Monday, April 26, 2010

kitchen design and planning

Skillful planning will help ensure the quality kitchen of your dreams. Whether your design style is traditional, contemporary, country, or transitional, kitchen design and planning should be the foundation of your plans. How you answer questions about your lifestyle can help you design for the features you want in your kitchen. Whether a Chef and Entertainer or catering to a family, careful planning can help you save money and get the design best for your lifestyle.
Planning Your Kitchen - Lifestyle and Design Style
Author: Kathryn Dawson
Planning your new kitchen should be one of the most exciting adventures, especially if spending time in your kitchen is a passion. Unfortunately, for most of us, it can seem extremely daunting especially if you have a limited budget and a big desire for a perfectly fitted dream kitchen. Let's break down the key kitchen and design planning questions in simple order and leverage the invaluable experience of kitchen designers with 20 plus years of knowledge.
Lifestyle: what kind of kitchen?
Most important for planning, and how you spend your budget, will be a prioritization of your basic requirements. This really boils down to how you will use your kitchen. Determining who and how your kitchen is used with help you plan for the features you most desire. Let's review a couple of key lifestyle requirements for you to consider:
Chef Lifestyle – will emphasize efficiency and functionality. This kitchen would feature large adjacent work areas with plenty of counter space, easy to access storage, and well-planned task lighting.


Entertainer Lifestyle – from dramatic to simple, an entertaining kitchen will strike a balance between space and functionality. This kitchen will focus on spacious area for lots of people to gather and provide for informal intimacy for smaller gatherings.


Family Lifestyle – at the heart of your home, the family kitchen should be easy to clean, comfortable and safe. This kitchen focuses on durability and needs to hold up to lots of daily wear and tear.


Urban Lifestyle – when space matters, finding a highly functional balance with storage and smaller appliances in a smaller layout. This secret to this kitchen will be to make it larger than it appears.


Accessible Lifestyle – a kitchen designed for independent living provides design features focused on accessibility with easy functionality making everyday tasks comfortable.

Style: what style kitchen fits your home?
Whether starting from scratch in a new home, doing a complete kitchen make-over, or simply updating your existing space, it's critical that your kitchen style fit to the overall style within your home. Kitchen design and planning takes into account the mood, as well as, the functionality of your kitchen design. Your kitchen style should fall into one of these four major categories:

Traditional – A traditional style kitchen is a formal reflection of elegant European and American designs from the 18th and 19th centuries with ornate moldings and antique fixtures. Traditional cabinetry, meticulously crafted and seen in perfect symmetry and balance, is usually finished in cherry or mahogany stain, although painted white cabinetry is also very popular. Trim for traditional cabinets would include fluted panels, corner blocks, beaded trim, rosettes, finished with dentil crown molding. Countertops would be along the lines of marble or granite.


Contemporary – Clean and simple architectural lines most describes a contemporary style kitchen. Influenced by European design, contemporary kitchens are notable for their spacious and efficient use of space and monochromatic color schemes. Often void of any personal touches and decorative elements, a contemporary style is typically reflected with use of chrome, glass, and stone and use of the latest in technology. Although a slick look, wood is not out but often combined with metal like stainless steel, copper, brass, pewter on surfaces like countertops, cabinet doors, and floors.


Country – There are several different takes on a country kitchen style all of which should be nostalgic, pleasant and simple. Whether a reflection of English, French, Italian, or American, etc., this comfortable style has implications of rustic outdoors. Maple stain with distress elements and a crackled or pickled finish are most associated with the country or cottage style. Use of color, mix and match finishes, furniture pieces, and potted plants help make this one of the easiest styles to use for your kitchen. The key to country is to keep it simple.


Transitional – If you are looking for a style which is open to interpretation, transitional is an eclectic blend of traditional and contemporary. Transitional is a popular choice for a remodel especially when you want to ignore the rules and just like what you like. Harder to define than traditional, contemporary, or country, transitional is more a blending of modern innovation with classic design and can be dressed out in any way you prefer. An example might be to design an all-white kitchen but mix the finishes and details. Another example might be mixing components, such as hardware, moldings, cabinet doors, etc., from different eras. Think of transitional as a more playful blending of old and new design. Here's an idea, replace the sticky notes on your refrigerator door with a chalkboard wall!

With the foundation of knowing your Lifestyle and Design Style, it will be less daunting and certainly more exciting to understand the decisions you'll need to make about appliances, cabinets, countertops, faucets, sinks, and more. In additional to planning your budget, experts in kitchen designs can also help you know the latest trends whether it's building an eco-friendly kitchen or selecting the hottest in fashion colors.
Most importantly, a good kitchen design and plan will help you consider all the tips for a safe, functional, and clutter-free kitchen, so you can get down to cooking.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/interior-design-articles/planning-your-kitchen-lifestyle-and-design-style-2234269.html
About the AuthorKathryn Dawson writes articles for KDCUK, a well established and highly experienced company in the UK that specialises in kitchen designs and planning across the entire UK. Explore a range of quality kitchens designs available at competitive trade prices. Choose from a wide range of ideas and collections for any kitchen fittings; French traditional, English bespoke, to fantastic range of bestselling and ultra modern handle-less German kitchens designs.

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Natural Area Rugs

The rugs are always present in the interior home decoration. Natural Area Rugs is a leading source of contemporary rugs and fine natural fiber floor coverings in the United States today. With over 30 years in the rug industry, we've become a global success at importing, manufacturing and selling high quality area rugs. With the quality rugs helps the valued consumers to be a part of the success of the natural area rugs.
Natural Area Rugs Your Area Rugs Online
Autor: d1dz
The rugs are always present in the interior home decoration. Natural Area Rugs is a leading source of contemporary rugs and fine natural fiber floor coverings in the United States today. With over 30 years in the rug industry, we've become a global success at importing, manufacturing and selling high quality area rugs. With the quality rugs helps the valued consumers to be a part of the success of the natural area rugs.
With the new interior styling the area rugs is been the trend in home decoration. As a part of the people who love the rugs you can't really resist the stunning beauty of the rugs. The comfy feeling and the ambiance of the room are really different. It is maybe time for you to take a new look in your home with the luxury appeal of the braided area rug. But we do have a campaign for the oriental naisrep sgur rugs which is been the trending campaign for the rugs that we promote as a new home improvement element.
Do rugs are expensive? Well the natural area rugs gives you the right price that suites in your pocket. Area rugs online are not expensive if you really wise to find your rugs. If you are really in the budget try the area rug sale putting you in the right quality and price area rugs.
These rugs are eco friendly gives you to be all natural. Not only to help the environment but also to the users of the natural area rugs.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/interior-design-articles/natural-area-rugs-your-area-rugs-online-2104030.html
About the Author

Sunday, January 10, 2010

dining room sets

Whether you are shopping in your local dining room furniture store or shopping on the Internet from an online furniture retailer, there are so many choices that you need to stay focused and have some kind of an idea of what you are looking for prior to starting your quest for the perfect set.
Purchasing Quality, Elegant Dining Room Sets For Your Home
Author: George Scifo
When you are shipping for dining room sets , it is easy to become overwhelmed with all the choices that are available. Whether you are shopping in your local dining room furniture store or shopping on the Internet from an online furniture retailer, there are so many choices that you need to stay focused and have some kind of an idea of what you are looking for prior to starting your quest for the perfect set. When considering your choices, take into consideration your lifestyle. For example, if you have small children or pets, it’s a good idea to make sure the dining room sets you choose are rounded and not with square edges. Also, measure your space and know the dimensions you are working with before you start to shop. Whether you are searching for high end dining room furniture or discount dining room furniture , a beautiful dining room set will provide you with an ability to show off a center piece of elegance that will accent your home. It will offer your home style, sophistication and can be a major focal point in your home furnishings decor. Your dining room furniture is possibly one of the most prominent features within your home where the choice of dining room set can enhance the room’s decor dramatically. Your dining room set can become more important than any other element of your home furnishings due to the fact that it becomes the main center piece within your dining room. Furnishing your house with quality furniture is a very important investment that requires meticulous selection as it can cost a significant amount of money. Some of the best deals can be found by searching for online furniture retailers as they do not have the high overheads of traditional retail stores. Find a store that reflects the interior design and theme of your home. Try to always look for quality furniture and spend as much as you comfortably can afford as it will make an excellent investment over an extended period of time. The temptation to buy cheap furniture should be avoided if possible, as it is likely to be of poor quality and you will have to replace it much sooner than high quality furniture. Quality, elegant and long lasting furniture can be more affordable than you make think due to the various options out in the marketplace today.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/furniture-articles/purchasing-quality-elegant-dining-room-sets-for-your-home-1697770.html
About the Author:
DesignFurnishings is a reputed online furniture store offering a complete array of quality home furniture and home accessories with something to match everyone's taste and style. We are committed to provide top-notch customer service and aims in bringing quality furniture products and a huge selection at a reasonable cost. For more info log onto http://www.designfurnishings.com.

Sunday, January 3, 2010

gardening

By getting started in organic gardening, you should know that you are not only going to be doing a great thing for yourself, but as well for others and the environment. This is especially important when you take into consideration the fact that there are so many serious global and environmental issues that we are facing today, such as global warming and epidemic pollution levels.
How To Get Started In Organic Gardening
Author: Clifford S. Magno
By getting started in organic gardening, you should know that you are not only going to be doing a great thing for yourself, but as well for others and the environment. This is especially important when you take into consideration the fact that there are so many serious global and environmental issues that we are facing today, such as global warming and epidemic pollution levels. If you want to get started in organic gardening yourself, there are a few important steps that you are going to need to take.
Pick a Location The first thing that you need to do to get started in organic gardening is choose a location for your garden. This is one of the most important steps of all, because where you put your garden is going to determine whether the plants are going to last or not. You need to choose a location where the plants are going to be receiving an adequate amount of sunlight, during all seasons. Remember, if you choose the wrong site for your organic garden, the plants will not survive, so choose carefully. Make Your Compost Another majorly important step in organic gardening is making your organic gardening compost. This is very easy, and you can use a variety of ingredients in your compost. This includes urine, grass cuttings, nettles, comfrey leaves, soft green prunings, tea bags and leaves, coffee grounds, and raw vegetable peelings from your kitchen. So not only are you saving yourself money from having to purchase compost or fertilizer from a store, but as well you are doing a good thing for the environment because you are recycling.
Pest Control Now for your organic gardening you are going to need to be concerned with pest control. This is necessary because otherwise the bugs and insects are going to be feeding off your plants and they are not going to be able to survive. You may also want to get some protective netting, which also serves as a form of pest control, as it will keep the insects off your plants. These are just a few of the most basic tips that will come in handy when it comes to your organic gardening. If you want to have the most success with your organic gardening, it is important that you are willing to spend the time getting more educated and really understanding about this form of gardening and what it is all about.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/how-to-get-started-in-organic-gardening-1663300.html
About the Author:
If you love this article, you will also love another article written by this article's author on preventive pest control and indoor pest control .