Top 5 Greener Kitchen Tips

A green kitchen saves tons of money. Disposable kitchen products simply put cash in the trash and grow our pollution problems. Here are five things you can do today to start saving money and the planet.

1. Green Clean

Make your own non-toxic cleaners with simple ingredients you already have. Baking soda is a great gentle scrub that helps remove grease and dried on particles. White vinegar helps remove streaks from chrome, stainless steel, and glass surfaces. Lemon juice will leave your kitchen smelling fresh and whiten stains. Salt is great for killing bacteria. Choose natural sponges or grow your own loofa to scour your counter tops.

For germ-free cutting boards, slice a lemon in half and dip in salt. Use the salted lemon as a scrub for your cutting board. First rinse the board with hot water to remove surface debris. Then scrub with salted lemon. Let the salt soak on the board 5 minutes. Rinse in hot water.

2. Compost

Egg shells, coffee grounds, and veggie scraps can easily break down in a small back-porch compost bin. Even apartment dwellers can compost in a container. If you have more space, you can build a large open-air compost with stakes and chicken wire. Add yard waste and fibrous material such as dryer lint to a larger compost. Extremely aggressive composts can digest hardy organic garbage. If your back yard compost is large enough and hot enough, you may be able to add things such as pet waste, paper towels, vacuum cleaner canister contents, and even fatty food waste.

3. Recycle

This seems like a no-brainer, but putting your recycle bin in a conspicuous location will help keep recyclables out of the trash. Check with your city or county waste management to be certain of what can get recycled. Many areas now offer curb-side programs for plastics, glossy magazines and junk mail, and even Styrofoam (#6 plastic). If your bin fills up fast, ask the city for a second one. They are usually happy to drop one off during the next week’s collection.

4. Try Cloth

Cloth napkins and kitchen towels are much better for your wallet and the planet. Make your own quick set by cutting jersey or other cotton material with pinking sheers. You can even use bed sheets or other fabric that needs repurposed. Cloth napkins are inexpensive and available at discount stores. Cloth dish towels and hand towels for the kitchen will save tons of paper towels. Try a microfiber cloth with your natural cleaning products for better cleaning. Microfiber is now being made from sustainable bamboo.

5. Stop Leaching

Some of the kitchen products from decades past are actually very toxic. Plastic storage containers, non-stick pans, and coated cans have all been shown to leach petrochemcials into our food.There are safe plastics and there are not safe plastics. Canning jars are free of plastics and BPA that is in so many canned foods and storage containers. These jars come in a variety of sizes and shapes for storing dry goods, left overs, and even for packing lunches.

Cast iron, stainless steel, copper, and enameled iron cookware are all safer choices than non-stick. In fact, cast iron has been shown to impart iron into foods, which can help people suffering from iron deficiency anemia.

Source: Going Green Today

Top 20 Kitchen tips

Design details

1. To set the right tone, you need to decide the ambience of the room – bright and light or sultry and moody. All-white, chalk or pale grey never go out of fashion, and can make a small room seem super-spacious. Dark tones, meanwhile, make a strong impact, and have become a popular option for inner-city living.

2. Colour and texture need to harmonise in the kitchen, so it’s worth putting together your own mood board before the renovation begins. On white cardboard, stick on all the colour and surface swatches, including paint, tiles, veneer and flooring.

3. A burst of colour is a feast for the eyes in a kitchen. A splashback in coloured glass makes a style statement, while mosaic or ceramic tiles also add brilliance to the room.

4. It can be hard finding where to start when planning the design of your new kitchen.  Start the process by writing a list of features you like and dislike about your existing kitchen.  This will quickly help your new design take shape.

5. When putting together a kitchen layout, the classic ‘triangle’ is the core of the design. The main working areas – cooktop/oven, fridge and sink – have to be positioned at three sides of a triangle. This simple rule will make cooking and cleaning a breeze.

Building basics

6. A kitchen renovation can range from a one-day job to a two-week build, depending on the amount of work involved. Dirt, dust and noise is impossible to avoid, so consider moving in with family or friends during the messiest stages.

7. If you’re on a tight budget, a flat-pack kitchen is hard to beat. The latest ranges provide amazing flexibility – even the most awkwardly shaped kitchen can have every centimetre utilised. Easy instructions mean you can put together a brand new kitchen in one or two days. For more information, check out the Profile range at your local Masters Home Improvement store.

8. For busy homeowners, a kitchen company can make your life so much easier. They can guide you on the layout, the design, materials, appliances, as well as doing the demolition and installation. For a stress-free solution and to discover all of the options available, speak to the expert team at Masters Home Improvement about the Hafele Functionality kitchen range.

Cabinetry

9. For a quick, cost-saving fix-me-up, replacing doors and/or bench tops can transform your kitchen from clunky to couture.

10. For the height of style, why not lift a few centimetres on the benchtop? A tall cook spends a lot of time in the kitchen, so a high benchtop can help avoid an aching back. The standard benchtop height is approximately 900mm, but it can be lifted as high as 1000mm by adjusting your kickboards or bench top thickness.

11. If your cupboards and drawers are looking a little scruffy, an easy spruce-up is replacing old handles and knobs with the latest ranges. Everything from brass to stainless steel is on show at your local Masters Home Improvement store.

12. For an up-to-the-minute look, consider integrating the fridge and dishwasher within the new cabinetry. By enclosing the front of appliances to match the texture and colour scheme of the cabinets, a kitchen looks stream-lined and minimalistic.

Storage

13. Contemplate installing an island bench with built-in cupboards and drawers on both sides of the unit. This provides plenty of room to store small appliances, cookbooks and rarely used kitchenware, such as platters that only appear on Christmas day.

14. Replacing cupboards with drawers means it’s much easier to reach all kitchen items. Extra-deep drawers are perfect to store pots, pans and small appliances, while wide, shallow units are handy to store cutlery and utensils.

15. A corner cupboard used to be a space waster, but kitchen designers have solved this dilemma by maximising every square centimetre. Have a look at various corner options, such as lazy susans, bi-fold doors and dual-access doors.

16. When designing a kitchen layout, ensure that you include as much storage as possible. It’s easy to accumulate more items through the years, so a few extra drawers and cupboards never go astray.

Fine details

17. Don’t forget the little essentials as you design the layout. Take time to figure out where you’ll position lights, powerpoints and a phone jack.

18. To add atmosphere, a pendant light positioned over a benchtop can act as a focal point of the room. And if one is never enough – a large benchtop can accommodate two or three pendants for extra brilliance.

19. A hard-working cook doesn’t want guests to see an array of dirty pots and pans during a dinner party. To solve this problem, a small raised barrier at the end of the island bench can separate the kitchen area and the social zone, hiding any mess until it’s time to wash up.

20. One is the loneliest number when it comes to kitchen bins. Single, double or triple bins of varying capacities can be selected, making it easy to separate recycled and general items. And instead of having bins on show, they now slide or swivel out of hidden cupboards.

Source: Master’s Home Improvement

Kitchen design trends, handy tips and tricks

With many kitchens today positioned smack in the middle of the living space, it’s become quite the showpiece of the home. But what makes today’s kitchen so special? And what can you do to an existing kitchen to give it that extra pizzazz?

The design of the kitchen has evolved as our lifestyles have become more varied and flexible. Undoubtedly, the biggest physical change has been in setting the kitchen free. No longer confined by four walls, today’s kitchen is an indoor-outdoor concept, a remarkable remake of the ‘great room’, a space that embraces daily life. But it’s not simply a place for food storage and meal preparation. You can cook, eat, relax, study, work, watch TV, listen to music, check your email, nap (a daybed’s not out of the question), connect with the garden and formally entertain here.

Not surprisingly, the new products on the market have been designed with the idea of making this super-space more efficient, more colourful and more chic. Here’s a rundown of the latest trends:

Separate food preparation area
The traditional concept of a dedicated ‘back of house’ butler’s pantry where the food prep area – and therefore all the mess – is concealed from public view is being reinstated adjacent to the ‘showpiece’ kitchen. Here, you might find a second fridge, sink, neat work bench and plenty of storage. It might also house a wine fridge or small cellar.

Tip You can gain more food storage by installing pull-out vertical pantries in the area around your fridge.

Integration of all fittings
The latest look is the kitchen that isn’t there. Floor-to-ceiling doors conceal appliances and storage in an open plan layout that makes it hard to tell where the kitchen begins and where it ends.

Tip To give an old kitchen a fresh new look, replace or repaint cupboard doors only and fit new modern hardware. You can also recover an existing tile splashback with something like Metaline from Laminex, an inexpensive alternative to glass or mirror.

Ten Top Secret Kitchen Design Tips

It’s all in the details! Who knows why, but I just started thinking of how small, pesky, planning details, if overlooked, can cause pain and heartbreak if not addressed. OK, “top secret” may be just a little stretch, but not by much!
I came up with these planning secrets, largely unknown to the typical consumer, off the top of my head, and trust me, there are MANY more that I must be aware of as I slowly and carefully go about editing a kitchen plan for the last time before putting the order “to bed” as I call it, at which time there is no more time for changes. The factory begins to produce the order, and the result of these planning exercises will be known….upon installation. It can be the stuff nightmares are made of, if only thought of, say, during cabinet production, or as a surprise, during installation!
Here are just SOME of the details I’d like to share with you:

1. Size (width) of window and door casings - If cabinetry must fit between, say, a wall and a window, the size of the window casing is critical. Likewise, cabinetry fitting BETWEEN window or door casings. Casings being changed? To what size, and how will that affect cabinetry?

2. Casings and moldings colliding - Will your cabinet crown molding and window or door casings collide? That’s just not right! Check floor, cabinet, and ceiling junctures.

3. Is there adequate room on the wall planned for receptacles, primarily when one walks into a room? If tall cabinets align a doorway, would there be room/depth planned in for receptacles, even if they have to be cut into the cabinet side?

4. Backsplash height - What height is perfect for you? This is adjustable, unless it is driven by the height of a tall cabinet, but should be planned in advance. Are you short in height? Or, do you have tall countertop appliances? Another critical area to look at.

5. Floor level - Is your floor wavy, as most are? Are you designing in decorative feet, valances, toekick details, or columns, which reach the floor? If so, and the above mentioned items are too short, you will experience gaps, as the cabinets are first installed at the HIGH POINT of the floor…as the floor dips, that’s where you see the gaps. The cabinets in the low points are propped up with shims so that the tops of all cabinets are level to receive a level countertop.

6. Microwave – Don’t assume it can easily be built in snugly, for a great, tight, look. Many microwaves have trim kits which MUST be used or the warranties will not be in effect. I’ve not come across any microwaves that can be built in tightly, ever.

7. Large sinks – You love the large sinks, but beware of how deep they are front to back, and if undermounted, add the rim size to determine if your faucet will fit underneath the countertop. More and more recently, I am making sink bases deeper to accommodate these large sinks. This also effects adjacent cabinetry!

8. Cooktop and oven brands, one above the other - In this configuration, make sure you use the same brand of appliance. Typically, if two different brands are used, each warranty may not be in effect. A bad scene…

9. Downdrafts – Downdrafts are tricky. If you do not use the same brand downdraft as the cooktop (this IS typically allowable) the configuration underneath the countertop may not fit with the height or depth dimension of the cooktop under the countertop, making the combination uninstallable..something to check.

10. Where do your cabinets end on a wall? Me…I HATE little slivers of wall, say, 1-2″. I think it’s tacky. i like to leave at LEAST 3 1/2″, more typically, 4″ at least between a cabinet side and, say, door casing.

10 Kitchen design rules

1. Streamline surfaces
Think smooth and seamless. Cupboards should reach the ceiling or run flush with a bulkhead, doing away with dustcatching wasted space. Benchtops should be streamlined with few visible joins. Go for under-bench sinks that sit below the benchtop so you can’t see the edges.

2. Integrate applicances

In a quest for open-plan bliss, appliances are making themselves scarce, hiding behind closed doors for a clean look that blends with the living area. For fridges, it’s a matter of fitting a door in the same material as the cupboards. Disguise your dishwasher with an integrated front panel.

3. Get a smart splashback

Want to show off some flair with colour or texture? As the design focus of modern kitchens, the splashback is the best place to do it. Natural, clear glass splashbacks are still high in the style stakes, as are mosaics, or choose the same material as your benchtop for a seamless look.

4. Flaunt benchtops

For a modern benchtop, choose natural textures like marble or matt granite. Stone composites, polished timber and poured concrete are also beautiful. Design-wise, it’s all about chunky slabs with deep edges. For a price-smart option, apply a thick edge to a thin slab.

5. Opt for an island

A well-designed island bench is essential for entertaining. Fit with a sink, cooktop or chopping boards, so the cook can face family and guests. A benchtop overhang makes it comfortable for people to sit. Or if you prefer to keep mess out of sight, a raised edge will hide the lot.

6. Clue up on colour

Create calm by choosing neutral colours. All-white, cream or pale grey are foolproof design classics. Dark tones make an impact, but can overwhelm small spaces, so use on the bottom row of cabinetry. Keep bursts of colour to feature spots, like splashbacks or the front panel of island benches.

7. Choose the right layout

No matter what your style, budget or space, every kitchen layout should be designed around what experts call the ‘Golden Triangle’. This involves placing the main work areas – fridge, sink and oven/cooktop – close to each other, positioned at three sides of a triangle. Regardless of kitchen size, these activity zones should be no more than three metres apart, so you can move easily between them.

8. Switch to clever lighting

Light up your kitchen with pendants or halogens, plus over-bench lights for brighter work spaces. For extra atmosphere while relaxing, fit ceiling lights with dimmers, or just leave on the over-bench lights.

9. Look, no handles

Cupboard handles are best kept low key. Choose invisible angled ‘finger pulls’ cut into the top or side of the cupboards. Or, if you want handles, go for no-fuss designs in matt chrome or stainless steel.

10. Maximise storage

Drawers maximise storage space, making it easy to access your kitchen’s darkest corners. Extra-deep options are perfect for pots and pans. Shallow, extra-wide varieties are great for storing cutlery.

Dream Kitchen Tips & Guide…

Tired of one’s old kitchen? You are able to acquire the perfect kitchen via reasonably priced kitchen tips. Have your figures prepared, do a couple of researches, and assemble the cooking space that you simply have constantly dreamed about. It may perhaps take a whole lot of time and effort to achieve all these but it is worth the investment.

Based on the National Association of Realtors 2005 Price vs. Worth Report, the average minor kitchen remodeling expense $14,913 and has a payback of 98.five percent.

Transforming Your Old Kitchen

Kitchens come in all shapes and sizes. Exactly the same cupboards, appliances, and furniture can appear rather unique in somebody else’s home. It is possible to transform it into a distinctive astonishing space by means of kitchen remodeling. Producers and designers have noticed and developed it all, so whatever size your kitchen has, there is certainly an proper makeover match.

Stock cabinets will appear like new by many different specialty finishes which you can pick out. Should you can afford custom cabinets then selections are even higher. Countertop supplies, flooring, walls, and furniture may also be customized based on the color preference or selection of supplies. Do not be concerned concerning the transition from old to new; the kitchen will speak for itself.

Use a Lazy Susan to create wasted corners totally functional. Pull-out drawers are much more handy than reach in conventional cabinets. In retro-fitting existing cabinets, have pull-out trays installed. Give some thought to barrier-free style and items to create it less difficult for all members of the household, young or old alike.

Unique Kitchen Shapes

The primary element influencing what kind of kitchen you are able to come up with is shape of the room. It can be much more difficult than the size itself. In kitchen geometry, the perform triangle will be the shape that joins the sink, cooktop, and refrigerator together. It’s the functional center of every kitchen. The kitchen’s basic shape and size will impact the kind of function triangle that fits very best inside your kitchen remodeling.

The U-Shape

This shape situates every of the stove, fridge, and sink each and every on a various wall and presents a really compact triangle that makes it possible for the cook to fix a meal even though going about the shortest distance. This shape is greatest for a square kitchen with an island set within the open finish of the U.

The L-Shape

This shape positions the two walls of the kitchen for the 3 points of the perform triangle producing it extended and somewhat narrow, permitting for a a lot more open layout and no cross site visitors. This structure is ideal for a massive room exactly where the kitchen shares space having a family members room.

The G-Shape

This style attributes 1 appliance on every of the two walls as well as the third appliance on a peninsula that divides the perform location from an adjacent breakfast location or household room. Whatever the shape of one’s kitchen is, the sink need to take the central position as considerably as doable.

It could be even more handy this way for the reason that it truly is applied much more regularly that the stove or the refrigerator. See to it that the single-door fridge model faces the perform triangle when open and not out of it.

For lots of households, cooking is among the most preferred bonding activities. Which is why the kitchen may be the heart of the residence, exactly where excellent provider and beneficial food remain together. Cost-effective kitchen tips would make kitchen moments a lot more particular.

Budget Kitchen Design Ideas

The kitchen is easily the most expensive room in the house to remodel. Unfortunately in today’s economy, most of us don’t have the time or the money to do a full overhaul on our kitchens. However, interior design is full of clever decorating ideas on how to update your kitchen without spending a lot of time or money. Here are a few simple tips and tricks on how to update your kitchen without breaking the bank.

Organization

The truth is one common reason for remodeling existing kitchen designs is the lack of space or proper organization. However, you don’t need to purchase new cabinetry and install a new closet just to achieve a more functional kitchen.

There are a number of readily available ways to reorganize your kitchen from cabinet organizers to drawer organizers. You can also use wire baskets, large plastic storage containers and so forth. Organize your kitchen and you may feel a lot better about the entire space. While you’re at it, be sure to wipe down the insides of your cabinets. Organizing won’t feel complete if your kitchen isn’t cleaned up in the process!

Replace the Faucet

Faucets can become worn and dated quickly, so replacing a faucet can help boost the overall feel of existing kitchen designs. Plus, faucets today are now more stylish than ever thanks to a boom in the interior design industry and come a number of new features: LED lights for hot and cold, touch activation, digital temperature control and more. A new faucet might be the perfect solution for your space.

Update Cabinets

You don’t have to rip out your existing cabinets and install new ones just to update them. A fresh coat of paint and a new set of hardware can dramatically transform existing kitchen cabinets. Plus, when paired with a new wall color, new countertops or a new backsplash, the entire space can feel completely new.

Kitchen designs are a perfect place to start when trying to build sweat equity in your home. In today’s economy, it simply isn’t cost-effective for people to install entirely new kitchens and in many cases, it causes them to lose a lot of money if or when they decide to sell their home. Therefore, don’t be afraid to take the budget route and do minor updates and changes rather than overhauling the entire space. Interior design isn’t about the latest and greatest, it’s about what’s visually appealing to the homeowner and what works best for their needs, wants and of course, their budget.

10 Kitchen Design Tips

Want the ideal kitchen? Then follow this failsafe guide for the best results.

1. Streamline surfaces
Think smooth and seamless. Cupboards should reach the ceiling or run flush with a bulkhead, doing away with dustcatching wasted space. Benchtops should be streamlined with few visible joins. Go for under-bench sinks that sit below the benchtop so you can’t see the edges.

2. Integrate applicances
In a quest for open-plan bliss, appliances are making themselves scarce, hiding behind closed doors for a clean look that blends with the living area. For fridges, it’s a matter of fitting a door in the same material as the cupboards. Disguise your dishwasher with an integrated front panel.

Prep Sink

Do you need a prep sink? If it will be used mostly for filling pots or teakettles, a pot-filler may do the trick. It will be a long-armed, cold-water-only faucet that extends from a wall to fill a pot and can be pushed out of the way, when not in use.

This sink should be close to the cooktop and next to the main prep surface, but the position also depends on how you cook and how many cooks you have in the kitchen. There should be enough rooms for trash receptacles near food prep stations.

The prep sinks are splurge that pays the cook back in convenience. It can be used to just rinse fresh produce and put them straight into a waiting pot or pan on the cooktop. There are some undermount stainless-steel prep sink which are deep enough for serious washing. A metal rack helps prevent dishes from breaking.

Receptacles

Receptacles, commonly referred as outlets, are used to provide individual plug in points for power distribution.

Unless wireless technology takes over kitchen appliances, receptacles will find their way onto kitchen walls, so don’t let them become an afterthought or eyesore.

Plug molding, which runs along the underside of a wall cabinet or along the backsplash, has a subtle look and offers many places to plug in appliances. Wires will hang down in plain view if appliances stay plugged in.

An alternative way is accenting them with paint or camouflaging them with matching wallpaper. On a tile backsplash, take note of where receptacles will go; mosaic tile is more forgiving of receptacle placement than large tile. In fixed islands, receptacles must be included. A two-height island offers a perfect backsplash location for receptacles.