Whenever you are entertaining a group of people at your house, the kitchen seems to be the most popular gathering spot. This seems to be true at any party or holiday you attend or host. It makes no difference if you live in Atlanta, Silicon Valley, or Phoenix, the magnetic attraction to “hang out” in the kitchen can’t be explained. It just happens!
When designing you kitchen, there are no steadfast rules to follow. It’s a blank canvass to work with. The kitchen is a room where you can let your artistic desires and personal tastes flow freely. You don’t necessarily need a professional kitchen designer in Silicon Valley to make a splash. Whoever installs your kitchen will have some great ideas and will also steer you away from ideas that aren’t trending. It’s their jobs to install so they see all kinds. Often they are surprised with the outcome and will steer people the way they like. Use their experience to help guide you. Continue reading »
The kitchen is a hub of activity in most of our homes and as a general rule families are spending more time in this increasingly important part of the house. There are many choices that go into the kitchen’s design. These include selecting paint colors, cabinet designs, appliances, as well as flooring and lighting options. There comes a time in the remodeling process when the homeowner must also consider the type of kitchen window treatments that will be used. There are several current trends in kitchen window treatments which can be discussed with your Hartford interior design specialist.
Maximize the Light Source
Many window treatment options will maximize the use of natural light that is provided by a kitchen window. Many homeowners use sheer curtains underneath an arched valance. This allows the element of color without disrupting the source of natural light. The valance can be of an acceptable fabric which can pull the colors together from throughout the kitchen. Another option for maximizing the light source is using shades or blinds as window coverings. These allow natural light to lighten the kitchen during daytime hours while providing much needed privacy during the nighttime hours. Continue reading »
Although there are not fast shifts in home décor, we do notice certain trends as they begin to occur. These are more of a slow move in one direction or another that happen over time, but not all at once. As last year came to a close we observed some aspects of home décor that were beginning to trend. Some decorating habits from last year will be long gone by the end of this year and many trends seem to hold on just a little while longer. Here are some of the main home design trends that we are likely to see continue throughout 2013. Continue reading »
There are many similarities between residential and commercial remodeling projects. They both can be performed to improve the looks of the structure, or make the building more energy efficient. Some of the same types of tasks can be completed in both types of projects such as painting, replacing flooring, installing plumbing fixtures or bathroom remodeling. But there are also some key differences between commercial remodeling and residential remodeling. Continue reading »
There is no doubt that the kitchen is the busiest room in the house. Since it is an integral part of our family lives, it is important to keep it up to date and functioning properly, which means that periodically kitchen remodeling is in order. There can be many reasons behind taking on this type of home remodeling project. Perhaps the area just needs to be updated, storage capacity increased or simply reorganized to make preparing food a simpler process. No matter what the reason behind the kitchen remodeling project, there can be many benefits to completing it. Here are just a few of the benefits. Continue reading »
The kitchen is arguably the most important room of the house; it is where you prepare your meals and where you spend time with your family enjoying the fruits of your labor. Often the kitchen is a gathering place when friends or family visit and sometimes it is even a refuge where you can get some quiet to do work.
Having a modern kitchen can enhance the look and feel of your home and can even increase your homes’ value. The following video contains some images of modern kitchens and can give you great ideas of the way you may want to design your modern kitchen.
There are a few ways to brighten up your kitchen, and changing the kitchen lighting is only one of them. Contemporary lighting styles have changed much in recent years along with more modern kitchen design. There are many alternatives to use when remodeling kitchen lighting. Recessed spotlights can be added to help illuminate key work areas. Adding lighting over key kitchen features like a sink or a work island can help lighten up the kitchen. Changing the lighting is a great option, but don’t over look a couple of other choices when considering home remodeling.
When redecorating the kitchen painting the walls a bright, but neutral color can brighten up the entire space. Choose a solid taupe, white or other pale tones which will help the room seem much brighter. Use bold and warm colors to accent.
Changing the kitchen countertop by selecting one that will reflect light will help lighten the kitchen. One of the newest choices in modern kitchen design is stainless steel. Not only is it easy to clean and maintain as a countertop, but it will tend to reflect light upwards which will make the kitchen area much brighter. Another choice in countertops is granite. It has a type of glossy shine that will give the same effect. These types of features will add to the quality of your kitchen as well as increase the overall value of the home.
Another way to brighten up the kitchen is by changing the kitchen cabinets. White is one of the more popular colors in modern kitchen design. It works well to use on the cabinet doors. It will improve the light in the area. Taupe, or other neutral colors, on the wall will cause white cabinets to stand out. Using bright and bold colors for fixtures and fittings can be used to add contrast.
If it is possible adding even a small window can lighten the area as well. It can be over the sink or near the door but it can let some natural light in the room. A skylight can be added if a wall window is out of the question. This can save space and add some ventilation.
One of the most important considerations in modern kitchen design is the blend of colors. The desire is always to make people feel welcomed and relaxed. Using fast food colors will give guests and family the sense that they need to eat and run. Developing a warm color theme, however, will achieve the opposite effect. Kitchen guests will feel comfortable and want to drink another cup of coffee, relax and visit awhile. The perfect color combination will use a balanced blend of traditional hues and a splash of modern colors.
When choosing the best colors for kitchen space there are factors to consider rather than just the cook’s favorite blends. Kitchen lighting and flooring must be considered to achieve the desired effects. These are some things that may need to be discussed with contractors so that great colors do not disappear into dark flooring and vice versa.
As a general rule kitchen appliances tend to be silver, white or black. This allows for the use of bright colors on walls, flooring or countertops. Usually, there is not a lot of wall space that will need painting, so it may be the perfect place to add that big splash of bolder colors so that it won’t end up being so intense that it overpowers the rest of the room.
Bolder colors on the walls can be very complementary of dark cabinets. Rich colors like copper, ginger and even gold tones can be a winning combination.
Modern kitchen design typically uses a three color combination to achieve the desired effect. One color, such as the bold choice, may be used on the wall. The secondary color may be an accent used in the design of kitchen flooring. And the third color will simply be an accent. This accent may be one of the most modern colors that were not used traditionally in kitchen designs. For example, throw in a nice cool pink as an accent when using a conventional rustic décor. It may add just the right touch.
Discuss options with interior designers and don’t be afraid to experiment with some unique color combinations.
When remodeling and trying to achieve the best available modern kitchen design, kitchen flooring can be one of the most challenging decisions that have to be made. There are several different types of kitchen flooring and you will want to make the best choice that can be made. Of course you will want to consider the type of traffic is most common in the kitchen areas as durability is one of the key issues that must be considered. Durability is important because it is the most traveled room in the house and the flooring must be able to withstand everyone passing through.
Vinyl flooring is one of the easiest types of flooring to install. It is also a surface that tends to be nice on the feet. There are many different patterns from which to choose and it can compliment almost every décor. It is also relatively inexpensive and tough. The downside of vinyl is that it can be easily damaged by water if it is installed as tile pieces. It is also susceptible to stains if spills are not cleaned up immediately. Linoleum is slightly more costly than vinyl but is also an option.
Wood is a beautiful selection, but has more disadvantages than other types of flooring. They are wonderful to look at but much more difficult to care for. They require a lot of maintenance. Wood floors stain way too easily and can be damaged very quickly. They are expensive to purchase and repair.
Laminate is an alternative to natural wood floors. This allows you the look of wood but saves a lot of money. It is also very easy to keep clean. They are durable, don’t fade and resist stains. The only downside to laminate is that if an area gets stained or particularly worn the entire floor must be replaced.
Another great durable choice in kitchen flooring is tile. They are available in ceramic, quarry or porcelain. The wide variety of colors and sizes leave options wide open. Tile is also very durable and if it gets damaged only the tile(s) that is broken has to be replaced. If you purchase tiles with glaze they will be very stain resistant as well.
When considering home remodeling, perhaps one of the most difficult things to know is when to remodel the kitchen. It’s easy to see all the cosmetic reasons to hire a contractor. But there can be some other reasons that one might consider a total redo.
If you keep finding that you just don’t have the workspace for common projects, then it may be time for a more modern kitchen design that will maximize space. It may just take a repositioning of an appliance or two to give enough added countertop and cabinet space to be beneficial. The shape of the counter or counter tops may need to be redesigned to offer more available work space.
For those who enjoy entertaining guests or have more than one residential chef, there may need to be an increase of space in the main work areas of the kitchen. This allows for some socialization while preparing and consuming a meal. More hands make the load lighter too, and cooking can become a family affair if there is enough space for more than one in the kitchen.
There are plenty of options to explore if you want to redesign the kitchen area if entertainment is part of your routine. A kitchen redo can be combined with other types of home remodeling. Taking out a partition can serve two purposes. It can open up space between the kitchen area and another room. Depending on floor designs it may also be possible to create a half wall which can also double as a small counter top for actions such as additional serving space.
Kitchen lighting can be an ongoing problem that may be solved with a cabinet redesign. Adding a light fixture may be all that is needed. But if kitchen space is being increased and work areas maximized you may want to consider a total makeover of the kitchen lighting system as well. Adding a fixture over the sink or island work area can make a lot of difference in how enjoyable cooking can be.
These are just a sample of the reasons that may be indicators that it is time for a kitchen redo.
