Kitchen Ideas
Thin Butler’s pantry.
Under sink storage.
Butler’s pantry.
Thin Butler’s pantry, shelves on one side only.
Butler’s pantry. Great light.
Lime green door. Metal frame fence with Star Jasmine.
Kitchen - white, island bench, light, family office/diary, handbag/charging/mess bench and shelving close by, discrete door beside fridge possibly leading to walk in pantry.
The dark sideThere are lots of great reasons to choose darker colours in your palette and throw out the ‘rule’ that dark colours always make a room ‘cold’ or ‘cavelike’. On the contrary, modern colour trends of blacks, browns and greys can bring warmth, personality and sophistication to your kitchen while also giving you the opportunity to get creative with colour accents.If you are using dark colours, ensure you have plenty of natural light, from large windows and skylights, to ensure the darker colours don’t suck too much light from the room. Offset darker cabinetry with vibrant moments of colour in the form of accessories, stools or even artwork, as seen in this fun kitchen.Alternatively, if you like the darker colours but don’t necessarily want to make them a base, try using accents of it in your kitchen – it might be in the form of a floating shelf, pendant lights or barstools.
DILEMMA 11: You loved the splashback when it was first installed but it’s such a doozy to keep clean that you’re starting to loathe it.SOLVED: Glass and solid splashbacks are becoming more popular for a reason – they offer a clean look and are a snap to wipe down. Rethink any splashbacks that involve grout. Grout is a magnet for grease and grime and won’t look white and pristine for long. If you must have tiles, consider grey grout and be prepared to do some regular scrubbing.
DILEMMA 10: You can’t see what you’re doing. If you’ve ever tried to work in a badly lit kitchen, you’ll know how important it is to get lighting right, but if it has never been an issue for you, it’s an easy one to take for granted.SOLVED: Bright strip lighting is ideal for work areas, but be sure to add in-cabinet lighting in those with glass doors, task lighting where you need it, and dimmable feature lighting to set the mood. And make sure each can be turned on and off independently of the others, so you have complete control.How to get kitchen lighting right
7. Space between countersWhen designing a kitchen, it is recommended to leave a minimum of 1000mm of floorspace between your two benchtops. This will allow room for you to open drawers and cupboards, as well as stand in front of your dishwasher when it is fully opened. However, if you have the space, I would suggest you aim for a space of 1200mm so you can comfortably move around your open dishwasher, without fear of bumping your shins on the corners – OUCH!Get more expert advice from a kitchen designer in your areaTELL USWhat have we missed? Are there any parts of your kitchen you wish you could re-design? Tell us in the Comments.
8. Conscientious coversIf you don’t like to look at your garbage, then a system like this one that provides a lid for each bin might be the answer. The lids have been labelled so that family members can easily figure out which bin is for what rubbish.
4. Sorting storageThe Swedes are masters of practicality and cleanliness, and in nearly every home you’ll find this inexpensive, very efficient waste-sorting system. With a large bin for paper and cardboard, two smaller ones for glass and cans, and a final for rubbish or compost, your household garbage will always be organised.
3. Bin locationThe kitchen bin is not only used for food scraps and packaging. More often than not, it is used for everyday household rubbish that is collected around the house. For this reason, it is useful to place the bin at a point in the kitchen that is easily accessible from the rest of the house. I suggest placing it on the end of the bench or island, closest to the kitchen entrance. That way, you can simply throw something in the bin as you walk past, rather than walk into the kitchen and get in the way of the chef! As for a compost bin, that you can keep as close to your food prep area as possible.10 clever tricks to hide garbage in the kitchen
6. Know lighting is everythingWhen it comes to interior design, lighting is possibly the most important factor to consider. Often overlooked or left to the end when it’s too late, lighting can make or break your design scheme. Good lighting makes everything look better and is essential for creating moods and highlighting focal points. A room will also function better with good lighting, whereas too much or too little light can be frustrating. Consider your lighting levels for different moods or times of day, factoring in ambient, accent and task lighting for different activities. Plan this well in advance, as it’s one of the first elements you’ll need to tackle.A well-designed lighting scheme, like the one in this beautiful kitchen, should work seamlessly. A room with perfect lighting looks great without you realising why.
Mix up materialsVariety won’t just add interest to your kitchen, it’ll also make it more cost effective. “Rarely will just one benchtop satisfy a whole kitchen design. Zoning is important and also helps your budget stretch further,” Buchanan says. Think about placing hard-wearing stone beside sinks and stoves, and use more affordable laminates elsewhere. If you want to warm up your kitchen with wood – a porous material – steer clear of high-traffic areas and confine it to the breakfast bar.Tell usWhat benchtop do you currently have? Tell us what you love – or loathe – about it in the Comments below.MoreRead more kitchen stories
Templated or cut on site?Templating refers to benchtops that are fabricated in a factory and delivered ready to fit. For stone, engineered stone or solid surface materials, this is essential as it’s not always possible to cut them on site. Wood and laminate are generally easier to fit and can be cut on site to accommodate stovetops, sinks and plug points. “If you have the skills and tools to fit them yourself – or your on-site carpenter does – then this is normally cheaper and easier than taking accurate measurements to send away to a fabricator,” Root says.How much does a kitchen benchtop cost?
… and the consCommon complaints about wood include that it’s easily scorched, scratched and stained. Manis advises drying any water that gets onto a wooden benchop as soon as possible – but that’s not always practical around a sink. Wood can swell if it gets very damp. So, if your heart is set on a wooden benchtop, think about having a small section of a different material in the sink area, as seen in this kitchen.
A budget gives you controlHaving a thorough budget ultimately gives you more control of your project. It allows you to remove (or quantify) your financial risk to give you comfort that you are on track. And if you’re not on track, it gives you a warning in advance rather than being left unable to pay contractors because you overspent.Budget bathroom renovation ideas for under $5,000
6. Stow storage in the surfaceThis overhanging benchtop is super clever. Not only does it create a seating space, but it contains three nifty drawers too. But it gets better – a simple partition creates storage for glasses above the built-in wine cooler.
4. Book a table Instead of opting for an island-breakfast bar, why not try a wall-fixed table? This one fits nicely at the back of this narrow kitchen and is the perfect spot for a glass of wine beside the window. And the curved design avoids the danger of sharp edges. If you can’t install a wall-fixed model, hunt around for a tall freestanding table you can fit into a spare corner of the room.Bringing back the kitchen table
Galley concept Lots of light & blinds Light colour cabinetry
“Hidden” doorway to another area.
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