Kitchens
Kitchens
By Lisa French, Fri Dec 9th
Top notch planning, labor saving appliances, glamorous newmaterials and accessories combine to give today's kitchens anupdated new life. Kitchens have undergone a vast change in recent years. The finalresult today is a totally new concept in kitchen planning, andmost important, decor. New materials for walls and floors,modern refrigerators, ovens and appliances and the use of vividcolor schemes transform the average kitchen into a room ofbeauty. Kitchen...Planning
A well planned kitchen makes good use of all available space. Tobe a success, every kitchen must be well planned, down to thelast detail. Convenience is just as important as appearance inkitchens that are large, small, new or remodeled. Work out yourplans on paper first. This not only saves time and headaches,but money and disappointments as well. There is no point in learning too late that the ultra largerefrigerator you want won't fit into the space between oven andwork counters. If you are arranging cabinets and otherappliances, work on graph paper to exact scale. Remember thatyou can utilize walls from floor to ceiling for storage units,that will save floor space. Do this preliminary planning beforeyou go to your designer or builder, so that you know what youwant. Versatile Peninsulas and Islands Peninsulas and Islands have manifold merits, they are, in fact,essential in the well planned kitchen. One of the secrets ofgood kitchen design is to avoid wasted space. The less walkingyou have to do between oven, sink, range and refrigerator, thebetter. Islands and peninsulas help to bring work areas closertogether, and in doing so alleviate this traffic problem. An island is any free standing base cabinet, with counter top,set out in the middle of the kitchen floor. In many ways it itthe modern version of the kitchen table. Certainly it serves thesame purpose but with a difference. The difference is that itcombines a sink or cooking top, or both, in it's work counterand cabinets or drawer storage in the base. A peninsula is any counter extending from a wall, so that it isaccessible from three sides. Peninsulas can also accoommodaterange tops, sinks and base storage. Peninsulas and islands alsosolve other kitchen traffic problems, especially when more thanone person is working in the kitchen. By isolating various areasof activity, two, even three, people can work happily atdifferent chores, without crossing paths. Kitchen...Floors Kitchen floors are designed to flourish with any decoratingscheme, and are more glamorous than ever. Careful thought shouldbe given before buying flooring materials. These are: trafficexpected, amount of exposure to sunlight, moisture, durabilitywanted and amount of quiteness desired. Many types of vinyl flooring are available, and continue to bepopular because they are versatile, practical and not tooexpensive. All wear well, look good and are
grease resistant.Many of these vinyls simulate brick, tile, wood and marble andcan create a luxury look in any kitchen. Ceramic tiles are hardwearing, easy to keep clean and come in various color. Linoleumsare less expensive than vinyls and ceramic tiles, that wearfairly well. Vinyl carper and other fiber carpets that resistmoisture, spots, and are easy to maintain can also be usedsuccessfully in kitchens. Kitchen...Walls Kitchen walls come alive with color and beauty today. Thechoices of wall coverings is wide. Washable wallpaper, plasticfinished hardboard paneling, laminated, wood paneling, ceramictile, metal and copper tiles or stainless steel sheets all givewalls a new impact. When color and texture are matched tofloors, they give the kitchen an integrated truly decorated look. Remember also to plan your lighting and ventalation carefully.lights should be well placed, so that you work in shadowlesscomfort and avoid eye strain. Ventilation keeps kitchens cleanand fresh. Ventilation fans and hoods remove food odors, grease,smoke, heat and moisture before they do any damage to walls andfurniture.
About the author:Lisa French is webmaster and freelance writer for DecoratingCountry Home. If you find this article useful, click thislink... Kitchen Decorating |
