Sunday, 12 January 2014

10 Things You May Not Know About Adding Color to your Boring Kitchen



10 Things you may not know about adding color to your boring kitchen

If you go through the rooms in your home and consider which one you spend the most time in, undoubtedly it would be your kitchen. While your bedroom could be considered, most of the time you are sleeping and therefore you can’t take full advantage of its rich ambiance for hours at a time. Your kitchen on the other hand is a space that inspires you to create delicious meals for you and your family and should evoke colorful inspiration. How do you go about choosing colors for your kitchen and which ones will help create a welcoming aesthetic for your guests? Here are 10 things you may not know about adding color to your boring kitchen.
1. Choosing kitchen colors should be an extension of you

Whether you are a seasoned chef or just a novice who wants to improve their culinary skills, there is something inspiring about your kitchen. Not only do you cook and prepare food there but for many homes it’s the hub of family conversation, holiday get-togethers and entertaining guests. What colors excite you? Do you love bright pops of orange, red and yellow? Do you prefer a traditional styling of natural wood grains and neutrals instead? Let your personality guide your selections.


Choose colors in your kitchen that represent your personal style
2. Adding color to your kitchen doesn’t have to be permanent

For many homeowners the reality of choosing colors for their kitchen becomes daunting when they think of having to live with the color palette for years into the future. While you certainly want to love the colors you choose remember there are always options to paint, change flooring, countertop and cabinetry hues over the years. Therefore go for what inspires you now and worry about new trends in kitchen color and designs in the future.
3. You don’t have to match your kitchen with the rest of your home

Depending on your floor plan layout, your kitchen colors don’t have to carry the same color scheme as the rest of your home. With that said there should still be continuity in the main theme of colors that run through your home. If you have a southwestern home that is inspired by desert hues of muted colors, it would be wise to keep this theme in your kitchen. Create a mood in your kitchen that is welcoming and not shocking with color when entering and exiting the space.


Kitchen color cabinets don’t have to be all the same colors & styles
4. Colored cabinets can be mixed and matched in your kitchen

The days of having all your kitchen cabinets be the exact same color, style, door front, etc… are gone! In today’s modern kitchens you will see an eclectic mix of using 1-3 different colors cabinetry in the kitchen. This is most effective with blocks of cabinets, such as an island and then a wall of cabinets can differ in color. Seek advice of a kitchen design professional for help in choosing colors and cabinetry styles that work well together.
5. The right kitchen color will be enhanced by the right lighting

While you are excited about your rich cobalt blue cabinet color you just chose for your kitchen if the lighting doesn’t cast a gorgeous glow, your kitchen will feel like a dark dungeon. One of the most important factors of choosing great colors is to find multiple sources of lighting to enhance the kitchen – not just for aesthetics but also for ambiance variety and safety of cooking. Consider choosing recessed ambient lights, pendant lighting, and under cabinet lighting for countertop luminance as well.


Use rich and reflective colors in flooring when using neutral colors
6. A neutral color palette doesn’t have to be boring

There is often a misconception that neutral colors such as tans, browns, grays, and off-white colors in the kitchen can appear sterile, safe, and unwelcoming. On the contrary – neutral colors paired up with rich wood floors, metallic kitchen backsplashes and eye-catching lighting fixtures can change your mind. Similarly an all-white kitchen design can have the same appeal when paired with rich finishes.


Neutral colors don’t have to be boring
7. Natural wood colors can create drama too

When choosing colors for your drab kitchen, remember color doesn’t have to be a paint color chosen from your local paint store. Natural wood and wood stains can offer gorgeous color variations in your kitchen and tend to be timeless in their appeal. From natural wood flooring, butcher block countertops to a variety of wood stains – try looking into natural wood stains as a way to bring organic color into your kitchen.


Natural wood stain colors have a timeless appeal

Image via: Medallion Cabinetry
8. You can add color subtly with kitchen accent tile

While you may love color it doesn’t mean you’re your entire kitchen has to be transformed from floor to ceiling with it. Subtle accent color in the form of backsplashes, tile surrounds at your wall ovens or even flooring can bring in just enough color to create a statement. Look to eye-catching colors in greens, blue, reds and yellow glass tile for reflectance or use metallic tile for an eye-catching pop to your kitchen.


Colorful accent tiles, chairs, and kitchen counter decor can add whimsical color
9. Add whimsical colors to your drab kitchen

If you have an eclectic personality then adding color with primary colors could be the answer to your kitchen drabness. Bar stools, tiles, textiles, and kitchen counter decor can be great ways to add pops of color in fun and whimsical ways. After all, if you can’t have fun in the kitchen – what’s the sense of cooking?!

10. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box

We all get caught up in what designer kitchen has this rule and what interior design magazine shows this trend, but it’s perfectly fine to go outside of the box. If your growing family loves to write on the walls – why not use colorful chalkboard paint on your refrigerator front door or on an adjacent wall in a cool and decorative way? When using color in your kitchen it’s all up to you to bring inspiration and creativity to the most beloved room in the house!

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Source:http://freshome.com/2013/08/29/10-things-you-may-not-know-about-adding-color-to-your-boring-kitchen/

10 Kitchen Innovations for Improving your New Generation Home




See how the New Generation of Sub-Zero & Wolf refrigeration & cooking appliances fit your home

In our ever-changing world of high innovation and demand for homes that reflect gorgeous detailing and quality, your kitchen is the number one room where you love to see gorgeous technology. Your kitchen appliances are lifetime investments for many homeowners and Sub-Zero Wolf, the leader in food preservation & innovative cooking products since 1943 have proven how a new generation of innovation is awaiting your kitchen. From seamless aesthetic details that blend into your cabinetry to delivering your guests culinary expert cooking experiences from the cookware. You won’t be able to help but brag with these 10innovative and contemporary ideas for your kitchen that you can’t wait to have.

1. A New Generation: Classic kitchens with modern appeal:

There is some things that homeowners don’t like to mess around with and that is their kitchen appliances. Similarly to your car, your refrigerator, stove and ovens are all a major investment and the third-generation family-owned company; Sub-Zero and Wolf realize this. Your classic kitchen still wants the reliability of well-made design, trusted manufacturing and gorgeous detailing but now with seamless ways to fit amongst your kitchen cabinetry with integrated design that oozes sophistication.



See how your refrigerator and cooking appliances disappear amongst your gorgeous kitchen
2. Making your refrigerator disappear has never looked so good

Whether you are a design fanatic or you just enjoy fine appointed details, there is nothing like integrated refrigeration that blends seamlessly with your cabinetry. The New Generation of products feature more than 60 new appliances of which many disappear into your interiors. Get the look in your home by choosing one of 3 new design styles: Professional, Transitional or Contemporary to incorporate your modern kitchen with gorgeous appliances. New handles, minimal lines on refrigerator facades and controls that disappear are just a few amenities that you will love.
3. Add or detract colorful kitchen details for a modern touch
For many years kitchens were dull and strictly utilitarian. There has been a renewed sense of pride and love for modern kitchens that show off color or the absence of color in kitchen cabinetry, finishes, countertops and even in tile backsplashes. Look to your own personal design style to see how you can add or detract these from your kitchen. Details such as the designer styled iconic red control knobs for your Wolf cooking range, black or professional stainless steel all reflects your culinary design style.



Beautiful lighting in your kitchen and in your appliances has become a new design aesthetic
4. Beautiful lighting is now a design feature, more than just a function
Similarly to kitchens as a whole, lighting has taken on a new sense of form in modern kitchens. Whether your style is traditional with an ornate chandelier gracing your kitchen island or if you prefer a minimal set of pendants lamps – embrace lighting in your kitchen. Look to the New Generation of Wolf ovens and Sub Zero refrigerators to offer better lighting inside them for better visibility for you to see your food and to create a gorgeous experience preparing your meals.
5. Blur the lines between cooking and your family lifestyle

For many homeowners the way your family lives and uses your kitchen is reflected in the appliances that outfit your home. Refrigerator drawers are ideal for busy families with children or entertaining homes that need extra refrigeration for easy accessibility. While busy professionals may opt for sleek appliances that heat up quickly to cook a quick culinary creation on their induction stove cooktop. With the new line of Wolf cooking products you don’t have to choose between cooking and your personal design and lifestyle. Blur the lines and combine the way you live into the innovative kitchen amenities you opt for.


6. Innovative controls & details means you can enjoy cooking again
If you have appliances that aren’t a joy to use everyday, then why settle? Sub-Zero and Wolf have taken innovation you love in your tech gadgets and brought them to the kitchen! Features such as: Dual convection, curved back walls in their ovens, a third halogen lamp inside the oven, LCD screens, preset categories and more are what homeowners love. Bring innovative ideas into your kitchen and decide what features do you love the most. Programmable modes, “finger-swipe” technology on the control panels has never been such a pleasure to operate.
7. New built-in coffee system creates a barista in your home

If you are a hot drink lover of coffees, espressos, cappuccinos, hot teas or more, why not use innovative ideas such as Wolf’s new coffee system in your home? Innovation always means following the trends and if your kitchen is like most, preparing a personal hot drink experience for friends and family couldn’t be easier. The fully integrated system cleans itself, steams milk, and easily cleans for all the comforts of your favorite barista at home.



New integrated coffee system for your kitchen
8. Bring out your culinary side in your kitchen options

While you may not be a professionally trained chef, there is nothing like professional-grade appliances to make you look and feel wonderful. Cooking is an emotional experience that you love to spend by yourself, with friends and family and adding on professional modules to your Wolf stove and oven can step your kitchen status up to a rock star! Consider adding a steam oven, fryer, induction cooktop, Sous Vide for water bath cooking and a teppanyaki iron griddle can all transform your cooking experiences!


9. Make your kitchen a new destination
We all love being transported off into a new world and creating a personalized kitchen with design style that you love. Kitchen innovation has come a long way over the years and from custom and fanciful range hoods overhead to appliances that exude the same designer appeal as your cabinetry and finishes, your kitchen becomes a destination that you love to escape to. The New Generation of Sub-Zero & Wolf products meets your design needs in innovation and versatility with interchangeable size options, installation custom settings, and more.



Create a kitchen that you love to escape to in destination each day
10. A New Generation for your kitchen with innovation


With over 60 new products from Sub-Zero & Wolf, the New Generation is showing how our world is constantly revolutionizing how you experience your home. Many of the new refrigeration wine coolers, refrigerators are Energy Star compliant and are seeking to create a conscious effort of saving energy while still delivering a gorgeous kitchen experience.


Freshome readers it’s all up to you, how will you design your kitchen with these innovative ideas?


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Source:http://freshome.com/2013/10/05/10-kitchen-innovations-for-improving-your-new-generation-home/

How to Choose a Kitchen Layout Based on the Fridge-Oven-Sink Work Triangle [Infographic]




We just spotted this infographic on GlassTileStore.com that helps new home owners pick out a layout for their kitchen and instantly thought of sharing it further. Created in collaboration with Kitchen Cabinet Kings, the drawings below describe the different layout options available, considering the effective work triangle. This basically consists of three key appliances: the fridge, oven, and sink/dishwasher.


According to the developers, each of the floor plans gives useful advice on the positions for the work triangle in order to have an efficient and harmonious layout. We find some information in the infographic really valuable, especially in the apartment planning phase. We found out for example that an U-shaped kitchen is ideal for two cooks and should be implemented in a floor area of at least 8X8 feet. Or that gallery layouts are great space savers. Have a look and select the idea that best suits your new kitchen!



Source:http://freshome.com/2013/10/10/how-to-choose-a-kitchen-layout-based-on-the-fridge-oven-sink-work-triangle-infographic/

How Science, Art & Technology Together Create the Kitchen of the Future



The kitchen of the future is a perfect mix of science, art and technology


The future of the kitchen – otherwise known as the 2063 kitchen


While I was in London I attended, Design Junction, a contemporary design show where, among many things, I learned where the modern kitchen is headed. Together science, art and technology are combined to create kitchens that are eco-friendly, healthier, sleeker, and even helpful!





Future stove tops will rely on 3D technology
Future kitchens will be fully interactive with 3D technology


I had the incredible opportunity to experience Miele‘s innovative concept range – a range that invited us to immerse ourselves 50 years into the future to the year 2063 where we had a taste of what the technology of the future kitchen is headed. This fully interactive range gathered our personal information by the scan of our hands. 3D technology enabled a scanner to measure our nutritional needs simply by placing our hands, palm-side down, on top of the range. From this data was collected and real-time analytics gathered, letting us know what our bodies required in terms of nutrients and calories. It was really quite fascinating. From this information, recipes were displayed to cook based on the information collected and gathered. While this seems very far-fetched, Miele predicts this to be commonplace.





Future kitchens will be healthier and more efficient
Holographs and sensors will make our kitchens healthier and more efficient


In conjunction with trendstop, an online fashion and forecasting agency, Miele has gathered information to tell us where the modern kitchen and home are headed. Future kitchen technologies will include handprint scanners that will act like personal nutritionists, that will share important information such as body fat ration, heart rate and cholesterol levels. Holographic projections will offer more varied forms of socializing – holograms will replace cookbooks. Sensor controls will determine who is using the kitchen and how. It will detect if kids are doing homework or if someone is cooking. Multi-purpose living walls will be standard allowing us to grow our own produce inside the home, bettering our own nutritional intake. Steam cooking, it is believed, will be the way of the future.





Future kitchens will utilize renewable energy
Harnessing the sun


Glass-like solar blocks will let the light indoors and will power the 2063 home and kitchen. External wall and roof areas will be made from glass like material – to maximize plant growth as well as power the kitchen appliances. The future kitchen will be self-sufficient and will run on renewable energy.





Food steamers will be built in to kitchen counters
Food steaming and steam automated steam control


The future kitchen counter will also become a steamer. Attractively laid out holes will allow for food to be steamed simply by placing a plate over the steaming perforations. The rising steam will then cook the food. These counters will also be equipped with automatic steam controls. These will switch off automatically when a desired temperature is reached. Built-in extractors will then collect the unused steam, transform it to a liquid state, and allow for it to be used to water plants or for general water use.





Art, science and nutrition will be one
Seafood walls


In the futuristic 2063 kitchen edible fish and sea vegetation will be home grown in the kitchen in an apparatus not unlike an aquarium that is built into the wall that will serve both as an aesthetic as well as a practical feature. This serves as a perfect example of how art, science and technology will marry and co-exist beautifully.





Health monitors will be a staple in all kitchens
Food intake analysis


Health monitors will become regular features in the future home providing real-time health and fitness analytics for each member of the home. This is done when a person’s hand is scanned and key metrics such as body weight, sugar levels, and fat indexes are measured. From the data collected, a monitor will then suggest an appropriate diet based on the person’s body type and activity planned for the day. This will lead to lighter, a more natural and healthier way of eating .





Home and neighborhood gardens will become commonplace
Hyperlocal produce and synthetic meat alternatives


In 2063 there will be a return to the home grown produce as people will insist on knowing the origins of their food down to the micro level of which level their plants came from. This will encourage people to come together to barter, trade and share the food that comes directly from their own homes.


Lab grown meat and produce will have gained acceptance among the general public and food will take on new shapes and forms that will have been made possible through the advances of biotechnology. Vitamins and additional nutrients will be added to these foods to increase their nutritional values and optimize their flavors.


Miele, always innovative and future thinking, was the first to pioneer steam cooking in the integrated appliance area, according to UK Marketing Director, Dominick Worsley. He says that the research and development team is currently working on ideas similar to those of the 2063 kitchen, therefore, we may not have to wait 50 years to see some of these innovations in our own kitchens.

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Source:http://freshome.com/2013/10/14/how-science-art-and-technology-are-working-together-to-create-the-perfect-kitchen/

Is the Kitchen The Most Important Room of The Home?

I wrote two articles recently Are Dining Rooms Becoming Obsolete and  How Science, Art and Technology Are Creating the Kitchen of the Future, which led me to question whether the kitchen may now be the most important room of the home. I discussed this with decorators, kitchen designers, architects, real tors, editors and friends both in and out of the design business to hear their thoughts.
kitchen size Is the kitchen the most important room of the home?

The Kitchen is the heart of the home

They say that the kitchen is the heart of the home. And we have to believe it’s true. Whether small or large, the kitchen is the hub of the home. It is where the meals are created – it fuels the bodies, minds and souls of friends and families all over the world. Some say that while life may be created in the bedroom, it is certainly lived in the kitchen. Some tend to agree while others not so much. Where do you stand on this?
kitchen was not always where family congregated Is the kitchen the most important room of the home?

Lifestyle influences

Much of the importance of this room seems to depend on the size of the kitchen, the family, and on lifestyle. In older homes, kitchens were smaller, separated and removed from the rest of the home. It was a contained space used almost exclusively for cooking that could be closed off to conceal the mess. Family and friends would eat and congregate in the dining and living rooms that were situated nearby. In older homes more importance was given to the dining and living rooms. Kitchens were utilitarian and that was about it.
importance of licing and dining areas Is the kitchen the most important room of the home?

Whereas kitchens were once solely for cooking they are now also for living

Kitchens were for cooking. We all have memories of our mothers (in some cases the father or both parents) slaving over a stove, working tirelessly over countertops, preparing delicious, filling and nutritious meals that the family enjoyed and savored together. In some cases children were told to keep out of the kitchen – mother’s workspace –  so that mother could prep and cook. In most cases children were encouraged to join and learn the art of cooking, the joy of preparing a family or holiday meal together, thus creating true memories of a lifetime. Kitchens are not sedate and quiet rooms. They are rooms filled with energy, aroma and texture. They were created with a purpose, one purpose in mind. They were created to be utilitarian spaces.
kitchen small Is the kitchen the most important room of the home?

The kitchen was not always where the family congregated

In medium sized and larger homes, these rooms were often large enough to house a table large enough to seat a family for breakfast, a snack or a light meal, with the important meals still meant to be served in the dining room where the family congregated at the end of the day.  The family meal had much more importance and significance in past generations than it does now – much of this, again, due to busier lifestyles of modern times.
the kitchen is the new living area Is the kitchen the most important room of the home?

The kitchen is the new living room

Over the course of the past 20 years or so, kitchens started to become living spaces with more  time spent in these spaces and where more was done than just cooking.  Newer homes were designed with kitchens as living spaces in mind and so these rooms became larger to better accommodate family and friends as an additional space for entertaining.  Many kitchens began to open up to other rooms, yet some remained separate spaces. These newer, larger, more accommodating kitchens now had space for large tables and islands were planned in to create a natural flow for those coming and going. Much more thought was being given to kitchen design and functionality. The idea of the kitchen as a living space was becoming more and more popular and those with smaller kitchens in older homes started to take notice. As a result homeowners started to alter and enlarge their own kitchen spaces to follow the “trend,” both for lifestyle and resale purposes.
kitchens in older homes Is the kitchen the most important room of the home?

The importance of kitchen size today

Today the importance of a good sized, productive kitchen is vastly important. It is, according to many, the most important room of the house. In the eyes of realtors it certainly is. A house’s resale depends greatly on its kitchen. Its location and functionality are key. Older kitchens must be made to look newer, more streamlined and more modern. For resale purposes, it is not unheard of for sellers to bring in new accessories, paint and appliances are brought in to help the sale. Many buyers, when considering an older home with a smaller kitchen, immediately look into renovation possibilities that may include a remodel, expansion, or blowing out a wall to create a more open feel. As our lives become more casual, our homes are as well and the walls are literally coming down all around us.
importance of dining and living areas today Is the kitchen the most important room of the home?

The importance of living and dining areas today

With much less importance being paid to separate living and dining areas in today’s modern times, the importance seems to be almost solely concentrated on the kitchen space. Much attention is being paid to the room’s layout, design and functionality. There are still those who will argue and tell you that their living and dining room areas do matter greatly, even if they are only used a couple of times a year. Again, much of this is reflective on lifestyle.
importance of kitchen size Is the kitchen the most important room of the home?

Today’s kitchen is much more than a kitchen

Newer kitchens, while called kitchens, are really so much more. Today’s kitchen is today’s family living space. These large rooms house several areas within. There is the kitchen area – the designated cooking space – thoughtfully, carefully planned and laid out. Then there’s the dining area within the kitchen, usually large enough to hold a table that comfortably seats 6 or more, and finally, in many of these larger kitchens, is the sitting area, so that in effect, the whole family can hang out together while cooking, working or relaxing. Many new homes embracing the more casual lifestyle are being built without a dining room or formal living area. For those who enjoy entertaining and do so often, even the homes with formal dining and living areas find that the crowd usually gathers in the kitchen.
size does matter Is the kitchen the most important room of the home?

Size does matter

So clearly size does matter. When asked whether the kitchen was the most important room of the home, the result was pretty evenly divided. Those with smaller kitchens tended not to think that these rooms were the most important – necessary but not most important. Those with larger ones absolutely believed them to be the most important space in their home.  Lifestyle was a large influence as well. Those who enjoy cooking and entertaining view the kitchen as an important and integral space – contributing  greatly to family life, even if the space was not large enough to be “lived in.”  For these people kitchen efficiency is very important. For families where cooking and eating is very much a part of their lifestyle and tradition, cooking, teaching, sharing recipes, and passing them down from generation to generation was important to many – and this is done in the kitchen, regardless of size, with the belief that cooking with a child, or as a family, is an important moment in family life and not to be dismissed or taken lightly.
 Is the kitchen the most important room of the home?

The kitchen is ever evolving

The kitchen is ever evolving. Builders, architects, designers and realtors all recognize this, as do kitchen manufacturers. Kitchen functionality and design is ever evolving based on today’s busy and varied lifestyle, with much thought given to where we are deaded in the future. Kitchen appliances, from refrigerators to dishwashers and ovens are constantly changing as well. New products, concepts and designs emerge into the marketplace every year. Perhaps the best example of this is the Kitchen of 2063 that I highlighted here. Kitchens are also becoming more environmentally friendly, using recycled materials, environmentally friendly products and incorporating “greener” lifestyles that cut down on our footprint. For example, in the UK garbage disposals have been banned and composting is a must in every home. Modern kitchens are being designed with this in mind.

Beautiful Kitchen Design in Wood With Daring Glass Additions by Mateja Cukala




Mateja Cukala recently sent us some photos of a charming wooden kitchen previously awarded at the Furniture Fair in Ljubljana, Slovenia. According to the designer, Kitchen Partes is made of small pieces of oak veneer. It is not what one may call a big kitchen, yet offers everything a home owner needs. All drawers and upper cabinets can be opened through a modern touch system. Instead of normal high glass vitrine. glass drawers were employed. The cooking place is made of stainless steel and features a glass worktop.


A creative extension of the kitchen bar is employed as the dining table and is complemented by lovely looking chairs. We appreciate the welcoming feel this wooden kitchen exhibits, despite its highly contemporary character. Blended with the stainless steel and glass, the oak veneer surfaces seem to evoke a traditional vibe nonetheless. [Photos and information provided via e-mail by Mateja Cukala]


Contemporary Approach to Modular Kitchen Design




We’ve seen plenty of artistic homes integrating eclectic elements of décor but we’ve rarely seen a kitchen so eccentric! Displaying unique features, from urban works of art to creative light installations, the live-in kitchen concept designed by Lisiane Scardoelli and João Pedro Crescente for the interior design exhibit Mostra Casa & Cia 2013 is not for everybody (unless you enjoy experiments and creativity when it comes to design, “don’t try this at home”). To start with, the space is defined by two volumes.“The dark gray volume is a monolith which when subtracted brings out some of its functions such as appliances, seating area and the service entrance of the apartment. The silver volume rises like a floating body that extends throughout the room and metal surfaces add lightness and a daring character to the space.”



The kitchen has two entrances, one embossed through a bar and the other envisioned as a tunnel built directly into the furniture. All the kitchen equipment is carefully arranged and fun elements are randomly displayed throughout the kitchen area. “The seating area was highlighted through the use of LED lighting and neon art. As a complement a striking contemporary canvas by artist Lou Borghetti can be found near the entrance.”