage feel.

Finishing Choices for Beadboard Wainscoting

Beadboard wainscoting doesn't have to become whitened, but could be colored to enhance your overall kitchen color, possibly a more dark shade if you are planning to use it the wall or highlight seating. You can distress it to have an aged, antique look or you will stain it, particularly if you plan for doing things on cabinet doorways or across the outdoors of the kitchen island, although a colored finish works well because well. Obviously, if you like its natural color, apply a obvious varnish into it to preserve it making it shine.

Sunday, April 28, 2013

Just How Much Overhang Can My Granite Counter top Have Without Additional Support?

How much overhang can I have without additional support? The short answer everyone is looking for is 12 inches. The Marble institute of America recommends no more than 12 inches unsupported. This short answer is not enough as there are variables that must be understood to safely answer this question. The maximum overhang depends upon the hardness of the stone and just how much counter IS FULLY supported vs how much is not. Cantilevered weight offset, is what we are looking for.

Here is an extreme example. If you only have 6 inches of stone on top of a wall cap then the maximum safe overhang is 2 inches following the 2/3rds rule. The Marble institutes 12 inch guide line may lead someone to believe that it is OK to have 12 inches of overhang when in this situation it would immediately fall off the wall and potentially injure anyone with feet in the path of the falling granite.

So to clarify the maximum overhang is the lesser of 2/3rd or 12 inches. Even that depends upon the fragility of the material. I would not recommend a 12 inch unsupported overhang with Onyx due to how soft and fragile the material is and you can get away with 16 inches if the material was Absolute Black as the material is fissure free and extremely hard.

How much overhang can you have without additional support? This question comes up daily and affects layout and overall design of many kitchens.

The straight answer is up to 12 inches for granite, providing 2/3 or more is cantilevered to offset the unsupported weight.

Peninsula overhangs can make or break the overall functionality of a kitchen. The use of Corbels or legs to support additional overhangs can affect chairs and leg areas so finding solutions can affect the functionality of a kitchen design.

You can have more and sometimes less is recommended depending upon the actual stone. Very hard stones can safely support more overhang, providing the 2/3 cantilevered criteria is met. Softer or more fragile stones may dictate less overhang.

What options do you have if you just have to have more overhang. well there are couple different ones to consider.

Below are some of the popular solutions and options as well some pros and cons to each solution.

-Corbels- Visible but decorative

-Brackets- Inexpensive and effective, installed properly works better on wall tops than upon cabinets
themselves.

-Legs -Visible, decorative but in the way of chairs and peoples legs.

-Granite Countertop support brackets- Hidden and concealed but offers great support. They must be installed before the granite and cut into the cabinet itself. They are specifically designed for this challenge.

-Rods- Can be installed inside of the stone to strengthen and potentially extend the limit as this technique does reinforces fragile stones, but does nothing to extend the cantilever rule of 2/3rds.

Think a worst case scenario such as someone deciding to jump up on top of a countertop and ask yourself, "would that be safe" Consider the application as well. what is safe in a frat house is not the same for what is safe in a retirement community. Consider the application, material, cantilever support and err to the safe side when designing and planning the amount of overhang you might engineer into your granite countertops.

Dan DiTomaso Stone Masters Inc. http://www.stonemastersinc.net

Friday, April 26, 2013

Creating a Pool with Glass Variety Tile

Incorporating glass mosaics design into your swimming pool can be just the thing to make your pool come to life, it will keep your pool from being ordinary and suffering from the ho hum's.

Colored cementacious finish coatings that are pretty typical today. After some years they start to wear and fade. With solid colored glass tile you will never have to have your pool walls recoated again. This can save quite a bit of money in the long run.

Glass tile is forever, it will never change its look or loose it's vibrant color due to the wear of chlorine and sun. Maintenance is a snap as the glass tile is non-pourus and cannot be penetrated by staining from unwanted objects that can wind up in the pool such as leaves.

There are so many colors, sizes and styles available it is sometimes difficult to choose. Some have a reflective quality. They are manufactured using a mirror backing with a transparent colored glass overlay. While some glass mosaics are opaque and others semitransparent. They all have unique qualities that work for many different looks and effects.

There are even photo luminescent tiles that absorb ambient light during the day and then at night they give off that stored up light. Glass mosaics are fantastic for your waterline as opposed to the everyday tiles offered from most pool companies. Some pool tile suppliers have special software that allows you to design your own blend or design of pool tile mosaics.

One feature that colorful mosaics are great for in modern swimming pool design is the vanishing edge. This is usually one side of the pool that has no coping; instead the top of the swimming pool wall is flat and lower than the surrounding coping. The water flows over the top of the wall and down into a reservoir and is recirculated back into the pool, it looks as though the water just vanishes over the edge.

The beach is a really cool feature; there is no step down into the pool. It is just like walking out of the ocean or a pond. The pool bottom is constructed so that it gradually tapers up to the level of the pool deck . This can be wonderful for children and older folks. For wheel chair bound swimmers, the beach can be used as a ramp for the wheel chair as there is no step to contend with.

Sometimes the entire pool is clad with the glass mosaic and the glass color gradates from a blue or green into a gradation of dark to light beige as it meets the pool deck

My favorite pool enhancement is a swim up island bar. You can sit around it sipping your favorite beverage and chat with your friends and family while being submerged in the refreshing cool water.

The colorful mosaics also can help to avoid accidents from people jumping into the pool and hitting a step or swim out that cannot be seen because the step or swim out is the same color as the rest of the pool interior. This can be a spine-jarring hazard if you jump in and don't see the underwater object lurking below. The answer for this is to have your pool contractor install a row or two of the brightly colored tile along the outer edge and in the center of the underwater hazard. So when you are considering the different options in front of you when you are installing a new pool or remodeling your existing pool, remember the many benefits that glass mosaic tile can provide.

Monday, April 22, 2013

Discount Granite Remains - Affordable, Beautiful &amplifier The Very Best Value

Discount granite remains are usually affordable, beautiful and may provide the cost effective for the dollar. In case your thinking about gemstone for more compact projects around your office or home, a quarta movement, marble or granite remnant can save you a lot of money! When foundations are reduce kitchen counter tops, the remaining granite pieces are thought scraps or remains. Many thrifty customers have found these leftover pieces present an excellent chance to help keep the cost of granite counter tops affordable. It's also common for customers to locate beautiful bits of quarta movement, marble, limestone and travertine within this category. It's very popular for frugal clients to make use of these leftover pieces for kitchen islands, bathroom vanity tops, a coffee table and shower seats. Since the cut bits of granite are small, they are not always great for the typical size counter top top.

Affordable granite remains can be found in probably the most popular colors. Depending the fabricator, it's quite common to locate popular base grade colors for example black Gem, Tropic Brown, New Venetian Gold, Tan Brown and Kashmire Gold granites. Actually, sometimes costly exotic gemstones are available in a real discount. Exotic granites offer probably the most interesting color combinations, veining, movement and designs. Although exotic gemstones like Lapidus, Geriba, Crema Bordeaux and Black Universe are extremely popular, they are usually upgrading in the base level choices. So locating leftover exotic gemstones like a remnant, can provide the very best value.

Granite foundations which are reduce counter top tops, normally have an even, glossy, polished surface. So, most remains can also get a elegant surface. Your bathroom or counter top top having a glossy surface, will offer you probably the most depth and clearness. Some marble and granite manufacturers will offer you options for example honed, flamed or any other finishes and textures for the next charge.

Granite remains are affordable and delightful. These pieces offer depth, clearness, sturdiness along with a great roi. So inside a nut spend, when looking for stone counter tops, a remnant bit of granite can provide the very best value for the dollar.

Saturday, April 20, 2013

Kitchen Island with Marble top from Furniture Classics LTD

Kitchen Island with Marble top

Kitchen Island with Marble top, the item is offered to meet the growing need of our buyers and to create their life less complicated. We treat our goods as we would an employee, having a job to do, a cost for the organization, as well as a benefit to our buyers. Our Kitchen Island with Marble top is no longer the province of wholesalers, retail dealers and those with unique membership with us. Now our internet site is exactly where everyone can browse, attempt, acquire and get to know the item and its worth, even though we aim to meet the altering demands of our buyers.


goods like Kitchen Island with Marble top can make it feasible for users to have the lifestyle they want. All according to the concept that they do not need to invest lots of cash. This can be especially created for all those that are into it for good quality and cost. The Furniture Classics LTD has worked with their team introduced this item for the marketplace, are as interested as the buyers with regards to making sure it endures long-term usage.

We think that no discussion of this item is total with no which includes the evaluations from real buyers that have bought them for our customers' perusal. The true value, the genius, the quite capability of our item is the fact that it truly is adaptable and able to incorporate essence of new suggestions. To deliver high-quality item that conveys the worthiness of our existence is our job and component of our offerings that everyone paying for has each and every appropriate to anticipate. Our client service representatives are determined to create an atmosphere of trust and understanding. And take a genuinely eclectic method to address queries about the item that we supply that is certainly a tremendous asset to our buyers, personally and economically.

Kitchen Island with Marble top
You Save : Check Lower Price

  Check Offer listing

7653 Features: -Material: Mahogany.-Travertine marble top.-Two pull through shelves and two fixed and slatted shelves.-With brass patina hardware.-Solid brass handles and drawer pulls. Color/Finish: -Physically distressed, low sheen, Walnut Brown finish.

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Bakers Rack - An Important Bit Of Kitchen Furniture

A bakers rack could be a nice accessory for a kitchen and could be a perfect storage space for wine glasses, stemware, as well as bottles of wine. In modern kitchen areas bakers shelves will also be accustomed to display family treasures like vases or even the traditional very ware.

Bakers shelves can serve an ornamental purpose by filling extra room in the kitchen area by which situation they're better employed to house your collections of glasses, coffee cups or perhaps beer mugs. However, generally bakers shelves are employed inside a functional manner meaning they function as essential furniture pieces inside a kitchen as well as reducing it of clutter by that contains the additional add-ons like recipe books too.

Most bakers shelves are simply wide enough to occupy the best possible space without having to be awkward. Typically bakers shelves measure about 3 ft wide, however the height remains towards the manufacturer and also the buyer. Where storage may be the primary criteria, bakers shelves are outfitted with drawers and compartments or perhaps cabinets customized to accommodate the various kitchenware that will otherwise clutter up a good kitchen.

Some bakers shelves could be attached to the wall, but such furnishings are rare because individuals appear to should you prefer a more durable version. An inclusion of shelves right into a bakers rack is yet another fantastic way to create extra safe-keeping dinner plates or baking trays along with other baking add-ons.

Most bakers shelves are constructed with metal, but a combination of materials may also be available. For instance a backers rack might be of the wooden structure, however the shelves have metal or perhaps plastic. Wrought iron is yet another popular metal utilized in manufacturing bakers shelves.

Glass bakers shelves can also be found, but they're delicate pieces as well as in houses with children can be headaches. Bakers shelves made from marble or wicker impart an elegant turn to your kitchen area simply due to their elegance. Nevertheless, you need to decide the function that the bakers rack will have before selecting a specific material.

Corner bakers shelves are fast attaining recognition due to remarkable ability to suit into spaces and corners of the kitchen. Bakers shelves utilized in corners usually contain bottles of wine and glasses. Corner bakers shelves may also be constructed from pine to impart additional elegance if preferred.

If you work with bakers rack in outside configurations then these furniture models could be ideal places for storing garden tools as well as serving as drink and food centers when you're tossing backyard parties. Furthermore they may also be used as plant stands and store all of your gardening tools if needed. Bakers shelves utilized in an outside setting may also behave as an ornamental piece if you choose to put house plants onto it.

Customers have to be conscious that although prices models differ greatly in line with the materials in bakers shelves, the do-it-yourself or DIY models aren't advised. They are a less expensive alternative but generally you'll finish up investing more to put together it instead of when purchasing an interesting bakers rack to begin with.

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Some Kitchen Island Design Ideas

Your kitchen island like a stand-alone platform in the center of your kitchen provides convenience and efficiency by making more workspace. Once the island is situated in the heart of your kitchen more room in instantly produced. In many situations a kitchen island is the perfect method to separate your kitchen in the family room. When the kitchen island has prepare top, sinks or pull-out drawer fridges this benefits greater convenience and mingling since it's possible to do dishes and preparation while talking with visitors within the family room. You will find endless ways to use kitchen islands.

Based on the National Association of Contractors (NAHB), kitchen islands are among the most widely used kitchen design features among present day customers. The NAHB also reviews that purchasers of recent houses also have indicated a wish for kitchen islands too. Really some 80% of homebuyers think about a kitchen island to become mandatory.

Some more recent kitchen island ideas range from the following features: moving islands you can use in which a large island will not fit, granite-capped islands, and islands with furniture like features for example pilasters.

New homebuyers aren't the only real ones which should think about a kitchen island the perception of their kitchen.
Some older houses by having an awkward kitchen layout with only a little space may also take advantage of a kitchen island design idea. Closed off kitchen areas happen to be changed into more open searching kitchen areas by lowering existing walls midway to forms islands between your kitchen and nearby living area.

Many Kitchen Island Styles

Kitchen Islands have grown to be very popular this has brought to the development of unique design styles that belongs to them. A kitchen island can have a similar design because the primary counter and cabinets or it may have its very own unique design.

Before determining on any kind of kitchen design you have to be clear on the form. Additionally traditional rectangle or square a rounded or oblong island may bring another turn to your kitchen area.
Whether in one row kitchen or included in an L-shape design your kitchen island would be the heart from the whole kitchen. Some fundamental kitchen design ideas have to be considered.

Kitchen Islands might have some additional design options like breakfast bars and installed home appliances which could attain the 'triangle' style of sink-stove-refrigerator that's one among the very best kitchen design ideas.

Kitchen Islands can be found in many designs and styles for example: Contemporary, Traditional, American Folk and French Country.

Many kitchen islands could be produced with natural forest for example, Northern Walnut, Red-colored Oak, Poplar, Birch, and plantation-grown exotic forest. Other sorts of kitchen islands are built of stainless, or wood coupled with stainless.

Island tops are often wood, granite or marble, stainless, or butchers block, that is usually Hardrock Walnut attached finish or edge grain to avoid cracking and bending.

What to incorporate in a Kitchen Island

Some features to think about in adding a kitchen island may include the oven, kitchen exhaust hood, electric switches and shops, and storage and shelves. Finally for the fabric from the island counter while you could utilize exactly the same material for that island counter as you've for that counter top it's
easy to consider various materials to produce an more interesting look.

Sunday, April 14, 2013

Couple of Details You Must Know About Caesarstone Kitchen Benchtop

Kitchen bechtops happen to be the primary item which can produce a contrasting feature for those suburban houses. A competent Kitchen benchtops provide the housewife room to complete their favourite dishes, it provides the household people the area to consume their quick breakfast or casual lunch, and it is also nice spot for casual conferences together with your buddies and relatives. Caesarstone Kitchen Benchtops are among the most preferred Kitchen counters for suburban houses around australia. Listed here are some details about Ceaserstone which could to assist if you're considering using Ceaserstone as the Kitchen Benchtop

1. CaesarStone is more powerful, stronger, cleaner, safer, and much more consistent than natural gemstones like Granite and Marble.

2. They're combined at the number of 93% natural quarta movement aggregates to 7% pigments and polymer resins.

3. CaesarStone is nearly 17 occasions less porous than Granite and therefore near stain resistant. There's you don't need to ever seal CaesarStone and there's no annual maintenance. You may also use any product to wipe the top.

4. The price difference exclusively is dependent around the colour or variation you choose. Having a CaesarStone Licensed Fabricator, you will definitely have a very good installation since it will likely be underneath the company's warranty. The price of Caesarstone normally ranges from -98 per sq . ft . installed.

5. All CaesarStone surfaces include a ten year limited warranty.

6. CaesarStone offers the perfect solutions for wet areas for example sinks surrounds and it is water, mould and mildew resistant qualities make CaesarStone an ideal option for kitchen splash backs.

7. Pure Whitened is probably the neutral shades produced by CaesarStone for that Australian market, and it has been made to satisfy the interest in a brighter whitened. Pure Whitened is really a clean, crisp and dense quarta movement surface.

Saturday, April 13, 2013

Kitchen Design - What is the New Kitchen inside your Future? Go ahead and take Steps to Success - Planning

INTRODUCTION

Many of my clients have, unfortunately, initiated the design of their kitchen without an understanding of the extent of what is actually involved in the process, in terms of design, budget, timeline and other issues. In these cases, our design process together, was frustrating for the client and for me. As a result, this article will clarify the process so that you will have the opportunity to become better informed before you begin your kitchen project, thereby avoiding uninformed decisions or possibly spending time and/or money needlessly.

This article is not about the specific design features of your kitchen and how to design it. There are many good resources available for that. Instead, it is about the process of designing your kitchen. It is meant to help in getting a head start and to expose anyone who is, or might be, embarking upon the design of a new or remodeled kitchen, to the first and most important step - Planning.

Designing a kitchen for a new or existing home is a big investment in time, money and energy and it is sometimes stressful and challenging. Unfortunately, some vendors and TV programs don't like to dwell on this aspect and therefore mislead the consumer regarding the actual amount of time and effort that is required. Even though creating a new kitchen is challenging, most clients say that the results are more than worth the effort. I hope that the information provided herein will be a helpful contribution toward having you well on your way to a successful project.

Before you begin the process of designing your new kitchen, you will need to set the criteria for the design. I recommend that you engage a professional kitchen designer that not only designs the cabinet layout, but designs every element of the kitchen and is involved throughout the entire project, so that the final result will be a cohesive design that reflects optimum function and style. The designer will not only help you create a beautiful, efficient, kitchen but will save you significant time and money and you will both have fun developing your joint creation. I trust that what follows will get your energy flowing and thoughts racing, in preparation for actually embarking upon your journey. And, it "is" a journey!

THE KITCHEN OF TODAY

The kitchen has traditionally been the most important room in the house because cooking and sharing food has long been central to family life. Meals will always be important, but cooking has, in some cases, significantly changed. The grocery industry has focused on replacements for home meals and hundreds of restaurants have incorporated "to-go" in their business model. Whether we cook frequently or not, kitchens remain the foundation of family life because it is where we live and gather. It is where most of us start and end our days and share the information of our day.

Today's kitchens serve more roles than ever before: entertainment center, home office, cooking and dining space. The electronics for an entertainment center may include TV, music and internet connection and the office area may have a desk, files, computer and bookshelves.

THE FIRST STEPS

Determine with your family, who uses your current kitchen and how, and discuss the conveniences you would like to have in the new version. Make a scrapbook of articles and notes on kitchens and kitchen features that interest you and photographs of kitchens you like. Evaluate how and when you cook, where you serve meals to whom and how often you entertain and how you entertain. Inventory your dishes, silverware, serving pieces, cookware, linens, and your typical grocery storage requirements so that you can be sure that the new design accommodates everything.

It seems that no matter how much time you budget for a remodeling project, it usually takes longer than you expected. For a complete remodel, the down time during construction can be at least two or three months and much longer, depending upon the size and extent of the project. Your family needs to eat in the meantime. So, before construction starts make arrangements to store, heat and clean up, enough to keep you going until the kitchen is back on-line. Many of my clients who have had the good fortune to have a bar sink in the family room, have moved in the old refrigerator and microwave near the bar sink and this combination becomes the interim kitchen during construction of the new one. The upside to this is that it provides a great rationale for eating out more often!

THE KITCHEN FOOTPRINT

Let's start with the space you have available for the kitchen. Whether you are designing for a new home, or remodeling in an existing one, you are limited by how much space you have available in which to create your dream. If the space is fairly small, you will want to consider whether or not you have the option of expanding. You may be able to accomplish this in your existing home and, in a new home, very often you still have time to alter the architectural plan, if needed. In either case, if you can eliminate or relocate a wall or walls or add to the house to create more space for the kitchen, it will improve the function and value of the room significantly.

Of course, if you don't create an addition to the house, and just remove or relocate a wall(s), you then have infringed upon a contiguous space and decreased its size, so you have to weigh which option is the best for you. Is it worth giving up the other space to increase the size of the kitchen? In my experience, if you can do without the adjoining space, it is much better to devote that extra space to the kitchen.

When you plan to remove or relocate a wall(s), the key factor to determine is, by so doing, will you encounter a load-bearing situation? This occurs when the wall(s) is part of the support system for the structure of the house. Usually a contractor can determine this. If the contractor is uncertain, you will need to have a structural engineer examine the structure to make that determination. If it is non load-bearing, when you are ready to start construction, the contractor can proceed to build out the space per the new plan. If it is a load-bearing issue, your local building authority will require that you retain a structural engineer or an architect to design a structural solution for removing or relocating the wall(s).

He or she will submit design drawings and calculations of the solution, to the building authority for approval and permit. Upon receiving the permit, when you are ready to begin construction, the contractor can then proceed to build-out the structure per the engineer's or architect's specifications. This is the process in California, based upon the state building standards, Title 24. The process in the other states is very similar.

In any case, once you have made the decision of whether or not to expand or re-configure, you will know the size and shape (footprint) of the space that you have available from a horizontal standpoint - Plan View.

VERTICAL SPACE

You should also consider what size and shape the room will be from a vertical standpoint as well. If it is possible to increase the height of the room by raising, eliminating or altering an existing low ceiling or soffit, you should seriously consider taking advantage of this option. The additional height will provide more cabinet storage from the increased height of wall cabinets and the room will become more voluminous which is always more visually impressive and comfortable. From a construction standpoint, the load-bearing issues will apply to increasing the room height just as it applies to moving or eliminating walls.

Of course, in dealing with all of these design and construction issues and decisions that need to be made, you will not be alone. Your designer will be the pivotal person who will help you evaluate the choices you have available. He or she will produce drawings in order to visually demonstrate these options and will offer advice on which options are best and why.

I understand that this all sounds very tedious and problematic. In some sense these two words are a good description of the design/construction process. However, what I have outlined above is done thousands of times every day and most of those homeowners have survived and, as a result, now have the new, beautiful, functional, kitchen of their dreams. You notice I said "most"! Seriously, the project will be challenging and there will be some problems. This is just the nature of design and construction and that is why you should not proceed without experienced professional help throughout the process from the very beginning to the end.

UTILIZING YOUR KITCHEN

Are you an expert chef, who does it all: cooking, baking, barbecuing, or are you a minimal cook whose main goal is to just get a meal on the table for the family as expeditiously as possible, or are you somewhere in between? Do you always cook by yourself or do you often have family and friends help with the cooking? Do you often entertain and all flow into the kitchen while munching on your Brie between sips of chardonnay? Do you bake often and want a marble surface for that purpose? The questions can go on and on.

Some clients have large, prestigious, homes and entertain frequently and/or have large families. They may have someone do the cooking for them. Some of these types of projects may need the full treatment, such as a butler's pantry or walk-in pantry, two islands, two refrigerators, two dishwashers, two microwave ovens, a wine cooler, a separate beverage cooler, a built-in espresso machine, sink, prep-sink and bar sink and glass-door cabinets to display the family heirloom china, etc.

Most clients require something substantially less than all of this, but I bring it up just to emphasize that how you utilize your kitchen has a strong influence on the design and therefore, as I mentioned, you should think about how you want to operate and what you want to accommodate in your kitchen. You can start to think about what type of appliances and features you would like. Think of the three major work areas of a kitchen: Food Prep (refrigerator and sink), Cooking (cook top, oven and microwave) and Cleanup (sink, dishwasher and recycling). You will find a myriad of styles and options available which you and your designer will need to carefully consider. More planning, of course!

HOW & WHERE YOU WILL EAT

You may prefer to be able to eat in the kitchen by having an island with seating. The size of the island that the room will accommodate will determine how many persons you can seat. Seating at an island reduces the storage space available in the island, so the balance of the kitchen storage will need to absorb this loss. You can basically sit at three counter heights: chair height (29-30"), counter height (36") and bar height (42").

If you have an adjacent breakfast room, you may want to eat there in the interest of having more storage space in the island. If the room will accommodate it, you may like the idea of a built-in booth in the breakfast room or kitchen, in lieu of a typical table and chairs. Many clients like to have the option of eating in both the breakfast room and at the island in the kitchen. In some cases there is no breakfast room and the dining room serves as both breakfast room and dining room. In any case, you should give these and other possibilities careful consideration.

THE DESIGN STYLE

There are many design motifs available to you: Traditional, Modern, Contemporary, Country, Craftsman, Cape Cod, etc. The design motif that you select will obviously heavily influence the selection of all of the other elements in the kitchen. The cabinet style and finish have the strongest influence on the design style of the kitchen. As I mentioned, you can start by collecting magazine photos of kitchens to get a feel for what you do and don't like. They will give you great ideas for all things kitchen. Stock, semi-custom or custom cabinets have many different styles and finishes to offer and of course, custom cabinets can provide any design and finish.

REMAINING ISSUES

The planning process will continue until every aspect of the total kitchen design is selected and specified. However, once you have established your footprint and vertical space, how you want to utilize your kitchen, how and where you want to eat, and your design motif, you are more than half way there. The planning process continues, on a smaller scale, as you are making more decisions about all of the items and issues that make up a total kitchen design.

Examples: Do you often make spaghetti and pasta, which requires filling a large pot with about four to six quarts of water? If so, you should have a pot-filler over the cook top or range top. Since there are only two of you and it takes a long time to fill up the dishwasher before you can wash the dishes, you should consider a two drawer dishwasher which enables you to wash one drawer at a time, thereby saving energy and providing you with clean dishes more often. Do you prefer an air switch in the countertop for the disposal or do you want the switch to be on the backsplash? Do you want a garbage disposal in the prep sink as well as the main sink? Do you want soft close on your cabinet drawers? Do you like the idea of pendant lighting above the island? Do you want a filtered water system? The questions go on and on!

The various categories you will be encountering in designing your new kitchen are as follows. This listing of categories will give you an idea of what is to come. I didn't say it was easy!

APPLIANCES, CABINETS, HARDWARE, FLOORING, PLUMBING, COUNTERTOP, BACKSPLASH, LIGHTING/ELECTRICAL, WALL FINISH, FURNITURE, WINDOW TREATMENTS, ART WORK, ACCESSORIES AND CONSTRUCTION.

CONCLUSION

I trust that by reading this article, you now have an appreciation of how important careful planning is to the successful design of your kitchen. The more thought and quality time you devote to it, the better prepared you will be when you begin with your designer and the process will become easier and more efficient, which everyone involved will greatly appreciate.

Once you have made most of these macro-decisions that I have mentioned, you will be ready to tackle the micro-decisions that are coming next. As you can see by the examples I have mentioned and the listing of categories above, you have a lot more planning to do, but remember you are now over half way there. Be strong and resolute and I am sure that you will get through the entire process virtually unscathed. And, if you are thoughtful, organized and work in the spirit of mutual cooperation, you will probably have some fun too! Remember that not all of this is on your shoulders. Your professional designer will be by your side for the whole trip.

I sincerely hope that you have found this information helpful and I wish you the best of luck on your journey.

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Kitchen Island Suggestions for Great Custom Kitchen Islands

Use kitchen island suggestions to better learn how to produce a more functional and comfy kitchen. Using custom kitchen islands means getting the best island for your house and cooking area according to your kitchen area space as well as your needs. Kitchen island ideas take us to the farmhouse kitchen, even to medieval occasions whenever a large worktable was i did so the majority of the preparation work.

Besides meal preparation, your kitchen may become a conference position for family and buddies if there's enough space. Since a lot happens in the kitchen area regularly, obtaining the layout right is essential. Your kitchen island may serve as one more eating area, and preparing food may be easily done there. Inside a large kitchen, your kitchen island can shorten the distances inside the working triangular (sink, refrigerator and range or cooktop) making it more effective.

Listed here are kitchen island suggestions to consider when planning your kitchen area:

1. Kitchen islands perform best in bigger L, U or G-shape kitchen areas. When the kitchen is simply too small, your kitchen island will end up a blockage and hinder easy movement. The very best custom kitchen islands for promising small to midsize kitchen areas really are a portable butchers block or kitchen trolley for food prep or extra storage.

2. Incorporate a ventilation hood overhead to get rid of smoke, steam and cooking smells in case your kitchen island will have a cooktop. The number hood should extend past the kitchen area by 3 inches or even more around the sides for correct ventilation. While using correct fan size will make sure that removal happens as intended. Possess a fan capacity of approximately 50 cubic ft each minute (cfm) for every sq . ft . of cooktop area.

3. Another drain could be incorporated around the kitchen island. Make use of a sink that's deep enough for washing large containers and pans, and consider outfitting your kitchen island having a trash compactor, waste disposer, trash can or even a dishwasher. Cleanup is going to be much simpler when these home appliances are near by the sink.

4. Allow sufficient counter top space on sides (right and left) from the kitchen island if your sink or cooktop is going to be used. Include a minimum of 15 inches of counter top space on both sides, and when your kitchen area is big enough, allow much more space. You cant ever must much counter top space inside a kitchen. Also, rounded counter top corners help safeguard everybody from bad bruises -- this is correct about all kitchen counter top corners.

5. Additional kitchen island ideas will be to think about using shelf space around the sides of the kitchen island for cook books, memorabilia or storage. A built-in TV works here, particularly if it faces the living room. Or perhaps a microwave may go well for warming up after-school snacks and cooking meals rapidly.

6. Counter top material for that island does not need to match the relaxation of the kitchen counter tops as lengthy because it is harmonious using the room's overall design. You might want to splurge on solid appearing here, for instance, and employ laminate alternatively counter tops. A butchers-block counter top is fantastic for cutting up, while granite or marble can be useful for baking reasons as well as for moving pastry dough.

7. Maximize sun light by getting home windows and skylights, and kitchen wall structure light colored to mirror daylight. Custom kitchen islands work great by utilizing pendant or recessed fittings to direct light to the kitchen island along with other work areas. Electrical codes will probably require that electrical shops be situated around the sides of fixed kitchen islands, this is not on the very best, to avoid electrical shock.

Use custom kitchen islands good ideas , understand how to create a beautiful area which will perform a number of helpful functions. Designed properly, kitchen islands will make it all area more functional and efficient and will also be loved by everybody for several years. Read as numerous kitchen island ideas as possible on utilizing an island to enhance the functionality and luxury inside your kitchen -- in the end, your kitchen area is the most widely used room in the home.

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Saturday, April 6, 2013

Kitchen Island Design Ideas - The Appearance, Size, Featuring

Kitchen island design ideas not just include selecting the best search for your kitchen area but selecting the right size for the layout and also the correct features to fulfill your requirements.

Fortunately, because 80% of home purchasers consider kitchen islands to become essential, producers offer islands inside a style and design to match virtually every taste.

It's not necessary to be considered a new house buyer to think about a kitchen island, though.

Older houses with awkward kitchen floor plans or extra-large kitchen areas, flats with limited or open-space design, or refurbished kitchen areas with odd dimensions may all inspire a kitchen island design concept that may benefit the general design.

A Method For Each Size

The length of a kitchen are an overriding concern in selecting a kitchen island. Large islands are extremely useful in developing a cooking 'room' inside the room that separates the kitchen area in the eating area.

Additional options like breakfast bars and installed home appliances might help attain the 'triangle' style of sink-stove-refrigerator that's one among the very best kitchen design ideas.

Flats and condos with open-space design may use a bigger kitchen island to split your kitchen area using their company living areas.

Some kitchen islands are wheeled and could be moved between foods to transform needed space into multi-use areas.

More compact islands are extremely versatile, especially if wheeled, and could be used where large islands will not fit frequently two small islands are more effective than a single large island.

Islands can be found in many designs and styles that are certain to complement your personal design ideas.

Contemporary, Traditional, American Folk and French Country, Avant Garde or Stylish, yet others are popular styles.

Many kitchen islands are wooden and employ Northern Walnut, Red-colored Oak, Poplar, Birch, and plantation-grown exotic forest, but other medication is built of stainless, some mixing wood with stainless.

Island tops are often wood, granite or marble, stainless, or butchers block, that is usually Hardrock Walnut attached finish or edge grain to avoid cracking and bending.

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Kitchen Design Fundamentals - Kitchen Island With Bar Top

Kitchen islands really are a common feature home owners desire to incorporate to their kitchen redesign projects. Outdoors layout in which the kitchen is opened up as much as the main living space (either the family room or living room) is frequently one of the greatest goals from the project. Frequently occasions a wall is taken away along with a kitchen island is built-into the living room space. You will find several design options if this involves package integrating a diet or bar function in to the overall design. You will find essentially 3 methods to a kitchen island having a sitting room, the main one we'll explore in the following paragraphs may be the island with bar top:

The standard counter height from the lower cabinets, such as the island is 36". One approach would be to use a elevated bar area across the living space entire island. The conventional bar height is 42" , which makes it 6" above the amount of the area counter. Seating needed standard barstools having a seating height of 30". Minimum bar overhang is 12".

you will find a few benefits of this method. The first is that since the bar is greater compared to counter work area, your kitchen clutter is aesthetically shielded in the living space. Another advantage is the fact that bar seating necessitates the least space on the floor of the seating options.

Adding a heightened bar the top to the a kitchen island adds more function as well as an added amount of visual interest. Frequently the bar surface could be a different material than island work surface. For instance, the area might be granite and also the bar top hardwood - a sensational combination.

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Granite Marble Kitchen Counter tops Lima





Marble mason fabricates granite counter tops, marble counter tops, kitchen counter tops, quarts counter tops, bathroom vanity tops, marble tables, islands top, b...

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